The coronavirus and the Storting
The Storting has made the decision to cancel committee trips abroad in March and April 2020. The aim is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Saturday guided tours of the building for the public have also been suspended until further notice.
Marianne Andreassen, Secretary General of the Storting. Photo: Storting
“We are monitoring the situation related to the coronavirus carefully, and we are taking precautions in line with the advice given by the health authorities. We are doing our best to make sure that we do not put people’s lives and health at unnecessary risk. We also aim to ensure that the sittings, hearings and committee work in the Storting will be able to go as planned in the event that there is an outbreak of the disease,” said Marianne Andreassen, Secretary General of the Storting.
She adds that the Storting is basing its approach to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus on the precautionary principle.
“We are monitoring the situation closely. We have set up a working group to coordinate measures and to carry out a continuous assessment of contingency plans.
The following applies for the Storting’s activities:
Business in the Storting
General business in the Storting will continue as planned. Sittings, committee meetings and hearings will carry on as normal.
Guided tours
Saturday guided tours for the public have been suspended from Saturday 7th March 2020 until further notice.
Travel
Travel activities will be restricted.
The Presidium has made the following decision with regard to international travel:
Planned committee trips abroad in March and April 2020 will not be carried out. Participation in planned regular meetings of interparliamentary bodies and other international travel will be continuously assessed. Study tours will be cancelled. The Presidium assumes that individuals themselves will carefully consider the necessity of international travel during March and April 2020.
Committees, delegations, party groups and Members of Parliament are asked to carefully consider incoming visits to the Storting during March and April 2020.
Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff
Everybody is asked to keep up to date with and follow the advice of the Institute of Public Health. Hand disinfection dispensers have been placed around the building and there will be extra cleaning services. The Storting is following the Directorate of Health’s recommendations for vital functions in society.
Ongoing assessment
The working group will meet on a daily basis. The situation and any necessary measures will be considered at these meetings.