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18.04.2005
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Salmon on the menu Nobelux luncheon with Norwegian Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg
132 paperJam mai 2005
(Common) Market that were defined at the Maastricht meeting as: freedom of movement for persons, commodities, capital and services. In his presentation he mentioned free trade, public procurement, competition and state aid as elements of the four freedoms. But significantly, he noted, that the "freedoms" are not yet fully applied within the Internal Market.
Open to co-operation in all fields The hot issue is salmon. Norway claims the European commission is in breach of contract on free trade. "The salmon issue is both complicated and ugly. It has gotten into the hearts and minds of Norwegians," stated the Ambassador emphatically. In March, Norway filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against new EU restrictions on salmon imports. According to the trade body, "Under pressure from Scottish and Irish salmon farmers, the EU imposed both a minimum import price and a tariff quota on salmon imported into the 25-nation bloc." This move affected salmon imports from Norway, which provide 60 percent of the EU's salmon consumption, as well as Iceland, the Faroe islands and Chile. In the eyes of Nor-
wegians, this is nothing short of protectionism, designed to harm their important salmon industry. Salmon was not the only topic at the luncheon, although it was the one most emphasised. It's important to realise what an important partner in trade Norway is to the EU, and this trend stands only to be enhanced since the latest EU enlargement. Again, according to EU publications, "the EU (25) represented in 2003 78% of Norway's total trade in terms of value, absorbing around 86% of Norwegian exports and
supplying about 76 % of Norway's imports… and Norway is the EU(25) 6th most important import market with €50.494 million in 2003. The European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement is considered essential for safeguarding Norwegian export industries' market access to the EU's single market." It's an important relationship that should remain friendly. Norway, said Bjørnebye, "is a neutral peace maker with no history of bellicose activities, and remains, "open to co-operation in all fields." But the salmon debate has made peo-
ple realise how deep the psychological barrier to entry can run. Continuing on this theme, he said, "You have to realise that Norway is a country that came late to independence. People in the north think that Oslo is too far way and so Brussels is hopelessly far away. "Generally speaking," he added, "Europeans are reliable partners." In his eyes, the fishing issue is the only real problem, but it's a debate that has rallied Norwegians and it has to be solved conforming to the notions of free trade within the Internal Market. ■ Mary Carey
H.E. Mr. John Bjørnebye: “The drama with salmon has helped open some people's eyes to the psychological barrier.”
Photo: DR
WEALTHY NORWAY, EXCEeded only by Luxembourg in GDP last year, is not a member of the European Union. After two referendums, one in 1972 and then again in 1994, Norwegians narrowly rejected membership. At a NOBELUX luncheon attended by, amongst others, the Ambassadors to Tunisia, Sweden, and Finland, H.E. Mr. John Bjørnebye, Norwegian Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, spoke about Norwegian EU attitudes and the sensitive issue of farmed salmon. One of the first questions asked was, "Will Norway join the EU?" "A qualified yes," was Bjørnebye's reply. 46% are for in the last poll. He elaborated on how Norway already cooperates closely with EU member states politically and economically, and contributes EUR 1.134 billion to 13 EU members states through two new financial mechanisms, the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. The purpose is to contribute to the reduction of social and economic disparities in Europe, and to support the new EU member states in their efforts to participate fully in the enlarged internal market. So in many ways Norway is already part of a common European economic area. More passionately however, Bjørnebye spoke about the "four freedoms" considered as the basis, or goals, for the Internal