Accession of Iceland To The European Union - Pre-application Relationship

Pre-application Relationship

Iceland is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which is between non-EU European countries, but is integrated into the EU's European Economic Area (EEA) and the Schengen Area. Through the EEA, Iceland participates in a non-voting capacity in certain EU agencies and programmes, including enterprise, environment, education (including the Erasmus Programme) and research programs. Iceland also contributes funds to the social and economic cohesion in the EU/EEA. Iceland also regularly consults the EU in foreign affairs and frequently aligns itself to EU foreign policy. Iceland also participates in EU civilian peacekeeping missions.

Iceland's participation in the Schengen treaty ensures free movement of people between itself and the rest of the EU. It is also associated with the Dublin Convention on justice and home affairs cooperation. Iceland's membership in the Schengen treaty is due to its previous participation in the Nordic Passport Union which has been subsumed into Schengen as Nordic countries acceded to the EU. Several thousand Icelanders travel to and study or work in the EU. A large majority of the foreigners in Iceland likewise come from the EU.