Iceland once again refused to resume negotiations for accession to the European Union, after a popular referendum in which Icelandic citizens chose not to continue with the European integration process. The vote confirmed the decision previously made by the Nordic country to remain outside the EU.
Helena Ferro Gouveia commented on the result of the vote, identifying three main issues that motivated the Icelanders' decision: fishing, sovereignty and currency. These were the determining factors that made the country once again deny accession to the European Union.
The fishing issue is particularly sensitive for Iceland, given that the fishing sector has significant economic weight in the country. National sovereignty and maintaining control over the currency also emerged as important concerns for citizens who voted against resuming talks with the EU.
