The overall aim of this work is to analyze and explain the change of behavior of the Icelandic political elites toward European integration, with specific focus on the domestic and external, political and economic developments that contributed to this change and eventually led to Iceland’s EU accession bid in 2009. To this end, the author has chosen to specifically focus on the time period from the outbreak of the financial crisis in Iceland in 2008 to the day of Iceland’s official EU application in July 2009. Nevertheless, historical developments that are relevant for properly explaining Iceland’s behavior toward European integration have been included where appropriate.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Framework and Methodological Approach
2.1 Development of European Integration: Why States Seek EU Membership
2.2 Why States Give up Sovereignty: the Broad Field of European Integration Theory
2.3 Social Constructivism and the Construction of Identities
2.3.1 “We”: Iceland and Norden
2.3.2 “We”: the Icelandic Nation-State
2.4 Small States and European Integration
2.5 The Political Elites and Continuity and Change in Nation-State Identity
2.6 EU Membership and the Diffusion of Norms
2.7 Methodological Approach
3. The Icelandic Nation-state
3.1 A Short Historical and Geo-demographical Introduction
3.2 The Icelandic Political System
3.3 The Icelandic Economy
4. Iceland in European Associations
4.1 EFTA: Approaching the Union in Economic Terms
4.2 EEA: Accepting 80 Percent of EU Legislation – Why Not Join The EU Instead?
4.3 Schengen: Deeply Involved in the European Project – Still No EU Application
5. Contemplating EU Membership: The Years 2008-2009
5.1 Economic Factors Leading to the Reconsideration of the Icelandic Social Order
5.2 Domestic Factors Leading to the Reconsideration of the Icelandic Social Order
5.3 Government Constellations in Flux: The Social Democrat’s Way to Power
5.4 Parliamentary Elections April 2009: It’s All About EU Membership
5.5 A New Government with a New Vision on EU Integration
5.6 The New Government: Fighting Recession and Restoring Public Confidence
5.7 Interest Groups’ Opinions on EU Membership
5.7.1 The Influence of the Icelandic Fishing Industry on Iceland’s EU Policy
5.7.2 The Left Wing Government’s Stand on Fisheries
5.7.3 CFP Reform: Not Such a Menace after All?
5.8 The Icelandic Public Opinion on EU Membership
6. The EU’s Opinion on Iceland’s Membership Bid
6.1 Adopting EU Rules and Regulations: Sensitive Issues in the Negotiating Process
6.2 The Icesave Issue and its Impact on Iceland’s EU Accession Bid
7. Concluding Remarks
7.1 Summary
7.2 Future Prospects
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary aim of this work is to analyze and explain the shift in behavior of the Icelandic political elites toward European integration, focusing specifically on the domestic and external political and economic drivers—particularly the 2008 financial crisis—that led to Iceland's official EU accession bid in 2009.
- Internal and external drivers of Iceland's shift toward EU membership.
- The impact of the global financial crisis on Icelandic political and social order.
- The role of the fisheries sector and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reforms.
- The perception of EU integration by Icelandic political elites, interest groups, and the public.
- The influence of national identity, sovereignty concerns, and small state dynamics.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
“We are Europeans. We share your views, your culture. We have in fact contributed quite a significant part to the classical heritage of Europe. We belong in Europe.”
Össur Skarphéðinsson, Brussels, 27 July 2010
With these words, Össur Skarphéðinsson, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs welcomed the official opening of Iceland’s membership negotiations with the European Union and at the same time he subscribed to something that for many years had been unthinkable for the political elites in Iceland.
Until 2009, Iceland remained the only Nordic country that had never officially applied for EU membership. After being under foreign rule for several centuries, Iceland only became independent on 17 June 1944 (Hjálmarsson 2009: 178). Based on the historical development of Iceland, the ideas of independence and state sovereignty, both deeply rooted in the nation’s search for identity, had substantial impact on the country’s foreign policy. Even though surveys had already indicated during the 1990s that considerable parts of the population in Iceland were in support of EU membership talks, the political elites remained very skeptical toward the issue of European integration. This resistance was to a great part built on fears of losing state sovereignty to European institutions (Thorhallsson 2002: 349). Nevertheless, due to Iceland’s heavy reliance on international trade, the nation has over the past decades forged closer links with the European Union and joined several agreements, such as EFTA, EEA and Schengen. In this context, Iceland even adopted around 80 percent of EU laws and regulations through the EEA (Lægreid, Steinthorsson and Thorhallsson 2002: 349) – however, full EU membership still seemed out of the question. Yet, on 16 July 2009, only a few weeks after a new government had been formed, Iceland submitted its application for EU membership.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the background of Iceland's historic EU application and outlines the research objective of analyzing the shift in political behavior toward European integration.
2. Theoretical Framework and Methodological Approach: Explains the social constructivist approach used to analyze how national identities and ideas influence foreign policy and European integration choices.
3. The Icelandic Nation-state: Provides an introduction to Iceland's historical, geo-demographical, political, and economic features, establishing why sovereignty has been a central political concern.
4. Iceland in European Associations: Reviews Iceland's past path to integration through EFTA, EEA, and Schengen, explaining the historical reluctance toward full EU membership.
5. Contemplating EU Membership: The Years 2008-2009: Analyzes the central domestic and external events, particularly the financial crisis and the 2009 elections, that led the new government to seek EU membership.
6. The EU’s Opinion on Iceland’s Membership Bid: Examines the European institutions' positive reception of Iceland's bid and the specific issues raised during the negotiation screening process.
7. Concluding Remarks: Summarizes the findings regarding the shift in Icelandic political stance and provides an outlook on the future of the accession process.
Keywords
Iceland, European Union, European Integration, Financial Crisis, Social Constructivism, National Identity, Sovereignty, Fisheries Policy, Political Elites, Small State, EEA, EFTA, Membership Bid, Economic Recovery, Public Opinion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work investigates the reasons behind the significant change in the attitude of Icelandic political elites toward European Union membership, culminating in the 2009 application.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the impact of the 2008 financial crisis, the role of national identity in foreign policy, the influence of interest groups like the fishing industry, and the dynamics of being a small state in international relations.
What is the central research question?
The author seeks to answer what specifically caused Iceland's political elites to officially apply for EU membership in 2009 after decades of strong reluctance.
Which theoretical approach is applied?
The study utilizes social constructivism to explore how perceptions of national identity, ideas, and crisis situations can lead to a shift in a nation's European integration policy.
What does the main body cover?
The main body provides a historical overview of Iceland’s European associations, analyzes the economic and political turmoil of 2008-2009, and evaluates how the European Union and domestic stakeholders perceived the accession bid.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Iceland, European integration, social constructivism, national identity, small state studies, financial crisis, and EU membership.
How did the financial crisis affect the EU application?
The crisis acted as a "catalyst" that challenged the existing social and economic order, causing political elites and the public to search for alternatives to the national currency and to seek the stability of the European Union.
What is the significance of the Icesave dispute in this context?
The Icesave dispute is a bilateral issue that, while not directly part of the EU accession negotiations, represents a potential obstacle that could be leveraged by other states to block the progression of negotiation chapters.
- Citation du texte
- Julia Kaute (Auteur), 2010, Warming up for the EU. Iceland and European Integration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/162390
