Do you think Iceland joining the EU would be good for the EU and for them?

Beasty

I think they should be required to change the name of the country before being allowed in. Too much risk of confusing typos if they keep their current one.....

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122958700#Comment_122958700

Nah. Brexit and the War in Ukraine means the EU have never been stronger collectively.

Even the "sceptics" have reeled their neck in. You still have the dangerously stupid campaigning to leave the EU, but short of putting straw down there isn't much can be done with that poor folk.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122966217#Comment_122966217

I'm inclined to agree. EU member states will always be bickering over something and there'll always be quislings like Viktor Orban in such a large union. Fortunately, such individuals can be easily reigned in by threatening to withhold funds to jeopardise the grift.

I think it'd be great for Iceland to join. It's a well-governed country with high quality of life. If it's what Icelanders want, I am all for it.

DayInTheBog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122963358#Comment_122963358

We might get unfettered access to their fish stocks 😆

PixelCrafter

From my understanding of it the historical issue for Iceland come down to fishing, and particularly the second round 'Cod Wars' with the UK back in the day. The first took place before the UK had joined, but the 1970s rounds were while the UK was a member and it had its position in the 1970s backed quite heavily by the EEC around fishing rights.

There's no doubt that EU membership would entail giving up fishing rights and negotiation would be very problematic. If you consider it from an Irish perspective is quite annoying at times, but we have never had that kind of focus on fishing - at most here it's always been a rather niche sector of the economy.

The Icelandic economic focus has changed a lot since the 1970s - it's probably almost unrecognisable, but at the same time there's a very strong sense of that being a core industry and a historical underpinning of their economy.

It's highly unlikely that Iceland would join the EU after how that was handled, and the memory of it hasn't gone away. Then there was also the way the financial crisis was handled, with several EU members getting quite aggressive with it. Iceland was by no means an angel in how that was carried out either, their banks effectively created a pyramid scheme for European investors and when they whole thing imploded a lot of people were burned quite badly - there was significant tension with the UK, the Netherlands and several other places for a time. Also, had EU banking rules fully applied there, they wouldn't have been able to walk away from some fo those debts.

I'd say the Icelandic position on the EU is at best quite circumspect. They've negotiated access to the EU single markets and freedom of movement through EFTA, so I really can't see what they'd gain from it at this point. They're a tiny, very remote country, with a population smaller than Malta, so their voice in EU institutions would be extremely weak, whereas it's quite big in EFTA and they are in a more powerful position outside than inside in many ways.

There's also likely a big element of 'if it ain't broke …' - by and large Iceland as it is is a wealthy, highly developed, high ranking micro state. Why would they be rushing to make drastic changes?

opinionated3

I would imagine a lot might depend on how the future German election pans out. If a far right government emerges you're potentially looking at the beginning of the end of the EU, so Iceland joining may not be a runner at all....

Capt'n Midnight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122956149#Comment_122956149

Greenland left the EU because they couldn't get an opt out on fisheries.

Sweden signed up to the adopt the Euro in 1994 once they meet the convergence criteria, which should happen any day now, any day.

Like Norway and Scotland who export food , raw materials and energy Iceland is better off outside until added value manufactured goods and services dominate exports. In the case of Iceland aluminium is how they export electricity.

Dick phelan

Should never have allowed the likes of Hungary, Romania or Bulgaria to join. Will get even worse when they try getting Kosovo, Bosnia and Ukraine in as well. Iceland would actually be much better than a lot already in it.

francois

Be great for imports of fermented shark meat

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122978952#Comment_122978952

While I agree with not letting Hungary in I disagree with the other two. Hungary should be kicked out the way they have behaved in the EU the last few years.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122979484#Comment_122979484

The thing with Hungary is that this opinion is based on hindsight. Viktor Orban was once a centrist liberal who received a scholarship from one George Soros. There was no sign that he would turn into a grifting racist.

con___manx1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122979491#Comment_122979491

I don't believe he is a rascist for not allowing refrrguues into the country. Poland don't let many in either

countries should have a choice on who and how many they let in from outside the eu. I mean why is the eu forcing countries to take them ?

Hungary is paying a 1 million euro a day fine for not taking any.

scottser

It's about €8.50 a pint over there. We should consider this before anything else, IMO.

thatsdaft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123698357#Comment_123698357

So cheaper than Temple Bar?