ARTE Europe Weekly: Iceland’s Accession Rejection Raises Questions for the EU

Icelanders have voted against resuming talks on EU membership. What does this means for the bloc's enlargement perspectives?Nearly 53 per cent of Icelanders said “no” in a referendum on resuming accession negotiations with the European Union. Other wealthy European nations, like Norway and Switerzerland, have also long resisted full membership of the club. Many, mostly right-wing politicians, have argued that only poorer nations want to join to reap the benefits the EU has to offer. How true is this? And how has Iceland’s rejection affected the bloc’s enlargement plans?This programme is produced by the European platform ARTE and available in 10 languages through the European media partnership BEAM. The hub is coordinated by ARTE and includes Balkan Insight (BIRN), Sinopsis (BIRN Romania), El País (ES), Gazeta Wyborcza (PL), Internazionale (IT), Ir (LV), Kathimerini (GR), Le Soir (BE) and Telex (HU). The partnership receives EU-funding following DG CNECT’s call for European Media Hubs within the framework of the EU’s Multimedia Actions.