Iceland in EU on 2012?

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ART
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Iceland in EU on 2012?

Post by ART »

http://euobserver.com/9/27121/?rk=1


Iceland drafts plan for 2011 EU entry

LEIGH PHILLIPS

17.11.2008

Iceland's prime minister has announced the set-up of a commission to investigate joining the European Union.

An initial plan has already been drafted by the country's foreign ministry that would see a membership application made in early 2009, aiming for entry some time in 2011, according to a report in the Financial Times which appeared at the weekend.

The prime minister, Geir Haarde, also said that his centre-right Independence Party would hold its 2009 conference in January instead of October as scheduled, to consider EU membership.

In announcing the move on Friday (14 November), Mr Haarde said "We have always said that we will assess at any given time how we co-operate with Europe."

"This process will help us make our future decisions."

Until now, Iceland has never applied for EU membership, and the population has historically been strongly opposed to the idea.

After the bottom falling out of the Icelandic banking sector and a run on the currency in recent weeks, many are now convinced of the need to adopt the euro, but EU officials have repeatedly told the north Atlantic nation that the euro cannot be adopted without joining the union first.

The crisis has sharply boosted support for EU membership in Iceland, climbing to a current 70 percent up from around 50 percent ahead of the crisis.

On Saturday, some 6,000 people - two percent of the population - protested outside the Icelandic parliament, attacking the government for its handling of the crisis. According to local reports, several people carried EU flags.

Icesave deposits guaranteed

In separate news, a bitter row between Iceland and EU member states the UK and the Netherlands over savers' deposits in local subsidiaries of Icelandic banks appears to have been resolved.

On Sunday, the Icelandic government announced it is to refund the deposits of those banking with Icesave, the collapsed internet bank owned by the now nationalised Landsbanki.

Iceland's attempts to access IMF funding were threatened in recent weeks as London and the Hague - as well as Berlin - insisted that Reykjavik guarantee foreign deposits before the taps were opened.

According to a statement from the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Talks between Iceland and several EU member states, initiated by the French EU Presidency, led to a common understanding that will form the basis for further negotiations."

The EU-chaperoned deal will see the government covering the "deposits of insured depositors in the Icesave accounts in accordance with EEA law."

In return, "the EU, under the French Presidency, will continue to participate in finding arrangements that will allow Iceland to restore its financial system and economy."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso had said on Wednesday that aid could only be delivered "after Iceland and some EU member states reach an agreement on ...issues related to deposit guarantee schemes and protection of foreign depositors."
Last edited by ART on Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by WinstonSmith »

Sounds like interesting news, doesn't it?
It would be curious to see if Norway would feel compelled to join the Union, too, if Iceland joined. It would be left as the only Scandinavian country outside of the EU.
Moreover, Iceland would be the first Scandinavian country to officially commit itself to adopting the Euro (although, obviously, the introduction of cash would occur at least two years after its accession, and therefore Denmark could end up first, if it holds a second referendum asap).
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

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I don't really trust such figures. :mrgreen: In the case of Iceland, it may well be that currently most people there want their country to become an EU member. But it would not be very wise to make such decisions now or very soon. In a few years the economic situation of Iceland could be a pretty different one.

The Danish government wants a euro referendum in 2011, and if people wanted to, the krone could be replaced pretty quickly. Whether they want that or not, I don't know; that is up to the Danes. But if Iceland was an EU member state, it could certainly not introduce the euro fast since currently the country does not meet the convergence criteria.

Now as for Norway joining the EU or not - oh well, their decision. But the term "Scandinavia" is tricky; when used in a broader sense, like Nordic countries, it would include Iceland. But then it would cover Finland too, and that is a euro country anyway. :)

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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by WinstonSmith »

As the coalition government of Iceland, led by EU-sceptical Independence Party, has now resigned, a new interim government is supposed to be sworn in during these days. The head of the government will be Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, the leader of the Social Democrats, which formed a minority in the former government, and openly favours EU membership. They're supposed to sign a coalition with a leftist party, the Left-Green Movement, which however does not favour EU membership.
The most obvious way to solve the riddle and take a decision for good would be a referendum (at least, this is what the BBC suggests).
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by ART »

tabbs wrote:I don't really trust such figures. :mrgreen: In the case of Iceland, it may well be that currently most people there want their country to become an EU member. But it would not be very wise to make such decisions now or very soon. In a few years the economic situation of Iceland could be a pretty different one.
The issue isn't so simple.
Is obvious that in some way the Icelandic situation will improve, but these events demonstrate clearly that in general nobody can deceived yourself of sure being if remains isolated from the others. For the Iceland no logical reason exist (if also before they had existed) in order to remain outside EU.
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Iceland 2011

