1. Iceland – EU Accession Talks State of Play
University of Iceland - Centre for Small State Studies
Intensive Summer Course 2013  Visit to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland
Bryndís Kjartansdóttir
Director, European Affairs,
Department of External Trade and Economic Affairs

2. Structure
New Government´s platform
Process so far
Next steps

4. 6 19 19 9 7 3

5. Government Platform
Accession negotiations with the EU will be put on hold and an assessment made of the status of the negotiations and developments within the EU. The assessment will be submitted to the Althingi for discussion and presented to the nation. Accession negotiations will not be continued without a prior referendum.

6. Where are we now – chapters

7. .
Two of the most
important chapters
not yet opened 7

8. What happens next?
Assessment on state of play and the development within the EU...
... with subsequent parliamentary discussion and debate
No continuation without a referendum
In the meantime FM has stated his intention to strengthen Iceland´s participation in EEA

9. NATO 1949
EFTA 1970
EES
Schengen
EU Application 2009
June 2013: Next step is to put Iceland´s accession talks on hold and give the Parliament the opportunity to review the situation.
Iceland´s participation in the EEA will presumably be strengthened - cooperation with Europe continues

10. Questions?

11. Issues - three categories of readiness
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Covered by EEA
1. Free movement of goods
2. Freedom of movement for workers
3. Right of establishment and freedom to provide services
4. Free movement of capital
5. Public procurement
6. Company law
7. Intellectual property law
8. Competition
9. Financial services
10. Information society and media
Partially EEA covered
Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy
Transport policy
Energy
Statistics
Social policy and employment
Enterprise and industrial policy
Trans-European networks
Research and development
Education and culture
Environment
Consumer and health protection
Not covered by EEA
Agriculture,rural development
Fisheries
Taxation
Economic and monetary policy
Regional and coordination of structural instruments
Judiciary & fundamental rights
Justice, freedom and security
Customs union
External relations
Foreign, security and defence policy
Financial control
33. Financial & budgetary provisions Af
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„If EU accession is a marathon, Iceland has
already completed the first 40 kilometres
Olli Rehn, Enlargement Commissioner (2009)