Brussels, 18/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 18 December, the fifth conference on accession with Iceland at ministerial level decided to open six new negotiation chapters with the country on: the free movement of goods (chapter 1); taxation (chapter 16); economic and monetary policy (chapter 17) - which is considered the most important by Iceland; regional policy and the coordination of structural instruments (chapter 22); the environment (chapter 27); and external relations (chapter 30). Chapter 8 on competition policy has provisionally been closed. Thus out of the 35 accession chapters for which negotiations started 18 months ago, in July 2010, Reykjavik has opened 27 - 11 of which have been provisionally closed. The ministerial conference also confirmed the opening of chapters 9, 18 and 29 - respectively on financial services, statistics and customs union - which were opened at deputy level on 24 October.
Iceland's minister for foreign affairs, Össur Skarphédinsson, his Cypriot counterpart, Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, and European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle recognise that the negotiations are entering a “decisive phase”. Some chapters are proving more difficult - such as that on the environment, due to Iceland's practice of whaling. “We are at a stage where the most difficult chapters are on the table”, Füle said, certain that a good solution will be found to satisfy all parties. “We are moving out of the area that we know better, which pertains to the European Economic Area, to reach unknown and difficult territory. Some chapters will doubtless be more difficult than those which everyone is waiting for like fisheries or agriculture”, the Icelandic minister warned. However, he stressed that on fisheries - a chapter which is not yet open and which is problematic due to the “mackerel war” - it is important to show “an innovative spirit” in order to find a satisfactory solution.
The Icelandic government will also have to convince its people of the benefits of joining the EU. “The government's objective is to reach the best agreement possible and to present it for the people to express their opinion through a referendum”, Skarphédinsson said (our translation throughout).
Another meeting will take place in the first half of 2013. (CG/transl.fl)