Iceland's EU Referendum: Fishing Rights and Sovereignty Loom Large

Icelanders are set to vote on August 29th regarding the potential restart of negotiations to join the European Union. The referendum campaign, though yet to fully ignite, is anticipated to heavily feature debates around fishing rights, national sovereignty, and the adoption of the euro.

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I imagine questions around fishing rights and stuff like that will feature pretty heavily.

While integrating Iceland into the 27-state bloc might be relatively straightforward in many respects, given its existing participation in the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area (EEA), significant hurdles remain. The core of the debate is expected to revolve around Iceland's vast 200-nautical mile fishing waters, which constitute nearly half of the country's exports. Protecting these resources is a paramount concern for many Icelanders.

Professor Margrét Einarsdóttir of Reykjavik University anticipates that "questions around fishing rights and stuff like that will feature pretty heavily." Concerns about vessels from other EU countries accessing Icelandic waters are a prominent worry. Erna Bjarnadóttir, secretary of the anti-EU group Heimssyn, argues that the notion of Iceland retaining full control over its fishing waters as an EU member is "unrealistic." Heimssyn advocates for maintaining Iceland's sovereign status outside the EU framework.

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We want Iceland to be a sovereign country, and in the framework we understand the sovereignty of Iceland today, and that joining the EU would surrender part of our sovereignty, we think we are better off with staying as we are.

Iceland initially applied for EU membership in 2009, with negotiations progressing due to substantial alignment in laws. However, a more Eurosceptic government taking office in late 2013 led to a pause in the process, primarily due to seemingly irreconcilable differences over fishing rights. Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, a proponent of EU accession within the coalition government, has recently cautioned against fearmongering during the upcoming campaign.

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The no campaign believes the suggestion Iceland could retain full sway over its fishing waters as an EU member state is unrealistic.