Lisbon, March 23, 2026 (Lusa) - Iceland’s foreign minister said on Monday that a "Yes" vote in the referendum to reopen European Union accession negotiations was in "the interest of Icelanders", identifying fisheries and agriculture as the most complex issues.
"It is in the interest of the people of Iceland to say yes at the beginning and see what kind of agreement we can reach with the European Union (EU)," said Porgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, Iceland’s minister of foreign affairs and defence. She was speaking at a press conference in Lisbon after meeting Portugal’s state and foreign affairs minister, Paulo Rangel.
Iceland, a founding member of NATO and part of the European Economic Area, will hold a referendum on 29 August to decide on reopening negotiations with the EU. The country suspended the process in 2013 and withdrew its candidacy two years later.
Iceland's eventual EU membership "is really important for ordinary families and small and medium-sized enterprises in Iceland, but also, in the current geopolitical context, it is very important to see the strength of Europe," she said. She also pointed to "peculiar statements" from the United States regarding Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
"It was very important to see how Europe can unite and be a backbone, for example, for the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland regarding territorial integrity and the nation's right to self-determination," the minister said.
She also argued it was important to be "among like-minded countries that share the same values regarding democracy, freedom, human rights, like-minded nations that still have the courage to raise their voices in the face of threats and human rights violations worldwide ".
When asked by Lusa about the main difficulties in potential accession negotiations, Gunnarsdottir identified fisheries and agriculture.
"We should start with the biggest obstacles, and they are obviously our fisheries, how we are going to maintain our magnificent and sustainable fishing system in Iceland," she said. "It is vital the European Union understands that we are not like any other nation, we are an island in the middle of the Atlantic that has lived from sustainable fishing for centuries. Another obstacle I would say could be difficult is agriculture".
The minister stressed that the August referendum would only be the first time Icelanders would have their say.
"If and when there is an agreement, we will hold another referendum" on membership, she said, noting that "nothing has been decided ".
The Portuguese government “is very much in favour of negotiations being reopened, of there being a second chance to reach an agreement with Iceland,” said foreign minister, Paulo Rangel.
"Iceland, like Portugal, is an Atlantic country and we need to strengthen the Atlantic dimension of the European Union," he said.
The minister anticipated that potential negotiations would be complex, but the speed would depend on Reykjavik and Brussels. "There are many sectors, many exceptions that need to be opened to protect this and that point and, therefore, that usually takes some time".
Rangel, an MEP for 15 years, urged the Icelandic government to "be strong" and "defend its interests" in negotiations.
"The European Union is familiar with that," he said.
The Portuguese minister also highlighted that belonging to the European bloc in no way threatens national sovereignty, an issue that divides Icelandic public opinion.
"Membership of any international organisation will not harm our independence, which we would never accept," he said.
"Sometimes people think that joining the European Union means losing our identity, our sovereignty, our independence. That is not the case at all, quite the opposite," he insisted.
The Icelandic minister continues her visit to Lisbon on Monday with a lunch with Rangel, followed by a meeting with the defence minister, Nuno Melo.
JH/LYT // AYLS
Lusa
