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Local Norway
5 hours ago
- Business
- Local Norway
LISTED: Six new laws that need to be passed in Norway before summer
Close to 200 matters are scheduled for debate and decision up to the parliament's summer break, making this one of the most demanding legislative periods of the term. Several of these proposals and amendments, which are expected to be finalised and voted on in the coming weeks, will have a notable impact on life in Norway. READ MORE: Nine unmissable events in June 2025 New Kindergarten Act (June 3rd) A majority in parliament has reached an agreement on a new Kindergarten Act. The reform aims to change governance and financing rules, with the goal of ensuring greater transparency, higher quality standards, and improved financial oversight in both public and private kindergartens. Interested in finding out more about what makes kindergarten in Norway different? These are some of the biggest surprise s reported by foreigners bringing up children in this Scandinavian country. Motorhome driving license reform (June 3rd) New driving rules would allow holders of a standard Class B license to drive motorhomes weighing up to 4.25 tons, up from the current 3.5-ton limit. This change is backed by a parliamentary majority and is expected to benefit tourism and domestic travel. EXPLAINED: The ways you can lose your driving licence in Norway Advertisement Expanded dental care access (June 4th) A proposal supported by the Labour Party, the Centre Party, the Socialist Left Party, and the Red Party aims to extend free dental care from age 25 to 28. The plan also calls for a gradual expansion of public dental services, marking a step toward more comprehensive healthcare coverage in Norway. If you're wondering how dental care in Norway is structured at the moment, how much it costs, and what you should expect, check out this explainer . Tobacco regulations (June 4th) The Storting is expected to adopt stricter tobacco control measures, including a ban on smoking at playgrounds, sports facilities, and inside vehicles with children. The changes aim to strengthen protections against second-hand smoke exposure for minors. Advertisement Tourist tax (June 4th) A proposal to introduce a municipal tourist tax will be under review. Although a final agreement on the model has not been reached, there is growing parliamentary support for allowing municipalities to impose local fees to offset the environmental and infrastructural costs associated with tourism. Still, there isn't a clear majority in favour at the moment. The Local has a deep dive into the latest tourist tax developments in Norway, which you can find here . READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Norway's planned tourist tax Consent Act (June 5th) A new law defining rape based on lack of consent rather than use of force is set to pass with broad cross-party support. This represents a landmark shift in Norwegian criminal law, aligning with international human rights recommendations. Advertisement Revised national budget (June 20th) Finally, the 2025 revised national budget will be finalised by June 20th. Key sticking points include the Centre Party's demand for reduced food VAT and the Socialist Left Party's call for universal free kindergarten. These negotiations will likely influence fiscal policy well into the next term. You can find all the proposals that will be up for consideration in June on the parliament's website, here .
Travel Weekly
6 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Norway considers cruise tax
Norway is moving toward authorizing a tax on cruise ships as a part of a larger effort to introduce a tourism tax, according to The Local Norway. Though the legislation previously targeted hotels, campsites and short-term rentals, the country's ruling Labour Party now intends to include cruises and campervans in the tax, the English-language outlet reported. The Labour Party has not yet determined a desired tax rate, and the Centre Party is not on board with the change, according to the report. The tax would not apply nationwide but would rather be one that municipalities could opt into. A version of the bill submitted last month would have set the rate at 3% for overnight stays, according to Forbes.
Local Norway
27-05-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
Norway's plan for tourist tax changed to target cruise passengers
In the latest turn of events, the Labour Party has vowed to include new groups of tourists across the country in the tax scheme proposal. The policy U-turn comes after mounting criticism that the government's so-called 'visitor contribution' unfairly burdened hotels, campsites, and Airbnb providers while exempting the very groups most associated with over-tourism: cruise passengers and campervan tourists. READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Norway's planned tourist tax A reworked plan In a recent statement to the newspaper Børsen , Labour's business policy spokesperson Rune Støstad confirmed that the party has been working behind the scenes in recent weeks to refine the proposal. 'We have really listened to all input and done a job to accommodate and extend a hand to all parties,' Støstad said. The revamped plan now includes three key changes - cruise tourists should be taxed nationwide, the general tourist tax will initially apply only to northern Norway, and the scheme will run for two years before being evaluated for potential national rollout. While details on the exact rate for cruise tourists remain undefined, Støstad emphasized that the aim is to 'make the tax fairer.' Advertisement From exemption to inclusion Initially, the government's plan introduced earlier this spring reduced the rate for the accommodation sector from 5 to 3 percent – in line with many European cities – but left out cruise and campervan tourists. Municipalities were granted the discretion to implement the tax, but its focus drew ire for missing its intended targets. Industry voices, as well as political opponents from the Progress Party (Frp), Conservative Party (Høyre), Socialist Left (SV), and the Center Party (Sp), questioned the logic and fairness of the proposal. Their criticism has now helped shape the updated framework. READ MORE: Norway wants tourist tax in place by summer 2025 Advertisement Centre Party pushback Despite the Labour Party's efforts to 'sweeten the deal' by including cruise tourists, gaining parliamentary support remains uncertain. The Centre Party, a former government partner, has stated that it still cannot support the revised proposal, the newspaper DN reported. This opposition casts doubt over whether the bill – designed to help municipalities offset the environmental and infrastructural wear caused by mass tourism – will pass a parliamentary vote. As things now stand, more work is needed to reach a consensus. READ MORE: How will Norway be affected by climate change-driven tourism?
