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Would Iceland be in trouble if Norway became a member of the EU?
Often it is maintained that the EEA agreement will be impracticable, even invalid, if Norway becomes a member of the EU. Then the only alternative for the people of Iceland would be to do the same if the nation were not to lose its favourable free-trade agreement with the EU nations. Of course this cliché is nonsense. The Icelanders will have many choices, regardless of what the people of Norway decide to do. Read more
The EU and Europe are different things
Advocates of the EU often try to persuade people to believe that the EU is Europe, and that all the important cooperation between states in Europe takes place within the EU. Many people think that the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights are part of the EU activities. Read more
The 80% cliché does not hold water Often it is maintained in the propaganda for Icelandic and Norwegian membership of the EU that these states transpose 80% of EU´s laws and directives due to the EEA Agreement and therefore it would be best for Iceland to take the final step. According to new statistics from the Norwegian foreign Ministry, the EU introduced in the years 1997 - 2003 a total of 11.511 different pieces of legislation of which 2.129 were adopted by Norway. The 80% cliché does not hold water in Norway and according to information from the Icelandic ministry for foreign affaires the percentage is even lower in Iceland.
Exclusive competence If Iceland were a member of the EU, the EU would have the deciding voice in the management of the fisheries off Iceland's coast, between the 12-mile and 200-mile lines. Franz Fishler, the EU-Commissioner, responsible for Fisheries, made it quite clear in a meeting in Reykjavik that Iceland would have to accept this basic principle which also is stated in article I-12 of the Constitution(a draft): "The Union shall have exclusive competence to establish competition rules within the internal market, and in the following areas . . . the conservation of marine biological resources under the common fisheries policy." Read more See also: The fisheries
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