Icelandic ministers approved moving up a public vote on whether to resume accession talks with the European Union, the foreign ministry said. The Cabinet backed holding the referendum on August 29, but the plan must be approved by parliament, the Althingi, before the vote can proceed. The government says it will table the proposal in parliament early next week.
The government’s plan is two-stage: the August referendum would ask voters whether to reopen negotiations. If Icelanders vote yes and negotiations produce an EU invitation, a second and final referendum would be held on full membership. The government has said that a defeat in August would remove the question permanently from the agenda.
A recent Gallup poll cited by public broadcaster RÚV shows 57% of respondents favor resuming talks and 30% oppose. Polling suggests increased public concern about rising living costs and growing geopolitical tensions in the Arctic following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and heightened friction around Greenland.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, whose center-left coalition proposed the referendum, argues Iceland would be a “strong and reliable partner” within the EU and that Reykjavik’s negotiating position vis-à-vis Brussels is sound. Still, significant domestic opposition remains, notably among farmers and fishing communities worried that EU rules could require sharing North Atlantic fishing grounds with other countries.
Iceland, population roughly 400,000, already participates in the European Economic Area and the Schengen zone. It is NATO’s smallest member and relies on the alliance for security.
EU accession is a lengthy process managed by the European Commission, assessed across 35 negotiation chapters covering areas such as transparency, financial regulation, fisheries, transport, agriculture and fundamental freedoms. Admission requires unanimous agreement by all 27 EU member states. Membership would give Iceland direct representation in EU institutions including the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament.
Iceland first opened accession talks in 2009 after the 2008 financial crisis but withdrew the bid in 2013 under a euroskeptic government. Frostadóttir’s administration, elected in 2024, had pledged a referendum by 2027; recent geopolitical developments — including comments by former US President Donald Trump about Greenland — have accelerated the timetable.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Icelanders face “a significant decision,” noting the geopolitical context is now different and that EU membership can serve as an anchor “in a world of competing spheres of influence,” offering ties grounded in shared values, prosperity and security.