22 June 2026Ministry for Foreign AffairsWhat would EU membership mean for energy and Icelandic sovereignty over natural resources?Iceland has already adopted the majority of EU energy legislation through the EEA partnership (European Economic Area), and the effects beyond that would likely be limited.
What would EU membership mean for energy and Icelandic sovereignty over natural resources?
Iceland has already adopted the majority of EU energy legislation through the EEA partnership (European Economic Area), and the effects beyond that would likely be limited.
In the 2009 - 2013 EU accession negotiations the chapter on Energy (Chapter 15) was opened and negotiations were ongoing when the accession negotiations were put on hold.
The negotiating objectives were:
See more information in thememorandum by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs at the request of the Althing's Foreign Affairs Committeeon 17 April 2026 (in Icelandic).
SeeChapter 15of the EU accession negotiations in 2009 - 2013 (in English).
Seecomplete overview of all chaptersof the 2009 - 2013 accession negotiations (in English).