“This summer is crucial for reaching a significant point on the EU issue,” declared Trine Lise Sundnes, a Labor lawmaker and head of the pro-EU European Movement, which has been advocating for Norway’s entry into the EU for 80 years. Surveying the restaurant, she remarked: “To accomplish this, we need every one of you.”
Norway and Iceland maintain a similar relationship with the EU: They are deeply integrated into the single market but are not full members— a status many citizens favor. However, a shift by Reykjavik toward Brussels would impact existing institutions and trade systems, leaving Oslo more isolated. Norway’s pro-EU faction sees this as a unique opportunity.
“An Icelandic yes would spark a conversation in Norway about joining,” Sundnes told WELT, part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network like POLITICO. “We must be prepared.”
A different union
Norwegians have twice voted against accession, each with a narrow majority. But much has changed since the last referendum over 30 years ago. “The EU we talked about in 1994 doesn’t exist anymore,” Sundnes said.
As a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Schengen Area, and having more than 100 bilateral agreements, Norway is economically close to the EU. It contributes hundreds of millions of euros annually in fees.
Recently, the EU has become significant in other policy areas, prompted by crises like the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
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