You’re right that populations and opinions change, but I think I remember reporting about more recent opinion polls suggesting it’s still more than 70% “no”. It’s a shame, I would like it if Norway joins, but I just think it’s still unlikely to happen.

Iceland is a very weak country compared to Norway. Has a small population and economy, worse geolocation towards USA, no major moneymachine resource like oil and no major savings fund like that Norwegian pension thingy and a government with bareley any public debt at all… Iceland could be an easy prey indeed. But Norway doesn’t seem easy prey to me at all. Way harder geography to conquer and control, further away from USA, way larger and more diversified economy. And Norwegians have declined membership 2x already, while in Iceland there has never been a real referendum about it yet?

I’m all in favor of both Iceland and Norway joining the EU, but I really don’t see it happening any time soon for Norway, still not also not with recent international political developments.

how much are they paying and why?

They want ever more power and control. Money is just a tool to get that. Most billionaires are sociopaths.

Why would Norway suddenly join? Norwegians already voted against it twice. They are per capita one of the wealthiest countries (the government) in the world, they’d be netto paying loads and loads to EU. They already are in Schengen, got basically a lot of the EU open market advantages without membership. A large majority of Norwegians are still opposed to EU membership.

Iceland is also in Schengen, but they suddenly feel very very threatened by the Greenland nonsense and Iceland is relatively a whole lot poorer, smaller, less people than Norway and a lot easier to invade and conquer (by USA)…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway–European_Union_relations?wprov=sfla1

Same. Spent about 65 € I think, now it’s looking like > 200 €