EU Introduces New Tariffs on EEA-member Norway
The government claims the tariffs on ferroalloys violate the EEA Agreement, while the EU points to WTO rules. Iceland reacts strongly and is considering withholding a EU defence agreement. The Norwegian government only sharpened its tone after pressure from the opposition. Is Norway too dependent on the EU as its primary market?
November 19, 2025 | INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
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The EU has introduced new tariff measures on Norwegian ferroalloys. This should not come as a surprise; Norway has already been met with trade barriers in the EU market, including tariffs on processed fish. The Norwegian government claims the measure violates the EEA Agreement, which in Article 10 prohibits customs duties between the parties, while the EU argues the move is legitimate under a WTO provision.
The measure allows imports exceeding quotas set at 75 percent of imports from 2022–2024 to enter duty-free if prices exceed predetermined thresholds. If prices fall below those thresholds, tariffs are applied to raise the final price to the required level.
The Norwegian government, led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, has responded cautiously. This stands in clear contrast to Iceland’s Foreign Minister Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, who announced that Iceland may refuse to sign a defence agreement with the EU as a direct response. Iceland has no standing army, is a NATO member, and maintains a security agreement with the United States. The country will vote on EU membership next year and is now signaling a strong response to Brussels.
Only today has the Norwegian government adopted sharper rhetoric, following strong pressure from the opposition, led by Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, leader of the Centre Party – and possibly inspired by Iceland’s stance. The government has emphasized its “close ties” with European leaders and created expectations of diplomatic influence. The results tell another story: Prime Minister Støre was denied entry to Israel last week, and Norway has still not secured a new trade agreement with the United States. We remain among the few countries still subject to the original tariffs imposed under the Trump administration.
The situation raises a fundamental question: How wise is it to base such a large share of Norwegian exports on a single primary customer? In basic business strategy, risk diversification is a core principle. Yet Norway binds itself closely to the EU market, without a clear political strategy to manage the consequences when market access weakens. And why are countermeasures not being considered if the EEA Agreement is meant to be reciprocal? The EU is dependent on Norwegian oil and energy and has a critical need for future mineral supplies from Norway.
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