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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Successful start of Iceland's membership negotiations with the EU

The first four chapters of negotiations on Iceland's accession to the EU were opened at the intergovernmental conference today and two of these chapters have been already provisionally closed.Stefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, said: "This accession conference marks an important step forward in Iceland's accession process. I am pleased that at this early stage of negotiations we open four and even close two negotiating chapters, and I am confident that this achievement provides momentum to meet the challenges of the accession process."

The EU's common negotiating positions were presented at the conference by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in response to those of the Icelandic government. The chapters in question cover public procurement, information society and media, science and research, as well as education and culture. In these areas Iceland has already taken on a large part of EU legislation due to its membership in the European Economic Area. Simultaneously, negotiations on two chapters – science and research and education and culture – were provisionally closed in view of Iceland's advanced state of preparedness.

The conference also marks the successful conclusion of the screening process – an in-depth analysis and comparison of the EU's and Iceland's rules and legislation – and the beginning of a new phase in which substance and detail are negotiated.

Source  Press room - European commission

More information  Press room - European commission

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