All of Norway exports – especially Ålesund and Sunnmøre
One of the government’s main goals in business and restructuring policy is that exports excluding oil and gas will increase by 50 per cent by 2030. This is an ambitious promise and in stark contrast to the Solberg government, which in its export strategy claimed that increased exports are not a goal . myself. Such a lack of ambition level from the Liberal Party’s reign is perhaps a contributing factor to Norway last year having a record trade deficit from the mainland of almost NOK 300 billion.
A couple of weeks ago, I launched the export reform “All of Norway exports”, which will be crucial to achieve the goal of increased exports. The reform contains seven new measures that have been developed together with companies across the country and the parties in working life. This has only started on the government’s export investment, and I would urge Alfred Bjørlo in the Liberal Party to familiarize himself properly with the plans before he speaks on the wrong basis.
The Minister of Trade and Industry’s belly splash in Ålesundet
It is not true that the National Export Council is identical to the Export Strategy Council, a public agency that the Solberg government has established and which does not currently have its own employees. I held the start-up meeting for the National Export Council this week, precisely because the government wants to be closer to the export work.
I have never referred to the Export Strategy Council as bureaucratic nonsense, but I believe we should rather strengthen existing initiatives in the districts rather than spend tax money on establishing even more public agencies. By winding up the Export Strategy Council, we simplify the policy instruments, and we free up resources from administration to schemes in the business sector. At the same time, we will build a powerful competence environment for exports in Ålesund, among other things through Innovation Norway and not least by the fact that we have decided to move jobs in Export Finance Norway (Eksfin) to Ålesund.
The National Export Council will propose 5-10 national export initiatives to be adopted by the government. The first two are already ready: offshore wind and more and greener maritime exports, which is completely in line with the input I have received from visits to many companies in Sunnmøre and along the west coast. In addition, we are expanding Eksfin’s mandate so that they can provide favorable loans for industrial investments in Norway that will contribute to increased exports. This has been requested by, among others, the shipbuilding industry.
We are also establishing a scheme where companies can have up to 50 per cent of their export promotions covered, as well as a brand scheme «Made in Norway» which will help increase the willingness to pay for Norwegian products and services. This has been called for, among other things, the finished goods industry, which is also strong in Sunnmøre. The government has also established “One door in”, which will help companies to find their way into the great diversity of government instruments. This has only started on a large-scale simplification work that will save Norwegian companies NOK 11 billion by 2025.
Since I became Minister of Trade and Industry, I have visited over 200 companies in all counties in the country. I am concerned that business policy should be practical and that it should be developed in close collaboration with the business community, not least our many small and medium-sized companies. They are the ones who know where the shoe hits and how we can best support all the creative power that exists everywhere in our country. Therefore, we are now reforming the export work, and I am happy to register with “All of Norway exports” has been very well received by the business community.
– The goal is to increase exports, not government jobs
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