Finance
Iceland to hold EU referendum 'in the coming months', PM says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 25, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 25, 2026
Quick Summary
Iceland will hold a referendum in the coming months on reopening EU accession talks, PM Kristrún Frostadóttir said in Warsaw with Donald Tusk. Talks paused in 2013; economic pressures and security concerns have revived interest.
WARSAW, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Iceland will hold a referendum "in the coming months" on restarting European Union accession talks, Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said on Wednesday during a visit to Poland.
Reykjavik abandoned EU membership talks in 2013 after four years of negotiations, but a rise in the cost of living and the war in Ukraine have helped rekindle the island nation's interest in joining the bloc, opinion polls have shown.
Repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Greenland, which is located between Iceland and the United States, have also made the question of EU membership more pressing for Iceland, which is home to almost 400,000 people.
"In the coming months we are going to have a referendum on opening up the negotiations, the accession negotiations for Iceland to possibly join the EU," Frostadottir told a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Iceland's centre-left government, which came to power after a snap election in 2024, had promised to hold a referendum no later than next year on restarting talks with the EU.
Frostadottir said reopening the talks was about "opening an opportunity" for Iceland and pursuing better integration for the country in Europe.
Iceland is already part of the EU's single market, the Schengen open-border travel zone, and the European Free Trade Association. It is also a NATO member.
(Reporting by Essi Lehto, Barbara Erling and Louise Rasmussen, editing by Gwladys Fouche and Gareth Jones)
Key Takeaways
- •Iceland will hold a referendum in the coming months on reopening EU accession talks.
- •PM Kristrún Frostadóttir announced the plan at a press conference in Warsaw alongside Poland’s PM Donald Tusk.
- •The vote concerns restarting negotiations, not immediate EU membership or euro adoption.
- •Iceland halted EU membership talks in 2013 after four years of negotiations.
- •Rising living costs and the war in Ukraine have renewed public interest in EU ties.
Frequently Asked Questions about Iceland to hold EU referendum 'in the coming months', PM says
1What is the main topic?
Iceland plans a referendum in the coming months on whether to reopen negotiations to join the European Union, as announced by Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir in Warsaw.
2What will the referendum decide?
Voters will decide whether to restart EU accession negotiations. It does not grant immediate EU membership or commit Iceland to adopting the euro.
3When could the vote take place?
The government says it will be held over the coming months, with the exact date yet to be set following the announcement on February 25, 2026.