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Iceland is dropping its bid to become a member of the European Union, the country announced Thursday, annulling the application that was first submitted in 2009. The center-right government had pledged to do so when it came to power in 2013.

The government does not intend to resume preparing for EU membership, Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson said in a statement Thursday. He added that he told Latvia, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, as well as the European Commission of Icelands decision.

In late February, about 3,500 people gathered before Icelands parliament to protest a bill that would end the countrys bid for membership without a referendum. According to a recent poll, more than two-thirds of the country wanted to hold a national vote over whether Iceland should cancel its application, even though other polls suggested a majority would vote to not join the EU, the EUobserver reported at the time.

After Iceland applied to accede to the EU in July 2009, the European Commission recommended in February 2010 that negotiations proceed. Discussions began in July 2010, but in June 2013, Iceland announced it was suspending them pending national elections. After the elections, a coalition was formed by the Independence Party and Progressives, both of which are viewed as Eurosceptical.

Those in Iceland who were reluctant to join the EU said the country already had free trade agreements with the EU and was part of the Schengen Area, a bloc of 26 European nations that for visa purposes are treated as a single country. With those benefits, they said, Iceland already had many of the perks of membership, the BBC reported.

In January, Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson said the country was planning on withdrawing the application, telling an Icelandic radio station, Participating in EU talks isnt really valid anymore. He cited changes in the European Union as well as the fact that the government elected in 2013 differed in its policies from the government that submitted the initial EU bid.

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Iceland Drops European Union Bid 2 Years After Suspending Application

The European Union's key man in New Zealand doesn't shy away from the hard questions. Michalis Rokas, Charge d'Affaires for the European Union Delegation in New Zealand, gave a public lecture today at the University of Waikato, and several in the audience were keen to point out the EU's failings during its 57 year history.

Audience members cited the invasion of Iraq, the Palestine-Israeli situation, the Arab Spring, and the Ukraine-Russia situation as recent examples of where the EU could have done better.

Mr Rokas, who's doing a tour of the central North Island, didn't always agree with the questioners views, but did say nations' borders had never been more unstable and there was "a determination from the EU to learn from mistakes of the past".

He said the EU had recently undergone a major revamp which caused him to be optimistic that many projects and issues that were taking up too much time and yielding too few returns would be reviewed or replaced but he said it was also important to safeguard what the EU had achieved, such as economic integration.

He reminded critics that the EU had grown from 6 to 28 member states and had brought about many successful resolutions and interventions. "Those who thought the EU would never survive, we have proved the critics wrong and under new leadership, with new representatives, these people come with a clear mandate to reboot the EU and create jobs and growth."

The EU is the biggest donor of development aid to the Pacific region, working predominantly in the area of sustainable energy, and Mr Rokas said there may be opportunities for New Zealand-EU business and government collaborations, particularly in green field and renewable technologies, as well as potential for agriculture and agribusiness collaborations. He conceded that New Zealand agriculture had been a sensitive issue for some EU nations in the past but believed those issues had largely been resolved.

Mr Rokas has had a long career with the European Union, holding various positions around the world, and before coming to New Zealand was Acting Head of Division for China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia at the European External Action Service.

The European Union, through a research funding programme, funds the EU Centres Network and the University of Waikato has staff and students involved on a network project worth nearly 1 million euros that looks at different issues facing regional security.

Mr Rokas said he'd be keen to return to the University of Waikato to talk to students and discuss possibilities for research collaborations. Already the European Union, through a research funding programme, funds the EU Centres Network and the University of Waikato has staff and students involved on a Network project worth nearly 1 million euros that looks at different issues facing regional security.

University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said Mr Rokas' visit was a good opportunity to further strengthen EU ties and establish meaningful and long-lasting partnerships that underpin the university's research and teaching.

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EU visitor faces tough questions from Waikato audience

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