Biannual address to the Storting on important EU and EEA matters, 6 May 2025

Madam President, 

We are in the midst of a period of geopolitical upheaval. Great power politics is back. This calls for wisdom and a long-term approach in our foreign policy. Our relations with the EU and our European friends are even more important than before, if that is possible.

The French diplomat Jean Monnet, chief architect of the Schuman Plan, is famously quoted as saying, ‘Europe will be forged in crisis’. 

Our ability to weather crises is what defines us. Norway and the EU are bound together by geographical proximity and shared values. This is a fateful time for our continent.

There are few areas of Norwegian policy where domestic and international affairs are more closely intertwined than in our relations with Europe.

Culture, history and society.

Jobs, industry and value chains.

Values, security and welfare.

All these areas are directly affected by the global political and economic currents we are now contending with. 

EU policy is being shaped in response to seismic changes across the world. European cooperation is being strengthened in the face of great power rivalry, climate change and growing pressure on the principles of international law. 

Madam President,

Although not a member, Norway is one of the EU’s closest partners. Over the course of three decades our cooperation has grown deeper and broader, with the EEA Agreement as the bedrock. 

For the Labour Party, the EEA Agreement above all is important because it provides security and a firm foundation in these turbulent times. The EEA Agreement ensures predictability and market access for Norwegian companies.

It supports hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the country. 

It gives Norwegians the same rights as EU citizens. 

It means that we are able to participate in closer European cooperation on security, emergency preparedness and boosting competitiveness.

The aim of the Labour Party Government’s European policy is to safeguard Norwegian interests both through implementation of the EEA Agreement and through active participation in European cooperation.

It is in uncertain times like the present that we see just how important the EEA Agreement is for Norway. This is why the Labour Party remains committed to the Agreement as part of its political project.

Madam President,

For Norway, it is crucial that Europe succeeds. 

We are bound together by our geography. It is in Europe that we find the community of shared values and interests that most reflect our own, founded on respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Today, the EU plays a key role in all areas of European cooperation. Health, emergency preparedness, climate change, green industry, innovation, finance, security and foreign policy. 

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has set a clear goal: Europe will not lag behind, but will emerge stronger from the crises currently affecting the world. The EU has set a course to enhance competitiveness, protect the internal market, reduce vulnerability and increase autonomy. 

The EEA Agreement provides a framework for wide-ranging cooperation between Norway and the EU, and Norway is playing an active part in the collective effort to boost European competitiveness and security.

The policies now being developed by the European Commission to achieve its goals cover a wide range of areas. While many of these fall within the scope of the EEA Agreement, some fall outside it. This has an impact both on our ability to promote Norwegian interests within the framework of the EEA Agreement and to secure arrangements that will enable us to participate in the development of important new policies now under way in the EU.

The Labour Party Government is working to ensure that Norway maintains its cooperation under the EEA Agreement, as well as to strengthen collaboration with the EU in areas that fall outside the EEA Agreement, where this is in our interests.

These efforts are often closely linked. 

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, or CBAM as it is known, is a good example.

The EU is using CBAM as a tool to protect European industry whose emissions are strictly regulated, and prevent European companies from being outcompeted by imported, more carbon-intensive, products.

Technically, CBAM falls outside the scope of the EEA Agreement, but its purpose is precisely to protect the internal market. Since Norway is a member of the internal market, it is clearly in our interests to implement CBAM here. 

By participating in CBAM, Norway will be able to play a part in developing this mechanism, which is an important component of EU climate policy. Norwegian companies whose activities are emission-intensive will be able to take part in efforts to develop new technology, cut emissions and create jobs in Europe.

Defence and emergency preparedness, trade and economic security, climate change and the green transition are examples of areas where we are strengthening our ties with the EU, and where Norway has a great deal to contribute.

We are carrying out thorough assessments every step along the way to determine how best to safeguard Norway’s interests. 

Madam President, 

There are no winners in a trade war. 

Higher tariffs will have negative effects on companies, jobs and consumers. 

The Trump administration’s erratic trade policy and the widespread uncertainty it is causing pose a significant threat to the global rules-based trading system and the international economy.   

It is too early to say how serious the impacts will be. In the worst case, this could be the most severe setback for global trade we have seen for many decades, following 80 years of efforts to dismantle trade barriers.

