Background

In 2001, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated a project to examine key issues related to the globalization process. This will provide the basis for a white paper to be submitted to the Storting (the Norwegian parliament) by the end of 2002.

Approch

The Norwegian Government’s basic approach to globalization is positive and pro-active. Globalization has yielded sizeable welfare benefits and it provides consumers with access to reasonably-priced goods and services. And there is even more to gain from it. However, it also poses new and formidable challenges. Norway will play its part in helping to ensure that globalization contributes to national and global economic growth, socially equitable distribution of goods and responsible stewardship of the environment.

Globalization also poses a challenge to traditional methods of policy development. Norway is closely integrated into the world economy, and is therefore affected by issues related to globalization at all levels. International developments affect us more directly than they used to, and it is less and less possible to make national decisions without taking the international situation into account. The links between different policy areas are also becoming increasingly important. An important objective of the white paper will be to illustrate the opportunities and problems posed by globalization in different areas, and the Government’s approach to these issues.

Links with other prosesses

The Globalization Project is linked with the current negotiation processes in the WTO and the preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg this autumn. The preparation of the white paper is also being coordinated with the Government’s Action Plan for Combating Poverty, the development of a national strategy for sustainable development, and the follow-up to the final declaration of the International Conference on Financing for Development.

In 2001, the Storting expressed strong support for the project, both in the foreign policy debate and in its comments on the revised budget. The secretariat for the project has been established in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it is being run in close cooperation with the other ministries involved.

Studies commissioned and coneferences held

The project has commissioned studies from various research institutions on different aspects of globalization (list enclosed).

In addition, four conferences have been held on the following topics:

• The role of the UN in globalization. Speakers included UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Norway’s prime minister and foreign minister.
• Action to combat money laundering, harmful tax competition, corruption and other forms of economic crime.
• The social dimension of globalization, related to labour standards, the work of the ILO and corporate social responsibility.
• Globalization and health (in collaboration with the WHO). Speakers included General-Director Gro Harlem Brundtland, Professor Jeremy Sachs, and Norway’s minister of health and minister of international development.

A broad-based advisory committee or "Dialogue Forum" has been appointed, with about 80 members drawn from NGOs, trade unions, business organizations, the private sector, the academic community, cultural circles, etc.

The Globalization Project has its own Norwegian Website that can be found here