Iceland and European Integration

Iceland and European Integration

Kaup valmöguleikar

Why has Iceland not sought membership of the European Union? This unique volume uses the case study of Iceland - the only Nordic state to have never applied for EU membership - to explore the complex attitudes of small states to European intergration and provide a new theoretical approach for understanding such relationships. The contributors explain why the Icelandic political elite has been relunctant to participate in European integration.

In this context, they analyse the influence that Iceland's special relationship with the US and the fisheries sector have had on their dealings with the EU. Also considered are 'new' variables, such as national administrative characteristics and particular features of the domestic arena of the political elite, as well as the elite's perception of international relations and its political discourse concerning independence and sovereignty.

Nánar um bókina

Útgefandi
Taylor & Francis
ISBN
9781134458530
Print ISBN
9780415282529
Format
ePub
Útgáfa
1
Höfundar
Tungumál
English
Útgefið
2004-03-01
Prent takmörkun á líftíma
100
Prent takmörkun
2
Afritunar takmörkun
2

Kaflar

  • Cover Page
  • Half Title page
  • Title Page
  • Copyright Page
  • Dedication
  • Contents
  • List of figures
  • List of tables
  • Notes on Contributors
  • Foreword
  • Preface
  • Abbreviations
  • 1 Approaching the question Domestic background and conceptual framework
  • Introduction
  • Seven rounds of debates
  • Political parties and their European policies
  • The theoretical structure
  • The structure of the book
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Part I
  • 2 The first steps Iceland’s policy on European integration from the foundation of the republic to 1972
  • Introduction
  • The situation in the first years of the republic
  • First discussion of involvement in European integration
  • Membership of the EEC considered
  • Iceland joins EFTA
  • Summary
  • Bibliography
  • 3 A controversial step Membership of the EEA
  • Introduction
  • Background and negotiations
  • Attitudes of the political parties and sectoral interest groups
  • The effects of the EEA Agreement
  • Summary
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • 4 Deeply involved in the European project Membership of Schengen
  • Introduction
  • The Schengen scheme
  • The background to Iceland’s entry into Schengen
  • Iceland’s participation in the implementation, application and development of the Schengen Acquis
  • The arguments advanced for Iceland’s participation
  • Summary
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Part II
  • 5 Partial engagement A practical solution
  • Introduction
  • Constraints on Iceland
  • Summary
  • Bibliography
  • 6 Life is first and foremost saltfish1
  • Introduction
  • Development of the fisheries sector in Iceland
  • Attitude of the fishing industry towards EU membership
  • Sectoral influences on government policy on Europe
  • Government committees and the occupational sectors
  • The political parties and the occupational sectors
  • Social movements and the occupational sectors
  • The political parties, the fisheries sector and the prospect of EU membership
  • The fisheries sector and the EU’s common fisheries policy
  • Summary
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • 7 The special relationship between Iceland and the United States of America
  • Introduction
  • Political parties and the relationship with the USA: nationalism and the EU debate
  • The defence link between Iceland and the USA
  • Economic and trade relations with the USA
  • Summary
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • 8 Discussing Europe: Icelandic nationalism and European integration
  • Birth of a nation-state
  • Is the nation-state dying?
  • A nation pledges its allegiance to the state
  • Summary
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • 9 The Euro-sceptical political elite
  • Introduction
  • Pro-European elites: interests and identity
  • A ‘realist’ conception of foreign policy
  • Peripheral location
  • Blocking the issue
  • Conclusion
  • Bibliography
  • 10 Shackled by smallness A weak administration as a determinant of policy choice
  • Introduction
  • An administration in transformation
  • Historical development and recent changes
  • The increased capacity of the foreign service
  • The relationship between interest groups and the administration
  • Summary
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • 11 Towards a new theoretical approach
  • The 2003 debate
  • Constraints, sectors and security
  • The political elite and political discourse
  • The size and characteristics of the national administration
  • The national administration: universal applicability?
  • Domestic characteristics and the political elite
  • Changes in the domestic arena
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index