Iceland will vote on August 29 to decide on the resumption of EU accession negotiations.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir stated that on August 29 a referendum will be organized to decide whether to resume the suspended accession negotiations with the European Union since 2013 due to disputes related to fishing policy. Furthermore, she emphasized that this vote could put an end to a long-standing debate and will allow Icelanders to decide their future.

Although Iceland officially withdrew its application for membership in 2015, it is a member of the European Economic Area and the Schengen area. Polls suggest that the majority of Icelanders support organizing the referendum, but public opinion is divided regarding actual accession.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, highlighted the importance of the EU as a guarantor of security in an unstable geopolitical context. If the referendum is favorable, Iceland will need to organize a new vote to decide on actual entry into the European Union after the negotiations are completed.