The European Commission has issued a muted reaction after Iceland rejected the reopening of accession negotiations with the bloc in a hotly contested referendum, a decision that risks dampening the momentum on enlargement.
The vote came down to the wire: 52.8% chose "no" and 47.2% chose "yes".
"The European Commission takes note of the outcome of Iceland's referendum," a Commission spokesperson said in a brief statement.
"The Commission respects the choice of the Icelandic people. Iceland remains a close partner of the European Union."
Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa exchanged messages with Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir during which "both leaders expressed their desire to continue to strengthen the relationship between the EU and Iceland", according to Costa's spokesperson.
