Norwegian delegation visiting Sweden
A Norwegian government delegation led by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess today begins an official visit to Sweden. The
A Norwegian government delegation led by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess today begins an official visit to Sweden.
The royals will be joined by Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt and Minister of Trade Jan Christian Vestre, as well as a substantial Norwegian business delegation. The visit is intended to promote both trade and environmental cooperation between the two countries, as well as to publicly support their close relations through cultural exchange. This will be the first visit from the new Labor government in Norway.
Although there is likely to be a lot of talk about implementing an environmentally sustainable policy during the visit, it is unlikely that such discussions will affect Norway’s significant oil and gas production. Not only is Sweden – together with the rest of the EU – a major consumer of Norwegian hydrocarbons, but Swedish energy companies secured several offshore oil and gas production licenses in an offer on 18 January.
As Norway is the largest European supplier of oil and gas, Sweden will probably see increased trade ties as important for the country’s economic security. Expect Sweden to continue to support oil extraction in the North Sea. Norway is likely to increase hydrocarbon production further to meet the increased demands from Europe.
Wake up smarter with an assessment of the stories that will make headlines in the next 24 hours. Download The Daily Brief.