News

S&P Global Ratings affirms Iceland’s sovereign ratings at A/A-1 with a stable outlook

International rating agency S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Iceland’s sovereign ratings at A/A-1 with a stable outlook. The rating agency assumes a mild contraction in GDP in 2019 due to declining tourist arrivals, but growth is set to resume in 2020. Iceland's external and fiscal buffers remain sound.

Landamæraeftirlit milli Danmerkur og Svíþjóðar hert

Frá 12. nóvember 2019 hefur landamæraeftirlit við komuna til Danmerkur frá Svíþjóð verið hert, tímabundið til sex mánaða með möguleika á framlengingu. Að sama skapi hefur um nokkurt skeið verið hert landamæraeftirlit við komuna til Svíþjóðar.

Moody's upgrades Iceland's government ratings to A2

Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded Iceland’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings to A2 from A3, Iceland’s senior unsecured MTN rating to (P)A2 from (P)A3 and other short-term rating to (P)P-1 from (P)P-2. The outlook on the ratings is stable.

Ræða átta ríkja í tilefni af Alþjóðadegi til að stöðva refsileysi fyrir afbrot gegn fjölmiðlafólki.

Alþjóðadagur til að stöðva refsileysi fyrir afbrot gegn fjölmiðlafólki.

Progress of the plan for removal of Capital Controls

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs today published a report on the progress of plans to remove restrictions on cross-border capital movements and foreign currency trading. The minister shall make a report on the progress public at six-month intervals until such restrictions are finally removed.

Sendiráð Íslands tekur þátt í dagskrá Arktisk Festival í ár

Arktisk Festival verður haldin á Norðurbryggju dagana 2.-3. nóvember n.k. Við hvetjum alla til þess að kynna sér dagskrá hátíðarinnar sem samanstendur af fjölbreyttum menningarinnslögum um Norðurskautið. www.arktiskfestival.dk

Forseti Íslands viðstaddur íslenska leiksýningu í Vínarborg.

Iceland Calls Financial Action Task Force ‘Grey List’ Decision Unwarranted and Disproportionate

The Government of Iceland disagrees with the decision of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to place the country on its list of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies.

Iceland criticises the Turkish military offensive in Syria

Iceland strongly criticises the Turkish military offensive against Kurds in Northern Syria. This position has been formally communicated to the Turkish authorities. As this military offensive is not in accordance with international law, Iceland calls on Turkey to immediately cease its operations and respect international law.…

First joint meeting between the Arctic Council and the Arctic Economic Council

The Arctic Council and the Arctic Economic Council hold their first joint meeting today in Reykjavik, bringing together government representatives of the eight Arctic States, business representatives, as well as representatives of the indigenous Permanent Participants, and the Councils’ respective Working Groups.

Report of the working group on the EEA co-operation has been published

A working group appointed by Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, delivered its report today on Iceland‘s membership of the European Economic Area Agreement.

Sendiherra afhendir Margréti Þórhildi Danadrottningu trúnaðarbréf

Helga Hauksdóttir sendiherra, afhenti Margréti Þórhildi Danadrottningu trúnaðarbréf sitt sem sendiherra Íslands gagnvart Danmörku við hátíðlega athöfn í Fredensborgarhöll á föstudag.

Ísland tekur við formennsku í samráðshópnum um Samninginn um takmörkun hefðbundins herafla í Evrópu (JCG).

Guðni Bragason fastafulltrúi hjá Öryggis- og samvinnustofnun Evrópu (ÖSE) í Vínarborg hefur tekið við formennsku í sameiginlega samráðshópnum (Joint Consultative Group, JCG) um Samninginn um takmörkun hefðbundins herafla í Evrópu (Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)).

Wagnerstyrkþegi syngur á stofutónleikum í Vín.

The Third Meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2019

The Financial Stability Council held its third meeting in 2019 on Thursday, September 26.

