Press Release: Further strengthening of the EC-Norway energy cooperation

Due to State Budget meetings in Oslo, the Energy Dialogue meeting between the EU Commissioner for Energy, Mr Andris Piebalgs, and the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr Odd Roger Enoksen, has now been postponed until 15 September 2006. However, in a telephone conference on 30 August, they agreed to further strengthen the energy cooperation by establishing a Joint EC-Norway Energy Cooperation Group. Its main task will be to examine the whole spectrum of energy issues and make concrete proposals to the Ministerial meetings. Both parties reaffirmed their mutual interest for close and comprehensive consultations on key energy issues. Norway is a major exporter of oil and gas to the European Union and an integral part of the EU internal energy market through the European Economic Area Agreement.