Relations between the Czech Republic and Iceland have traditionally been friendly. The two countries are linked by their NATO membership, emphasis on the transatlantic link and partnership in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Schengen Area. The Czech Republic supports Icelandic membership in the EU. The countries’ good relations are supported by cooperation on projects financed out of the funds that Iceland provides to the Czech Republic (and other new EU/EEA members) as part of EFTA countries’ bilateral financial mechanism since 2004.

Cooperation between the two countries has been focusing on economic relations, security issues, tourism, and energy.

State visits

The following visits took place:

• In February 1997, Czech Prime Minister Václav Klaus made his first trip to Iceland to meet with Davíd Oddsson
• In April 1999, there was an official visit of the Czech President Václav Havel to Iceland and several working meetings with the Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson during stopovers on Iceland
• In August 2005, State visit of the Czech President Václav Klaus to Iceland where he met with the Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
• In May 2012, State visit of the Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson to the Czech Republic where he met with the Czech President Václav Klaus

Other visits and bilateral meetings

• In 1999, working visit by Icelandic Minister of Environment Fridleifsdóttir to the Czech Republic
• In May 2000, bilateral meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Kavan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Halldór Ásgrimsson at the meeting of the NATO Ministerial Council in Florence.
• In April 2001, delegation of the Budget Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In May 2002, bilateral meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Kavan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Halldór Ásgrimsson at the meeting of the NATO Ministerial Council in Reykjavík
• In November 2002, participation of Iceland’s delegation headed by Prime Minister Davíd Oddsson and Minister of Foreign Affairs Halldór Ásgrimsson in the NATO Summit in Prague
• In March 2003, delegation of the Committee for Defence and Security of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In March 2004, working visit by Icelandic Minister of Social Affairs Árni Magnússon to the Czech Republic
• In September 2004, delegation of the Committee for European Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In November 2004, Icelandic Minister of Industry and Commerce and Minister for Nordic Cooperation Valgerdur Sverisdottir attended Nordic cooperation seminar “The Nordic Region – a Frontrunner in Europe” in Prague
• In April 2005,delegation of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament attended a session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Standing Committee in Reykjavik
• In June 2005, working visit by the Chairperson of the Althingi Foreign Affairs Committee Sólveig Pétursdóttir to the Czech Republic
• In May 2006, delegation of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In June 2007, delegation of the Committee on Health and Social Policy of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In October 2007, the Permanent Delegation of the Parliament of the Czech Republic to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly visited Iceland
• In April 2008, delegation of the Committee on Public Administration and Regional Development of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In November 2008, delegation of the Althingi Committee for Cooperation with the European Economic Area visited the Czech Republic
• In May 2009, bilateral meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Kohout and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Össur Skarphédinsson at the GAERC meeting in Brussels
• In May 2009, Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Miroslava Němcová visited Reykjavik for a session of the sub-committee on the media of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
• In November 2009, bilateral meeting between the Czech President Václav Klaus with the Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson at the 64^th UN General Assembly in New York
• In October 2011, delegation of the Committee for European Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic visited Iceland
• In may 2012, bilateral meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Össur Skarphédinsson and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic on the margins of the presidential visit to Prague

Bilateral Agreements with the Republic of Iceland

Since the Czech Republic’s membership in the EU the bilateral trade relations have been guided by the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

• Agreement on the settlement of Icelandic claims resulting from the renationalisation in CSR (exchange of notes, 21 November 1947)
• Agreement on the cultural cooperation (exchange of notes, 17 September 1979)
• Long-term trade agreement (Reykjavik, 22 August 1985)
• Agreement on mutual abolishment of visas (exchange of notes, 12 July 1990 Reykjavik and 13 July 1990 Praha)
• Agreement between the EFTA states and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (signed on 20 March 1992 in Praha). Agreement came into force as of 1 January 1993. The Agreement was renamed by the Protocol on Succession signed in Geneve on 19 April 1994 to: The Agreement between the EFTA states and the Czech Republic. In connection with the EU membership the Czech Republic withdrew from the Agreement in November 2003.
• Agreement on tariff concessions by the import of agricultural products from the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic to Iceland (the so called "Agricultural Agreement", exchange of letters). In the letter of 1 June 1992 Iceland announced the scope of granted one-sided concessions for the import of certain agricultural products from the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic to Iceland.
• Agreement on avoidance of double taxation between the Czech Republic and Iceland (signed on 18 January 2000 in Oslo). Came into force on 1 January 2001.