The 30th EU–Norway Interparliamentary Meeting was held at the European Parliament in Brussels 6 March 2014.

The European Parliament (EP) delegation, led by Mr Pat the Cope Gallagher (chairperson, ALDE, Ireland), hosted the meeting with the Norwegian delegation, led by its chairperson Ms Anniken Huitfeldt (Labour Party).

The Delegations have taken stock of the current state of EU–Norway relations and share the assessment that the relations are very good in general. Both delegations expressed their satisfaction that the EEA remains the main framework for EU–Norway cooperation, underlining at the same time that this cooperation goes much beyond the EEA, including for example areas such as foreign and security policy, international fight against climate change and the Arctic. The Delegations also exchanged views on several other topics, including energy policy, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the cooperation between the EP and National Parliaments.

Moreover, the Interparliamentary Meeting was focused on the following topics in particular:

• Relations between the EU and Norway, with addresses by:
  • Ms Ingvild Næss Stub, State Secretary to the Minister of EEA and EU Affairs, Norway
  • Mr Florin Nita, EEA Coordination Desk, Western Europe Division, EEAS
• Climate and energy policy
• Foreign policy cooperation: Ukraine and Syria
• Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
• Development of the parliamentary cooperation between the EP and National Parliaments

The next Interparliamentary Meeting is scheduled to take place in 2015 in Norway.

Members of the EP Delegation present:

• Mr Pat the Cope Gallagher, Chair, ALDE, Ireland
• Mr Georges Bach, EPP, Luxemburg
• Mr Zuzana Brzobohatá, S&D, Czech Republic
• Mr Bas Eickhout, Greens/EFA, Netherlands
• Ms Satu Hassi , Greens/EFA, Finland
• Ms Judith A. Merkies, S&D, Netherlands
• Mr Olle Schmidt, ALDE, Sweden
• Ms Catherine Stihler, S&D, UK
• Mr Indrek Tarand, Greens/EFA, Estonia
• Ms Angelika Werthmann, ALDE, Austria

Members of Stortinget Delegation present:

• Ms Anniken Huitfeldt, Chair, Labour Party
• Mr Øyvind Halleraker, First Vice Chair, Conservative Party
• Mr Kristian Norheim, Second Vice Chair, Progress Party
• Ms Marit Nybakk, Labour Party
• Mr Svein Roald Hansen, Labour Party
• Ms Jenny Følling, Centre Party
• Ms Trine Skei Grande, Liberal Party
• Mr Per Sandberg, Progress Party
• Mr Christian Tybring-Gjedde, Progress Party
• Ms Sylvi Graham, Conservative Party
• Mr Kåre Simensen, Labour Party
• Ms Elin Rodum Agdestein, Conservative Party
• Ms Regina Alexandrova, Conservative Party
• Ms Astrid A. Byrknes, Christian Democratic Party

Abbreviations:

• EPP: European People’s Party Christian-Democratic Group
• S&D: Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
• ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
• Greens/EFA: Greens/European Free Alliance