GSP - trade preferences for developing countries

64 low income countries have duty and quota free market access for all their goods to Norway. 

Norway's Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) was established in 1971. From 2002 Norway has provided duty and quota free market access (DQF-MA) for all goods from all the 50 least developed countries (LDCs). From 1 January 2008 there are made further improvements in Norway's GSP. 

One of the changes is that 14 low income countries that are not part of the LDC group are included in the provision for DQF-MA. Consequently, 64 low income countries are now benefiting from DQF-MA to Norway for all their goods. Detailed information on Norway's GSP can be found on the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Customs and Excise. This text is under revision and is expected to be completed on 20 April 2008. 

The improvements in Norway's GSP from 2008 are the result of a comprehensive Government Review of the system. 

The Review was initiatied after a study made by the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute (NUPI) for the MInistry of Foreign Affairs. The Report from this study includes a number of special reports: 

• Norges tollpreferanser for import fra u-land
• The future of Norway’s GSP system
• Trade and development - a selective review
• Norway’s trade with developing countries
• GSP in the “spaghetti bowl” of trade preferences
• The Norwegian import regime for agriculture
• Trade policy differentiation between developing countries under GSP schemes

As part of the review an interministerial working group presented a report with recommendations. (The report is only available in Norwegian).  

The report from the working group was sent on a public hearing. Documents from the hearing and other relevant documents are gathered in a hearing report (only available in Norwegian). 

The changes in Norway's GSP were notified to the WTO in April 2008, see the WTO document.
 
In order to inform about Norway's GSP a brochure is published (Duty- and quota-free market access to Norway).

In order to promote the use of the opportunities created by the GSP and in particular the DQF-MA, cooperation efforts will be made under Norway's Action Plan on Aid for Trade.