France says Iceland has 'nothing to lose' in EU membership talks
Iceland first applied to join the European Union in 2009, in the wake of the collapse of its financial sector, but suspended accession talks in 2015.
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/07/20/iceland-has-nothing-to-lose-in-eu-membership-talks-says-french-foreign-minister?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypubOpen linkView original on piefed.ca
11 replies
I'm excited at the prospect of Iceland joining, but I dunno how they'll overcome the obstacle of the common fisheries policy.
The hope is that the European Union is willing to add water to the wine, and give Iceland an exemption to the common fisheries policy for the sake of finding more better allies in the world and expanding the European Union.
You'll kickly loose France if you put water in wine
Funnily France will probably be the loudest opponent to giving Iceland this concession.
Realistically though this is the best opportunity for Iceland to try and get this concession, since Europe needs allies and the UK isn't there to throw a spanner in the works.
The Brits are probably still a bit salty about losing from Iceland in the Cod Wars three times over.
No uk person has the history
If the EU were willing to overhaul the CFP, it might entice Greenland and Norway too...
ELI5 why fishing is an issue here?
The EU shares territorial fishing rights across member states in a way that seems to make noone happy, except perhaps France, Spain and Portugal. One of the lesser-known (outside of the UK) arguments that Brexiteers made for Brexit was that the UK would regain control of fishing rights. When Brexit happened, France was insistent on hinging a large part of the negotiations on retaining fishing access to British waters.
Iceland is intensely protective of its territorial fishing rights... just ask the British.
Well hopefully they can negotiate.
Another NATO expansion plot to get closer to our border proving Western aggression! /S
hmmm... why they put a picture of Norway with that story? I'm not sure I trust these people.