In 2013, Iceland suspended its EU accession negotiations, partly due to disagreements over European rules on fisheries. In August 2026, Icelanders voted against resuming the accession talks in a referendum. What were the main factors behind the result? Why does Iceland, to some extent, follow a similar path to other Nordic countries and territories such as Norway and Greenland, as well as wealthy Switzerland? And why is the outcome uncomfortable for supporters of a more federal European Union? This analysis explores these questions.

Key takeaways:

• Icelanders voted against resuming EU accession talks, mainly due to concerns over national sovereignty and control of fisheries.
• Iceland’s approach reflects the experience of Norway, Greenland and Switzerland, where autonomy and control over key policy areas play an important role.
• The result shows that European integration is not a one-way process and that close partnership without full EU membership can offer an alternative form of cooperation.

Analysis – Karel Sál

The analysis is in PDF under the link below.