EU Starts Accession Negotiations with Iceland

  EU Starts Accession Negotiations with Iceland

Even though Iceland and European Union have a long standing relations dating back to 1970's, Iceland recently applied for membership to EU on July 16, 2009. European Commission evaluated the application of Iceland and recommended the opening of accession negotiations to the European Council on February 2010. Despite Iceland's economic problems, at the European Council meeting on June 17, 2010, it was unanimously agreed, by the Council decision EUCO 13/10, that Iceland meets the political criteria for membership thus negotiation talks could start on the 35 chapters. As of today, accession negotiations that will be based on Article of 49 of the Treaty on European Union have started. The screening process which is estimated to last from November 2010 until mid 2011 should be completed in order to start actual negotiations on chapters. Compared to the previous enlargement cases, Iceland's candidacy process can be considered as a record in this respect.

Iceland Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Össur SKARPHEDINSSON, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reforms Mr. Steven VANACKERE, Member of the European Commission Mr. Štefan FÜLE

Key Dates in EU-Iceland Relations

27 July 2010: The European Council has declared in the first Intergovernmental Conference that accession negotiations formally started with Iceland

26 July 2010: The General Affairs Council adopted the common position and Negotiating Framework and decided to start negotiations with Iceland in the Intergovernmental Conference to be held on July 27, 2010

17 June 2010: The Council, at the EU Heads of States and Governments Summit, has decided that Iceland meets the Copenhagen Criteria and no barriers to the start of accession negotiations exist, Iceland is granted candidacy

24 February 2010: The European Commission has submitted its positive opinion about Iceland membership to the European Council

27 July 2009: Based on Code 49 of the Treaty on European Union, the European Council requested the European Commission to submit its opinion on Iceland's application for membership to the European Union

17 July 2009: Iceland presented its application for membership of the EU

2000: Iceland became a member of the Schengen Agreement

1994: Iceland as a member of European Free Trade Agreement became part of the European Economic Area established following an agreement between the members of European Free Trade Association and the EU

1970: Iceland became a member of European free Trade Agreement

 Please click for the Negotiating Framework