The EU and Iceland held a High-Level Dialogue on ocean cooperation in Reykjavik, covering sustainable fisheries, Arctic governance and the blue economy.
EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis met Iceland’s Minister of Industries Hanna Katrín Friðriksson to review progress under an EU–Iceland Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2025, the European Commission announced on Friday night.
The memorandum sets out cooperation on marine sustainability, scientific research and the energy transition in the fishing sector, building on an EU–Iceland fisheries partnership that dates back to 1993.
Talks also covered fisheries management, including stock conservation and quota agreements, and cooperation on ocean governance through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations — international bodies that set fishing rules for shared seas.
Kadis said the EU and Iceland faced common challenges in the North-East Atlantic, including climate change and pressure on fish stocks, and highlighted cooperation through international ocean governance and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.
Visit to Grindavík and ocean innovation hub
During his visit, Kadis travelled to Grindavík to meet local fishers in the coastal town affected by volcanic eruptions since 2023, the statement said.
He also visited the Iceland Ocean Cluster, described as an innovation hub focused on the circular blue bioeconomy — using marine biological resources more efficiently to reduce waste — with links to the EU’s European Ocean Pact.