Tariff increases may affect global flows of goods. Goods originally destined for the US could end up in Europe and disrupt the market. 

To avoid adverse impacts on European industry, the EU may introduce its own countermeasures. The Government is working hard to ensure that Norway is not affected by such countermeasures.

In our view, it would not make sense to erect tariff walls within the internal market. This would threaten the integrity of the market and would be incompatible with the EEA Agreement. 

It is important that Norway continues to be involved if Europe is to succeed in increasing its competitiveness and economic security. This is the message that we convey systematically and consistently to our EU partners. 

Today, Norway is contending with a more unpredictable trade situation, and we are having to navigate an increasingly complex landscape to protect our interests and values. The EU and the EEA Agreement are our safe haven in this storm.

More than two-thirds of our exports go to EU countries. Norway is fully integrated into the EU’s internal market. Norwegian companies are closely integrated into European value chains, and contribute to value creation that it is in our mutual interests to maintain.

As a medium-sized, open economy, it is vital for Norway that the internal market and the EU economy remain open to us. In our dialogue with the European Commission, there is full agreement on the importance of standing together in addressing the current instability in global trade. The Prime Minister’s meeting with the President of the European Commission on 7 April reaffirmed our strong partnership and shared interests.

The EU, EFTA and Norway all depend on a well-functioning trading system that extends across national borders and continents.

It will be crucial for Norway to continue to work with the EU, and with like-minded countries that support free trade, to defend and strengthen the multilateral trading system, with the WTO at the helm.

Madam President,  

Norway’s relations with the EU are about security in the broadest sense.

At the beginning of this address, I briefly mentioned the Schuman Plan. I would like to dwell a little more on its significance. 

The Plan proposed the creation of an economic union in Europe. It was intended to be a peace project that would make a new major war between historic rivals unthinkable. 

The Schuman Plan laid the foundations for the development of the European Union. Key resources such as steel and coal were used to build a stronger community. The aim was to promote solidarity, peace and a higher standard of living for people living in war-torn Europe. 

Today, once again, there is war in Europe. 

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is the greatest threat to peace on our continent of our time. The war is also an attack on our community of shared values in Europe, a community that Ukraine has been fighting to be part of since the first protesters took to the streets during Euromaidan.

The EU’s response to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine can be summed up in three words: unity, solidarity and sanctions. Unity between member states and close partners. Solidarity with the Ukrainian people and support for Ukraine’s fight to defend itself. Sanctions against Russia, to stop the financing of Russia’s war machine.

The importance of closer cooperation between the member states on defence and security is a recurring theme in the Commission’s political priorities. Greater uncertainty and unpredictability are bringing European allies closer together.

Norway, the Nordic region and Europe do not exist in a vacuum. We are living in a time of turmoil, where foreign and security policy feel closer to home than for many years. Waves of geopolitical turbulence are sending ripples into our own waters too.

Maintaining stability and predictability in our region, including in the Arctic, is still one of our key priorities. To achieve this, we are, among other things, taking steps to significantly strengthen the Norwegian Armed Forces, and we are continuing our close cooperation with allies. These are important contributions to both national and European security.

The EU is taking on a more prominent role in security policy in Europe.

Not as an alternative, but as a supplement to NATO. We see in practice that security cooperation in the EU and in NATO is mutually complementary and reinforcing. Norway has a strong interest in strengthening the European security community that is now emerging. We need both NATO and the EU in order to safeguard our security. 

European security is still critically dependent on the transatlantic security community, and responsibility for the collective defence of the NATO member states lies with NATO. Everyone agrees on that.

That said, a greater European contribution to the defence of Europe also promotes better burden-sharing – and burden-shifting – across the Atlantic within the framework of NATO. This is important for Norway and for European security. In the Government’s view, it is vital that the EU develops its role in foreign and security policy in close cooperation with, and in a way that complements, NATO. We will therefore work to ensure that cooperation between the EU and NATO is further developed in 2025.

For Norway, this means that defence and security cooperation with the EU and European allies will become even more important in the time ahead. 

In recent years, the Schuman Security and Defence Forum, which takes its name from the EU’s historical roots, has facilitated closer dialogue on international peace, security and defence issues between European allies. The Government signed a strategic security and defence partnership with the EU at the Forum a year ago, and this was an important step forward.

