Stumbling blocks on Iceland's path to the EU

In mid-July Iceland's parliament voted in favour of applying for EU membership. In the eyes of the daily Diena Iceland's path to the EU is by no means free of obstacles: "Germany and France fiercely oppose the accession of new members before the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect, and its fate depends on how the Irish vote. The EU also wants the 27 member states to ratify the accession of Iceland and Croatia simultaneously but Croatia's entry is being delayed at present by its border dispute with Slovenia. And finally the government in Reykjavík must also reckon with the UK and the Netherlands demanding compensation from Iceland's banks. But the biggest obstacle on Iceland's path to the EU is likely to be its own citizens, for the parliament's decision to begin membership talks was made with a slim majority and polls show that the number of proponents and opponents among the population is almost equal."

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