NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER ERNA SOLBERG & UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION GORDON BROWN TO HOST MEETING OF 25 WORLD LEADERS ON JULY 4TH IN OSLO TO MAP OUT RADICAL NEW DEAL FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION

OUTCOMES OF OSLO MEETING TO BE ANNOUNCED AT 2016 UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND PRESENTED TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON

A PRESS BRIEFING WITH PRIME MINISTER SOLBERG AND UN SPECIAL ENVOY GORDON BROWN WILL BE HELD IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO EDUCATION COMMISSION MEETING

Twenty-five world leaders, including five former heads of state, will meet in Oslo on July 4th to consider vital new recommendations for financing global education and to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all. 

Taking the lead is the Norwegian Government, which is mobilizing and focusing the international community on reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular those focusing on education, that United Nations Member States have set themselves.

The International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, (the Education Commission), chaired by the former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy, Gordon Brown, and co-convened by the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, along with the Presidents of Malawi, Indonesia, Chile and the Director-General of UNESCO, will finalize recommendations ahead of its presentation to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September during the General Assembly in New York. The UN Secretary-General will receive the recommendations of the Commission and act upon them.

The work of the Commission is being closely watched around the world, and the leaders gathering in Oslo are acutely aware of the scale of the challenge. Radical shifts in technology, massive urbanization, the global mobility of labor and globalization in trade and services, mass migration, and increases in climate-induced natural disasters will demand new skills and the ability to embrace change — capabilities that only education can provide. As global spending on health has increased since 2008, spending on education has correspondingly declined. The Commissioners believe their recommendations will be crucial in helping to make education the global priority it needs to be.

Ahead of the meeting, Norway’s Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, said: “Reaching all children and young people with quality education may be a daunting challenge, but we can make significant progress if decision-makers step up to the plate, together with teacher unions, international organisations, the private sector, civil society and others. Investing in education means investing in society at large. If we put education first, our global society will reap significant gains in terms of development and prosperity”.

UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown added: “The United Nations and the world’s children are deeply indebted to the Norwegian Government for its commitment to and support of the Education Commission. The Oslo meeting provides the opportunity to agree on a new framework for financing global education helping us better meet the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals for education. The world’s children are looking to us. We cannot fail them.”

The former President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón added: “Education and innovation are key. We must not rely on the highly educated poles of development such as Silicon Valley and Oxford; we need innovation to be widespread and grown locally to address local problems and detect local opportunities. The only way to spark these processes is by supporting education in all corners of our world.”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has previously commented: “The International Commission on Financing Global Education will offer solutions to mobilizing the resources that are needed. I look to the Commission to provide a roadmap, based on innovative, sustainable and practical solutions, to overcome the barriers to lifelong education and learning for all.”

A number of global leaders serving as Commissioners will be present for the Oslo meeting and could be available for interview. These include: Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Gordon Brown, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Felipe Calderón, Kristin Clemet, Julia Gillard, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Baela Raza Jamil, Jakaya Kikwete, Ju-Ho Lee, Graça Machel, Strive Masiyiwa, Teopista Birungi Mayanja, Patricio Meller, Kailash Satyarthi, Helle Thorning-Schmidt and Theo Sowa. A full list of Commissioners may be found on the Education Commission’s website: www.educationcommission.org.

Norway is far from enthusiastic about the prospect of the UK remaining a member of the EEA via EFTA.
The reason for this is that only Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein have membership in the EEA thanks to the EFTA agreement.

By comparison, the UK is a giant and would most likely run the show, thus reducing Norway’s influence.

Membership of the EEA makes Norway and the other two countries that access the single market via EFTA “three-quarter” members of the EU.

When the Norwegian people said “no” to full membership for the second time, in a referendum in 1994, the EEA agreement was an argument that Eurosceptics used to justify voting “no”.

EEA membership would allow Norwegian businesses access to the European single market without the country having to join the Euro or agree to a closer union.

Neither the Norwegian Parliament nor the government were aware of just how extensive the EEA agreement would become when it came into force in January 1994.

