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    Departments

    Department for European Affairs and International Trade

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    The Department for European Affairs and International Trade is responsible for Norway’s relations with the European Union, including matters relating to the EEA Agreement, the Schengen cooperation, justice and home affairs, and cooperation with EU institutions. It is also responsible for: matters relating to global migration; coordination of Norway’s approach in relation to the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy; follow-up of the Government’s Strategy for Cooperation with the EU and of Norway’s European policy; analysis of European policy issues; Nordic cooperation; bilateral relations with all European countries, including the Balkan countries and Turkey; coordination of work relating to the EEA and Norway Grants; and leading the work on Brexit within the Foreign Ministry and in the government administration as a whole. The Department is also responsible for safeguarding Norwegian economic interests through international trade-related processes under the WTO and the OECD.

    The department consists of the following sections

    • Section for EEA Affairs

      Current EEA matters. Incorporation of EU legislation. Secretariat for the Government’s European policy coordination committee. Relations with the Efta institutions. The Unit for EEA Translation Services is organised under the section.

    • Section for Central Europe and the EEA Norway Grants

      Management of the EEA and Norway Grants, including policy development and negotiation of bilateral agreements with the beneficiary countries. Cooperation with the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels. Support for all other sections with country responsibility for EEA and Norway Grants beneficiary countries. Represents the Department in and vis-à-vis the Financial Mechanism Committee. Responsibility for Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

    • Section for Trade Policy and Economic Analysis

    • Section for Business Promotion and Green Transition

    • The Section for Northern and Western Europe

      The Section for Northern and Western Europe has country responsibility for Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the Vatican State.