Iceland sets Aug 29 referendum on resuming EU membership talks
Iceland will hold a referendum on August 29 to decide whether to resume negotiations on joining the European Union, the government announced. The vote would determine whether talks suspended more than a decade ago should continue, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The Icelandic government has scheduled a nationwide referendum for August 29 on whether to continue negotiations on European Union membership.
The vote would allow citizens to decide if the government should resume accession talks that were halted in 2014. Authorities say the referendum concerns the continuation of negotiations rather than immediate EU membership. If negotiations are completed, a separate national vote on joining the bloc would be expected.
Iceland first applied to join the EU in 2009 under a left-leaning government following the global financial crisis. Formal negotiations began in 2010 but were suspended in 2013 after parliamentary elections. A center-right government later withdrew the country’s membership application in 2015.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir described the upcoming referendum as an important step in determining Iceland’s future relationship with Europe. Speaking at a press conference in Reykjavik, she emphasized that the vote is about whether the dialogue with the EU should be completed.
European officials welcomed the announcement. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the decision ahead would be significant for the Icelandic people, noting that accession negotiations always reflect the circumstances of each candidate country.
A spokesperson for the European Commission said cooperation between Iceland and the EU is already extensive and that Brussels looks forward to continuing close engagement with Icelandic authorities.
Although not an EU member, Iceland participates in the European Economic Area together with Norway and Liechtenstein. Through this arrangement, the country already applies much of the EU’s internal market legislation.
Potential challenges in future negotiations may include how Iceland would be integrated into the EU’s fisheries and agricultural policies. The fishing industry accounts for about 12% of the country’s GDP.
Frostadóttir has also highlighted Iceland’s geographic and economic particularities, noting that the island nation’s Arctic position differs from that of mainland European states.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency that Iceland plans a referendum on resuming EU accession talks.