What did Norway sign up to?
Norway agreed to accept all EU legislation regarding the single market, and to accept all future legislation that the EU might adopt for the single market, regardless of what this might be.

Parliament approved this while revoking any Norwegian legislation, regulations, and administrative decisions that might be in breach of the basic principles of the EU Treaty or any EU legislation on the single market.

Norway has effectively renounced the right to adopt national legislation that may be in violation of the single market’s legislation.

In return, Norwegian businesses and people get free access to the European single market.

In Spain, for instance, Norwegian companies compete for contracts on equal terms with Spanish companies. Norwegians can travel to and work in other EEA member states, while citizens of the EEA can travel to and work in Norway.

Since 1994, Norway has had to swallow over 10,000 EU laws. At the library of the University of Oslo’s Faculty of Law, this amounts to more than six metres of shelf space.

The EEA agreement does not come free of charge either.

The three countries support the 15 economically weakest EU member states by way of a membership fee for access to the single market.

In the 2014-2021 agreement period, Norway will pay a total of almost EUR 2.8 billion.

In addition, there is a separate Surveillance Authority and Court of Justice to ensure that the three countries fulfil their obligations under the EEA agreement.

Norway has also acceded to other agreements, including the Schengen Agreement.

Norway is a lobbyist
Although Norway has no voting rights in EU bodies, it does attend certain informal ministerial meetings.

The Norwegian government is, in reality, a lobbyist – in the same vein as Statoil and Shell.

Like all other lobbyists, Norway can provide input before the Commission puts forward its proposals.

If the UK leaves the EU, Norway will lose a political ally in a variety of issues. It will make the task of influencing the EU considerably more difficult.

Theoretically, Norway can say “no” to new legislation if Norway feels it conflicts with its national interests or is irrelevant to the EEA. Until now, this has not happened.

The reason is simple: If Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein prohibit the implementation of an EU law, they can be punished.

This means that the EU can revoke entirely unrelated elements of the agreement. For example: Norway threatened to reject the EU directive on additives in baby food, to which the EU responded by threatening to throw Norway out of the agreement on veterinary co-operation. This would be a disaster for Norwegian exports of fish.

Ultimately, Norway always gives in.

Undemocratic, but little resistance
The EEA is undemocratic and not without constitutional problems. Norway has waved goodbye to much of its sovereignty to gain access to the single market.

It would be ironic beyond measure if the British were to end up in the same boat. They voted to leave in order to have more control over their legislation, yet membership of the EEA via EFTA would only serve to reduce this control.

There has been surprisingly little debate in Norway about the agreement.

The reason is that it forms part of Norway’s national compromise on its relationship with the EU. The most recent opinion poll shows that more than 70 per cent of Norwegians are against full membership. Meanwhile, 61 per cent continue to agree with the EEA agreement.

Norway’s National Assembly has put up little resistance.

Although two Norwegian parties are vocal opponents of the agreement – the Centre Party and the Socialist Left Party – both have been in government and administered it. The two parties hold 17 of the Norwegian Parliament’s 169 seats.

How does Norway influence the EU?
There is growing scepticism about the agreement within the Norwegian trade union movement.

The free movement of labour has led to social dumping in some industries, such as construction. It is primarily workers from Eastern Europe who pose this threat.

The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) currently supports the EEA agreement, but this is likely to be a hotly debated topic at its next congress in light of social dumping.

It means that those opposed to EU membership and who are increasingly sceptical of the EEA agreement, will be following Brexit particularly closely.

If the UK gets a good deal, this may turn the tide in Norway.

It may strengthen opposition to the EEA agreement, for such a deal may prove that it is possible for individual countries to negotiate a deal with the EU that is a worthy alternative to membership in the EEA.