Third meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2019

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on 26 September 2019

Íslenskir fjárfestar og sprotafyrirtæki fjölmenna á TechBBQ í Kaupmannahöfn

Íslandsstofa, sendiráð Íslands í Kaupmannahöfn og Icelandic Startups stóðu fyrir þátttöku sendinefndar um 40 Íslendinga á TechBBQ, einni stærstu sprota- og fjárfestaráðstefnu í Norður-Evrópu, sem haldin er í Kaupmannahöfn dagana 18. og 19. september. Á meðal þátttakenda voru fimmtán efnileg íslensk sprotafyrirtæki og fulltrúar fjögurra íslenskra fjárfestingasjóða.

Indicators for measuring Well-being in Iceland

The Prime Minister‘s Committee on measurements for Well-being in Iceland has proposed a framework of 39 indicators that cover social, economic and environmental dimensions of quality of life. These indicators are intended to complement traditional economic measures, such as GDP, and monitor trends in people’s wellbeing.

An International conference on #metoo will start tomorrow

The Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, opens an international conference on #metoo, starting at 14.30 tomorrow in Harpa and concluding on 19 September. ​Tomorrow programme includes keynote speakers and debates with participation of the Nordic Ministers of gender equality.

Ísland leggur áherslu á tjáningarfrelsi og réttindi LGBTI-fólks á mannréttindafundi ODIHR í Varsjá 16. september 2019.

Lilja Alfreðsdóttir mennta- og menningarmálaráðherra heldur opinn fyrirlestur í Kaupmannahafnarháskóla

Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, mennta- og menningarmálaráðherra mun halda opinn fyrirlestur undir heitinu Þjóðerni okkar er tungumál okkar: íslenska, í Kaupmannahafnarháskóla þann 17. September kl 13:00.

First Arctic Council Working Group on Sustainable Development (SDWG) meeting in Iceland concluded

The first meeting of the Sustainable Development Working Group during Iceland’s Arctic Council Chairmanship brought together around 70 participants in Iceland on 10-12 September.

Hvatt til notkunar á jarðvarmaorku á fundi efnahags- og umhverfisvíddar ÖSE í Prag.

Hvatt til notkunar á jarðvarmaorku á fundi efnahags- og umhverfisvíddar ÖSE í Prag, 11. september 2019.

Thematic Conference on Strengths, Well-Being and Engagement of Youth in the Arctic

A thematic conference on Strengths, Well-Being and Engagement of Youth in the Arctic was held in Iceland in connection with the meeting of the Arctic Council Working Group on Sustainable Development taking place in Isafjordur.

Þátttaka íslenska og norska sendiráðsins í Ungdommens Folkemøde í Valbyparken

Sendiráðið tók þátt í Ungdommes Folkemøde, dagana 5. og 6. september í Valbyparken, í samvinnu við sendiráð Noregs. Ungdommes Folkemøde er unnið að fyrirmynd borgarafundarins á Bornholm, þar sem að pólitísk málefni og þjóðfélagsmál líðandi stundar eru á dagskrá, með ungt fólk að markhópi. Um 30.000 nemendur og 100 stofnanir lögðu leið sína í Valbyparken, þar sem slegið var upp tjaldbúðum.…

Arctic Council Working Group on Sustainable Development (SDWG) meets in Iceland

The Arctic Council Working Group on Sustainable Development (SDWG) will meet on 10-12 September in Iceland.

Land restoration essential for mitigating the climate crisis - letter of intent signed

On 8 September 2019, Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, and Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Agency (UNEP), signed a letter of intent on cooperation of Iceland and UNEP in the field of land restoration.

Fiscal budget proposal for 2020: Strong investment and tax reductions

The fiscal budget proposal for 2020 is introduced today and will be presented before Parliament on Tuesday 10 September 2019. The introduction has not previously taken place in as timely a manner prior to the first round of discussions. The purpose is to accede to the wishes of members of Parliament for more advance notice to acquaint themselves with the topic.

