On Tuesday, 15 July, the European Union and Iceland signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to strengthen their cooperation in fisheries and maritime affairs.
This agreement establishes a framework for the two parties to collaborate more closely and more extensively on key priorities such as sustainable fisheries, scientific research, and marine conservation. It also aims to consolidate joint efforts to protect marine biodiversity as well as support the energy transition in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors (see EUROPE 13267/34).
Signed by European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis and Icelandic Minister of Industries Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, the agreement reaffirms the strength of the partnership between the EU and Iceland, which is based on common values, shared interests, and long-standing cooperation.
One of the central elements of this memorandum is the establishment of an annual high-level dialogue, which will be alternately hosted by the EU and Iceland, so as to monitor the progress that has been made and to advance cooperation in areas of common interest. The first meeting is scheduled for early 2026.
On this occasion, Commissioner Kadis and Minister Friðriksson discussed several fisheries- and ocean-related issues, including the need to reach a comprehensive agreement on shared fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic, the sustainable development of the blue economy, and the conservation and welfare of cetaceans.
The participants acknowledged that the Arctic is of major importance.
Link to the text: https://aeur.eu/f/hw0 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)