European Union officials have sought to move past Iceland's referendum rejection of renewed membership talks, using a ministerial gathering in Dublin to reaffirm the bloc's commitment to enlargement. The informal meeting, hosted by Ireland's EU Council presidency, brought together European affairs ministers from member states and candidate countries to discuss the accession process.
On Saturday, Icelandic voters narrowly rejected reopening negotiations with Brussels—frozen since 2013—by a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%. The result was a setback for EU ambitions to attract wealthier neighbours, but senior officials were quick to downplay its broader significance.
Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos insisted the vote did not reflect a decline in the EU's appeal, pointing to the acceleration of accession talks over the past eight months. "This dynamic will continue into the autumn," she said. "I regret the decision of Icelanders not to come back to the accession process. They are part of the common market. They are part of Schengen. But our European Union is much more than just those two things."
Kos also cautioned against reducing the Union to an economic community, stressing the need for unity in the face of security threats from Russia. "I see now the tendency of reducing the European Union to an economic community. This is by far not the essence of our Union," she added.
Thomas Byrne, Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, echoed that sentiment. "Icelandic people voted the way they did. What can we do? They made the decision," he said. "That has no impact on what we're doing today, and the candidate countries are working hard to continue the accession process."
Keeping momentum for candidate countries
Byrne highlighted progress made by Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine, arguing that Iceland's case was unique due to its maritime fishing industry. He noted that Iceland remains part of the European Economic Area, which softens the impact of the vote.
Montenegro is on track to become the EU's 28th member by 2028, with Albania following closely. Ukraine and Moldova have already opened two accession clusters this year, signalling steady forward movement despite geopolitical tensions.
Asked whether upcoming national elections in France, Italy, Spain and Poland could jeopardise the process, Byrne dismissed such concerns. "Elections are unpredictable," he said. "I don't think we should read too much into opinion polls at the moment."
Polling in France has suggested that Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally could win the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, a Eurosceptic, has historically opposed enlargement, but Byrne's comments reflect a broader confidence among EU officials that the process will continue.
Democratic safeguards under discussion
The European Commission is preparing a proposal to reform the Union and better integrate candidate countries, due by the end of the month and set for discussion at the EU leaders' summit on 15-16 October. The plan includes potential safeguards to prevent democratic and rule-of-law backsliding among new members—an idea championed by five founding member states, drawing lessons from Viktor Orbán's tenure in Hungary.
Commissioner Kos defended the concept, saying, "Since the enlargement in 2004, we cannot always be sure that once we have new members, they will respect the rule of law and the sincere cooperation principle." She rejected suggestions that such safeguards would create a two-tier membership, stressing they would be temporary.
The Dublin meeting underscores the EU's determination to press ahead with enlargement, even as domestic politics in some member states complicate the picture. For now, the focus remains on the candidate countries' progress and the institutional reforms needed to accommodate them.
