A recent study by the Heinrich Böll Foundation suggests the next round of EU expansion will likely focus on Nordic nations, specifically Norway, Iceland and Greenland. The analysis, highlighted by Der Spiegel, indicates a significant rise in support for EU membership in these countries, with approval ratings reaching as high as 60 percent.
While the Nordic countries initially shifted their focus to NATO following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the upcoming presidency of US President Donald Trump is potentially reigniting interest in joining the European Union from a security perspective, particularly for Norway and Greenland.
According to the study, the primary obstacle to accession remains reaching an agreement on fisheries policy, where a proposal from the European Commission could be crucial. The momentum generated by these discussions could also revitalize other stalled accession processes, including those of Moldova and Ukraine.
Roderick Kefferpütz, head of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Brussels, proposes that the Danish Council Presidency could host an informal meeting of foreign ministers in Greenland if the Greenlandic government demonstrates openness to the idea. Furthermore, a visit by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to Iceland could signal the EU’s renewed interest in expanding northward.