News

UPPLÝSINGAR VARÐANDI COVID-19 í AUSTURRÍKI​

COVID-19, aðgerðir stjórnvalda / Response to COVID-19 in Iceland

Icelandic authorities have taken preventive steps to contain the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country. If you are traveling to Iceland, here you will find the newest update.…

Stricter measures enforced in Iceland: Ban on gatherings of more than 20 people

The Icelandic government has announced a ban on gatherings of 20 people or more, starting Tuesday 24 March 2020. These measures are put in place to halt the spread of COVID-19 infections in Iceland, following recommendations from the Chief Epidemiologist to Svandís Svavarsdóttir Icelands‘s Minister of Health.…

Icelandic Government announces 1.6bn USD response package to the COVID-19 crisis

Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Bjarni Benediktsson, Minister of Finance and Economy and Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Transport and Local Government today announced the first-phase response measures to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The package is equivalent to ISK 230 bn (USD 1.6 bn) or just under 8% of Icelandic GDP.

Iceland implements Schengen and EU travel restrictions

Iceland has implemented the travel restrictions imposed for the Schengen Area and the European Union. As of 20 March 2020, foreign nationals - except EU/EEA, EFTA or UK nationals - are not allowed to enter Iceland. This advice is valid until 17 April 2020.

Regional solidarity stressed at Nordic and NB8 conference call

The Foreign Ministers’ of Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden emphasize the solidarity of the Nordic countries and their co-operation in the face of the great challenges facing the world at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Regarding issuance of Government securities

In view of recent events relating to the COVID–19 pandemic, it is foreseeable that the Treasury’s financing need will increase markedly from previous forecasts. The economic outlook for coming months is highly uncertain, and it is therefore difficult to estimate the Treasury’s borrowing need for the current year.…

Large scale testing of general population in Iceland underway

Iceland has tested a higher proportion of citizens than most other countries yielding valuable insights into the behavior of the virus.

Icelanders advised not to travel abroad

The Government of Iceland has decided to advise Icelanders not to travel abroad under the current circumstances and Icelanders traveling abroad are encouraged to consider returning to Iceland earlier then planned.

Stricter measures to slow down the spread of COVID-19

The Government has announced a ban on gatherings of 100 people or more, starting Monday 16 March. Universities and upper secondary schools will close for four weeks and special conditions will apply to elementary schools and preschools.​

Alþjóðlegi kvennadagurinn 2020: Ísland í toppsætinu á Global Gender Gap Index.

Landaáætlanir (National Plan of Action) mikilvægar fyrir framkvæmd UNSCR 1325.

Landaáætlanir (National Plan of Action) mikilvægar fyrir framkvæmd UNSCR 1325.

Economic response to COVID-19

The Government of Iceland’s action plan to respond to the economic impact of COVID-19 aims to reduce and shorten the impact on business and the economy while also creating the conditions for a swift recovery.

Response to COVID-19 in Iceland

Icelandic authorities have taken preventive steps to contain the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country.…

ÖSE löggæsluaðferðir kynntar íslensku lögreglunni.

Fundur í Kaupmannahöfn um íslenskt viðskiptaumhverfi og tækifæri á íslenska markaðnum

Áhersla á fjölþátta ógnir og netöryggi.

Lumpfish fishery 2020

Kristján Þór Júlíusson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture has issued a regulation for the lumpfish fishery in 2020. The regulation allows for 25 days fishing for each licence, but thenumber of days will be re-evaluated based on advice from the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.

Íslenskir þingmenn á ÖSE-fundi í Vínarborg.

Fjölmörg málefni voru til umræðu á 19. vetrarfundi þingmannasamtaka Öryggis- og samvinnustofnunar Evrópu (ÖSE) í Vínarborg 20. - 21. febrúar.

The Icelandic government seeks to lead an action coalition of the Generation Equality Forum

The Icelandic government has welcomed UN Women’s Gender Equality Forum and expressed its interest to take on a leadership to support the initiative during the next five years.

Report on Iceland in the UN Human Rights Council

The objectives of Iceland's membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council have been achieved in all key respects. This is among the conclusions of a report prepared by the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs following the end of Iceland's term at the Human Rights Council.…

Ráðuneytisstjóri á fundi með yfirmanni CTBTO.

Ráðuneytisstjóri á fundi með yfirmanni IAEA.

Fíkniefnavarnir á Íslandi kynntar hjá Fíkniefnanefnd SÞ í Vín (CND).