Local Norway
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Norway
Permanent residency rules: Everything that changes in Norway in June 2025
Parliament to vote on permanent residence rule changes The Norwegian parliament will vote on changing the Immigration Act to tighten the language rules for permanent residence for some applicants on June 6th. The bill will mean that applicants for permanent residency will no longer need to document that they have completed mandatory training in Norwegian language and social studies up to the most elementary A1 level, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Instead, applicants will need to take a test proving that they can speak Norwegian at the slightly more advanced A2 level, which is defined as the point at which people can understand simple everyday language and express themselves on basic topics. The rules won't apply to those in Norway under the EEA rules, as they instead get the right of permanent residence, which is slightly different. The law change will also introduce new limits to family reunification for immigrants with more than one wife and clarifies the legal basis for financial support for return or repatriation. Deadline to negotiate the revised national budget The revised national budget must be ready to be presented to parliament by June 13th and must be adopted before the parliament's summer break begins on June 20th. The current Labour government will need to negotiate with the Centre Party and the Socialist Left Party in order to reach majority support for its fiscal plan. The Centre Party left government earlier this year over a row on EU directives, while the Socialist Left Party has been Labour's preferred negotiating partner for budgets and major policy Both the Centre Party and Socialist Left Party have promised tough negotiations. The Socialist Left Party wants more redistribution of wealth, while the Centre Party wants to cut VAT on food. Advertisement Salmon rivers to open Salmon rivers in Norway will open for the season during June. The exact opening date may vary from area to area. The salmon season will then run until the end of August. Norway is considered by many to have some of the world's finest salmon fishing rivers. Those looking to fish must make sure they pay both for the fishing licence and the local fishing fee. Some rivers may not even open this year due to dwindling fish stocks. Summer solstice Saturday, June 21st 2025, will mark the summer solstice in Norway. In most parts of Norway, you can expect it to remain light hours past midnight. From that day forward, the days in Norway will gradually get shorter until the winter solstice in December. While the longest days of the year can make it hard to sleep if you don't have a curtain or blind, the extra light is perfect for activities like hiking and jogging after a long day at work. Longer trips are also possible as it won't get dark quite as soon. The sun will be visible between June 12th and July 1st as the clock strikes midnight in the Arctic Circle. In Bodø, the midnight sun is visible between June 4th and July 8th. Advertisement The sun is visible in parts of Norway as the earth rotates on a tilted axis relative to the sun. The north pole is angled towards the star, meaning the sun never sets. School summer holidays The last day of the school year across much of Norway will be Friday, June 20th, and kids won't return until a new school year begins on Monday, August 18th. Pride events Oslo Pride will occur between June 20th and June 28th, and the main parade will occur on June 28th. Oslo Pride is the country's largest LGBTQIA+ celebration. The parade will begin in Grønland. Bergen Pride will take place between June 13th and June 21st, with a parade and closing concert taking place on the 21st.
Local Norway
19-05-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
How Norway's government plans to lower the price of food
Jonas Gahr Støre, the country's prime minister, said at a press conference announcing the new measures that tougher competition in the food retail market could help contain price growth and improve the variety of goods on offer. 'Rising food prices are something households feel every single day,' he said. 'Stronger competition in the grocery sector could give consumers better variety and lower price growth. That's why the government is introducing new measures to strengthen competition.' According to Statistics Norway (SSB), food and beverage prices have for years outpaced general inflation, something experts blame on the tight control a handful of supermarket giants have over retail and wholesale, together with high import taxes and a challenging geography. READ ALSO: Three key things you need to know about Norway's revised budget Advertisement The government announced four main measures: better price information for consumers , by ensuring that companies have correct unit prices, promotions and special prices increasing access to prime retail locations for competitors , by, among other things, taking action against the anti-competitive use of exclusive leases. increasing transparency in the food value chain by, among other things, forcing the food giants to keep separate accounts for their businesses at each step of the retail chain, making it easier for regulators and consumers to see what margins they are earning. reforming the Good Practices Act , or loven om god handelsskikk , to make it easier to scrutinise agreements between the food giants and their suppliers, including on issues like the use of discounts and private labels. Norway's grocery chains were cautiously positive towards the changes. Coop said it was "positive about measures that strengthen competition in the grocery value chain, so that consumers get the lowest possible prices for food." "We will now carefully consider whether these are proposals that will be positive for our customers. We will talk to the government about this on Friday," Stein Rømmerud, executive vice president of communications at Norgesgruppen, told E24. The proposals were dismissed, however, by the Centre Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, who is calling for VAT on food to be cut from 15 percent to 10 percent to lessen the impact of high prices on consumers. "None of these proposals will have any impact on food prices for the foreseeable future," he said. "It's better to cut VAT on food from August 1st. At the press conference, Jonas Gahr Støre said that the finance ministry had rejected the idea of reducing VAT on food because "experience shows that the money from these reductions gets eaten up before it affects what's in people's shopping carts. It is not targeted or worth spending money in that way. It also takes responsibility away from the grocery chains." But Vedum dismissed this as "pure rhetoric", saying that it had been Gahr Støre himself who had blocked the measure when the Centre Party had called for it before the party left the government coalition in February. "It is important to respect that there are different views, but it was the Labour party's leader who said no to lower food VAT," he said. Erik Fagerlid, a retail expert, was also critical of the government's proposals, claiming that all of these measures have been floated without success for more than a decade. Advertisement "The government has already received answers to all the questions it's now asking and not so long ago. This has been investigated from here to eternity," he told the E24 business site. "I have submitted thoughts, consultation responses and reports to seven ministers. [Cecilie] Myrseth is number eight." The measures, if anything, threatened to make food more expensive by forcing the food giants to spend more on lobbying, he claimed. "The money spent on lawyers, consultants and PR advisors over the last 20 years comes from somewhere. All other things being equal, this passes the costs on to you and me as consumers. It has made groceries more expensive."
