According to an article published in Politico, Iceland is considering fast-tracking its EU referendum to August this year, rather than following the originally planned timeline of 2027.
Iceland had previously promised to hold talks on the EU referendum by 2027, but the timeline is now reportedly being accelerated due to global political turmoil, including U.S. threats to annex Greenland and impose tariffs on Iceland.
An official announcement is expected in the coming weeks. If the country votes “yes,” it is rumored that Iceland could join the EU before any other candidate country.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos explained that “the conversation on enlargement is shifting.” Kos met with Iceland’s Foreign Minister, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, in Brussels last month.
“It is increasingly about security, about belonging, and about preserving our ability to act in a world of competing spheres of influence. This concerns all Europeans,” Kos added.