OSLO (Reuters) – Norway, which has twice rejected European Union membership, should maintain close cooperation with the bloc and speed up the adoption of EU rules and regulations, a Norwegian government-appointed commission recommended on Thursday.
Norway said no to EU membership in national referendums in 1972 and 1994, but is one of three nations alongside Iceland and Liechtenstein participating in the union’s common market via the European Economic Area (EEA) treaty.
The government commission said the treaty gives Norway a “broader, deeper and more predictable” relationship with the EU than those of Switzerland, Britain and Canada, with which it was asked to compare.
“The review shows that the EU’s agreements with Switzerland, Great Britain and Canada cover fewer areas and to a lesser extent ensures market access than the EEA Agreement does,” it said.
Eurosceptics say the treaty is undemocratic, forcing Norway to adopt laws over which the country has little or no influence. Supporters of the EEA say it is a good compromise that benefits the Nordic country’s citizens and businesses.
Opinion polls regularly show that Norwegians oppose full membership of the EU, but support the EEA treaty.
The commission had not been asked to consider EU membership for Norway.
(Reporting by Terje Solsvik; editing by Christina Fincher)
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