ESA holds high-level talk with Norwegian government

The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) has this week been in Oslo for meetings with the Norwegian government to discuss issues related on the ongoing implementation of the European Economic Area Agreement.

During the so-called 'Package Meeting', which is designed to promote effective communication and facilitate solution-oriented conversations on the technical and political levels, including energy, environmental, employment, maritime and transport issues.

The ESA delegation was led by ESA College members Árni Páll Árnason and Stefan Barriga, who met with key government officials, including Kjersti Stenseng, Minister for Employment and Inclusion, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy, Terje Aasland, Minister of Energy, Jon-Ivar Nygård, Minister of Transport, and Kristoffer André Hansen, State Secretary for the Climate and Environment.

Additionally, ESA held meetings with the representatives from the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions.

"These meetings during the Package Week provide an excellent opportunity for ESA College to directly discuss with our counterparts a range of challenging issues and make progress through dialogue," said Árni Páll Árnason.

While ESA acknowledged the strong overall relationship with Norway, it still pinpointed areas where enhanced dialogue could yield practical solutions for citizens and businesses within the EEA framework.

On Wednesday, 12 November, ESA, in partnership with the University of Oslo, organised ESA Day. This provided an opportunity to bring together participants to discuss the growing role and impact of the EEA Agreement in shaping energy, environment, and climate policies

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