Main focus of Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Icelanders uncertain about EU accession

The EU started membership negotiations with Iceland on Tuesday. The country applied for membership last year as it stood on the verge of state bankruptcy. But the accession is subject to a referendum and its outcome is uncertain, the press writes.

Kurier - Austria

The daily Kurier can't entirely understand the Icelanders' sudden EU-weariness: "The mood can swing that quickly: Only last autumn a majority of the 320,000 Icelanders saw swift accession to the EU as their way out of state bankruptcy. Now that the membership negotiations have officially begun at least six out of ten Icelanders are against it. … It's no wonder people are already betting that Iceland's binding referendum on EU membership will produce a negative result. In Reykjavik people are pointing to their close brothers in Norway, who are doing very well without the EU. But the Icelanders - and anyone else who wants to shelter under the EU's roof - must be clear about one thing: There's no such thing as 'a little EU membership'. It's either all or nothing." (28/07/2010)

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Keskisuomalainen - Finland

Iceland's accession to the EU is very uncertain, the daily Keskisuomalainen writes, because the people of Iceland will have the last word on whether it should happen: "The general positions are clear. Iceland is a stable democracy, already belongs to the European Economic Area and the Schengen zone, which facilitates cross-border travel, and its legislation for the most part already fulfils EU requirements. Special issues like whaling and the consequences of the economic crisis are the problem areas. … The Icelanders must themselves want to join the EU, but at the moment a clear majority want the government to withdraw its application for membership, which it filed a year ago in the midst of the economic crisis. So it's doubtful that the people will vote for membership. Norway, too, has rejected the EU twice, in 1972 and 1994." (28/07/2010)

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Delo - Slovenia

Given the Icelanders' EU scepticism and their bankrupt Icesave bank the daily Delo foresees difficulties with the country's membership talks with the EU: "There are many awkward issues, perhaps even more than Iceland's Foreign Minister Össur Skarphéðinsson expects for the accession negotiations, where the EU member countries will impose special conditions (see Icesave bank). Iceland may not have knocked at the EU's door empty-handed: in addition to its key geostrategic situation the country is prepared to contribute its knowledge and experience on the introduction of renewable energies, an area where Iceland already surpasses even the EU's boldest plans. But as the negotiations begin it's difficult to shrug off the unpleasant feeling that a sad epilogue will follow the dialogue that was initiated with such great ambitions and intentions on both sides." (28/07/2010)

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Süddeutsche Zeitung - Germany

Rapid EU accession for Iceland would be beneficial to both sides, writes the left-liberal Süddeutsche Zeitung: "It only stands to reason that the Icelanders look to the large family of Europe for protection, bearing in mind their experience in the rough winds of international financial markets. In helping the faltering North-Atlantic nation the EU is above all pursuing geostrategic interests. Every square kilometre of water opened up by the melting ice cap brings new trade routes through the Arctic Ocean and better access to resources. With Iceland on board the EU could secure for itself an appreciable share of Arctic business. And it could have greater influence in seeing to it that the Arctic Region is handled with care. Over and above that Iceland itself would be a boon to the EU... as far as both renewable energies and fisheries are concerned. The Icelanders live primarily from fishing, and do much to ensure that fish stocks are maintained. In this regard they are well ahead of their continental European counterparts, who are mostly content to empty the seas as quickly as they can." (28/07/2010)

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