Norway vows to strengthen cooperation with EU

Norway said on Wednesday it would strengthen its cooperation with the European Union (EU), including on the issue of the flow of migrants into Europe and ways to control the external borders.

"We need more, not less, cooperation with the EU on the common challenges facing Europe," Norway's minister of the European Economic Area (EEA) and EU affairs Elisabeth Aspaker was quoted as saying in a statement as she presented the government's work program for cooperation with the EU in 2016.

She pointed out the single market strategy, migration, climate and energy were among the main priorities in the Norwegian government's European work program for 2016.

Norway is not a member of the EU but is part of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA). It remains subject to the same single market regulations and the fundamental principles of the free movement of goods, services, people and capital as the 28 EU member states.

The work program for 2016 builds on efforts from previous years, but due to the current flow of migrants into Europe, this year's program has an extra focus on justice and home affairs, according to the statement.

"As a Schengen member state, Norway will seek to ensure that all Schengen countries take on their shared responsibility for ensuring effective and sound control of the external borders," Aspaker said.

This includes strengthened cooperation with the EU on the rapid return of illegal residents and to give priority to European police cooperation to combat human smuggling, the statement said.

Norway will also maintain a close dialogue with the EU institutions and member states on the development of the energy union as it is in the Nordic country's interests that the energy markets function well and that gas and electricity infrastructure is improved, it added. Endit