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11 September 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Iceland‘s first session as a member of the Human Rights Council

Yesterday was a historic day when Iceland attended the first session of the Human Rights Council since being elected to the Council this summer.

11 September 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

National Budget proposal 2019

The National Budget proposal for 2019 is being submitted to Parliament today. It is assumed that the overall Treasury surplus will be 1% of year-2019 GDP, or approximately ISK 29bn.

10 September 2018Ministry of Education and Children, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Infrastructure, Prime Ministers Office, Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate, Ministry of the Environment٫ Energy and Climate

Iceland launches new Climate Strategy, boosting efforts to reach Paris goals

The Icelandic Government today announced a new Climate Strategy, intended to boost efforts in cutting net emissions. The new measures are to help Iceland meet its Paris Agreement targets for 2030 and reach the government‘s ambitious aim to make Iceland carbon neutral before 2040.

31 August 2018Ministry of Health

Legislation Adopted on Presumed Consent for Organ Donation

Following an amendment to the Act on Organ Donation adopted by the Icelandic parliament Althingi, in the future a deceased person will be presumed to have consented to cadaveric organ donation unless otherwise indicated. The amendment will take effect on 1 January 2019.

23 August 2018Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

Care Quality Inspectorate for Social Services and Child Protection

This is the name of a new agency, established by a decision of the Minister of Social Affairs and Equality, which commenced work in May 2018. Initially the Inspectorate will be responsible for administrative tasks and monitoring of social services provided by local authorities, by public bodies or on a contract basis, as well as supervision of specific aspects of child protection.

20 July 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Moody’s changes Iceland’s outlook to positive from stable and affirms A3 ratings

Moody’s Investors Service has today changed the Government of Iceland's sovereign rating outlook to positive from stable and affirmed Iceland’s A3 long-term issuer rating.

19 July 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs

DNA analysis of whale hybrid concluded

A DNA analysis of a whale caught in Iceland on 7 July has concluded that it was a hybrid of a fin whale and a blue whale, not a blue whale. The analysis was conducted by the Icelandic Marine and Freshwater Research Institute and Matis.

13 July 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Iceland elected to the Human Rights Council

Iceland was elected to the Human Rights Council at the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, having received 172 out of 178 votes. Iceland thereby fills the vacancy left by the United States on the Council and will serve until the end of 2019. This is the first time Iceland serves on the Council.

18 June 2018Prime Ministers Office

Speech by the Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, on Iceland's National Day, June 17th 2018

Fellow Icelanders. At the beginning of December 1918, Elka Björnsdóttir, a labourer in Reykjavik, wrote an entry in her journal, as she did at the end of each workday.

08 June 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Fitch affirms Iceland at A with a stable outlook

Today, rating agency Fitch Ratings affirmed Iceland’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at A with a stable outlook.

05 June 2018Prime Ministers Office

Financial stability should be prioritised over price stability

The task force on the monetary policy framework has formulated 11 proposals concerning the framework for prudential tools, a revised and improved inflation target, more targeted application of the Central Bank’s policy instruments, and procedures for monetary policy decision making.

17 May 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Annual report on foreign and international affairs

The annual report of Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on foreign and international affairs has now been published. This extensive report summarises Iceland’s foreign policy and latest developments in that field.

15 May 2018Ministry of Industries

Statement on Responsible Fisheries in Iceland

In 2007, the Statement on Responsible Fisheries in Iceland was released. The statement was a response to market demands for sustainable utilization of marine resources and was designed to inform buyers on how fisheries management is conducted in Iceland and that controls would be based on the best scientific knowledge.…

27 April 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

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.

06 April 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Absentee voting for local elections on May 26, 2018 has begun

Polling stations abroad are all of the diplomatic missions of Iceland along with the offices of 215 honorary consuls all over the world.

04 April 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Fiscal plan 2019-2023 Improved social infrastructure, lower taxes and and better public services

The first Fiscal Strategy Plan of the coalition Government formed by the Left-Green Movement, the Independence Party, and the Progressive Party, reflects the Government’s commitment to ensure that society as a whole will enjoy the benefits of the ongoing economic growth phase while strengthening social stability and the quality of life for the future.

