News

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.

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.

Third meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2018

The Financial Stability Council held its third meeting of the year 2018 on Tuesday 26th of June.

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.

Nýjar reglur um ökuskírteini

Nýju reglurnar krefjast þess ekki að Íslendingar skipti yfir í danskt ökuskírteini. Áður var krafist þess að Íslendingar með búsetu í Danmörku lengur en tvö ár myndu skipta yfir í dönsk ökuskírteini ef þeir hyggjast aka bifreið í Danmörku.

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.

Ísland á HM 2018

Ísland keppir nú í fyrsta sinn í heimsmeistaramóti karla í knattspyrnu og af því tilefni blása Félag Íslendinga í London og sendiráð Íslands til fótboltahátíðar í samstarfi við the Bedford pöbbinn í Balham, sem mun sýna frá öllum leikjum Íslands.

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.

Report: 11 Proposals from the task force on monetary policy

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.

Þjóðhátíðarskemmtun 17. júní í London

Félaga Íslendinga í London og íslenski söfnuðurinn standa fyrir þjóðhátíðarskemmtun þann 17. júní í St. Luke's Church í Chelsea. Messa hefst kl. 15:00 og tekur svo við skemmtidagskrá í garði kirkjunnar.

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.

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on March 20 2018

Íslensk hönnun á 3daysofdesign í Kaupmannahöfn

Í tilefni af aldarafmæli fullveldisins standa Hönnunarmiðstöð Íslands og sendiráð Íslands í Kaupmannahöfn fyrir tveimur sýningum á íslenskri hönnun á hönnunarviðburðinum 3daysofdesign, sem fram fer í Kaupmannahöfn dagana 24.- 26. maí næstkomandi.

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.…

Lokað 10. maí

Sendiráðið verður lokað á morgun, uppstigningardag. Við opnum aftur föstudaginn 11. maí. / Ambassaden er lukket i morgen, 10. maj. Vi åbner igen fredag den 11. maj kl. 9.

Lokunardagar í maí

Sendiráðið er lokað fimmtudaginn 10. maí, mánudaginn 21. maí og mánudaginn 28. maí.

Lokað 1. maí

Í tilefni af frídegi verkalýðsins verður sendiráðið í Kaupmannahöfn lokað þriðjudaginn 1. maí. Sendiráðið opnar aftur miðvikudaginn 2. maí/ Islands Ambassade er lukket i morgen, den 1. maj.

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.

Lokað 20. apríl

Þann 20. apríl er sumardagurinn fyrsti samkvæmt íslenska almanakinu. Sendiráð Íslands í Kaupmannahöfn er því lokað þann dag. Við óskum ykkur öllum gleðilegs sumars!

Second meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2018

The second meeting of the Financial Stability Council was held on Tuesday March 20 with a continuation on April 13.

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.

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.

To Make Art Happen

The Art Society kynnir alþjóðlega listsýninguna „To Make Art Happen“, sem haldin verður í London dagana dagana 6.-15. apríl.

Iceland takes diplomatic measures against Russia

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

Undirbúningur ferðalags

Gátlisti fyrir ferðalög sem borgaraþjónusta utanríkisráðuneytisins hefur sett saman. Um er að ræða atriði sem rétt er að huga sérstaklega að áður en haldið er af stað í ferðalag erlendis.

Sendiráðið lokað um páskana

Sendiráðið verður lokað um páskana frá og með 29. mars til 2. apríl 2018. Venjulegur opnunartími tekur við þriðjudaginn 3. apríl.

Breytingar á fyrirsvari sendiráðsins

Samkvæmt forsetaúrskurði nr. 8/2018 frá 9. febrúar sl. heyra eftirfarandi ríki undir umdæmi sendiráðs Íslands í London: Bretland, Írland, Jórdanía, Katar og Malta. Auk þess gegnir sendiráðið hlutverki fastanefndar gagnvart Alþjóðasiglingamálstofnuninni (IMO). Eftirfarandi ríki heyra því ekki lengur undir umdæmi sendiráðsins: Nígería, Portúgal og Sameinuðu arabísku furstadæmin.

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.

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.

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.

Sýningaropnun á verkum Önnu Þ. Guðjónsdóttur

Sýningin "Þegar birtan fær form" með málverkum eftir Önnu Þ. Guðjónsdóttur, opnar í anddyri sendiráðsins í dag. Sýningin stendur yfir til 18. maí 2018 og hægt er að berja hana augum á opnunartíma sendiráðsins á milli kl 9-16 alla virka daga.

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.…

Páskamessa og páskaeggjabingó í London

Páskamessa íslenska safnaðarins í London verður haldin sunnudaginn 11. mars kl. 16:00 í sænsku kirkjunni. Hið geysivinsæla páskaeggjabingó verður haldið eftir messuna. Allur ágóði af bingóinu rennur í kórsjóð íslenska kórsins.

Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Stability Council on January 18 2018

Meeting held at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Prins Henrik er látinn

Sendiráðið vottar Margréti Þórhildi Danadrottningu, fjölskyldu hennar og ástvinum, innilega samúð vegna fráfalls Prins Henriks og óskar allrar blessunar við minningu hans.

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.

Íslenskir kvikmyndadagar á Norðurbryggju

Samvinna Íslands og Danmerkur í kvikmyndastarfi 1918/2018

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.

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.

First meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2018

The first meeting of the Financial Stability Council in 2018 was held on Thursday 18 January at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.

The Icelandic state's ownership strategy for financial services

Íslenski barnakórinn tekur aftur til starfa í Kaupmannahöfn

Íslenski barnakór Kaupmannahafnar hefst aftur laugardaginn 20. janúar kl. 12-13.

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.

Sýningaropnun í Nordatlantisk Hus i Odense

Í tilefni af aldarafmæli fullveldisins mun sýningin, Den islandske Tegnebog opna í Nordatlantisk Hus i Odense þann 24.janúar. Þar mun hið dýrmæta handrit Teiknibókin vera í forgrunni.

Pre-Accession Economic Programme 2012

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.

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.…

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'.

2018 - Fiscal Budget Information

National Budget proposal for 2018

The National Budget proposal for 2018 will be submitted to Parliament today. Owing to the unusual circumstances, the proposal is published first on the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs website, as the time between presentation and Parliamentary discussion is so short.