2025/10/22 by Guri Rosén, Ulf Sverdrup · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #European Union Policy and Governance #European and International Law Studies #EU Law and Policy Analysis
paper · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198888581.013.0046
openalex publication_date 2025/10/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Abstract Norway’s relationship with the European Union (EU) is not just about foreign policy. Norway is not a member of the EU, but over time, an extensive web of agreements has been established. The European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, which is the cornerstone of EU–Norway relations, is far more than a free trade agreement, making Norway a de facto member of the EU’s Single Market. It regulates and coordinates cross-border issues but also impacts domestic policies, challenging both political and administrative sovereignty. By analysing various aspects of Europeanization, this chapter focuses on the ways in which Norway resembles an EU Member State, crucially as a quasi-member of the internal market, but also on how it stands apart. It describes the main components of the EEA Agreement and the dynamics that determine its development. It also looks at the various other agreements that Norway has with the EU, notably within the areas of justice and home affairs as well as foreign and security policy. Subsequently, it explores the consequences of Norway’s half-way status—having to balance between being on the inside and the outside at the same time. The chapter argues that this has become a more demanding and precarious balancing act in recent years. It adds to the scant literature on Norway’s relations with the EU by accounting for the differentiated effect on Norwegian policies and politics of being simultaneously inside and outside.