The Liberal Democrats’ sister party in Iceland, the Progressive Party, (or Framsóknarflokkurinn if you prefer it in the vernacular) at a special conference yesterday voted strongly in favour of supporting Iceland’s entry into membership talks with the European Union.
Largely representative of the agrarian community and fishermen it has traditionally opposed Iceland’s entry to the EU. But after a four hour debate the Progressives become the second party in Iceland, after the Social Democrats, to publicly support EU membership. The ruling Independence Party (for which read ‘Conservative’) intends to hold a similar vote at its conference beginning on the 29th January.
In a statement, the Progressive Party explained that it would support Icelandic entry into the European Union if personal and business rights were protected, especially in regard to fishing and agriculture; and if the accession talks were open and democratic. Icelandic would also have to become one of the EU’s official languages.
If the Independence Party votes to change their policy too (which in some ways woukd be even more likely than the Progressive Party given the latter’s voting base) then Icelandic application to the EU is a done deal I would think. Olli Rehn, the Commissioner responsible for EU Enlargement, says membership for Iceland could be achieved in months rather than years (after all they sign up to most EU legislation already given their membership of the EEA Agreement). It is even conceivable that Icelanders could be voting with the other 27 EU countries in the European Parliament elections in June this year.
Of course, the shift in opinion amongst Iceland’s political parties is a reflection on just how bad the economy is there. After all many have been agitating for Euro membership already, but the Commission quite rightly said this is not feasible without full membership. What is interesting of course now is what will happen to Norway. Don’t be surprised if the Norwegians themselves start to look at membership again. After all, without Iceland the EEA and EFTA are effectively dead and besides, the last thing the Norwegians would want down the track in any membership negotiations is to be faced across the table by an Icelandic Commissioner for Fisheries!
By way of a note, currently, the Progressive Party has slipped in support but is traditionally one of Iceland’s bigger political parties holding the post of Prime Minister as recently as 2006.
Tags: EU, Iceland, Progressive Party
January 18, 2009 at 8:41 pm |
After all many have been agitating for Euro membership already, but the Commission quite rightly said this is not feasible without full membership.
Quite rightly? Monaco, San Marino and Vatican already use Euro in agreement with EU, and Andorra, Kosovo and Montenegro have adopted it as their currency unilaterally.
January 18, 2009 at 9:24 pm |
But none of them have a seat around the table. The Icelanders wanted a seat you see.
January 18, 2009 at 11:37 pm |
It is interesting that Icelanders are increasingly seeing the EU as a safe port in a storm — and not on a temporary basis either. If indeed the country does apply for membership soon, that could add a spicy new element to the European election campaign here in the UK.
January 19, 2009 at 8:46 am |
That’s true Jonathan. If Norway starts a move towards the EU too as I expect then it completely torpedoes the anti-EU argument that somehow Britain would be better off outside the EU.