Strengthening European defence capabilities will require massive investments. In a historic move, the German Bundestag voted on 18 March to allow a huge increase in security and defence spending. In line with the decision, any spending on security and defence that amounts to more than 1 % of Germany’s GDP would no longer be subject to the ‘debt brake’ in the German Constitution. 

The day after this historic shift in German security policy, the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, presented a white paper on European defence Readiness 2030 and the Rearm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030. 

The Plan calls for a rapid strengthening of European defence capabilities over the next five years. The EU member states will be granted more financial flexibility to increase their defence spending. The effort to ramp up European defence capabilities will take place in close cooperation with NATO. 

The proposal gives the Norwegian authorities and Norwegian defence industry – including key stakeholders such as the Kongsberg Group and Nammo – the opportunity to participate in these efforts on an equal footing with the EU member states. We are deepening our cooperation and establishing coalitions of the willing. 

It is the EEA Agreement and our strategic partnership with the EU that enable Norway to participate in the EU’s defence industrial cooperation.

The fact that all the Nordic countries are now NATO members adds a new dimension to Norway’s security and defence cooperation with the EU. The accession of Finland and Sweden to the Alliance alters strategic perspectives on the Arctic by increasing awareness of our region and the northern sea areas.

The effort to expand Nordic defence cooperation is progressing within the framework of NORDEFCO, and increased military mobility and coordination of ammunition production are key focus areas in this context.

We are also intensifying our cooperation within the Nordic-Baltic Eight, or NB8, where we are working closely together on support for Ukraine, maritime security, hybrid threats and other issues.

Close, frank and frequent contact between the Nordic and Baltic countries encourages regional cohesion and joint situational awareness. The Nordic-Baltic cooperation, which brings together the whole region from the Barents Sea to the Baltic Sea, also plays an important role in promoting the interests of the region vis-à-vis other actors. 

To safeguard Norwegian interests in the context of EU defence cooperation, we will give priority to maintaining our dialogue with like-minded EU countries such as Germany, Poland, France and the Netherlands, as well as with our Nordic and Baltic partners. This will involve bilateral cooperation as well as collaboration under initiatives such as the Northern Group or the Joint Expeditionary Force.

Madam President,

Norway is providing support to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience. 

In March, we increased our support for 2025 by NOK 50 billion to NOK 85 billion. The broad political consensus we have achieved on decisions of crucial importance to our safety and national security is invaluable. 

Our support for Ukraine is important not only for the Ukrainian people, but also for the safety and security of Norway and Europe as a whole. In terms of civilian support, the funding Norway has provided to the energy sector is our most important contribution. Funding from Norway is being used to provide Ukrainians and Ukrainian industry with electricity. 

Under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Norway is providing material assistance and assistance with medical evacuation of patients. Norway has also provided substantial military support to Ukraine under the EU military assistance mission (EUMAM Ukraine). Our support has been used for training of Ukrainian military personnel and for financial contributions.

I have visited Ukraine a number of times since the war started. 

It always makes a strong impression to see the scale of destruction and suffering in Ukraine first-hand. And it is humbling to witness the morale, unity and determination of the Ukrainian people.

Ukraine’s fight to defend itself against Russian aggression is also a fight for the values on which European cooperation is based.

Ukraine’s fight is our fight. Our futures are intertwined. 

Madam President, 

The fundamental values that have shaped Europe as a community are under severe pressure today. 

We see this when restrictions are imposed on the rights of civil society or LGBTIQ+ people.

Or when the media’s freedom to report critically on the authorities in a country is curtailed.

Or when judges are appointed for political reasons.

An independent and well-functioning legal system and a vibrant civil society are the lifeblood of a democracy. When the rule of law is undermined in one country, this has repercussions for European cooperation across the board: for individuals, institutions, organisations and the business sector.   

It is troubling when we see leaders in certain European countries using their power to undermine democracy. This is a negative trend that can weaken European unity and influence.

It is vital for Norway’s security, economy and prosperity that we continue to be surrounded by stable democracies in Europe and that the architecture we have built up since the Second World War does not disintegrate. 

At the same time as NATO was established as a defence alliance in 1949, the Council of Europe was set up, founded on the idea that democracy, human rights and the rule of law are the best defence in the effort to prevent a new war on the European continent. While NATO and military cooperation constitute the hard end of the security spectrum, stable democratic neighbouring states make up the soft end.

