[autom.vertaling] Noorse Eerste Minister één stap dichter aan de EU (en)

Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik has been firmly opposed to EU membership for many years, but he took a more pro-EU attitude this weekend when presenting the Quadriga "European of the Year" prize to Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg and Prime Minister Einars Repse of Latvia in Berlin on Friday (3 October).

"The question of Norwegian membership has not been settled once and for all, but I think perhaps we need to see the nature of the future Union more clearly before the question of reconsidering our current status will be on the political agenda in my country", said Mr Bondevik.

Norway is currently not a member of the European Union, but actually contributes to the EU budget to the same level as Denmark, which is the ninth largest net contributor of all the member states, recalled Mr Bondevik.

Norway also accepts most EU legislation due to its membership of the European Economic Area.

"It will be particularly important to see how enlargement and a new constitutional treaty affects the EU, in particular the situation for the smaller member states. We will follow this closely", said the Norwegian Prime Minister.

Differentiated integration

He is in particular interested in seeing if the EU will have a more differentiated integration, where groups of member states will move forward and seek enhanced cooperation in certain specific areas such as Schengen, the Economic and Monetary Union, and possibly within European security and defence cooperation.

Pro-Europeans in Norway reacted with joy.

The Social Democrat leader Jens Stoltenberg said that it was too early to say whether Norwegian EU membership is getting nearer.

"It is too early to say. But it is pleasant that Bondevik, who in 1972 and 1994 devoted all his political force to hinder Norwegian membership, now has a more open approach", said Jens Stoltenberg to Aftenposten.

He was certain that the EU would develop more flexible structures when the EU is enlarged from 15 to 25 members states.

The Norwegian 'no'camp sees current developments in the European Union as deeper integration.

"None of the current discussions in the EU follows the line that Mr Bondevik's eventually might be interested in", says Sigbjorn Gjelsvik from the Norwegian No to EU.

The Deputy Chairman of the Left Socialists Oystein Djupedal said, "The EU he [Mr Bondevik] is talking about, does not exist. The EU is discussing further integration".

Mr Djupedal said the EU couldn't be compared to an á la Carte menu, where you are allowed to select only what you like.

A new EU debate and decision is expected in the next period of the Norwegian Parliament, starting in 2005.