Iceland’s EU talks could reshape the Faroese debate

Iceland’s planned referendum on whether to resume negotiations on European Union membership could influence the debate over EU membership in the Faroe Islands, Kringvarp Føroya reports. The vote is scheduled for August 29.

Bárður á Steig Nielsen, the Faroese minister for foreign and fisheries affairs, said the referendum was highly relevant because Iceland, like the Faroe Islands, has a substantial fishing industry.

“The challenge in the Faroe Islands in gaining support for entering into dialogue with the EU is that fisheries in EU member states are generally governed from Brussels. That is something Faroese people naturally do not want to hear about, because it is primarily what we live from,” he said.

A poll conducted in June found that just over 53 per cent of those intending to vote planned to support resuming negotiations on Icelandic EU membership. Men and women expressed broadly similar views.

Support was strongest among people aged 40 to 49, while those aged 70 and over were the most critical. The capital region had the highest level of support, whereas only 23.9 per cent of respondents in eastern Iceland said they planned to vote yes.

The largest difference emerged according to political affiliation. Voters who supported the social-liberal Viðreisn party were most likely to back renewed negotiations. Support was lowest among voters for the right-leaning Centre Party and Independence Party.

Despite support for reopening negotiations, a majority of Icelanders still appear to oppose EU membership, according to Icelandic public broadcaster RÚV.