Poll: Majority in Iceland now for EU-membership

[Tender Branson]

REYKJAVIK (Thomson Financial) - A majority of Icelanders are in favour of their country joining the European Union, a poll published Tuesday in the daily Frettabladid showed in a turnaround from a similar survey six months ago.

A total of 55.1 pct of the 800 people questioned on Feb 23 said they wanted Iceland to apply for membership, while 44.9 pct were opposed to the idea.

Iceland's pro-EU camp has been growing steadily for the past year, according to surveys.

A poll published in September 2007 in Frettabladid suggested that 51.1 pct were opposed to membership and 48.9 pct were in favour.

And in January 2007, the pro-EU side represented just 36 pct.

http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/02/26/afx4698902.html

[minionofmidas]

Do we want them though?

(We probably would.)

[StateBoiler]

Why?

What can the EU offer Iceland it doesn't already have?

[Јas]

Given the importance of fisheries to Iceland, I'm a little surprised. I wouldn't have thought the prospect of dealing within the Common Fisheries Policy would be all that acceptable.

[The Mikado]

Turkey, Croatia, et al. are going to be sooooo pissed if Iceland just leapfrogs them into the EU.

[Јas]

Turkey, Croatia, et al. are going to be sooooo pissed if Iceland just leapfrogs them into the EU.

Turkey are used to it by now - they applied to join the (then) EC in 1987, so they've been overtaken by countries that didn't even exist when they lodged their application.
Don't know about any likely Croatian response.

At any rate, Icelandic membership of the EEA and their stable economy and solid human rights record make them well palced to join at their own leisure.

[John Dibble]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

[Јas]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

When can we expect the United States of America to do likewise?

[Gustaf]

Iceland is a part of Europe. If they're foolish enough to join I guess there would be a good chance of an extra vote for sanity in the EU leadership. We could use that. However, since Greenland is the only country to actually leave the EU I doubt that Iceland, a soverign state with a much better economy, would have any interest in joining. EU opinion is very fluid in most countries, largely because most don't care much about it.

[John Dibble]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

When can we expect the United States of America to do likewise?

SILENCE! We are the USA, and We are allowed to hold other people to higher standards than we hold ourselves. That's been our policy for centuries, you foreign people should understand that by now.

[Verily]

Turkey, Croatia, et al. are going to be sooooo pissed if Iceland just leapfrogs them into the EU.

Croatia's on track for 2010, I believe, so little concern there; no one in Iceland is pushing for immediately joining the EU. And, like Jas said, Turkey's been applying for decades.

[bullmoose88]

At any rate, Icelandic membership of the EEA and their stable economy and solid human rights record make them well palced to join at their own leisure.

And...uh...non islamic majority...

Someone had to point out the elephant in the room.

[bullmoose88]

Yes yes Iceland all other factors considered doesn't = Turkey...but to pretend the whole process is about economics and human rights is well...humorous

[Gustaf]

Yes yes Iceland all other factors considered doesn't = Turkey...but to pretend the whole process is about economics and human rights is well...humorous

Yeah. France and Austria are really vetoing Turkey for racist reasons.

[bullmoose88]

Yes yes Iceland all other factors considered doesn't = Turkey...but to pretend the whole process is about economics and human rights is well...humorous

Yeah. France and Austria are really vetoing Turkey for racist reasons.

Err...Are you agreeing with me, or countering me with mild sarcasm...really hard to tell textually.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Given the importance of fisheries to Iceland, I'm a little surprised. I wouldn't have thought the prospect of dealing within the Common Fisheries Policy would be all that acceptable.

The fisheries have been declining in importance there, and are largely in the hands of a few large operators rather than many small independent fishing boats as was once the case. Still, I imagine that if Iceland made it a condition, the EU would allow an opt-out of the CFP.

[Јas]

Yes yes Iceland all other factors considered doesn't = Turkey...but to pretend the whole process is about economics and human rights is well...humorous

Well for most countries it is. I think it's fair to say that Iceland easily meet all of the Copenhagen Criteria.

Of course, the fact that Turkey is majority muslim has caused difficulties and concerns for some; but there are legitimate human rights concerns which are stalling their progress.

[minionofmidas]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

When can we expect the United States of America to do likewise?

"United States of America and North Polynesia". Sounds fine to me.

[Gustaf]

Yes yes Iceland all other factors considered doesn't = Turkey...but to pretend the whole process is about economics and human rights is well...humorous

Yeah. France and Austria are really vetoing Turkey for racist reasons.

Err...Are you agreeing with me, or countering me with mild sarcasm...really hard to tell textually.

Haha, yeah I can see that now. Former. Jas has a point of course, but even if Turkey put an end to human rights violation they would not be allowed in.

[True Democrat]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

Oddly enough, being geographically in Europe isn't actually a requirement to join.

[Jens]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

Oddly enough, being geographically in Europe isn't actually a requirement to join.

You mean like Hawaii being a state in the United States of America

[Јas]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

Oddly enough, being geographically in Europe isn't actually a requirement to join.

Per what is now (IIRC) Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, only European states may apply to join. Also worth nmoting that not being European was the reason given for rejecting Morocco's application in the 80's.

[CultureKing]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

Oddly enough, being geographically in Europe isn't actually a requirement to join.

Per what is now (IIRC) Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, only European states may apply to join. Also worth nmoting that not being European was the reason given for rejecting Morocco's application in the 80's.

geographically speaking Iceland is only half on the Eurasian tectonic plate where as the western half is part of the North American plate, so really something like 90% of Iceland's population lives in North America (only using very broad terms though). Though using this definition parts of Russia and Japan would also be included in North America. link: http://www.iris.edu/seismon/imgs/plates.gif

[Јas]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

Oddly enough, being geographically in Europe isn't actually a requirement to join.

Per what is now (IIRC) Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, only European states may apply to join. Also worth nmoting that not being European was the reason given for rejecting Morocco's application in the 80's.

geographically speaking Iceland is only half on the Eurasian tectonic plate where as the western half is part of the North American plate, so really something like 90% of Iceland's population lives in North America (only using very broad terms though). Though using this definition parts of Russia and Japan would also be included in North America. link: http://www.iris.edu/seismon/imgs/plates.gif

Well, the definition of European (in terms of potential for EU membership) is probably as important in the cultural sense as in the geographic sense.

[The Mikado]

A good chunk of Kazakhstan is west of the Urals.  Could it be part of the EU?