Alf Ole Ask is Foreign Affairs Correspondent for Aftenposten and co-author of the book: “EU kontrollen – jakten på det egentlige EU” (in English: “EU control – the pursuit of the true EU”)

Elsbeth Sande Tronstad,secrétaire d’État, ministère des Affaires étrangères (Norvège)

State Secretary Elsbeth Tronstad’s speech at an Oslo visit by the EU transport attachés.
Dear Transport Attachés – dear colleagues,

Norway has longstanding, good and close ties with the EU. We cooperate closely on a broad range of policy areas through a number of agreements. Among these, the European Economic Area – The EEA – Agreement and the Schengen Association Agreement are the two most important.

As a result of this, major and minor developments as well as various political initiatives at European level will have direct consequences also for us. At the same time, in many cases they allow Norway to take active part in the European cooperation and to provide input in key policy areas.

European cooperation is more important than ever. [Yes, I will touch upon Brexit in a few minutes] It is crucial that governments work closely together to meet the common challenges we face – such as creating new jobs and growth, fulfil the climate commitments, to deal with the migration crisis and combat violent extremism.

The present Norwegian Government has argued this point strongly ever since it came to power in 2013. Our strategy for Norway’s cooperation with the EU contains three key messages:

We will focus on policy areas where enhanced cooperation at European level represents added value, both for Norway and for the EU.

We will seek to engage in the European debate as early as possible whenever new policies and rules of importance to us are being developed.

We will pursue an open and inclusive European policy in cooperation with a range of stakeholders in the Norwegian society.

Our EU strategy then sets out the main priorities for the period 2014–2017: Higher quality research and education – an ambitious climate and energy policy – a global approach to migration – and enhanced security.

The strategy is being implemented through annual work programmes. And an English version of the 2016 programme is available for further reading.

The EEA Agreement

The European Single Market is at the very heart of our cooperation with the EU. Through the EEA Agreement, Norway enjoys the benefits of the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital. It guarantees non-discrimination and equal rules and competition throughout the area of 31 countries and 500 million people.

For Norway, it gives our companies access to the Single Market and ensures that they compete on the same terms as companies in EU countries. At the same time, it offers the same benefits to EU companies and citizens entering Norway. This is crucial, as around 80 per cent of our export go to the EU and more than 60 per cent of Norway’s imports come from EU countries.

I would also like to underline that the EEA Agreement covers cooperation in other important areas, such as research and development, education, social policy, the environment, consumer protection, tourism and culture.

On the other hand – the EEA Agreement does not comprise the EU agricultural and fisheries policies, the customs union nor the monetary union. Apart from this, all areas of the Single Market are part of the EEA with one horizontal exemption: The geographical scope is limited to Norwegian land territory, internal waters and territorial waters. The EEA does not apply to the exclusive economic zone, the continental shelf nor the high seas.
How does it work?

The EEA Agreement is dynamic in its character. It is continuously updated and amended to incorporate new Single Market legislation in order to maintain homogeneity across the European Economic Area.

When it comes to the transport sector, most ofthe EU legislation will be implemented in Norwegian legislation. Thus, your work is highly relevant to us – and I believe that we in many cases can be a valuable partner for you as well.

However, not being a member of the Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein do not participate in the decision-making process. But we may give input during the preparatory phase, when the European Commission draws up proposals for new Single Market (EU/EEA) legislation that is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

This includes the right to participate in expert groups and committees under the European Commission. A considerable number of Norwegian civil servants participate in these on a regular basis. We also have around 50 seconded national experts in the Commission. One of them (Espen Rindedal) is in fact working in DG Mobility and Transport on road safety.

I would also like to underline that Norway participates in a number of EU programs through provisions in the EEA Agreement or on the basis of bilateral agreements with the EU. The largest of them being the Horizon 2020, Erasmus+, Galileo and Copernicus. We contribute to the budget of these programs on equal footing with EU member states and thus have the same rights and obligations.

We also participate in a number of EU agencies, among these the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Union Agency for Railways.

A stable and predictable framework

For more than 20 years the EEA Agreement has broadened and deepened the cooperation between the EU and Norway. All parties agree that it has been mutually beneficial and has functioned well.

The Agreement has provided a stable and predictable framework for our economic relations with EU member states and has made an important contribution to Norway’s economy and development. It has had great significance for the business sector and for working life in Norway.

