Baldur Þórhallsson, Professor of Political Science, has from the start of 2010 worked on a study connected with the Icelandic negotiations on European Union membership. The study examines whether there is dialogue between the Icelandic administration and different organized interest groups during the preparation phase, and whether the limited size of the administration affects the process.
The study examines how the Icelandic Authorities organise the formation of the goals they wish to achieve in the negotiations concerning three fields: fishery, agriculture and regional development. “We examine to what extent the Icelandic public administration collaborates with organized interest groups on these issues,” says Þórhallsson, but three teams work on this within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Members including representatives from the Farmers Association of Iceland, The Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners, and The Association of Local Authorities in Iceland. “These are the fields that will be most affected if Iceland joins the European Union. The study examines if there is consultation with these parties; whether it is limited to field, or is more extensive and covers consumers and other groups in society that are concerned,” says Þórhallsson.
“The study factors in the limited size of the Icelandic public administration and tries to answer whether it has the capacity to manage the work. We research whether there is sufficient specialised knowledge within the administration as well as the manpower to work on policy making. Consequently the study examines the potential need for Icelandic public administration to engage external specialists and staff to manage this project.”
Data from the public administration and organized interest groups are used in the research, which is based on interviews with individuals within the aforementioned groups. Þórhallsson says that they have had favourable responses from both the administration and the organized interest groups in their endeavours.
The study is on-going and results cannot be expected until the goals of the negotiations have been reached or even an accession agreement. “It is of no consequence for the study whether Iceland becomes a member of the EU or not, that is not our interest. We want to know if, and then to what extent, other parties were consulted during the policy making; the setting of goals for negotiations and then in the making of a potential accession agreement with EU,” concludes Þórhallsson.