On 4 April this year, the Government presented a white paper on the importance of these values and how we can defend them more effectively. The white paper focuses in particular on Norway’s work in the Council of Europe.

Safeguarding our shared values is at the very core of the EEA and Norway Grants schemes. 

Through its contributions to the EEA and Norway Grants, Norway supports civil society and organisations in Europe that are working to promote democracy. 

I am pleased that we have reached agreement with Poland, which is the first country to have signed cooperation agreements for the next period of the EEA and Norway Grants. This will strengthen the ties between our countries even further, as part of a pan-European effort to defend our fundamental values.

Norway will also make use of the Grants to strengthen cooperation with both the Council of Europe and the EU on monitoring and countering online hate speech.   

Madam President,  

Russia’s war against Ukraine has strengthened European unity and resilience. It has also breathed new life into the process of EU enlargement. 

Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkan countries are queuing up to become EU members. However, the process of joining the EU is not without its obstacles. Now, in spring 2025, tensions in several of the Western Balkan countries are higher than for many years. In addition, Georgia has been moving in the wrong direction, with harsh measures used against its own people, who have been taking to the streets in protest against the regime’s abandonment of the dream of EU membership.

The full power for good that lies in European integration and EU enlargement policy can only be realised if our collective efforts are underpinned by a shared commitment to our core values.

By supporting institution building, civil society and freedom of the media in the candidate countries, Norway is thus also helping to strengthen the foundation for successful European integration. 

Norway supports all countries that meet the criteria for becoming part of the European family. 

Any new EU member also becomes a party to the EEA Agreement. It is in Norway’s national interests that more countries become part of our shared community of values and can benefit from our shared value creation. 

Madam President, 

The EEA Agreement is far more than just a free trade agreement – it is a unique structure that we would not be able to recreate today. 

It is the cornerstone of Norway’s cooperation with the EU. It safeguards Norwegian jobs and provides economic security.

Over the years, the Agreement has not only proved to be adaptable, but has served Norwegian interests in areas far beyond trade and value chains. 

Through the EEA Agreement, Norway has full access to an internal market consisting of 30 countries and with a population of more than 450 million. More than 400 000 Norwegian jobs in export industries and related employment are directly supported through the Agreement. 

The EEA Agreement also provides Norwegian citizens with important rights. In particular, all Norwegians are entitled to live, work or settle in any of the other 29 EEA countries, and have the same rights to social security and health care as citizens of the country where they are living.

A lot has happened since the EEA Agreement was adopted more than 30 years ago. The EU has grown, while EFTA has shrunk. When the EEA Agreement was signed in 1992, there were nine EU citizens for every EFTA citizen. Today, there are 30 EU citizens for every EFTA citizen. If we exclude Switzerland, the disparity is even greater.

In this situation, it is vital to make the best of the EEA Agreement we already have – and all the other agreements that are partly based on it – rather than discussing alternatives. 

Some people are calling for something less binding than the agreement we have today. There is nothing wrong in wanting an arrangement that is less binding than the EEA Agreement. However, in my opinion, critics of the EEA Agreement owe it to the electorate to make it clear that something ‘less binding than the EEA Agreement’ would also mean fewer opportunities across Europe for Norwegian companies, employees and consumers.

Let me be quite clear about this. Talking about renegotiating the EEA Agreement, as some people do, amounts to dangling a solution in front of us that does not exist. 

It is unrealistic to imagine that renegotiations would enable us to keep all the advantages of the EEA Agreement, but with fewer obligations. Those who do not want the EEA Agreement should be honest and say so, and not call their solution ‘renegotiation’.

And nobody should gloss over the fact that the EEA Agreement strikes a balance between obligations and benefits. The Agreement must be administered wisely to maintain this delicate balance.

The EEA Agreement is an international agreement between equal parties. Incorporating EEA-relevant legal acts into the Agreement is therefore not a choice Norway has, but an obligation. Just as the EU countries are obliged to respect Norway’s status as an equal partner in the internal market. 

According to the report of the committee appointed by the Government to review Norway’s experience of cooperation under the EEA Agreement, the EEA Agreement has served Norwegian interests well. Without the Agreement, Norway would have had less market access, and Norway’s population would have had fewer rights and would have faced more bureaucracy. 