My Government welcomes the EU’s strategy to further develop and deepen the single market. We also support the agenda to create a real Digital Single Market which can boost the European economy.

We also fully support the Commission’s aim and the work it is doing to avoid over-regulation and unnecessary burdens by systematically reviewing existing legislation and ensuring that future legislation is made simpler, better and more user-friendly.

This is well in line with my Government’s slogan “Improve, Simplify and Renew” with special focus on how to make our public sector more effective and our legislation more “business-friendly”, especially in relation to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Together we have been able to safeguard the EEA Agreement and to find mutually acceptable solutions to challenges and difficulties that have emerged over the years. I am confident that this will also be the case in the future.
A short comment on Brexit

All this being said, let me add a few words on the outcome of the referendum in the United Kingdom last week.
The British people have expressed their wish to leave the European Union. We respect their decision.

Norway’s relations with the EU will not be directly affected the “Brexit”. Our agreements with the EU stand firm, and we believe them to be mutually beneficial as I have just mentioned.

The relations between Norway and the UK have deep roots and are wide-ranging. The UK will continue to be among our closest partners. Norway’s trade with the UK will be regulated by the EEA Agreement until the country has formally withdrawn from the EU.

We will follow the negotiations between the EU and UK closely. It is in our interest that the parties find solutions that will ensure a liable framework for economic relations between the UK and the rest of Europe.
Norway and The Arctic

Let me then shift focus – to the High North. In today’s volatile world, the Arctic remains a region of cooperation, stability, respect for international law and sustainable management of resources. The overall goal of Norway’s Arctic policy is to ensure that it stays that way.

Norway has for centuries maintained a strong presence in the North. We are, and have always been, dependent upon income generated in the North.

Some key facts illustrate this:

10 per cent of Norway’s population live north of the Arctic Circle

80 per cent of our sea areas are located north of the circle

There are excellent universities in the northern parts of Norway. The city of Tromsø is a centre for expertise on polar issues

The Arctic is a region abundant with resources such as energy, minerals and fish. At the same time, the Arctic is a highly vulnerable natural environment, where the impacts of climate change can be clearly observed. Climate change represents a challenge for us all, but it is also opening up new opportunities for economic activity in the Arctic.

This is the backdrop for the increased interest in the Arctic.

The EU is no exception. The Commission and the European External Action Service issued their Joint Communication on an integrated EU policy for the Arctic in April, the third communication since the Arctic was put on the EU agenda a decade ago.

Norway has during the years had a constructive dialogue with the EU on issues of relevance to the Arctic and has welcomed the Joint Communication. We share the view that better knowledge of the Arctic is fundamental to respond adequately to the challenges.

The EU contributes to the work of the Arctic Council through participation in its working groups. The EU is also a major contributor to Arctic research. As a partner to Horizon 2020, Norway will encourage the EU to strengthen research on Arctic issues.

Norway and Russia are neighbours in the High North. Through its actions – in Ukraine and elsewhere – Russia has contributed to a greater sense of insecurity in Europe. Together with the rest of Europe we are standing firm in defence of international law and international rules. At the same time, we continue cooperation with Russia in areas where we have common interests. These are management of shared fish stocks, environmental protection and nuclear safety, maritime safety including search and rescue at sea, as well as Coast Guard and Border Guard activities more broadly.

The Norwegian Government aims to promote sustainable business development in the north. We have initiated various schemes to enhance trans-border business cooperation, including seed funds to stimulate activity in the north.

We target our efforts at industries with growth potential, like the maritime sector, the seafood industry, the mineral industry, tourism, space technology, and of course the oil and gas and the fisheries sectors. There are huge distances in the European Arctic, and an efficient infrastructure is crucial for economic development.

Thank you so much for interest in Norway and our relations with you on transport policy issues. I am confident that you will enjoy a fruitful dialogue and good discussions with your Norwegian counterparts today and tomorrow. I wish you a pleasant stay in Oslo.
Thank you!

(mfa)