Iceland will hold a national referendum on August 29 on whether to resume accession negotiations with the European Union, putting the country’s long-running debate over membership back before voters. The question will be: “Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?” The referendum is legally advisory, although the government has said it will follow the result.
If a deal is reached, the Icelandic government has promised a second referendum on whether voters want to approve that agreement.
Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009 amid a financial crisis but froze talks in 2013 after a dispute over fishing policy and formally withdrew its application in 2015. The Arctic country is a member of the European Economic Area and part of the Schengen free travel area.
The EU’s Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos played up the bloc’s attraction as a security guarantor in a time of geopolitical upheaval. “A significant decision now lies ahead for the Icelandic people,” Kos said Friday in a post on X. “In a world that is changing fast, the European Union offers an anchor in a community of values, prosperity and security.”
