Høyre (H) want the EEA or new referendum on EU membership

Flag EU Norway 25th Anniversary EEANorwegian and EU Flags. Photo: Lise Åserud / Scanpix

If there is a majority to terminate the EEA agreement, a new referendum must be held on EU membership, Høyre believe.

In recent months, the debate on the EEA agreement hasflared up,not least because the deadline of Brexit is approaching.

The dissatisfaction with the agreement has grown rapidly in LO in recent years. Among other things, several departments of the powerful Fellesforbundet have said no to the agreement, which increases the possibility that the association will turn to the national assembly in the autumn. Resistance has also grown in Fremskrittsparti (FrP).

Now Høyre will take a leaf from the same book. In the draft foreign policy resolution to be adopted at the national congress next weekend, the party said that the only alternative to the EEA agreement is full Norwegian membership in the EU.

“If appropriate, a referendum on Norwegian EU membership must be held” the draft says.

In her speech to the NHO’s annual conference in January, Prime Minister Erna Solberg warned about putting the EEA agreement into play.

“If there is uncertainty about the EEA agreement, then not only are uncertainty created about jobs in the export industries. Uncertainty is created for the entire Norwegian society” said Solberg.

So far, there is a clear majority in parliament for the EEA. Høyre, Arbeiderpartiet, Kristelig Folkeparti and Venstre wish to keep the agreement.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today