European Outsider and Insider

This chapter discusses Norway’s close but problematic relationship with the European Union and its predecessors. Why has there been such strong resistance to membership? The fear of losing sovereignty and a feeling of being a European outsider are two main reasons that are discussed. The main theme of the chapter is the increasingly closer economic and political cooperation with the European Union in the twenty-first century. Norway has become the most integrated non-member. Policymakers have considered that this is highly beneficial for a small state like Norway, which has Europe as its most important market for the large export sector. However, this has also challenged national sovereignty. More than 10,000 EU legal acts have been implemented into Norwegian law without a Norwegian role in the decision-making process. The democratic challenges are widely acknowledged in domestic politics, but it seems that this will continue as membership remains unpopular among the public. The majority of Norwegian foreign policymakers realise that a small state like Norway must pay a price if it is to have good trade and political relations with the European Union.