Icelanders will vote on whether to resume European Union (EU) accession talks somewhat earlier than previously planned, according to Reykjavik's foreign ministry.

A decision to hold the vote on August 29 passed the Cabinet on Friday. The proposal, put forth by Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir's center-left coalition government, must be approved by Iceland's parliament, the Althingi, before the vote can actually take place.

The government says it will present the proposal to parliament early next week.

Should Icelanders support the resumption of talks and should these lead to an invitation to join the bloc, a second and final referendum on membership would then be held.

However, if the August vote fails, the issue is off the table for good says the government.

Iceland public broadcaster RUV cited a new Gallup poll showing that 57% of the population backs a resumption of EU membership talks, while 30% remain opposed.

Iceland: Decades of close ties to EU but skepticism remains

Opinion polls show that Icelanders are increasingly concerned about rising living costs as well as being unnerved by the geopolitical volatility of the Arctic as Russia's invasion of Ukraine drags on and the US having threatened annexation of nearby Greenland. 

Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said Iceland's negotiating position vis-a-vis Brussels is good, noting that Reykjavik would be a strong and reliable partner within the EU.

Although Iceland has had very close ties to Europe for decades, strong opposition to membership remains, for instance among farmers and those who fear a negative impact on Iceland's fishing industry if Brussels forces fisherman to share the nation's rich North Atlantic waters with boats from other EU nations.

A country of around of 400,000 inhabitants, Iceland works with Brussels in the European Economic Area (EEA) and is a member of the Schengen visa-free travel area. It is also the smallest member of NATO, relying on the military alliance for its security.

US and Russia driving Iceland's interest in joining the EU

EU accession is a years-long process run by the European Commission.

Throughout, applicants are assessed according to 35 sets of criteria — from transparency and financial systems, to fisheries, transportation infrastructure, agricultural regulations, and freedom of speech and religion.

All 27 current EU member states must unanimously agree to admit an applicant.

EU membership would give ⁠Reykyavik a direct say ​in decisions made at EU institutions like the European Commission, the Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament.

Iceland began its initial path toward EU membership in 2009, after the fiercely independent nation's investment-banking economy was devastated by the 2008 financial crisis. Four years later, Iceland's then-euroskeptic government decided to withdraw the membership bid.

When Frostadottir's center-left government was elected in 2024, it promised a referendum by 2027, however, US President Donald Trump's threats of annexing Greenland from NATO ally Denmark — as well perhaps as his inability to tell the two neighboring Nordic nations apart, as recently seen and heard at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, when he rambled on about Iceland when in fact he meant Greenland — have prompted a greater sense of urgency in the matter.

In a post to X on Friday, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos made reference to the situation, observing that Icelanders have "a significant decision" to make.

"The geopolitical context is fundamentally different today than when ​Iceland first applied for ‌membership," Kos said. "In a world of competing spheres of influence, EU membership offers an anchor into a bloc grounded in values, prosperity and security."

Edited by: Wesley Rahn