Department for European Affairs and International Trade

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Department for European Affairs and International Trade is responsible for Norway’s relations with the European Union, including matters relating to the EEA Agreement, the Schengen cooperation, justice and home affairs, and cooperation with EU institutions. It is also responsible for: matters relating to global migration; coordination of Norway’s approach in relation to the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy; follow-up of the Government’s Strategy for Cooperation with the EU and of Norway’s European policy; analysis of European policy issues; Nordic cooperation; bilateral relations with all European countries, including the Balkan countries and Turkey; coordination of work relating to the EEA and Norway Grants; and leading the work on Brexit within the Foreign Ministry and in the government administration as a whole. The Department is also responsible for safeguarding Norwegian economic interests through international trade-related processes under the WTO and the OECD.

The department consists of the following sections

  • European Policy Section

    Norway's European policy. Analysis of political, economic and institutional developments in the EU. Contact with the following EU institutions: the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the rotating EU Presidency. Coordination of Norwegian cooperation with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The EU's neighbourhood policy. The Euro cooperation and the financial, debt and bank crisis. European policy from a domestic perspective. Country responsibility for Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Benelux and Vatican City State.

  • Section for Nordic and Baltic Affairs and the European Green Deal

    Nordic cooperation including Nordic foreign policy cooperation and Nordic cooperation on European affairs. Responsibility for the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Minister for Nordic Cooperation. Nordic-Baltic cooperation. Responsibility for the Baltic Sea Cooperation. Responsibility for climate and energy policy in relation to the EU. Country responsibility for Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

  • Section for EEA Affairs

    Current EEA matters. Incorporation of EU legislation. Secretariat for the Government’s European policy coordination committee. Relations with the Efta institutions. The Unit for EEA Translation Services is organised under the section.

  • Section for Central Europe and the EEA Norway Grants

    Management of the EEA and Norway Grants, including policy development and negotiation of bilateral agreements with the beneficiary countries. Cooperation with the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels. Support for all other sections with country responsibility for EEA and Norway Grants beneficiary countries. Represents the Department in and vis-à-vis the Financial Mechanism Committee. Responsibility for Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

  • Section for South East Europe

    The Section for South Eastern Europe is responsible for Norway’s bilateral relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, North-Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. The Section is also responsible for development cooperation funds to the countries eligible to Official Development Assistance (ODA), which aim is to support stability and security in the region, as well as the Euro-Atlantic integration and regional cooperation of the countries. Areas of cooperation include further development of rule of law, human rights and equality, migration, anti-corruption, as well as development of civil society and defence sector reform.

  • Section for Trade Policy and Economic Analysis

  • Section for Business Promotion and Green Transition