Topic:

Iceland and the EU

Icelanders remain opposed to EU membership

9 Oct 2018 Most Icelanders remain firmly opposed to the idea of joining the European Union according to the results of a new opinion poll produced by Gallup for the organisation Já Ísland which campaigns for Icelandic membership of the bloc.

Reject transfer of power over Iceland's energy sector to European institutions

15 May 2018 Most Icelanders oppose transfer of power over Iceland's energy sector to European institutions according to a fresh opinion poll produced for the organisation Heimssýn which opposes the idea that the country should seek membership of the European Union.

Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson.

Brussels reluctant to use the EEA two pillar system

14 Apr 2018 Two things mainly threaten the EEA Agreement according to Iceland's Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson. First of all the European Union's reluctance to use the agreement's two pillar system and secondly attempts by proponents of EU membership to undermine the agreement.

Iceland's parliament building.

Request a report on Iceland's EEA membership

2 Apr 2018 Thirteen Icelandic lawmakers have tabled a request in Iceland's parliament for a report from Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson on the pros and cons of the country's membership of the European Economic Area (EEA).

Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson.

Iceland's energy not for the EU to decide

22 Mar 2018 Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson says Iceland's energy matters are not an issue that Icelanders should have to discuss with the European Union in Brussels. The country's energy matter are simply not a "Single Market issue" he said in a debate in the Icelandic parliament this morning.

Bjarni Benediktsson, leader of Iceland's Independence Party.

Wants to assess Iceland's EEA experience

18 Mar 2018 The national congress of Iceland's conservative Independence Party has reaffirmed its long standing policy of rejecting membership of the European Union. The party also wants to assess Iceland's experience of both the EEA Agreement and the Schengen cooperation.

Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson.

Rising doubts over Iceland's EEA membership

13 Feb 2018 "The time has come in my opinion for us in Parliament to take into serious consideration what the position of the EFTA countries is based on the EEA Agreement when such demands are made by the European Union."

Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, chair of the Restoration Party ('Viðreisn').

Pro-EU parties abandon push for fresh EU accession talks

7 Nov 2017 The leaders of both the remaining political parties in Iceland's parliament which favour joining the European Union have declared that their policy calling for a referendum on whether to re-apply for EU membership will not be a condition for possible participation in a new government.

Pro-EU influence in Iceland's parliament significantly reduced

1 Nov 2017 The general elections in Iceland on October 28 saw the influence of political parties in favour of joining the European Union significantly reduced in the country's parliament. Only eleven MPs out of the total number of 63 now belong to parties with a pro-EU platform.

Fresh poll confirms Iceland's long-standing opposition to EU membership

18 Oct 2017 Most Icelanders do not want their country to join the European Union according to an opinion poll produced by Gallup and published on Monday. Membership of the bloc has been opposed in every opinion poll published in Iceland since July 2009 or for more than eight years.

Former central banker Jón Sigurðsson.

Little taste for EU membership in Iceland

17 Apr 2017 Much needs to happen for the Icelandic people to change their minds and support membership of the European Union according to Jón Sigurðsson, former president of the Central Bank of Iceland who also once served as the country's Minister of Commerce.

Two-thirds reject EU membership

23 Feb 2017 The majority of Icelanders remain opposed to membership of the European Union (EU) according to a new opinion poll produced by MMR. 54% say they do not support the idea that Iceland should become part of the bloc while 25.9% are in favour.

Bjarni Benediktsson, leader of the Independence Party.

Will not support an EU referendum

6 Jan 2017 Referendum on whether Iceland should re-apply for membership of the European Union would not be in line with the policy of the conservative Independence Party ('Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn') party leader Bjarni Benediktsson said earlier this week.

Birgitta Jónsdóttir.

Pirate slams government’s handling of EU application

9 Feb 2016 “It is beyond me why the government has not kept its pre-election promise to let the people have their say before taking such a monumental step.”

Majority rejects EU membership

3 Feb 2016 The majority of Icelanders are opposed to membership of the European Union according to a fresh opinion poll produced by Gallup for the organisation Já Ísland, which favours membership, and published on Monday.

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