Brussels, 17/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - It came as no surprise on Thursday 17 June that the European Council gave the green light to opening accession negotiations with Iceland, which are very likely to start in the second half of 2010. The Council is being requested to adopt the “negotiations framework” and once this is in place, the EU27 will be able to give the go-ahead for talks. At the request of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which are still waiting for Reykjavik to compensate Dutch and British savers who lost their money in the Icesave bankruptcy, the European Council highlights in its conclusions that Iceland is obliged to apply all Community acquis, “including those in the financial services area”. EU27 leaders agreed that this demand would be repeated in the framework of the negotiations. (H.B./transl.fl)