{"id":3477,"date":"2024-05-24T08:58:28","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T08:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/selitys.fi\/is-iceland-an-eu-country\/"},"modified":"2024-05-24T08:58:28","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T08:58:28","slug":"is-iceland-an-eu-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/selitys.fi\/en\/is-iceland-an-eu-country\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Iceland an EU country?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iceland is not a member of the European Union (EU). Although Iceland is geographically and culturally part of Europe, it has not joined the EU. In this article, we look at Iceland’s relationship with the EU and the reasons why the country has not joined the Union.<\/p>\n

The relationship between Iceland and the EU<\/h2>\n

However, Iceland is closely linked to the EU through several different agreements. Iceland is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), which means that it is part of the EU’s internal market. This enables the free movement of goods, services, capital and people between Iceland and the EU. In addition, Iceland is a member of the Schengen area, which means that there are no border checks between it and other Schengen countries.<\/p>\n

History of Iceland’s EU membership<\/h2>\n

Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009, but the negotiations were suspended in 2013. One of the main reasons for suspending the negotiations was Iceland’s fishing policy. Fishing is a very important livelihood for Iceland, and the country wanted to maintain full control over its own fishing waters. The EU’s common fisheries policy could have limited Iceland’s opportunities to manage its own fish resources.<\/p>\n

Reasons why Iceland has not joined the EU<\/h2>\n

Several factors influence Iceland’s decision not to join the EU:<\/p>\n