British EFTA membership could provide duty-free Norwegian fish

british flagBritish flag.Photo: pixabay.com

With British membership in EFTA the fisheries sector  will be dropping tariffs on Norwegian fish that is exported to the UK. The industry does not understand politicians’ skepticism, writes the newspaper Klassekampen.

– Norway should greet Britain into the EFTA. I see no reason to be negative to such a process, says Audun Maråk, CEO of the deep sea fishing fleet organization.

While fish exports face tariffs and quotas in the EU, there is free trade in fish between the EFTA countries. Last year Norwegian fishing exported fish with a value of 4.7 billion Kroner to the UK.

Both European minister Elisabeth Vik Aspaker and Labor leader Jonas Gahr Støre have previously stated that they are wary of a potential British membership in EFTA.

-The EFTA agreement will give duty free access for Norwegian fish. In addition it will be the most solid framework for other Norwegian export interests. It’s funny that the government sitting on the fence, says study leader No to the EU, Morten Harper.

Scientist Arne Melchior of NUPI (Norwegian foreign politics institute) says Norway must examine various possibilities around brexit to find new and better trade terms.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today