Halldór GrönvoldDeputy General Secretary Icelandic Confederation of Labour – ASI April 2012

Iceland:Accession negotiations

with the European Union

• The application for membership and the negotiations

• The policy of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour – ASI

• The state of play and future developments?

The beginning Forming a new government in early 2009 the

Socialdemocratic party and the Left-green put on the agenda of the new government to apply for membership to European Union

On July 16 2009 the Icelandic parliament – Althingi – past a resolution that the government should apply for membership.

On July 23 2009 the application was formally handed inn and on July 27 2009 the EU opened the accesion negotiations

The screening process started in November 2010 and lasted to June 2011

The actual negotiation then started in June 2011

Steps towards membership

Opening of accession negotiations: 27 July 2010

Screening exerciseAccession negotiationsConclusion of negotiationsAccession Treaty European Parliament assentSignature of Accession Treaty Ratification by EU Member States and

IcelandEU accession

The negotiations The main negotiation team is made up of

diplomats, academics, civil servants and former politicians

The preparations for the screening process and then to develop the negotiating position (based on the resolution by the majority of the foreign affairs committee of the Icelandic parliament) is the responsibility of 10 negotiating groups• 33 substantial chapters• 21 chapters (EU legislation mostly already

implemented through the EEA agreement) in 2 negotiating groups

The negotiating groups are composed of high ranking civil servants and representatives of the main stakeholders

ASI and EU membershipASI has participated actively in the dialogue

on European cooperation/integration since 1990

• ASI did not take stand on EEA agreement in 1992• „If Iceland joins we will participate actively in the interest of

workers“

In 2000 ASI´s Congress stated that technically there where three possibilities• Going back to bilateral agreement with the EU

(which at that time was proposed by some politicians in Iceland)

• Strengthening the EEA cooperation• Membership to EU“The discussion about membership to the EU must be put on the

agenda. The nation must have the opportunity to answer the question whether it wants to take this step or not.”

ASI and EU membership At its annual meeting in October 2008, ASI

came to the conclusion that the only way out of the crisis would be for the government to issue a statement that Iceland would apply for membership of the EU and adopt the euro as a currency within the shortest possible time frame. Meanwhile, the country should apply for membership of the ERM II mechanism

When agreement has been reached the decision should then be taken by the Icelandic population in national referendum

This policy was strengthen further at ASI´s extraordinary annual meeting in March 2009

ASI´s policyThis policy was strengthen further at ASI´s

extraordinary annual meeting in March 2009

At that meeting the policy if ASI as regards the most debated issues foreseen in accession negotiations was stated• Fisheries• Agriculture and rural policies• The currency issue • Regional policies

Also• Labour market and educational policies

The application for membership and ASI

ASI´s policy had important impact on the policy of the new government in 2009 when it was formed and the decision by Althingi to apply for membership later that year

ASI has participated actively in the internal discussions, the screening process and the negotiation with EU• Participating in all negotiation committee

• One to four members in each

• Dialogue with representatives of EU• DG Enlargement, DG Employment - EESC

• Taking initiatives and participating in projects both under IPA and TAIEX

The negotiationsFree movement of workers (Chapter 2) ClosedPublic procurement (Chapter 5)Company Law (Chapter 6) ClosedIntellectual property rights (Chapter 7) ClosedCompetition policy (Chapter 8)Information Society and Media (Chapter 10)Energy (Chapter 15)Enterprise and industrial policy (Chapter 20) ClosedTrans-European networks (Chapter 21) ClosedJudiciary and fundamental rights (Chapter 23) ClosedScience and Research (Chapter 25) ClosedEducation and Culture (Chapter 26) ClosedConsumer & health protection (Chapter 28) ClosedForeign, Security and Defence Policy (Chapter 31) ClosedFinancial and budgetary provisions (Chapter 33)

Social policy and employment – chapter 19

Negotiation position of Iceland – General statementIceland is a strong proponent of the Nordic social model and has built a welfare system on the premise of fairness, equality and social cohesion. The Iceland 20/20 policy statement lays out the government´s social objectives for maintaining a dynamic society founded on welfare, knowledge and sustainability. Iceland emphasizes the importance of a developed system of industrial relations and a well-established tripartite dialogue. That includes the right of the social partners to negotiate and conclude collective agreements, the right of the social partners to be consulted and participate in decision making on labour market and other related economic and social issues, and fundamental rights such as the right to strike and to take industrial action. Furthermore, Iceland emphasizes the importance of ensuring that labour market rules are designed to prevent social dumping and encourage high standards of social protection by applying appropriate measures aimed at protecting domestic and posted workers’ rights and maintaining high standards in the workplace. Such measures may include, inter alia, an effective system for general application of collective agreements, and introduction of joint responsibility and liability for contractors and sub-contractors in order to ensure enforcement of workers’ rights.

The difficult chapters still to be opened

The fishery policy• The Fishing Vessel Owners Federtion is

firmly against EU membership

The agricultural policy• The Farmers Federation firmly against

membership to EU

Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments

The aim is to open all chapters before the end of 2012

The political climateFor long time opinion polls have

showned that the majority of the nation is against membership• At the same time majority has been for

concluding the negotiations and put the agreement before the nation in national referendum

The majority of MP in all the major parties except for the Socialdemocrats have been against membership to EU

Lately the No movement has gained momentum – The Icesave issue

Will the negotiations been put on hold???

Further information

http://europe.mfa.is/sidemenu/explaning-the-application-process/