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While in Iceland I learned from local fisherman who have conflicting thoughts on joining the EU. On one hand it could strengthen relations, but on the other the

While in Iceland I learned from local fisherman who have conflicting thoughts on joining the EU. On one hand it could strengthen relations, but on the other they would not be able to preserve their fisheries from being over fished.

rich_sasha 2y ago
They could presumably strike some deal, if there is political will on both sides. UK and Scandinavia got to opt out of the Euro, for example.
- smhg 2y ago
  You mean Sweden and Denmark, not Scandinavia. And both have different ideas about joining the Eurozone. Norway isn't part of the EU. Finland is using the Euro.
  - diplocorp 2y ago
    Finland is Nordic but not Scandinavia. Because Norway is not an EU member, discussing a euro opt out doesn't make sense. Thus, OP is accurate in stating that Scandinavia got a Euro opt-out.
  - Hamuko 2y ago
    Sweden and Denmark are the only Scandinavian countries in the EU.
xenospn 2y ago
What about whale hunting? I assume the EU would like a say about that as well?
- throw-qqqqq 2y ago
  Are you perhaps thinking of the Faroe Islands and their killing of pilot whales? (Grindadráp, killing hundreds of whales) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_the_Faroe_Islands https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_the_Faroe_Islands
  - Electricniko 2y ago
    Probably the news from a few weeks ago that the government issued whale hunting permits through 2029.
Swenrekcah 2y ago
That is a myth propagated by the owners of the fishing companies. The real reason they oppose the EU is that they benefit immensely from having income and debts in Euros and dollars, while their expenses and interest bearing assets are in the weak and high-interest ISK. Consider that icelandic mortgage interest rates are currently 9-11% but a few years ago they were 4% which was celebrated as historically extremely low rates.
- MrDresden 2y ago
  That's not entirely correct. The EU has an abysmal history of setting and managing ITQs in its waters, with Iceland having some of the best (but not at all perfect) managed waters in the world. So there is plenty to be skeptical about when it comes to how negotiations would go on the matter.
- tugu77 2y ago
  Um, joining the EU is not the same as joining the Euro. They can keep doing this exact thing after joining the EU if they keep their currency just like a few others are doing. No, this is mostly about fishing rights afaik. Britain also kept having issues on that front.
  - lispm 2y ago
    > joining the EU is not the same as joining the Euro Now, every country joining the EU is expected to join the Euro at some point. https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/euro/enlargement-euro-area/who-can-join-and-when_en https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/euro/enlargement-euro-a... "Who can join and when? All EU Member States, except Denmark, are required to adopt the euro and join the euro area. To do this they must meet certain conditions known as 'convergence criteria'."
    - skissane 2y ago
      > Now, every country joining the EU is expected to join the Euro at some point. In theory yes, in practice no. The Swedish government has said repeatedly they don't plan to join despite being legally obliged to do so. EU law says they have to do it, but it also says it can't be done without their active cooperation, and there is no penalty if they refuse to cooperate. The obligation is essentially toothless. So Denmark having a formal opt-out from the Euro and Sweden not, is really more of a theoretical difference than a practically relevant one.

rich_sasha 2y ago

They could presumably strike some deal, if there is political will on both sides. UK and Scandinavia got to opt out of the Euro, for example.

smhg 2y ago
You mean Sweden and Denmark, not Scandinavia. And both have different ideas about joining the Eurozone. Norway isn't part of the EU. Finland is using the Euro.
- diplocorp 2y ago
  Finland is Nordic but not Scandinavia. Because Norway is not an EU member, discussing a euro opt out doesn't make sense. Thus, OP is accurate in stating that Scandinavia got a Euro opt-out.
- Hamuko 2y ago
  Sweden and Denmark are the only Scandinavian countries in the EU.

xenospn 2y ago

What about whale hunting? I assume the EU would like a say about that as well?

throw-qqqqq 2y ago
Are you perhaps thinking of the Faroe Islands and their killing of pilot whales? (Grindadráp, killing hundreds of whales) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_the_Faroe_Islands https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_the_Faroe_Islands
- Electricniko 2y ago
  Probably the news from a few weeks ago that the government issued whale hunting permits through 2029.

Swenrekcah 2y ago

That is a myth propagated by the owners of the fishing companies. The real reason they oppose the EU is that they benefit immensely from having income and debts in Euros and dollars, while their expenses and interest bearing assets are in the weak and high-interest ISK. Consider that icelandic mortgage interest rates are currently 9-11% but a few years ago they were 4% which was celebrated as historically extremely low rates.

MrDresden 2y ago
That's not entirely correct. The EU has an abysmal history of setting and managing ITQs in its waters, with Iceland having some of the best (but not at all perfect) managed waters in the world. So there is plenty to be skeptical about when it comes to how negotiations would go on the matter.
tugu77 2y ago
Um, joining the EU is not the same as joining the Euro. They can keep doing this exact thing after joining the EU if they keep their currency just like a few others are doing. No, this is mostly about fishing rights afaik. Britain also kept having issues on that front.
- lispm 2y ago
  > joining the EU is not the same as joining the Euro Now, every country joining the EU is expected to join the Euro at some point. https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/euro/enlargement-euro-area/who-can-join-and-when_en https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/euro/enlargement-euro-a... "Who can join and when? All EU Member States, except Denmark, are required to adopt the euro and join the euro area. To do this they must meet certain conditions known as 'convergence criteria'."
  - skissane 2y ago
    > Now, every country joining the EU is expected to join the Euro at some point. In theory yes, in practice no. The Swedish government has said repeatedly they don't plan to join despite being legally obliged to do so. EU law says they have to do it, but it also says it can't be done without their active cooperation, and there is no penalty if they refuse to cooperate. The obligation is essentially toothless. So Denmark having a formal opt-out from the Euro and Sweden not, is really more of a theoretical difference than a practically relevant one.