Publications

The Icelandic pension system is one of the strongest in the world. Through foresight, Icelanders have managed to build a nearly fully funded system. The sheer scale of the system does, however, bring certain challenges with it. Mandatory saving is higher here than anywhere else, and the pension …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce opposes adoption of the bill on nicotine and tobacco protection in its current form. The Chamber considers the draft to entail an excessive restriction of commercial freedom, a sweeping delegation of power to the minister, an ill-targeted ban on online sales and …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce has reviewed the plans for amending the act on support for innovation companies. The Chamber supports, among other things, the plans for a longer validity period for confirmation of research and development projects and for granting Rannís the power to approve …

Moderate economic growth can be expected over the coming quarters despite persistent inflation and rising unemployment. Export diversification continues to increase and tourism stands on a firm footing despite various challenges. This emerges from The Icelandic Economy, a newly published Iceland …

Moderate growth is expected despite persistent inflation and rising unemployment. Export diversification continues to increase, and tourism remains resilient though faced with multiple challenges. This is according to The Icelandic Economy, a newly published report by the Chamber of Commerce on …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce reviewed the draft regulation on primary healthcare and supports its objective of levelling the playing field between publicly and privately operated primary care. The Chamber emphasises that the regulation should form part of broader reforms to the operating …

Traffic on trunk roads out of the capital region has grown far beyond the pace at which those roads have been developed. On long 1+1 stretches the slowest vehicle sets the pace, and the delays cost society billions of krónur every year. Benefits could be maximised through 2+2 roads and a 110 km/h …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce raises no objections to the implementation of the EU rules on digital operational resilience in the financial market (DORA). The Chamber emphasises, however, that the designation criteria must be clear and predictable, and that implementation should go no further than …

Lísbet Sigurðardóttir, legal counsel at the Iceland Chamber of Commerce, examines simplistic characterisations of oligopoly and argues that it is important to distinguish between oligopoly and a lack of competition. She also argues that the authorities should look to what they themselves control …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce has reviewed the plans for implementing the EU energy efficiency directive and warns that the legislation will place additional burdens on Icelandic companies. Iceland's particular circumstances — a high share of energy-intensive industry and of renewable energy — …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce has reviewed the Icelandic Competition Authority's discussion paper on grocery prices. High import tariffs — particularly on meat, dairy products, and eggs — play a substantial part in higher prices in Iceland. To bring food prices down, attention must turn to the …

Pay Day 2026 is today, 28 June. From today, an employee starts working for their take-home pay, whereas from the beginning of the year until now they have been working for taxes, pension rights, and pension savings.

Birta Karen Tryggvadóttir, economist at the Iceland Chamber of Commerce policy division, and Jakob Lars Kristmannsson, specialist at the Iceland Chamber of Commerce policy division, discuss the results of the new IMD competitiveness survey in which Iceland falls seven places year-on-year and now …

“The future of Icelandic society depends to a great extent on whether we succeed in building an education system that combines ambition, transparency, and clear metrics for performance.” This was among the remarks made by Andri Þór Guðmundsson, chairman of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce, in an …

The Iceland Chamber of Commerce has reviewed the economic impact of the government's legislative bills during the parliamentary session that has just ended. In total, 52 bills had significant economic effects, and their overall impact is somewhat negative. The impact varied by ministry, but the …

Iceland falls seven places year-on-year in competitiveness and now sits in 22nd place out of 70 countries in 2026. Iceland's competitiveness declines across every main factor of the assessment by the IMD business school in Switzerland, which carries out an annual review of national competitiveness.

Birta Karen Tryggvadóttir, economist in the Iceland Chamber of Commerce's policy division, discusses the newly approved fiscal plan and why the target of a balanced budget in 2027 will not be met without changes.

Viðskiptaráð welcomes the plans of the Minister of Education and Children's Affairs to move final grades in compulsory schools from letters to numbers, but emphasises that a change in the presentation of grades should be part of a larger transformation that ensures grades and assessment criteria are …

One year has now passed since the Iceland Chamber of Commerce submitted a complaint to the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) concerning unlawful state aid in the housing market. The Authority still has the case under review.

A government-appointed working group proposed 57 streamlining measures in spring 2025, after the government invited efficiency proposals from the public. Of the 57 proposed measures, 5 have been implemented, 20 are in progress, 6 are planned, and work has not begun on 26. It is important that the …