Iceland government rules out renewed EU membership talks

Iceland’s government will not resume negotiations with the European Union, Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir told mbl.is after meeting the Alþingi parliamentary foreign affairs committee on Monday.

“It is completely clear from our side that this government will take no further action to enter negotiations with the European Union. That is what this referendum was about,” Gunnarsdóttir said.

She said the government would respect the result of the referendum, whose message was not to restart membership negotiations.

The meeting also addressed whether Iceland’s EU membership application should be formally withdrawn, but no decision was taken. Gunnarsdóttir said withdrawing the application would make the process longer and more difficult for any future government that wanted to begin membership talks. She also said such an application had no expiry date.

The minister said Iceland should maintain strong relations with the EU and ensure that the European Economic Area agreement continues to function. She also said Iceland should strengthen bilateral relations with the United States, Canada, Japan and China.

Gunnarsdóttir said she would lead a business delegation to Minneapolis this year and that a previously planned visit to China would take place later in the year. She also referred to Iceland’s economic and political cooperation declaration with Japan, signed during her visit there earlier this year.

She said Iceland needed to pursue various solutions within the EEA agreement. Iceland has secured an exemption or solution regarding the EU emissions trading system until 2030, but other issues still required attention and pressure within the agreement, she said.

A follow-up meeting on the referendum result is planned when an opportunity arises, according to the minister.