The EU Information Centres have been established since 1998 within the framework of the world EU Centres network. In 2010 as a result of the “Support to the Establishment of EU Centres in the Russian Federation” competition 3 EU Centres were established in Russia - in Saint-Petersburg, Tomsk and Kaliningrad. The EU Centre in the Barents region was established as a result of the second round of the competition.

The EU Centre in Barents Region was found on the basis of the EU Information Centre of Petrozavodsk State University in December 2011. The Centre unites 5 leading universities of Barents Region, namely Petrozavodsk State University, Murmansk State Technical University, Murmansk Humanities Institute, Syktyvkar State University, as well as North (Arctic) Federal University.

Overall Objective: To improve overall awareness and knowledge among lecturers, students, officials, CSIs and general public in the Barents area of Russia on EU related issues (structure, policies, economy, law, the European integration, the EU-Russia relations, etc.).