The European Consultative Committee is the Storting body responsible for consultations with the Government on European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) matters.
The Committee principally considers EU legal acts (directives and regulations) that are to be dealt with in the EEA Committee. The rules concerning the Committee’s scope of activities are laid down in section 17 of the Storting’s Rules of Procedure.
The European Consultative Committee comprises the members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence and the members of the Storting’s Delegation to the EFTA and EEA Parliamentary Committees. Other specialist committees may be invited to take part in consultations if the items under discussion are of particular relevance to their spheres of responsibility. The Minister of EEA and EU Affairs represents the Government, with other government ministers being invited to take part as required. The chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence is also the chair of the Committee.
Meetings of the European Consultative Committee are called before matters are considered in the EEA Committee. The Government is responsible for putting forward the items under discussion. The members of the European Consultative Committee recommend which line the Government should take on the different issues, but it is up to the Government to make the final decisions on behalf of Norway. Though not bound by the recommendations made by the Committee, the system of parliamentarianism ensures that the Government is accountable to and dependent on the confidence of the Storting.
Contact
Postal address
Europautvalget
Stortinget
0026 Oslo
E-mail: postmottak.internasjonal@stortinget.no
Committee Secretary
Ms Vibeke Rysst-Jensen
Tel: 23 31 35 13
vibeke.rysst-jensen@stortinget.no
Senior Advisers
Ms Margrethe Saxegaard
Tel: 23 31 36 07
mars@stortinget.no
Mr Per Nestande
Tel: 23 31 36 11
per.nestande@stortinget.no
Storting Archives
Ms Lene Andreassen
Tel: 23 31 37 22
lene.andreassen@stortinget.no