Iceland's Minister of Industry, Hanna Katrín Friðriksson and EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis.
Photo: European Commission / Xavier Lejeune.
The European Union and Iceland have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at boosting collaboration on fisheries management and broader ocean-related matters.
According to the European Commission, the MoU provides a formal framework for deeper cooperation between the two parties, who share a history of partnership in these fields. The document was signed on 15 July by EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, and Iceland's Minister of Industry, Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, and outlines both parties' intentions to work more closely together on sustainable fishing, marine biodiversity, and the energy transition in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
One of the central components of the agreement is the introduction of an annual high-level dialogue, to rotate between the EU and Iceland, aimed at monitoring progress and promoting further collaboration, with the first session planned for early 2026.
The agreement also highlights a shared intention to address pressing global marine policy and management issues, including management of shared fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic, the development of a sustainable blue economy, and the welfare of marine mammals.
Commissioner Kadis described Iceland as "a historical key partner for the EU", adding, "Today we are deepening our relationship to keep fisheries sustainable and to enhance our cooperation in ocean affairs. This will help us address common challenges in the North Atlantic and the Arctic that will require significant joint efforts in the coming years.”
"Iceland has a long-standing relationship with the EU and we share values and interest in most areas," said Friðriksson, noting, “With this MoU we are strengthening our mutual commitment in working together in ensuring sustainable fisheries and to face the many challenges in ocean affairs in the North Atlantic both today and in the future.”
Support for biodiversity commitments
Both parties stressed the importance of basing ocean policy on the best available scientific evidence, and recognised the need for joint action to meet international biodiversity commitments, including those set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The EU and Iceland also reiterated their support for the swift ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement. The treaty, still pending implementation, is expected to improve the governance of marine biodiversity in areas outside of national control.
"The signature of this Memorandum of Understanding reinforces the EU‘s leadership in ocean diplomacy, one of the key objectives of the European Ocean Pact. By promoting effective ocean governance globally, the EU aims to safeguard the health of our oceans, protect biodiversity, and support the well-being of communities that depend on them," the European Commision stated.
The agreement comes in the wake of the new controversial fishing fee law passed by the Icelandic parliament last week, introducing changes to how catch is valued, due to enter into force from 1 November this year.