Iceland Sets August 29 Referendum on Resuming EU Accession Talks

Overview

• Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir announced the plan and said the government will table the organizing resolution at the start of next week.
• The referendum question will ask voters whether to continue EU accession negotiations, offering a simple yes-or-no choice.
• Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said Iceland is economically strong and self-confident enough to make the decision now.
• Negotiations were suspended in 2015 after 27 of 33 chapters had been opened and 11 concluded, with the politically sensitive fisheries chapter still unopened.
• The European Commission called it an important decision for Icelanders, and a February RÚV poll showed public opinion roughly evenly divided.