Iceland: In from the cold

Speculation on Iceland’s application to become the 28^th Member State of the European Union had been rife the last month as the question was debated in the country’s 1000 year old parliament.

At the first press conference of the Swedish Presidency of the European Council, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt confirmed that Iceland, should it bid already applies most of the EU Community’s acquis and therefore would not be a case similar to enlargement, without of course showing any preference to the country purely for its Nordic location.

Further talks have centred on what this would mean on a global scale, as Iceland’s involvement in the Arctic Circle brings up issues form the Russian and the Canadian side – natural energy reserves and production issues.

On July 16 the Parliament of Iceland voted in favour of presenting an application for membership to the EU.

Jose Manuel Barroso the European Commission President took this to mean that the European Project is alive and well, "and indicative of the hope that Europe represents. Iceland is a European country with long and deep democratic roots. Iceland has very close relations with the EU after some 40 years of EFTA membership and 15 years in the European Economic Area (EEA). It is now up to the Icelandic government to follow-up this decision by officially applying to the Presidency of the EU."

Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn noted his role in the matter and proclaimed contentment, "I am pleased that the EU's enlargement agenda may soon extend to Europe's north-western corner as well, with Iceland, a country with deep democratic traditions, in addition to our continued commitment to South East Europe."