During the working visit, the EFTA/EU delegation was able to get a picture of the European policy debate in Norway, an EFTA partner country. The delegation was particularly interested in the work of an independent commission set up by the Norwegian government in May 2022 (EEA Inquiry Commission).
The commission has been tasked with examining Norway's experience with the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement over the past ten years. It will analyse, among other things, the importance of the EU Single Market for the Norwegian economy, the impact of the free movement of persons on the local labour market and working conditions, social acceptance of EEA membership, and Norway's scope in implementing EEA law. The EEA Inquiry Commission consists of seven representatives from Norway’s trade unions, business associations, academia and the association of local authorities. The commission is expected to publish its report in early 2024.
During its visit to Norway, the EFTA/EU delegation met with the chair of the EEA Inquiry Commission, Line Eldring, and two other members of the Commission. It also held talks with the chair of the Norwegian parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide, the chair of the Norwegian Delegation to the EFTA and EEA Parliamentary Committees, Trine Lise Sundnes, and the State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eivind Vad Petersson.
It emerged from these discussions that EEA membership is the right platform for Norway's relations with the EU. EU accession, on the other hand, was not on the agenda. Accession has already been rejected in two referendums in 1972 and 1994. Norwegian MEPs agreed that the domestic implementation of EEA law rarely gave rise to debate. The majority of the rules adopted by the EU were also favourable to Norway and only very few further developments of EEA law were politically controversial. In Norway, the dynamic development of law was not perceived as a disadvantage, but rather as an advantage of the EEA, as it ensured barrier-free access to the EU's internal market.
Furthermore, cooperation between Norway and the EU in the field of energy and the ongoing negotiations on the renewal of Norway’s contribution to the reduction of social and economic disparities in the EU (EEA/Norway Grants) were also discussed during the talks. Finally, the delegation also met with representatives from Norway’s social partners for an exchange on socio-political issues relating to the free movement of persons.
On this visit, the EFTA/EU delegation was represented by its president, Council of States member Benedikt Würth (The Centre, SG), its vice president, National Council member Thomas Aeschi (SVP, ZG), National Council members Hans-Peter Portmann (FDP, ZH) and Nicolas Walder (Greens, GE), and by Council of States member Carlo Sommaruga (SP, GE).