The EU attempts to melt Iceland

The Icelandic parliament is famously an institution of some antiquity. Indeed, Manx objections aside, the Althingi traces its history back to the creation of a moot on the Plains of Thingvellir a mere 1000 plus years ago. So it is amusing to see the European Commission bunging the Icelandics a wodge of our taxes to

"activities for the further alignment of Iceland's legislation with the EU acquis."

Or in other words to help its parliment deal with the great avalanche of EU legislation that it will have to transpose into Icelandic law. Obviously they do not have the exprience necessary to do such a thing on their oen (though to be fair nobody could be expected to do so much on their own). Equally it has to be pointed out that in the Icelandic case, unlike those of some other recent accession countries, the money will not be used to strengthen,

the democratic institutions and the rule of law, reforming public administration and the economy, promoting respect for human as well as minority rights and gender equality

No what the money is really for is for softening up, through propaganda, the massive majority of Icelandics who have no wish, whatsoever to join the EU,

to inform the Icelandic public about the EU and its policies

I justr have a suspicion that the Icelandics already know about the Common Fisheries Policy.