Greenland – Danish, but not European…or the inverse?

Greenland has been part of the Danish realm since the Peace of Kriel in 1814. After Norway merged with Sweden, its overseas territories including Iceland and Greenland were ceded to Denmark. Then, Greenland and the Greenlandic people saw Danish colonial rule governing their territory. In 1979, after years of colonial domination and struggle for self-determination, Greenlandic representatives and the Danish government agreed on an autonomous statute for the island. Since then, Greenland has been granted a statute of Home Rule allowing the local government of Nuuk to determine its policies regarding everything but foreign affairs and military matters. Following its newly gained autonomy, Greenland held a referendum to leave the EU in 1982.
After this, more and more Greenlanders wished for their country to be independent of Denmark. Since 2021, Independentists have represented a majority at the Nuuk’s parliament and have therefore governed the island led by Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede. Recently, with the perspective of the 2025 Greenlandic general elections, he announced the holding of an independence referendum. With a growing majority in favour of independence and a promise of a referendum, the independence of Greenland seems unstoppable, or so the major global powers think. Those same major global powers also think of Greenland as a strategic asset, as Trump’s declarations have shown. The EU has since then started developing a strategy to welcome the territory – a plan that seems to be paying off. In a 2024 survey, around 60% of Greenlanders were in favour of Greenland’s accession to the EU. For now, leading the country toward the EU is seen as secondary by Greenlandic politics. Still, if the country gets its independence, EU membership could be a bulwark against the appetites of the great powers, while at the same time ensuring the island’s equality with other EU member states, including Denmark. The country’s future is in its people’s hands, and it seems regarding the polls and the political landscape of the Arctic Island that Greenland’s future is made of independence and EU accession.
Faroe – A Choice for Tomorrow

Another Danish territory vows to draw its path to independence from Copenhagen. This “self-governing nation under the external sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark” covers an archipelago off the coast of Scotland between the Arctic and North Sea. As Greenland, the Faroe Islands vow to hold an independence referendum; however, the archipelago tries to find the best moment to enact it.
The Faroe was granted Home Rule after World War 2, following both the invasion of Denmark by Germany and its 1946 independence referendum. This referendum led to a slim majority favoring independence, so small that Copenhagen refused to recognize the results and called for new general elections in Faroe. Despite not getting its independence, it was granted Home Rule. This early autonomous status enabled the Faroe Islands to refuse the accession to the EU jointly with Denmark in 1973.
Since then, the Faroe government, led by the unionist and social-democrat Prime Minister Aksel Johannesen, has been waiting for the best opportunity to propose the independence referendum that was decided in 2017. Why is it still only a decision made on paper even after eight years? Simply, it is because of the lack of political consent on the constitutional text proposed by the referendum. The three main political factions – the Social Democrats, the Conservatives, and the Republicans – do not agree on what this constitutional reform must cover. The primary concern seems to be anything but the possibility for the Faroese to vote for their independence. Regarding the polls, the will for independence seems to remain very strong: 60% of the Faroese would like their archipelago to become independent. If support for independence stays quite constant, their EU membership might start to change. Despite remaining low, with a proportion of Faroese willing their country to join the EU oscillating somewhere between 25 and 30%, support for EU membership is steadily growing. Recent polls and political declarations show a changing perception of the EU with Faroese willing to foster closer ties with the Block; for now, not membership but “closer cooperation.”
Iceland – A Referendum by 2027

An arctic territory has gone beyond the idea of “closer cooperation” with the EU. The former Danish territory of Iceland, independent since 1945, has already tried to join the EU. It was after the 2008 financial and economic crisis that EU and Eurozone accession represented a form of stability following global turmoil. Instead, political shifts within the Icelandic government and a fresh wave of market stability convinced Iceland to freeze and then cease its EU accession process; however, a new political shift and geopolitical crisis might have convinced the island to reconsider its approach. The Social-Democratic Party won its 2024 general elections and has formed a majority with the liberal Reform Party and the left-wing People Party. The idea for holding a new EU membership referendum by 2027 came from this coalition.
The island is already part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Schengen area, confirming the island’s already important role in European geopolitics. Additionally, Iceland is looking forward to adopting the Euro as its national currency. Better integration into the continent is seen as vital by Iceland as the geopolitical state of the world seems to be deteriorating at an increased pace. The present political moment, with the Russian war in Ukraine and Trump’s victory in the US 2024 elections, is pushing Icelanders to choose stability within the EU. Therefore, polls showstrong and growing support for EU membership in Iceland with 53% supporting it and 27% opposed.
Norway – Can the Impossible Become Possible?

Speaking of the quest for stability and deeper European integration, Norwegians are not that different from Icelanders. As Iceland, Norway applied to join the EU, twice. Twice, the Norwegian people refused by referendum; they did so once in 1972 and then again in 1994. Discourse on EU membership did reemerge in 2008 with the economic crisis and a pro-European government, but as in Iceland, the debate stopped with another political change and the stabilization of the Norwegian economy.
The current geopolitical situation of the world and the new political situation in Norway have brought the European debate back into to the forefront. In 2024, around 35% were in favour of Norway joining the EU, the strongest support since 2009. As in the rest of the region, EU support is growing and could lead to another referendum in Norway. For now, the debate remains confined within the parliament and a small section of civil society; however, the 2025 general elections could project it across the Norwegian political spectrum and reopen the debate.
The Icelandic EU referendum may change things. Whereas some Norwegian politicians believe the EU membership discussion is only a temporary issue, as in 1972, 1994, or 2009, some experts view the current circumstances differently. To understand the situation, we must highlight the relations between Norway and the EU. These relations are overseen by the EEA-EU agreement, which allows European Economic Area (EEA) Member States, such as Norway and Iceland, to benefit from the European Common Market by implementing EU standards in their economy. Negotiating again with the EU, and without the backing of the EEA, has always been a strong argument against a new EU membership referendum; however, if Iceland were to decide to reopen accession negotiations with the EU, this would put an end to the EEA, which would only leave Norway and Liechtenstein as Member States. Norway would have to renegotiate its relations with the Block and would be abandoned by Iceland on the very sensitive topic of the fishing industry. The Fishery is an EU competence that obliges its Member States to share their fish-bearing waters – something that both Iceland and Norway have refused so far, halting any EU membership negotiations. An EU Iceland would leave Norway alone on this issue.
Additionally, Norway faces a depression in its currency, the Krone. As in Sweden or Denmark, the Norwegian Krone faces a lack of investments and mistrust that is weakening the currency. If Denmark still refuses Euro adoption, Sweden and Norway might reconsider their plans to introduce the euro as their national currency to strengthen their monetary system. For Norway, it is only a potential second step, after an already unlikely referendum.
“We have to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Greenland”
Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief.
As the EU is starting to develop its foreign policy and make its first steps towards defending its interests without imposing them, it looks like the Block is more and more interested in the Arctic region. It stands against the US led by Trump, Russia led by Vladimir Putin, and even China led by Xi Jinping. Surprisingly, it looks like the Arctic region is gaining more and more interest in the EU and its promise of respect, equality, and stability. It is beginning to sound like the EU and the Arctic are starting to speak the same language.
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