Iceland and EU: Debate on currency

Icelanders will go to the polls on 29 August to vote on continuing accession talks with the European Union.

That is reported by Ruv.is.

Alþingi, the Icelandic Parliament, approved the foreign minister’s parliamentary resolution proposal by 34 votes to 8, last week, on Thursday afternoon.

The [directly translated, ed. note] question on the ballot paper will be: “Should Iceland begin again accession negotiations with the European Union?” reports RUV.

The foreign minister’s parliamentary resolution proposal, that a referendum be held on resuming EU accession talks, had to be approved by Thursday at the latest, in order for it to be possible to hold the vote on 29 August.

This week, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, is visiting Nuuk to strengthen the EU's partnership with Greenland and discuss the update of the union's Arctic strategy.

Síkela is leading the work on the renewal of the strategy and has had meetings with Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Múte B. Egede, Naalakkersuisoq (Minister) for Foreign Affairs, Business and Mineral Resources.

This autumn, the European Commission proposed doubling support for Greenland in the Union's long-term budget for 2028-2034. The discussions have covered the EU's expected investment package and cooperation in fields such as sustainable value chains for raw materials, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and sustainable tourism.

The Commissioner has also met with local businesses and civil society representatives and is participating in the business conference Future Greenland 2026.

The Europe Forum 2026 will be held in Kiruna from 7 to 8 May.

Europaforum is Sweden's largest annual conference on EU issues. On 7–8 May, politicians, decision-makers and civil society actors from local, regional, national and EU levels will gather in Kiruna, Northern Sweden.

This year's conference focuses on how the situation on the ground affects EU policies in the areas of competitiveness, security, industrial transition and sustainable development. The program includes panel discussions and seminars.

On Tuesday, the EU and Norway held their fifth security and defense dialogue in Oslo, where cooperation in the Arctic was among the topics.

"We agreed to reinforce our preparedness to tackle evolving security risks, including in the Arctic region, and enhance our cooperation on critical sectors needed for civil-military interaction," the parties said in a joint statement.

They also referred to a new framework for dialogue between the EU and Norway on the Arctic, with the first meeting taking place this spring.

The meeting was co-chaired by Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defence at the European External Action Service, and Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

ALSO READ: EU Foreign Policy Chief in Northern Norway – Gathered Input for New Arctic Strategy

A new opinion poll from Iceland shows that more Icelanders oppose EU membership than are in favor, writes RUV Iceland.

According to the poll, 47% of the population is against Iceland joining the EU, while 40% are positive. Thirteen percent are undecided.

When only those who actually take a position are counted, 54% are against Iceland joining the EU, compared to 46% in favor, the survey suggests.

Support has fallen by four percentage points, from 44 percent in April last year, while opposition has increased by eleven points from 36 percent in the same period.

This year's physical edition of the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable (ASFR) was held in Iceland at the end of March.

The forum – co-chaired by Norway and the US European Command – brings together senior military leaders from the seven allied Arctic states, as well as from the observer states of France, the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Also present were representatives of the US Northern Command and NATO JFC Norfolk, which has now been granted permanent observer status in ASFR.

The military leaders exchanged views on security challenges in the Arctic, with a focus on building shared situational awareness and coordinated approaches to deterrence and defense in the region. The NATO Arctic Sentry initiative was highlighted in this context.

They also visited Keflavík Air Station and gained insight into Iceland's defense-related roles and responsibilities. Last year's conference took place in Kirkenes, Northern Norway.

There are no signs that the eruption sequence on Sundhnúksgígaröð, on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, is coming to an end - despite the slow speed of magma accumulation, RUV reports.

Magma intrusions and eruptions remain the most likely scenario on the Reykjanes Peninsula, according to a statement from Veðurstofa Íslands (Icelandic Meteorological Office) issued alongside a new hazard assessment for the area, valid until June.

A number of people were unable to reach their destinations in Iceland due to severe weather and poor road conditions last night.

That is reported by RÙV.

It is estimated that about 350 people are in emergency shelters and a considerable number are staying elsewhere. Many roads are still impassable and an uncertainty level due to avalanche risk remains in effect.

According to a new survey, a majority of Icelanders describe the US as an adversary and not an ally, writes RÙV.

40% of respondents say they would describe the country as an adversary, 32% as an ally and 28% take no position or do not want to answer.

The younger people are, the more likely they are to regard the USA as an adversary. People living in the capital area are also more likely to see the USA this way than those in rural areas. Lower-income groups are slightly more likely than higher-income groups to regard the United States as an adversary, while higher earners are more likely to regard it as an ally.

Heavy storms in recent weeks have caused extensive soil erosion at Reynisfjara, one of Iceland's most famous tourist beaches. The sea has washed right up to the characteristic basalt columns, and large boulders are now scattered across the beach - rocks that were not there before.

Residents tell the Icelandic newspaper Visir that they have never seen such changes before. Experts believe that persistent easterly winds have moved large amounts of sand, and expect some of it to return. It is still uncertain whether Reynisfjara will regain its original shape.