However, the committee’s report also makes it clear that there is a need to improve the way the Agreement is administered to ensure that it continues to serve Norway’s interests. The backlog of EU legislation waiting to be incorporated must be reduced, and expertise on the EU/EEA in the public administration must be enhanced. The Government is following up the committee’s work and its recommendations for improvements. Particular importance is attached to providing more training on EU/EEA matters for government employees, including senior officials in the ministries. 

Another high priority is to improve knowledge of the EEA Agreement in Norwegian society as a whole.

Madam President,

The backlog of EEA-relevant legislation is detrimental to Norwegian interests. 

To ensure that the internal market functions well, there must be uniform legislation throughout the EEA. If there is not, Norwegian businesses and citizens will not be able to benefit from a level playing field.

For Norway, this means that EEA-relevant legislation must be incorporated into the EEA Agreement on an ongoing basis.

The Labour Party Government has considerably intensified efforts to reduce the backlog of legislation. All the ministers have undertaken to review the legislation in their sectors that is currently in the queue for incorporation into the EEA Agreement, with a view to speeding up the process and making it more effective.

We have also brought in extra resources to ensure rapid incorporation of legal acts that are particularly important for Norwegian business, industry and consumers. 

Norway’s EEA coordinating committee plays an important part in cooperation between the various ministries on administration of the EEA Agreement. The committee has been given higher political priority in order to ensure a greater effort to reduce the backlog and consolidate the capacity to coordinate Norway’s European policy.

Madam President,

Energy is vital to Europe’s competitiveness.

Norway is Europe’s most important energy exporter, and currently covers about 30 % of total gas consumption in the EU and the UK. Norway will continue to be a reliable, long-term energy partner.

At the same time, we are cooperating closely with both the EU and the UK on accelerating the decarbonisation of our energy systems. 

The three legal acts in the energy sector that are part of the backlog – on renewable energy, energy efficiency and the energy performance of buildings – are examples of older legislation that Norway is now incorporating into the EEA Agreement. Once these three directives and related legislation have been incorporated into the Agreement, the backlog in the energy area will be more than halved.

This will be welcome, not only because it clears part of the backlog, but also because the legislation will have positive effects for the Norwegian business sector and will support the important Norwegian political goals of promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Like Norway, the EU is seeking to ensure lower, more stable energy prices. Changes have therefore been made to the energy market rules, and new measures are being introduced to reduce electricity prices and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness. 

Norway will play a part in this work and is cooperating with the EU and with individual European countries on implementing improvements to the energy system. We will also take the initiative to promote close Nordic cooperation on these issues.

Madam President, 

Through the EEA Agreement, Norway is part of a labour market consisting of at least 200 million employees.

This has given Norwegian businesses much-needed access to expertise and labour, but has also posed some challenges for the Norwegian labour market model.

As the EU has expanded eastwards, various Norwegian governments have implemented a wide range of measures to ensure that everyone working in Norway does so under decent conditions. 

The committee that reviewed Norway’s experience of cooperation under the EEA Agreement documented that very few of these measures have been in conflict with EEA legislation. In cases where there has been conflict, it has generally been possible to find solutions.

The committee also emphasised the importance of such measures, and recommended that measures to ensure a well-organised labour market and to combat work-related crime and social dumping should be maintained and strengthened where necessary.

Labour policy is largely the responsibility of each nation state. But this does not mean that everything is plain sailing – there are very clear dividing lines in this area in Norwegian politics.

One good example is the restrictions Norway has introduced on the use of temporary agency work. The right-wing parties in Norway are dissatisfied with the policy that has been adopted in this area, and this clearly influences their assessments of what options are available at national level within the framework of the EEA Agreement.

The Government’s view was that the restrictions were necessary, proportionate, and did not contravene the EEA Agreement.

The disagreements in this case have resulted in several rounds of legal proceedings, and we are pleased, but not surprised, that the EFTA Court recognises that Norway is entitled to introduce such restrictions on temporary agency work. 

This case also shows how important it is not to use the EEA Agreement as an excuse for failing to take appropriate and important steps to safeguard the Norwegian labour market model. 

Madam President, 

Over the past year, competitiveness has been put firmly on the EU agenda.

