News

“The Internal Market Scoreboard confirms that the EEA EFTA states continue performing well”, says Per Sanderud, the President of the EFTA Surveillance Authority. At 0,7 percent, the average transposition deficit of Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway is the same as the EU Member States. Read more >

A report on the Norway Grants support to Schengen and the judiciary projects has been published. Significant areas of support are law enforcement activities in Poland and improved conditions for prison inmates in Latvia and Lithuania. Read more >

A new public commission that will inquire into the power relations of the Norwegian food supply chain, was presented Friday Februar 19. The Commission will review and report on power relation, evaluate trend development and make proposals for action furthering consumer interests with regard to price, product quality and availability. Read more >

Enova, the Norwegian public agency for energy efficiency and renewable energy, will provide the Bergen-based company Sway AS with funding in the amount of NOK 137 million to demonstrate a new wind turbine prototype. The project represents a significant potential reduction in the cost of generating offshore wind power. Enova's commitment to renewable marine energy will make this project possible... Read more >

On Februar 2nd the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Riis-Johansen, signed a political declaration on strengthening the regional cooperation on development of an offshore energy grid in the North Sea region. Norway then joins nine other European countries who have already signed the declaration. Read more >

On 7 January, the Norwegian Government established a broad-based independent committee to undertake a thorough, research-based review of the EEA Agreement. The establishment of an independent review committee was first announced in the Government’s new policy platform in October. Read more >

In January the UN International Year of Biodiversity 2010 was officially opened. Through the EEA and Norway Grants, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway provide important support to protecting biodiversity in Europe. Read more >

On 18 December 2009, the chief negotiators of the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein signed what are know as agreed minutes containing the outcome of the negotiations between the EU and the EFTA states on new financial mechanisms and improved market access for specific fish products for the period 2009–2013. Read more >

Norway and the EU have entered into an agreement on fish quotas for 2010 and have also reached a long term bilateral agreement on management of mackerel stocks. The agreement was reached Tuesday evening. Read more >

After six months on anti piracy patrol Fridtjof Nansen heads home from the Gulf of Aden Read more >

Norwegian aid to the earthquake victims in Haiti is to be increased to NOK 100 million (USD 17.5 millon). Read more >

Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have agreed with the European Union on new financial contributions for the period 2009-14. The beneficiary states of the EEA Grants will be the 12 most recent EU members plus Greece, Portugal and Spain. The Norway Grants are earmarked for the 12 newest members. The priority sectors include environmental protection, renewable energy, carbon capture and storage. Read more >

Tuesday January 12th, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Mr Mitchell, and the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr. Støre, hosted a meeting with the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Lady Ashton, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kouchner, the Spanish Foreign Minister Mr Moratinos and the Quartet Envoy, Mr Blair. Read more >

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said in Oslo December 22 that he will initiate a climate group consisting of the most important forest countries. Read more >

The EEA/EFTA countries signed an agreement with the EU on new financial contributions on December 18. Norway will provide around NOK 3 billion (EUR 347 million) per year to reduce social and economic disparities and promote cooperation in Europe in the period 2009–2014. Read more >

In the political platform of the Norwegian Government from 2009-2013 it is stated that the main lines of Norwegian foreign policy are firmly fixed. These include strong support for UN and international law, Norway´s membership in NATO, the EEA Agreement and the fact that Norway is not a member of EU. Read more >

Norway is playing an active role in international negotiations on a new climate regime to ensure that consensus is reached on a new global climate agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009. Read more about Norway’s priorities in this process. Read more >

The Polish Cultural Exchange Fund of the EEA and Norway Grants has financed a Polish-Norwegian artistic exchange to make the works of Henrik Ibsen available to a wider audience. Read more >

Address to the Storting on important EU and EEA matters, 17 November 2009 by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre. Read more >

The 5th of november, Norway formally requested WTO dispute settlement consultations, because the Government views the EU ban on trade in seal products as being in contravention of WTO rules. “In our view, the EU decision is contrary to WTO rules on a number of key points. We will not let this go uncontested. We have therefore requested formal WTO dispute settlement consultations today,” said Fo... Read more >