U.S.-Icelandic Business Round Table on the Occasion of the Visit of Vice President Mike Pence to Iceland

Mr. Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States, and Mr. Gudlaugur Thór Thórðarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, led a round table discussion on strengthening commercial, scientific and cultural ties between the US and Iceland.

Ísland tekur við formennsku í JCG.

Opening Address at the conference Brexit - Looking Forward

Ræðismaður Íslands í Hirtshals, Niels Jensen látinn

Niels Jensen, útgerðarmaður og heiðursræðismaður Íslands í Hirtshals lést 21. ágúst sl., 76 ára gamall.

Health Policy. A policy for Iceland´s health services until 2030

Work on drawing up a health policy until 2030 began in the Ministry of Welfare in April 2018. It was based on many surveys and analyses of various aspects of Iceland’s health services made in recent years, and reference was also made to data from the WHO and other materials, including Health 2020, the European policy for health and well-being up to 2020, and also the goals set out in the United…

Nordic Prime Ministers adopt a new vision and meet with Angela Merkel

The annual summer meeting of the Nordic Prime Ministers was held in Reykjavik yesterday, with the participation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Nordic Prime Ministers adopted a new vision for the Nordic Council of Ministers for the next ten years, focusing on climate action and sustainability.

Réttindi Íslendinga sem eru búsettir í Bretlandi fyrir Brexit

Í tilefni frétta í breskum fjölmiðlum í vikunni um að frjáls för fólks kunni að stöðvast strax í kjölfar útgöngu Breta úr Evrópusambandinu vill sendiráð Íslands í London árétta að samkvæmt upplýsingum frá breska innanríkisráðuneytinu á það ekki við um EES ríkisborgara sem flytja til Bretlands fyrir 31. október n.k

The Nordic Prime Ministers and a group of Nordic CEOs in cooperation on climate action

This morning the Nordic Prime Ministers and a group of Nordic CEOs, Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future, signed a declaration of cooperation on climate action.

Health Policy. A policy for Iceland´s health services until 2030

The Nordic Prime Ministers will gather in Reykjavík for annual summer meeting

On Tuesday, August 20, the prime ministers of the Nordic countries will gather in Reykjavik for their annual summer meeting. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be a guest of honour.

Nýr móttökufulltrúi hefur störf í sendiráðinu

Sigurður Þórarinsson hóf nýverið störf sem móttökufulltrúi Sendiráðs Íslands í Kaupmannhöfn, við bjóðum Sigurð velkomin til starfa og hlökkum til samstarfsins.

Nýr sendiherra tekur til starfa

Nýr sendiherra Íslands í Kaupmannahöfn, Helga Hauksdóttir, tók til starfa í sendiráðinu um mánaðarmótin. Helga starfaði áður sem skrifstofustjóri á laga- og stjórnsýsluskrifstofu utanríkisráðuneytisins, en hún er fyrsta konan sem gegnir stöðu sendiherra Íslands í Danmörku. Helga mun með haustinu afhenda Margréti Þórhildi Danadrottningu trúnaðarbréf sitt.…

Fastanefnd Íslands í Vín lokuð frá 5. til 16 ágúst 2019.

Fitch Ratings’ Full Rating Report on Iceland

Fitch Ratings has released its Full Rating Report on Iceland. The report follows Fitch Ratings’ upgrade on Iceland´s Short-Term ratings and affirmation of Long- Term sovereign ratings on 24 May this year.

Moody´s publishes annual credit analysis on Iceland – rating unchanged at A3 with a positive outlook

Today, international rating agency Moody´s Investors Service published an annual credit analysis. The analysis does not entail a rating revision and Iceland’s sovereign rating remains at A3 with a positive outlook.

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on 24 June 2019

Meeting held at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Prime Minister‘s VNR address at HLPF 2019 in New York

Iceland´s resolution on the situation in the Philippines approved in the UN Human Rights Council

The UN Human Rights Council today passed a resolution, tabled by Iceland, on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines.…

Address at the conference Safety & Protection of Journalists II: Towards a Shared Solution