Iceland receives massive questionnaire for EU bid
(REYKJAVIK) - Iceland's government reached on Tuesday a new stage in its bid to join the European Union as it received a membership questionnaire from the bloc's enlargement commissioner.
"Receiving the questionnaire marks a new stage for Iceland before becoming a full-fledged member of the EU," Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir said in a statement.
The 33-chaptered document delivered by EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn contains 2,000 questions.
Foreign Minister Ossur Skarphedinsson said after meeting with Rehn that Iceland had a November 16 deadline to fill the questionnaire, which will be used as a basis for a report that will be submitted to the Council of Europe.
Iceland already has close ties with Europe, being part of the European Economic Area and the Schengen free-travel zone. Iceland also complies with three-quarters of European directives.
The Nordic country, which formally submitted its application on July 23, hopes to join the EU by 2012.
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