Iceland Could Become EU Member in 2028, Minister Says

Iceland Could Join European Union by 2028, Says Foreign Minister

Potential EU Membership: Key Negotiations and Political Context

By Lili Bayer

Foreign Minister's Optimism and Timeline

BRUSSELS, March 18 (Reuters) - Iceland's Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir told Reuters on Wednesday she is optimistic her country could join the European Union as early as 2028, adding she expects fisheries and agriculture to be the toughest points of negotiation.

Referendum and Negotiation Process

The Icelandic government has proposed holding a referendum on August 29 on resuming EU membership negotiations, a process Reykjavik froze in 2013 when a more Eurosceptic government took power.

"We have seen that it's beneficial to have a voice at the table," Gunnarsdottir said in an interview in Brussels.

Key Issues in Negotiations

If Icelandic voters opt to restart talks, the minister said she expects fisheries to be the most difficult discussion. Iceland has disagreed with the EU in the past over fishing quotas that impact one of the main drivers of its economy.

Fisheries, Agriculture, and Labour Market

The minister said any new talks should focus on the most difficult issues such as fisheries, agriculture and the labour market, right in the beginning.

"If we do that, then I'm pretty optimistic then we will be, before the end of the year 2028, a member of the European Union," she added.

Iceland's Current Relationship with Europe

The Nordic country, home to almost 400,000 people, is a founding member of NATO and already part of ​the European ⁠single market and Schengen open-border travel zone. 

Renewed Interest in EU Membership

A rise in the cost of living and ​Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine have renewed Iceland’s interest in joining ⁠the bloc, polls have shown.

Geopolitical Factors

Repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Greenland, located between Iceland and ​the United States, have also put a spotlight on possible EU membership.

"Iceland is there in the middle, a kind of link between those two continents," she said.

Next Steps and EU Response

If voters back ​the resumption of talks, full membership would require a second referendum.

"Should you choose to pursue EU membership, Iceland would certainly be a frontrunner in this process,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.  

(Reporting by Lili BayerEditing by Alexandra Hudson)