MP rejects EU membership as path out of isolation

In an opinion article published by Morgunblaðið, Independence Party MP Diljá Mist Einarsdóttir rejects the claim that Iceland must choose between joining the European Union and isolation.

She argues that Iceland has not been isolated as an independent country, pointing to its participation in the United Nations, NATO, a defence agreement with the United States, Schengen and EFTA. Through the European Economic Area agreement, Iceland is also part of the EU internal market, which she describes as the best aspect of the bloc.

Einarsdóttir says Iceland already has extensive trade and close cooperation with Europe, but argues that the EU should have limited itself to such economic cooperation. She says joining the EU customs union would itself amount to a form of isolation because the bloc maintains tariff barriers against the rest of the world.

She claims that EU tariff policy leaves the bloc with only about 30 percent tariff-free trade, compared with about 90 percent for Iceland. Icelandic consumer prices would therefore rise on many goods if the country joined the EU, she says, citing the University of Iceland’s Institute of Economic Studies.

Einarsdóttir describes herself as firmly pro-European but says that is not the same as being pro-EU. The question, she argues, is whether Iceland’s interests are better served inside the EU or through close cooperation with it.

She says she will vote no in the 29 August referendum because she trusts Icelanders to manage their own affairs while maintaining close cooperation with friendly and allied countries. She also wants Iceland to pursue opportunities outside Europe, where she says countries that are already or are becoming economic powers can be found.