Friday

29th Mar 2024

Iceland could be EU member by 2011

  • Reykjavik has not made a formal application to join the EU (Photo: Johannes Jansson/norden.org)

The small North Atlantic state of Iceland could become a member of the EU within the next two years if it takes the step of formally applying for membership of the 27-nation bloc.

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn has indicated that the EU would look favourably upon a membership application and would be prepared to make it an EU member within record time, probably at the same time as Croatia in 2011.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"The EU prefers two countries joining at the same time rather than individually. If Iceland applies shortly and the negotiations are rapid, Croatia and Iceland could join the EU in parallel," said Mr Rehn, according to UK daily the Guardian.

"On Iceland, I hope I will be busier. It is one of the oldest democracies in the world and its strategic and economic positions would be an asset to the EU," he continued.

The encouraging words from the EU come as Iceland grapples with financial meltdown caused by the global economic crisis.

The government last week became the first to fall due to the global economic situation after weeks of demonstrations in Reykjavik as people's savings and pensions eroded. The country has also had a bailout by the International Monetary Fund.

Elections are expected to be held in May. Until then, the country is expected to be led by a caretaker centre-left government of Social Democrats, the senior coalition partner, and the more eurosceptic Left-Greens.

While the Social Democrats generally favour EU membership, the Left-Greens party "rejects participation in the European Union and emphasizes simple, bilateral treaties concerning trade and co-operation," according to its website.

Finnur Dellsen, a political advisor in the Left-Green party, told EUobserver that his party wants a referendum on whether to open negotiation talks with the EU and then another one on actual membership.

But he noted that EU question is "not really a part" of the current negotiations on forming a government.

However, the question of membership is expected to feature strongly in pre-election campaigning, as will the issue of whether the battered Icelandic Krona should be replaced by the euro.

Icelanders themselves remain unsure of EU membership. A recent Capacent Gallup poll found that 38 percent want to join the EU, down from over 50 percent in October.

Speaking about possible EU membership, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso on Friday (30 January) did not reject the idea.

"Iceland is a very friendly country - a member of the European economic space."

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us