Taking its place in Europe - Iceland’s long road to its EU application

• Main Authors: Magnusson, Magnus Arni, University of Malta. Institute for European Studies, Pace, Roderick
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: University of Malta. Institute for European Studies 2013
• Subjects: European Union > Iceland; Iceland > Foreign relations > Europe; Iceland > Politics and government; Iceland
• Online Access: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/18133

Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009. Before that it had sought to alleviate pressures on her to fully integrate with Europe firstly by pursuing limited integration through membership of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and later by joining the European Economic Area (EEA). This paper traces the steps taken by this peripheral European country from itsstruggle of independence from Denmark, through World War II, American occupation, the founding of a republic, NATO membership and the Cod Wars with Britain. The paper analyses the various phases of the debate on the ties to the European institutions leading to EEA and Schengen membership, the “miraculous economic success“ which ended in the epic crash of 2008 which precipitated a much contested EU application peer-reviewed