World : Iceland Narrowly Rejects Restarting EU Membership Talks In Referendum

Icelandic citizens have voted against reviving talks to rejoin the European Union, with 52.8% of the electorate opposing the move and 47.2% supporting it, according to official results published by the national broadcaster RUV and cited by AFP. Held on Saturday, the referendum came more than a decade after Iceland's previous EU accession negotiations were halted.

The outcome is expected to halt the ongoing debate over EU membership, with the issue unlikely to resurface in Icelandic politics until at least 2028. The referendum presented voters with a simple choice: whether Iceland should resume negotiations to join the EU. Prime Minister Kristín Þorsteinsdóttir had pushed for the early referendum, which was moved up from its original date next year due to heightened geopolitical tensions and former US President Donald Trump's frequent references to Greenland.

A key argument against rejoining the EU came from the influential Icelandic fishing industry, with around 90% of its companies opposing membership. This opposition was rooted in concerns that EU membership could subject Icelandic waters to the EU's Common Fisheries Policy and grant other European countries greater access to Icelandic fishing grounds.

Fishing also holds significant historical and national importance in Iceland, as the country won several disputes with the United Kingdom in the 1970s over fishing rights, known as the Cod Wars. Opponents argued that Iceland already benefits from many economic advantages associated with closer European integration without being an EU member, as the nation is part of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Schengen free-travel zone.

Supporters of rejoining the EU argued that closer integration could provide economic and financial benefits, such as lower inflation and interest rates, and that adopting the euro could provide greater monetary stability compared to Iceland's volatile króna. Additionally, they asserted that EU membership could help Iceland tackle cross-border issues like climate change and enhance its ties with European neighbors.

Geopolitical factors also played a role in the debate, with some supporters arguing that closer ties with European countries could provide additional solidarity in response to US President Donald Trump's statements about taking control of Greenland. The referendum, while not binding, is expected to be respected by Iceland's government, which has stated it will do so.

Had the proposal been approved, Iceland would have resumed EU accession negotiations covering areas like the economy and human rights, though any eventual membership agreement would still require approval in a separate referendum. The rejection means that these negotiations will not restart. Prime Minister Þorsteinsdóttir had previously indicated that if the proposal was rejected, the EU membership question would not reappear in the political agenda during her current term, which ends in 2028.

The government may also leave the decision of potentially withdrawing Iceland's existing EU membership application to parliament. The result is also a setback for the European Union, which had been eager to reinvolve Iceland in the accession process. Brussels had shown willingness to adopt a conciliatory approach on contentious issues, particularly fisheries, to facilitate Icelandic membership.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos noted that Iceland's unique circumstances surrounding fisheries and agriculture would need careful consideration. The EU also saw Icelandic membership as potentially significant for its presence in the strategic Arctic region and as a potential example of successful enlargement. However, the 52.8%-47.2% result indicates that Iceland's voters have, for now, decided to remain outside the EU while maintaining their existing economic and travel links with the bloc.