ástandsbundið

ástandsbundið (Icelandic for “state-bound” or “condition-bound”) is a term used in Icelandic policy and legal texts to describe measures, grants, or obligations that apply only while a defined state or condition holds. It is a descriptive expression rather than a formal legal category, and it signals that the operation of the measure is contingent on specific circumstances.

In practice, ástandsbundið is employed in public policy, welfare, crisis management, and regulatory contexts. Examples include ástandsbundin styrkveiting (state-bound grant disbursement) and ástandsbundin aðgerðaráætlun (state-bound action plan), where funding or actions are activated, adjusted, or terminated based on predefined indicators such as economic conditions, public health status, or program milestones. The term helps policymakers communicate conditionality clearly and concisely in policy documents and legal drafting.

Etymology and usage: the compound forms from ástand meaning “state” or “condition” and bundið meaning “bound” or “tied.” The word is grammatically flexible and can take different endings to agree with the noun it modifies. It is most common in institutional prose, legislative drafts, and official explanations of program design, rather than as a stand-alone technical term.

See also: conditionality, policy instruments, grants and subsidies.