– Bypassing the Norwegian people’s government

If you do not get approval for your special interests directly in the Norwegian political system, someone has seen fit to get the EU on board.

23 Norwegian companies and organizations are asking the European Commission to intervene and set a deadline for the introduction of the EU’s energy efficiency directive into Norwegian law. The directive has been pending with successive Norwegian governments for 12 years.

– We see the European Commission as our closest ally in the work on energy efficiency in Norway, says senior advisor Bård Baardsen at the Norwegian Heat Pump Association to Energy and Climate.

“The request from the 23 organizations is clearly inspired by the European Commission’s letter to Norway in March,” writes Energy and Climate.

During a visit in March, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said that Norway must join the EU’s fourth energy market package and build more foreign cables. Soon after, she sent a letter and gave Norway until August to implement it.

The 23 organizations and companies that have signed the letter are: Zero, Friends of Earth, Bellona, ​​Young Friends of the Earth in Norway, Greenpeace, WWF, Samfunnsbedriftene, NBBL, Byggenæringens Landsforening, Norsk Eiendom, Nelfo, Novap, EFO, Byggevareindustrien, HVAC cooling and ventilation companies, HVAC plumbing companies, Norske Trevarer, Solenergiklyngen, Integra, Lyskultur, Multiconsult, Nibe and Skanska.

– Such bypassing of the Norwegian people’s government is not in line with the tradition we have in Norway of good dialogue between interest organizations and Norwegian elected officials in policy-making, says SP’s energy policy spokesperson Gro-Anita Mykjåland.

She believes that these 23 Norwegian organizations are trying to pressure the Norwegian authorities through the EU to adopt directives in Norwegian law.