Relations between Norway and the European Union

Résumé du document

During a speech in Birmingham in 1904, British politician Joseph Chamberlain said: "The day of small nations has long passed away. The day of Empires has come". Although pronounced a century ago, these words could still apply to the European integration today, and reflect Europe's move since the 1950s toward a unified European continent. However, when applied to Norway, a small country that has twice, in 1972 and 1994, rejected the EU-membership, Chamberlain's words seem to be contested. It would be interesting to analyze Norway's relations with the EU, as these are issues of high importance in today's increasingly unified Europe. Norway has been an independent constitutional monarchy since 1905. It has a parliamentary system of government, and thus the function of the King, Harald V, is mostly ceremonial. The country is situated in Northern Europe and occupies the Western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It has borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia, while the UK and the Faroe Islands lie to its west across the North Sea.

Extraits

[...] We would like to see this relationship continuously developed both bilaterally and within the framework of the EEA Agreement and through common commitments in the fight against climate change”.[36] To sum up, the perspectives for the future are that Norway is expected to play a more and more important role in the EU energy strategy, which could strengthen the country's political influence on the European stage. But is it the only option opened for Norway in its relations with the European Union? 2. Norway's future cooperation with the EU : a close partnership or a full membership ? [...]

[...] Two meetings are each year organized between the Norwegian foreign minister and the EU foreign ministers. In addition, there have been several meetings where senior officials from Norway (as well as from Iceland and Liechtenstein) met their counterparts in some of the CFSP working groups set up under the European Council. Since 1994, Norwegian officials have participated primarily in the working groups related to policy areas where Norway has a special interest, such as Russia, the Balkans, the Middle East peace process, anti-terror policy and non-proliferation. [...]

[...] “Norway and Europe : 1972 and in Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol No September 1995. Stephen KUX, Ulf SVERDRUP. “Fuzzy Borders and Adaptive Outsiders : Norway, Switzerland and the in Journal of European Integration. Vol No Page 243. Ibid. Ingrid SOGNER, Clive ARCHER. “Norway and Europe : 1972 and in Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol No September 1995. Ibid. [...]

[...] Page 284. See Annex n°3. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33636.pdf http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33636.pdf http://www.eu-norway.org/policyareas/energy/ http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33636.pdf http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/ 1212067023.28 / See Annex n°4. http://www.eu-norway.org/news/energy_dialogue.htm Clive ARCHER. Norway outside the European Union. London : Routledge Page 177. Ibid. Page 177. Ibid. Ibid. [...]

[...] Available : http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=126742 “Norway could displace Russia in European gas supply: EU energy chief”. May 29th 2008. Available : http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/ 1212067023.28 / (EU Business website) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/no.html (The World Factbook of the CIA) http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/norway/index_en.htm (The European Commission's website) http://www.eu-norway.org/ (Norway, Mission to the EU website) Annex Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:European_Union_Norway_Locator.svg Annex Source : http://www.electoralgeography.com/new/en/countries/n/norway/norway-eu- referendum-1994.html Annex Source : http://www.myrstad.eu/category/norway/ Annex Source : http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/2790 Annex Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2991833.stm Clive ARCHER. Norway outside the European Union. London : Routledge Page 1. See Annex n°1. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/geos/no.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/geos/no.html Ingrid SOGNER, Clive ARCHER. [...]