Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland's Foreign Minister, has stated in an interview that the country could potentially become the 28th member of the European Union (EU) if membership negotiations are approved in a forthcoming national referendum scheduled for August. She suggests that once negotiations are initiated, they could be completed in as little as one and a half years, which would be significantly quicker than the lengthy negotiations faced by other nations like Montenegro.

Gunnarsdóttir highlighted that Iceland already operates under the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, implying that much of EU law is already enforced in Iceland. Thus, if Icelanders vote to restart the negotiation process, the country could expedite its EU accession compared to other candidates who are still in the application process. However, she acknowledged that one of the biggest obstacles Iceland faces in joining the EU remains the management of its fisheries resources—a topic of immense national importance.

The comments made by Gunnarsdóttir align with broader discussions happening within EU circles about expanding the union. An EU official echoed her sentiments, indicating that Iceland's pathway to EU membership could indeed be smoother than other countries. The highly anticipated referendum will therefore serve as a crucial turning point in Iceland's EU ambitions, possibly setting a precedent for other nations seeking to join the union in the future.