EU sees our independence as a nuisance, warns Iceland
ICELAND is frustrated with growing pressure from the EU to accept more rules on energy and food standards, the country’s finance minister has said.
As a result, the EU was beginning to see the Nordic country’s independence as a “nuisance”, Bjarni Benediktsson told The Daily Telegraph.
His comments highlight the difficulties the UK faces if it adopts the “soft Brexit” option. “Those that are for integration are stepping up the pace and if that is realised there will be even less tolerance for special implementation in the European Economic Area,” Mr Benediktsson warned.
“An example is raw meat and the free flow of goods. The European line is one for all, all for one, no special rules for anybody. But we are a special example, as in Iceland there is no salmonella. It is not a problem as it is in member states.”
Mr Benediktsson said that the EU did not understand why Iceland was so reluctant to join the European project.
“They are almost showing disregard… like [we’re] a nuisance to them,” he added. “The fact of the matter is that if you have an international agreement you should respect it, and that’s that.”
It comes after Iceland vowed to reexamine its agreement amid mounting concerns that Brussels was exerting too much influence on domestic affairs.
Iceland’s membership of the European Economic Area allows access to the single market but requires it to accept EU rules such as free movement.
“Our participation is founded on a two-pillar system,” said Mr Benediktsson, referring to the legal framework that ensures Iceland is governed by the European Free Trade Area, rather than accepting direct rule from Brussels.
This, he said, had left Iceland struggling to assert its independence even though it was not an EU member state.
Despite this, membership of the EEA had been successful, he said, adding that Iceland was free to sign trade agreements. Britain has ruled out the Icelandic model in Brexit talks, despite Theresa May being urged by the Brexit committee to resort to EEA/EFTA membership as a fallback option.