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🇮🇸 Iceland /Elections & Politics

EU says Iceland’s membership application remains in force

From Morgunblaðið · () Icelandic

Translated from Icelandic and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • The European Commission said Iceland’s 2009 application for EU membership remains valid because it was never formally withdrawn.
  • Icelandic voters recently rejected restarting membership talks, with 52.8% voting against and 47.2% in favour.
  • The Commission said Iceland remains a close partner and that cooperation through the European Economic Area will continue.

Iceland’s 2009 application to join the European Union remains formally valid, according to a spokesperson for the European Commission.

“Iceland’s application for EU membership was never formally withdrawn and is therefore still in force,” the spokesperson said in response to a question from Morgunblaðið. The Commission declined to say how far it had been prepared to go in offering exemptions from the EU’s common fisheries policy.

Iceland’s application for EU membership was never formally withdrawn and is therefore still in force.

— European Commission spokespersonThe spokesperson explained why Iceland’s 2009 membership application remains formally valid.

Icelandic voters rejected restarting membership negotiations in a referendum held over the weekend. The no vote won 52.8% of the ballots, while 47.2% voted yes.

We have no comment to offer here.

— European Commission spokespersonThe Commission declined to discuss possible exemptions from the EU’s common fisheries policy.

Asked whether the result would affect cooperation under the European Economic Area, the spokesperson said Iceland would remain a close EU partner. “Iceland remains a close partner of the European Union. We will continue to work with Iceland on the basis of our excellent relationship.”

Morgunblaðið also sought a reaction from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, but had not received a response. The Commission’s statement leaves the old application formally on the books even as Icelandic voters have rejected a return to membership talks.

Iceland remains a close partner of the European Union. We will continue to work with Iceland on the basis of our excellent relationship.

— European Commission spokespersonThe spokesperson described the expected continuation of EU-Iceland cooperation after the referendum.
About this summary

Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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