This has implications for Norwegian interests, jobs and industry. The competitive strength of the EU and our own competitiveness are inextricably linked.

Norway plays an important part in boosting Europe’s ability to compete in the world economy. The Norwegian business sector is closely integrated into European value chains. The Norwegian process industries and companies such as Statkraft, Hydro, Yara and the DNB Group are both able and willing to contribute to Europe’s competitiveness.

The EU Competitiveness Compass provides a strategic roadmap for efforts over the next five years, and the Government is following initiatives and policy development in this field closely. The Competitiveness Compass builds on the recommendations of the Draghi report on innovation, decarbonisation and security. Steps to simplify and streamline rules and regulations and initiatives to mobilise capital are key instruments. This all has major implications for Norwegian interests.

The EU is continuing to work towards its goals of cutting emissions and creating jobs during Ursula von der Leyen’s second period as President of the European Commission. The EU’s Clean Industrial Deal combines an ambitious climate policy with political tools to boost the competitiveness of European industry.   

The Clean Industrial Deal takes an integrated approach to decarbonisation, reindustrialisation and innovation. Restructuring of energy-intensive industries and reducing dependence on critical raw materials from third countries are important elements of the plan.  

Overall, the EU is planning many different initiatives in the years ahead. Several of these will include areas that are outside the scope of the EEA Agreement but that may nevertheless have implications for the internal market and thus for Norwegian interests. 

The Government will ensure that it has a clear understanding of new initiatives announced as part of the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal, and will take part in discussions on these within the EU. 

Madam President,

As you are aware, the EU is continually developing new policies that fall partly or wholly outside the scope of the EEA Agreement.

There are certain EU projects and programmes that it is in Norway’s interests to be able to participate in as fully as possible. Examples include cooperation on satellite communications, on public health and emergency preparedness, and under research and innovation programmes.

In March 2023, the Government decided to work towards Norwegian participation in the EU’s Secure Connectivity Programme. This would be very important for Norwegian defence and security interests, and would also be important for the Norwegian business sector and Norwegian companies.

We are also seeking full participation for Norway in the EU’s next space programme, which is due to start in 2028.

As regards public health, we are maintaining a close dialogue with the European Commission on Norwegian participation in the European Health Union. The aim is to start negotiations before the summer.

It is crucial for Norway to cooperate closely with the EU on security and emergency preparedness. Not only because we are included in various pan-European arrangements, but also because Norway is safer when the level of security and resilience in Europe as a whole is higher.

Norway participates very successfully in a number of EU programmes. Programme cooperation with the EU also enhances the quality of education and research, gives us access to new knowledge, networks and infrastructure, makes Norway more competitive and enhances knowledge and emergency preparedness.

The next EU programming period starts in 2028, but the Commission is already working on proposals for the new programmes, which may include a new competitiveness fund. The Commission is expected to present the proposals this autumn.   

By presenting clear Norwegian positions at an early stage, Norway will be in a good position to take part in the development of the programmes.

By being actively involved, we can seek to ensure that Norway’s priorities are taken into account, and thus that the programmes are of interest to Norwegian actors. This in turn provides a basis for successful Norwegian participation in the programmes.

Madam President, 

Norway and the EU are close partners in implementing the green transition.

We need the EU to succeed. Norway cannot afford to be indifferent to the European green transition. We are part of Europe and must take part in these efforts. If the rest of Europe is doing less well, this is bad news for Norway as well.

This situation means that close contact between the Norwegian authorities and the Norwegian business sector will be vital in the years ahead. 

In 2023, Norway entered into a Green Alliance with the EU. The aim is to deepen cooperation on climate, energy and clean industry. 

This is a wide-ranging cooperation arrangement, and there are concrete plans for closer cooperation on carbon capture and storage, offshore wind, hydrogen, critical raw materials, battery technology and green shipping.   

We are making strategic use of the Green Alliance as a gateway for discussions on these topics with our partners in the EU, and as a platform for our joint cooperation with third countries. 

Madam President,  

A new multipolar world order, or possibly disorder, is emerging from the melting pot. This makes our cooperation and friendship with the EU and our shared values more important than ever before. 

Security, the economy and fundamental values are the main pillars of the European community of which Norway is a part.  

The Labour Party Government will seek to reinforce all three pillars underpinning this community.