Icelanders change their tune on EU membership: poll

(REYKJAVIK) - A majority of Icelanders are in favour of their country joining the European Union, a poll published Tuesday in the daily Frettabladid showed in a turnaround from a similar survey six months ago.

A total of 55.1 percent of the 800 people questioned on February 23 said they wanted Iceland to apply for membership, while 44.9 percent were opposed to the idea.

Iceland's pro-EU camp has been growing steadily for the past year, according to surveys.

A poll published in September 2007 in Frettabladid suggested that 51.1 percent were opposed to membership and 48.9 percent were in favour.

And in January 2007, the pro-EU side represented just 36 percent.

Frettabladid said Tuesday that 55 percent of those questioned in the most recent poll indicated there "were more reasons to apply for EU membership now than a year ago and 7.3 percent said there were fewer reasons."

Two weeks ago, Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde told his country's chamber of commerce that membership in the European Union and the eurozone "is not on the agenda of this government."

The coalition government is fiercely divided on whether the country should join the European Union.

Haarde's centre-right Independence Party is opposed to joining the EU, while its coalition partner, the Social Democratic alliance, favours the move.

No referendum has ever been held on the issue in Iceland, which has a population of 313,400.

The restrictive impact of EU fishery policies on Iceland's key fishing sector is a major argument often brought by Icelanders opposing membership.