Days ahead of a national referendum on an agreement between Iceland and the UK and the Netherlands over repayment of monies lost when Icelandic online bank Icesave went bankrupt at the height of the economic crisis, a fresh poll of the north Atlantic nation shows that anti-EU feeling is hardening amongst the populace.

Some 56 percent of those surveyd by pollster Capacent on behalf of the Farmers' Association of Iceland opposed EU membership while 33.2 percent backed it.

The scale of the opposition to joining the bloc is in line but up slightly from other polls in recent months.

In mid-September, another poll, also by Capacent for the Federation of Icelandic Industries, reported that 43.2 percent of Icelanders were opposed to the EU application and 39.6 backed it.

In August, another poll by the same firm, this time for Andriki, a free-market think-tank, said that 48.5 percent were opposed to EU membership and 34.7 percent were in favour.

Last week, the European Commission recommended that the European Council give the green light to accession negotiations with Iceland.

However, the Icesave issue has angered many citizens, who feel that Brussels has sided with two of its member states in a dispute over a deal that they say will burden regular people and undermine funding for social programmes as a result of a problem created by bankers and political elites.

In the most recent poll, even those that favour accession are fairly lukewarm in their support compared to the fervour amongst opponents. Of the 33.2 percent that back joining the bloc, only 9.4 percent are "totally in favour," 7.2 percent "very much in favour" and 16.6 percent somewhat in favour".

Meanwhile, of the 56 percent who do not back accession, 28.4 percent are totally opposed, 11.3 percent very much opposed and 16.3 percent somewhat opposed.

At the height of the crisis, a majority of Icelanders favoured joining the bloc.