26 March 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Iceland takes diplomatic measures against Russia

The government of Iceland has decided to stand in solidarity with the United Kingdom and other western states

13 March 2018Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

Educational attainment of women and men differs by region

More than half of women aged 25–64 had tertiary education compared with just over third of men at the same age in 2017. Around 56% of women and 43% of men in the capital region had tertiary education but 41% of women and 20% of men in other regions.

13 March 2018Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

The leaflet Women and Men in Iceland 2018

Statistics Iceland has published the leaflet Women and Men in Iceland 2018 in cooperation with the Centre for Gender Equality and The Ministry of Welfare.

07 March 2018Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

The gender pay gap narrows

Statistics Iceland’s analysis on the gender pay gap, in cooperation with an action group on equal pay appointed by the government and the social partners, shows a narrowing gender pay gap during the period 2008-2016.

23 February 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Treasury sells 13% stake in Arion Bank to Kaupskil

The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs has, upon consultation with the Government and the Ministerial Committee on Economic Affairs and Financial System Restructuring, agreed to Icelandic State Financial Investments’ (ISFI) proposal concerning the sale of the State’s 13% holding in Arion Bank to Kaupskil ehf., a subsidiary of Kaupþing ehf., for ISK 23.4 bn.…

07 February 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Bill of legislation amending the Act on Financial Undertakings in response to ESA comments

The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) published a press release today regarding its reasoned opinion that the Icelandic authorities have not adequately incorporated three provisions of Council Directive 2001/24/EC on the reorganisation and winding-up of credit institutions into Icelandic law.

30 January 2018Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

Questions and Answers on equal pay certification

The Ministry of Welfare has received an enormous amount of inquiries from all over the world on the new law on Equal Pay Certification, that came into force on January 1st 2018. Here you can find answers to many of these inquiries and useful additional information on equal pay certification.

29 January 2018Ministry of Health

Dental care free of charge for all children from 1 January

All children under 18 years of age are entitled to free dental care under an agreement concluded between Icelandic Health Insurance and the Dentists’ Association of Iceland. To be eligible, children must have health insurance in Iceland and be registered with a family dentist.

16 January 2018Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Signing of a Tax Convention between Iceland and Japan

A Convention between Iceland and Japan for the Elimination of Double Taxation with respect to Taxes on Income and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance (hereinafter, the Convention) was signed in Reykjavik on January 15, 2018, by H.E. Mr. Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and H. E. Mr. Yasuhiko Kitagawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Iceland.

08 January 2018Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Treasury reduces pension liabilities by ISK 19 bn

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs confirmed today that an agreement had been reached with the Pension Fund for State Employees (LSR) concerning a transfer of ISK 19 bn in assets that were part of the failed financial institutions’ stability contributions. The transfer is based on an authorisation in the fiscal budget supplement for 2017, passed by Parliament on 30 December 2017.

04 January 2018Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

New Icelandic law on Equal Pay Certification entered into force on January 1, 2018

A bill of law (amendments to the Gender Equality Act 10/2008 ) that was submitted by the Minister of Social Affairs and Equality and passed by the Parliament with vast majority on June 1, 2017 came into force on January 1, 2018.…

22 December 2017Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

S&P affirms its sovereign credit ratings on the Republic of Iceland with a stable outlook

Today S&P Global Ratings affirms its long- and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on the Republic of Iceland at 'A/A-1'.

11 December 2017Ministry of Health

Facts about Down syndrome and pre-natal screening in Iceland

The Icelandic Ministry of Welfare considers it urgent to present the following facts due to incorrect and misleading information which has repeatedly been spread abroad concerning the birth of children in Iceland with Down syndrome.…

30 November 2017Prime Ministers Office

New Icelandic Government takes office

A Government of the Left Green Movement, the Independence Party and the Progressive Party, took office today. The Government is headed by Mrs. Katrín Jakobsdóttir, chairman of the Left Green Movement, with eleven ministers; five from the Independence Party, three from the Left Green Movement and three from the Progressive Party.