Nýr aðalframkvæmdastjóri Alþjóðakjarnorkumálastofnunarinnar (IAEA) í Vínarborg.

Heildarþýðing fornaldarsagna Norðurlanda komin út á dönsku

Útgáfan sem ber heitið Oldtidssagaerne er í átta bindum og hafa þau birst á undanförnum fjórum árum, tvö bindi á ári. Fornaldarsögur Norðurlanda hafa ekki áður verið þýddar allar saman á erlent mál.

UK and EEA EFTA Separation Agreement signed

Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, today signed the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement on behalf of Iceland, alongside the Foreign Ministers of Liechtenstein and Norway and the UK Brexit Secretary.

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on December 17 2019

Réttindi norrænna ríkisborgara í Bretlandi eftir Brexit

Sameiginlegur upplýsingafundur norrænu sendiráðanna í London 24. febrúar

The Prime Minister’s Committee for the Future publishes a report on Icelandic society in 2035–2040

The Committee for the Future, appointed by the Prime Minister, has published a report on Icelandic society in 2035-2040. The publication is the first report by the committee and addresses economic, environmental, regional and demographic developments and challenges of the Icelandic society over the next 15–20 years.

Albanía með formennsku í ÖSE 2020.

Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy for 2020-2024

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has published Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy for the period 2020-2024. The MTDMS is presented on the basis of the fiscal plan, in accordance with Article 38 of the Act on Public Finances, no.…

Fastanefnd Íslands í Vín verður lokuð frá 24. desember 2019 til 6. janúar 2020. Gleðilega hátið!

Fourth meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2019

The Financial Stability Council held its fourth meeting in 2019 on Tuesday, December 17. This was the last meeting of the Financial Stability Council in its current form as, from the 1st of January 2020, the regular tasks and the role of the Financial Stability Council will change with the merger of the Central Bank of Iceland and the Financial Supervisory Authority.

A swift policy response supports the economy

Solid economic fundamentals and the authorities‘ swift policy response appropriately supports the economy in the wake of shocks according to a newly released Article IV report on Iceland by the IMF.

Fourth meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2019

The Financial Stability Council held its fourth meeting in 2019 on Tuesday, December 17

1100 Íslendingar sótt um Settled Status

Umsóknarfrestur er til 30. júní 2021

Handling of cases by the Public Procurement Complaints Commission transferred to the Internal Revenue Board

Effective 1 January 2020, handling of cases by the Public Procurement Complaints Commission will be transferred from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to the Internal Revenue Board.

Jólakveðjur úr sendiráði Íslands í Kaupmannahöfn

Starfsfólk sendiráðsins í Kaupmannahöfn óskar ykkur gleðilegrar hátíðar og þökkum ykkur fyrir ánægjulega samveru á árinu sem er að líða. Við hlökkum til komandi árs, en árið 2020 munum við fagna 100 ára afmæli sendiráðsins.

Regulation banning the use of heavy fuel oil in the territorial sea of Iceland

The Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources has issued a regulation tightening fuel requirements, which effectively bans the use of heavy fuel oil in the territorial sea of Iceland. The regulation is intended to promote improved air quality in harbours and coastal areas and conforms with the government’s coalition agreement and climate action plan.

Ísland lýsir stuðningi við heildstætt öryggi á ÖSE-svæðinu.

Ráðherrafundur ÖSE í Bratislövu, Slóvakíu, 5.-6. desember 2019.

Icelandic society 2035–2040 Economic, environmental, regional, and demographic developments

The Committee for the Future, appointed by the Prime Minister, has published a report on Icelandic society in 2035-2040. The publication is the first report by the committee and addresses economic, environmental, regional and demographic developments and challenges of the Icelandic society over the next 15–20 years.

Foreign Ministers of Iceland and Russia met in Moscow

Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, and Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russia Federation, met in Moscow yesterday. The focus of their discussion was on the Arctic affairs and bilateral relations and trade. European security affairs and international affairs were also discussed.

Fitch Ratings Affirms Iceland´s ratings at A, outlook stable

Today Fitch Ratings has published a new commentary on Iceland´s sovereign ratings. Iceland´s credit ratings are unchanged; Long-Term (LT) foreign- and local ratings are affirmed at A and Short-Term (ST) foreign- and local currency ratings are affirmed at F1+. The outlook is stable.

Arctic Council actors join forces in Hveragerði

At the meeting concluded in Hveragerði, Iceland, earlier today, delegates of the Senior Arctic Officials’ plenary meeting discussed enhanced cooperation on issues related to people and communities of the Arctic

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.