COPENHAGEN, Aug 26 (Reuters) - A narrow majority of Icelanders support restarting negotiations on joining the European Union in a nationwide referendum set for Saturday, according to a new opinion poll, down slightly from the previous survey.
The August 29 ballot is not a vote on membership itself and any deal with the EU would require Iceland to hold a second referendum on whether to join the bloc based on the terms agreed in the negotiations.
The August 21-25 survey of 1,019 people by polling agency Maskina showed 51.3% of respondents support holding negotiations with Brussels on joining the bloc, while 48.7% are opposed, Icelandic daily Visir reported.
The gap between the two sides has narrowed further since an August 13 poll, when 52.2% said they backed restarting the talks while 47.8% said they opposed them.
Reykjavik abandoned EU membership talks in 2013 after four years of negotiations, but a rise in the cost of living and the war in Ukraine are among the factors in recent years that have rekindled Iceland's interest in joining the 27-nation bloc.
Repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Greenland, located between Iceland and the United States, have also revived interest in joining the EU.
Iceland is already part of the European single market, the Schengen open-border travel zone, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) alongside Norway and Liechtenstein, but has no formal influence on how the EU evolves.
EU membership would give Iceland a direct say in decision-making via institutions such as the European Commission, the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. It would also involve Iceland joining the EU's customs union and offer the option of adopting the euro.
In the event of a 'yes' vote in Saturday's referendum, a foreign ministry memo estimates that accession talks could start by the end of 2026 and be concluded within 18 to 24 months.
(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen, editing by Terje Solsvik and Gareth Jones)
