Foreign minister says Iceland must retain control over natural resources

Icelandic Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir says talks with the European Union could resume around the turn of the year if voters approve the move in a 29 August referendum, mbl.is reported.

She said the government would contact the EU if the vote produced a yes result and notify it that Iceland wanted to restart accession negotiations.

Gunnarsdóttir said the talks could move quickly because Iceland had already opened 27 of the 33 negotiating chapters during its previous attempt and closed 11. She also noted that Iceland was already covered by about 75% of EU regulations.

She said negotiations should begin with the most difficult issues rather than leaving them until later. These would include fisheries, agriculture and the labour market.

When asked about possible arrangements for fisheries, Gunnarsdóttir said the EU had shown a willingness to take Iceland’s special circumstances in fisheries and agriculture into account. She also cited Iceland’s small and highly unstable currency.

She said entering the process as soon as possible would clearly benefit Icelandic households and the economy, although there would be no clearer indication of when that could happen until negotiations began.

Gunnarsdóttir identified control over natural resources, including fisheries, as her main red line in the negotiations.

She also said EU membership could create opportunities for Icelandic farmers. Iceland’s agricultural sector faced particular conditions, including an ageing farming population and a shortage of new entrants, she said.

Infrastructure development, support for vulnerable communities and a more stable currency could benefit farmers, according to the minister. She added that Iceland would continue supporting its agricultural sector and might receive additional oversight, support and understanding from the EU because of its distinctive circumstances.

She said it might also be possible to secure a system that provided better support for farmers, food production and the consumer market.

If voters reject renewed negotiations, Gunnarsdóttir said she would first consult the Foreign Affairs Committee about the next steps. She added that the current government would not take the matter any further.