Iceland votes against negotiations on joining EU

A referendum on whether Iceland should restart negotiations to join the EU held on 29 August ended in a narrow victory for the 'no' side of the argument. With the votes counted, 52.8% of voters opposed the proposition that Iceland should resume accession negotiations with the EU, with 47.2% in favour. The turnout of 82.5% was the highest in any Icelandic national election since 2009. A further referendum on the final terms of EU accession would have been required, had Iceland voted yes. Fishing – and the prospect of Iceland having to join the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and potentially cede quota – if it became a full member of the EU was thought to be a key consideration for the electorate. Heidrun Lind Marteinsdottir, the CEO of Icelandic industry body Samtök Fyrirtækja í Sjávarútvegi (SFS), previously told IntraFish that, while it did not have a position on Icelandic membership of the EU: 'For SFS, the key issue is whether Iceland would retain full, exclusive, and permanent control over its fisheries resources and fishing zone.' She added that Iceland retaining 'full legislative and decision-making powers in fisheries matters' should be non-negotiable in the event of accession negotiations resuming. Earlier this year, EU fisheries commissioner Costas Kadis signalled that Iceland might be able secure exemptions from the CFP as part of EU membership, telling the Financial Times that there was 'definitely room for flexibility' on fisheries ( FN , 7 May, 'EU but no CFP: Brussels signals fisheries opt-out for Iceland' ). In the wake of the Icelandic vote, the Irish Fish Producers' Organisation (IFPO) called on the Irish Government to seek a comprehensive review of Ireland's position within the CFP. Chief executive Aodh O Donnell said that Brussels had shown that the 'room for manoeuvre' on fisheries expands considerably when a country is prepared to hold its position. 'If the European Commission was ready to accept that the CFP cannot work for Iceland, then it must also acknowledge that the CFP is not working for Ireland,' Aodh O Donnell said. 'Ireland is an island nation with one of Europe's richest marine resources. Yet for decades we have seen our fishing opportunities diminish while others benefit from access to our waters. If Iceland's position was strong enough to be taken seriously in Brussels, ours should be too.' Aodh O Donnell continued that the apparent willingness shown by the EU to offer concessions to Iceland said as much about the strength of that argument as it did about Iceland's leverage, adding that Irish fishing communities had been making the same case for years, without the same hearing. 'Irish fishermen have spent years being told the CFP is fixed and quota shares cannot move, through Brexit-driven losses, further quota reductions, fleet decommissioning and the EU's failure to deliver on the longstanding Hague Preferences mechanism. That Brussels found flexibility for a country not yet inside the EU sits awkwardly against that record. 'Our fleet has endured repeated sacrifices in the name of European solidarity. We cannot accept a situation where Ireland continues to absorb losses while a country outside the EU is offered protections that have never been extended to existing member states,' he said. This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For further information on this story and for more reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here. Sign up for Fishing News' FREE e-newsletter here.