The first meeting of the Icelandic European Union Negotiations Committee will be held at 14:00 today, at the Culture House on Hverfisgata.
Iceland’s Chief EU Negotiator, Stefán Haukur Jóhannesson, will chair the committee. According to Vísir, apart from the sitting committee chairmen, there will also be the chairmen of ten negotiations groups and seven other committee members. The vice chairmen of the committee are the president of the law department of the University of Iceland Björg Thorarensen and former rector of the University of Akureyri Þorsteinn Gunnarsson.
It is expected that maritime issues – specifically, fishing rights and territories – will likely be the biggest issue. Icelanders are also considered about how joining the EU will impact the agricultural sector. Currently, most Icelanders favor entering negotiations for membership, but most are also not ready to support joining.
Jóhannesson recently told reporters that “all indications point to there being great support for the possibility of our membership” among EU member states. Continuing steps will probably take place late this year or early next year. After that, it will pretty much be a matter of how flexible the EU is willing to be.