Post by Jes »

Have any of you read this news?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ja ... nd-join-eu

Perhaps we'll have new coins "soon" 8)


EDIT: Oops!! this topic already exists here: http://www.eurobilltrackerforum.com/vie ... =8&t=11542 :oops: Sorry for the duplicated. this one may be deleted or closed

[edit/avij: merged]
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

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ART wrote:For the Iceland no logical reason exist (if also before they had existed) in order to remain outside EU.
Hmm, as you wrote yourself, the issue is not simple. If there was a referendum in Iceland about joining the EU, and the new interim government may well hold one, most people would currently vote Yes. But I bet that fisheries http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090129/wl_csm/ocollapse will be a tough part of the negotiations. Also, people in Iceland will now know that becoming an EU member state does not necessarily mean introducing the euro ...

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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by Dakkus »

This fishery thing is just weird.
EU has a rule that its member countries are not allowed to fish so much, that the fish might go extinct. Iceland's economy is very much based on fishing. If they get rid of all their fish, what do they think they're gonna live with? Banks? Not much meat left to eat in them.
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by ART »

The Icelandic economy today isn't based in majority on fishing: it counts for the 15 - 20% approximately and exactly for this we see a similar disaster.
Last edited by ART on Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

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tabbs wrote:But I bet that fisheries http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090129/wl_csm/ocollapse will be a tough part of the negotiations.
Isn't a problem: considering the particular Icelandic position of emergency (in the sense that is necessary to grant special facilities) we can arrive easy to a adequate compromise, and however cannot be blocked sure the necessities of all a country for the interests of a minority.
tabbs wrote:Also, people in Iceland will now know that becoming an EU member state does not necessarily mean introducing the euro ...
They know this already: they have understood that aren't alternatives. However in a catastrophic situation like this isn't alone issue of euro: necessary to unite they with a relatively solid system as that European.
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by starcapitan »

the main reason of the no-join EU is the fishes industry
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by ART »

Starcapitan... in a situation like that icelandic se ne sbattono il cazzo (it's last of the worries) of the "fishes industry" :roll:
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by doiknow »

I don't think they will join the union. In my opinion Iceland will approach Norway if anything will be done. There are several reasons: First after the US Forces left Iceland, Norway took over the protection of Iceland. There is already a corporation between those countries. Second, Norway and Iceland are both in the far North and have their own opinion on whale hunting and fishing etc meaning there are several common interests. Justifiing these interests in the EU would be hard to impossible as EU seems to be too large at current law.

a little off-topic:
Norway won't join the EU as it is called 'Union' - some norwegians still live in the (irrational) imagination the day they join the EU swedish tanks will roll to Oslo and take over control again as it was before 1905. At least - so they think - Norway will lose it's young independence. A more rational reason is this one: Norway would become the main 'payer' by joining the EU. An imagination noone likes there....
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

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doiknow wrote:I don't think they will join the union. In my opinion Iceland will approach Norway if anything will be done. There are several reasons: First after the US Forces left Iceland, Norway took over the protection of Iceland. There is already a corporation between those countries. Second, Norway and Iceland are both in the far North and have their own opinion on whale hunting and fishing etc meaning there are several common interests. Justifiing these interests in the EU would be hard to impossible as EU seems to be too large at current law.
The situation is very difficult: we debate pratically about a failed-state... therefore doesn't exist military agreement or "opinion on whale hunting and fishing" that resists. In a normal situation it would be different, but in the new situation these are nonsense.

(The agreement with Norway only covers peace time: in case of a military conflict it's still of the NATO the responsibility for Iceland 's defense)
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Re: Iceland in EU on 2011

Post by tabbs »

Guess that by now peple in Iceland have become aware of the fact that joining the European Union is not a cure-all, nor does it solve any of the country's short term problems. Also, according to the IMF, the inflation peak may be over and the Icelandic krona on its way to stabilization. In a situation of uncertainty or crisis people may opt for measures that they later regret. So if after this "turmoil" Iceland still wants to be an EU member, let them start negotiations ...

As for Norway, well, the country is an EEA member, just like Iceland - which basically means they have to adopt many EU regulations without having much influence on the decision making process. In my opinion that is a fairly high price for this special status, but again, it is up to the Norwegians to decide what they want.

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