What would EU membership mean for Icelandic agriculture?

The effects would depend on the outcome of the accession negotiations.

Agriculture is covered under Chapter 11 of the accession negotiations. The chapter had not been opened when the accession negotiations were put on hold in 2013. Substantial work on a negotiating position had been done when the accession negotiations were put on hold.

The objective would be to continue to ensure a strong Icelandic agricultural sector grounded in food security, food safety, and regional considerations.It is imperative to ensure sufficient agricultural support contributions to the agricultural sector in order to reach these objectives, even if the form of support would change, including e.g. the elimination of tariff protection on agricultural products deriving from other EU Member States. It is also important that the agricultural sector is granted sufficient room for adjustment upon accession to the European Union.

The two main issues of the negotiations are:

It should be noted that the EU’s agricultural policy has evolved so that Member States now have greater flexibility in designing support than before. Proposals for the next programme period, starting in 2028, go even further in towards greater flexibility.

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 11of the accession negotiations in 2009-2013 on the old accession negotiation website.

Seecomplete overview of all chaptersin the 2009 - 2013 accession negotiations.