The Commission recommends that greater emphasis is placed on considerations to development when framing Norwegian negotiation positions in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). During negotiations, Norway needs to attach importance to both market access and policy space for developing countries. In relation to its work with the WTO, Norway should try to reduce both direct and indirect export subsidies as far as possible, and undertake a critical review of all Norwegian subsidy schemes in light of this. The majority of Commission members also recommend that work is carried out to clarify and expand the definition of public services with the objective of protecting water, health and education from the negotiations. Norway should also reduce its demands for market access in developing countries within the negotiations for fish and industrial products since the Norwegian export of fish and seafood produce must not be forced at the expense of developing countries’ opportunity for duty protection of the manufacturing and sea industry sectors.

The majority of Commission members recommend that Norway emphasizes asymmetry in bilateral and regional trade agreements so that developing countries are given both favourable market access and protection rights.

The Commission recommends exemption from VAT for goods certified by independent schemes which guarantee that the product is produced using sustainable production met­hods, that workers rights are respected and that the price the workers receive is adequate in relation to production and living expenses.

The Commission recommends that the Government Pension Fund – Global aims a considerable proportion of the investments at positive screening for renewable energy and relevant climate technology. In this way, the fund can aid a more speedy technology development within sustainable energy and climate-friendly technology. This is an area where Norwegian investments can have a global significance.

The Commission recommends that a fund is built up over a 5-year period, amounting to NOK 10 billion for investments in low-income countries, with special focus on Africa and the least developed countries (LDC). The fund should be channelled through Norfund, which should be given latitude to increase its administration capacity as investments in poor countries are resource-intensive. The fund should be administered separately from the aid-financed investment portfolio and owned by the Ministry of Finance. The majority of the Commission’s members require that strict conditions are set regarding the development effects of the operations of this fund and that knowledge centres in developing countries should be invited to contribute in forming the operational toolkit and governing structures of the fund.

The majority of the Commission recommend a democratisation of the international financial institutions whereby developing countries are given a greater voting weight and the scheme where the USA and EU appoint the institutions’ leaders is phased out. Economic conditionalities that entail requirements for privatisation and liberalisation should not be utilized by either the IMF or the World Bank.

The majority of the Commission recommend that Norway should work to establish a climate agreement covering all countries, which limits global warming to a maximum of 2 °C, and helps balance disparities in welfare and income. This entails poor countries also being given room to increase their emissions and rich countries having to finance emission reductions in developing countries. Emission obligations and the financing of climate initiatives must be based on countries’ historical responsibility and financial capacity, and safeguard the right to development for poor countries. Norway should aim to establish agreements and solutions that ensure financing and the implementation of emission reductions, technology development, technology transfers and adaptations in developing countries.

The majority of the Commission suggest that, until a climate agreement is in place that sets a limit for emissions in all countries, Norway allocates 1.5 – 3 % of its annual GDP, which corresponds to around NOK 30 – 60 billion a year, to measures aimed at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions both in Norway and internationally. Simultaneous to this, Norway needs to undertake efforts to ensure that the 10 – 20 other richest countries allocate an equal share of their GDP to climate-related measures. The Commission believes that Norway needs to be a low-emission society by 2050, with emissions that are at least 90 per cent lower than the current level. This will mean emissions per capita on a par with what the global average must be based on if we are to achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 2 °C.

The Commission recommends that Norway prioritises global knowledge needs and the developing countries’ need for knowledge by escalating the public research effort. A minimum of 10 per cent of the research effort should be aimed at this. Global knowledge needs and the developing countries’ need for knowledge should be included in all of the ministries’ sector responsibilities for research, and in the mandate for public research institutions such as universities and university colleges. It is also recommended that the Norwegian authorities impose a provision for public research institutions and recipients of public research funds to make research results publicly available. Norway should undertake international efforts to prevent developing countries being pressurised into introducing a more stringent legal system for intellectual property rights.

The majority of the Commission recommend that the immigration of unskilled workers from outside the EEA is permitted, and that Norway to a greater extent attempts to fulfil developing countries’ proposals for the liberalisation of movement of labour in the GATS negotiations. Norway should also initiate the commissioning of a report on how labour migrants can be treated more equally, regardless of country of origin. The Commission believes it is important that, pending international guidelines, Norway draws up national guidelines for the responsible recruitment of skilled labour, where measures such as restricting the recruitment of qualified personnel, educating unqualified personnel in Norway and developing compensation schemes are emphasised.

The majority of the Commission recommends that Norway prioritises military aid to UN-led operations, but that it should also provide forces for NATO and EU-led operations where these have the required legality from the UN Security Council. It is also recommended that the Government undertakes a review of the current organisation and routines linked to the preparation, initiation, implementation and evaluation of international operations in order to consider improvements with a view to achieve more coherent policies and multi-disciplinarity in all levels of the decision-making process. A national council should be established for handling the entire scope of Norway’s involvement within international crisis management, conflict negotiations and peace work.

The Commission recommends that Norway introduces tracking mechanisms for weapons and ammunitions. Weapons and ammunition that are manufactured in Norway must be marked with the manufacturer, first buyer and production batch number. Norway must aim to establish a similar international tagging practice. The majority of the Commission also recommend that Norway introduces an end user declaration for weapon exports, also for sales to NATO countries, and sets conditions for any onward sales. A recommendation is further given for Norway to use its ownership interests in the Norwegian arms industry to ensure that the sale of weapons and ammunition is carried out in accordance with rules of a standard equal to those in Norway, including with regard to sales from the group’s factories in other countries.

The Commission recommends that the Government considers institutional reforms that can strengthen the political and administrative capacity to develop a more coherent policy for development. The Commission recommends that the Government strengthens the civil service’s capacity for a collective preparation of political decisions across the traditional boundaries such as the specialist ministries. As in Sweden and the Netherlands, Norway should establish a unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a remit to monitor relevant policy areas and coordinate this work. A board or liaison committee should be appointed that includes representatives from industry, the trade union movement and the civil society. Research should be commissioned to ensure regular and independent evaluations are carried out to gauge the coherence of Norwegian policies with respect to development.

The Commission recommends that Norway follows the example of the UK and other European countries, and introduces regular reporting to the Storting (the Norwegian parliament) of the overall effects and results of Norwegian policies in relation to development goals. This reporting should take place at least once during each parliamentary session. The Commission also recommends that the Government facilitates increased capacity in this field through a more systematic evaluation and analysis of the collective Norwegian presence in developing countries. A regular and independent evaluation of the coherence in policies with respect to development goals should be ensured.