Iceland opens early voting on referendum to restart EU accession talks

Iceland opened early voting on Monday for an August 29 referendum on whether to resume accession negotiations with the European Union, more than a decade after the talks were officially suspended.

The referendum asks voters: "Should Iceland reopen accession negotiations with the European Union?"

Opinion appears divided. A Gallup poll published on June 29 found 52 percent of 1,993 people surveyed supported reopening talks, while 48 percent opposed it.

Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009 after a financial crisis that damaged its economy, but talks were officially suspended in 2015. If negotiations restart, fishing and agriculture are expected to be central issues because of their importance to Iceland's economy.

Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir told visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot last week that Iceland would seek a good deal on fishing and farming.

Iceland already has access to the European single market through the European Economic Area and is part of the Schengen free travel zone. It is not part of the European Union Customs Union.

If voters support reopening negotiations, a second referendum would be needed on EU membership itself.