Stoltenberg in the spotlight at OECD

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg got plenty of attention at the prestigious OECD ministerial meeting in Paris this week. Norway’s strong economy is envied by his hard-pressed colleagues in Europe, and Stoltenberg seemed to feel a need to downplay his own country’s good fortunes. He repeated, for example, statements he’s made since the global finance [...]

LO seeks to block Croatian workers

The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) wants to restrict Croatian immigrants from coming to work in Norway, in a bid to prevent social dumping. The labour market in Norway continues to predict growth, and demand for more workers is still high, but anti-EU forces also want to keep out workers from Croatia. LO has asked the current government [...]

Statoil risks huge fine after raid

Norwegian state oil company Statoil risks getting hit with a huge fine, possibly as much as NOK 70 billion (USD 12 billion), if a raid on its headquarters Tuesday leads to cartel charges from European regulators. The raid itself, claimed one analyst, is “one of the worst things a company can experience.” Inspectors from the [...]

Competition authorities raid Statoil

UPDATED: Officials from the European Free Trade Association’s surveillance authority raided the headquarters offices of Norwegian state oil company Statoil in Stavanger on Tuesday, with the help of Norway’s own competition authorities (Konkurransetilsynet). The raid stems from suspicions that Statoil and other companies have struck deals that hinder competition and abuse dominant market positions. Jannik [...]

Slight rise in support for EU

Norwegians remain firmly opposed to joining the European Union (EU) but a new public opinion poll indicates there’s been a slight increase among those favouring membership. A recent poll conducted by research firm Sentio for newspapers Nationen and Klassekampen indicates 20.2 percent of Norwegians now want to join the EU. The poll results mark the first [...]

Center Party keen to close borders

Norway’s rural-oriented Center Party (Senterpartiet, Sp) shocked even its sister party in Sweden over the weekend when it voted to promote withdrawal from the so-called “Schengen agreement” that has opened borders among various European countries. The party also wants to replace Norway’s economic agreement with the European Union, in addition to securing high tariffs and [...]

Labour unions hail court victory

Norway’s Supreme Court had the last word in a long-standing battle between Norwegian shipyard employers and trade unions when it ruled this week that foreign guest workers are entitled to the same wages and rights as permanent employees. The industry voiced concern over its future competitiveness related to higher costs, while labour officials hailed the [...]

‘EEA agreement remains firm’

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has confirmed that the country’s main pact for doing business with the European Union (the EEA-agreement, or EØS-avtalen) remains firm as his coalition government seeks a third term this year. Stoltenberg’s coalition partners, often critical of both the EU and the EEA pact, had sparked speculation about a possible re-negotiation. “Today’s [...]

EU sends Peace Prize money to children

The European Union (EU ) has decided to send the cash award it received along with the Nobel Peace Prize to needy school children in areas of conflict. EU officials also decided to double the money, meaning it will send around EUR 2 million to humanitarian organizations that will distribute the funds. Redd Barna (Save [...]

Stoltenberg met EU leaders alone

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg had the company of EU leaders and those heading EU member governments mostly to himself this week, after his own government coalition partners declined to attend meetings with the EU winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. One of Stoltenberg’s partners was being accused on Tuesday of using the Peace Prize [...]

Large turnout to hail prize winners

More than 2,000 people hailed the winners of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Monday evening, even though organizers of the traditional torchlight parade had abandoned the project weeks ago because they did not feel the European Union (EU) was a worthy winner. Other groups took over and supporters turned out in force. Police estimated that [...]

Nobel brings the EU to Norway

It took a Nobel Peace Prize to assemble so many leaders of the European Union (EU) in Oslo that they could hold a summit meeting of sorts, with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as their host. It was an unprecedented event in Norway, with smiles and camaraderie warming the chill outdoors. Smiling and chatting with [...]

‘Now it’s the EU’s turn’ to win

Former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev won their Nobel Peace Prizes for helping to reunify and stabilize the European continent: “Now it is the EU’s turn,” declared Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjørn Jagland on Monday, to thunderous applause from around 1,000 guests inside Oslo’s City Hall. Jagland, who’s been both [...]

Man arrested after trying to halt EU convoy

Police arrested a man outside the Oslo City Hall on Monday after he broke through barricades and tried to stop the convoy of around 20 cars carrying leaders of EU member governments. The government leaders were in Oslo to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. The man “behaved in a threatening manner and disturbed the [...]

Security high for ‘Peace Prize Days’

The barricades around Oslo’s City Hall, armed police on the streets and military helicopters whirring overhead seemed at odds with the message of peace that’s always sent from the Norwegian capital on December 10th. Security was high, though, on this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Day as government leaders from all over Europe streamed into town [...]

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