News in English

The EEA enlargement offers new opportunities for both new and existing EU member states. Norway has stated that access to the Norwegian labour market for workers from the new member states will be as wide as possible, and this continues to be the case. Labour market access will be considerably simplified from 1 May this year.

The leaders of Germany and France pledged Monday to avoid political interference in a proposed merger of two French drug makers that would create a new global giant.

Education Minister Kristin Clemet said during question time in parliament on Wednesday that she had no plans to ban the hijab - the head scarf worn by Muslim women that has recently become increasingly associated with Islamism.

The co-operation agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Innovation Norway on the integration into the foreign service of the new company’s personnel who are posted abroad was signed today by the managing director, Ms Gunn Ovesen, on behalf of Innovation Norway, and by Secretary General Bjarne Lindstrøm on behalf of the Ministry.

This study is based on a review of 300 cases selected by the immigration authorities which served as a representative sample of the entire caseload for the period of 1998-2003.

When youth became a separate phase of life and young people were definedas a separate category in society, this led to the development of a separateyouth policy.

The right of peoples to self-determination is a fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter. Self-determination is the basic tenet upon which nation states have been established. It is the central organising principle for the conduct of international relations between sovereign states.

Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson attended the signing of an agreement on wealth-sharing in Naivasha, Kenya, on Wednesday, which will be part of the final peace agreement between the Sudanese Government and the SPLM.

From the start of the new year new laws will go into effect that forbids discrimination in the housing sector. The prohibition applies to discrimination on the basis of creed, colour and language abilities. It also applies to discrimination in relation to national or ethnic origin, homosexual disposition, way of life or orientation.

It is important to stimulate debate and reflection on Norway?s position in Europe and Norwegian European policy in a broad sense. Norway?s European policy is an extremely relevant topic in our country today, not only because of the EU?s preparations for a new Constitution and the forthcoming EU enlargement.