Iceland out of CSDP policy-making

Iceland has lost its right to take an official position regarding the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

According to Communications Officer at the EU Delegation in Iceland, Klem­ens Ólaf­ur Þrastarson, a recent European Council decision means that Iceland will from now on be invited only to sign up to EU statements on security and defence matters.

This brings Iceland’s status in this regard into line with fellow European Economic Area (EEA) Member States, Liechtenstein and Norway, after being involved in CSDP policy-making in its capacity as EU candidate country since 2010.

This is one of the measures taken and to be taken by the European Council in response to the Icelandic government’s decision to consider Iceland no longer an EU candidate country.

Iceland is gradually being removed from candidate-country lists on various EU websites and its representatives are no longer invited to EU meetings which candidate countries have the right to attend.