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Norway’s relations with the EU are mainly governed by the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA Agreement is in force since 1.1.1994 and extends the Single Market legislation, with the exception of Agriculture and Fisheries, from the EU Member States to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Through the EEA Agreement, Norway also participates, albeit with no voting rights, in a number of EU Agencies and programmes, covering i.a. enterprise, environment, education and research programmes. Norway also, along with its EEA/EFTA partners, contributes financially to social and economic cohesion in the EU/EEA. Norway is as integrated in European policy and economy as any non-member State can be, and the close EU-Norway relations generally run smoothly.
Norway furthermore participates in the Schengen/Dublin co-operation as well as Europol and Eurojust. Norway is actively seeking association with EU CFSP/ESDP, participates in EU joint actions such as the EU police mission in Bosnia, and has pledged personnel and equipment to the ESDP Rapid Reaction Force and to the EU Nordic battle group so long as the EU actions are undertaken under a UN mandate. Norway is also considered a valuable partner for the EU on the international stage with frequently shared policy priorities, as e.g. in the area of energy and climate change.
Despite two failed attempts by referendum to enter the European Community in 1972 and the European Union in 1994, the question of whether or not Norway should once again apply for EU membership has been regularly raised in the past few years in the national Norwegian policy debate. This, however, is not going to have any practical consequences in the immediate future.
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