This report is a victory for SP in government. Now it is being hailed by the EU's Brexit negotiator.

This is a victory for the Central Party. Michel Barnier, the EU's Brexit negotiator, hailed it. – It should be done everywhere, he says.

Michel Barnier has a long and impressive CV in European politics. He has held several ministerial posts in various French governments, including Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was also the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services of the European Union.

But he is best remembered as the EU's chief negotiator during the dramatic Brexit negotiations with Great Britain.

Aftenposten meets him at NHO, who has invited him for an exclusive interview and French macaroons.

Barnier tells Optenposten that he's caught up Norway EEA investigation, Presented recently.

– Exploring the relationship between Norway and the EU is a good idea and an example to follow. Barnier excitedly tells Aftenposten that this is something that should be done everywhere, including EU member states and the UK.

SP wins government talks

The EEA inquiry was one of the victories of the No Party, the Center Party and the Trygway Slacksvold role. Government negotiations.

In the mandate for the inquiry, the party argued that the committee should investigate the experiences of Switzerland, Great Britain and Canada with treaty-based cooperation with the EU. Storr was skeptical, but agreed.

As Aftenposten previously noted, the investigation didn't exactly go SP's way.

The EEA investigation concludes that the “Swiss solution” sought by Sp is “unrealistic” today. The UK and Canada's experiences with treaties are also not recommended for Norway.

EU activist Barnier praised the report to the skies.

Invites Norway to the EU

The EU's Brexit negotiator points out that such a professional inquiry is missing before Britain chooses to leave the EU. He was particularly excited about the participation of Norwegian trade unions in the work.

– To me, it is absolutely incredible that Britain decided to leave the EU without any sort of independent inquiry into what it means to leave the EU. No one knows that. Eight years after the referendum and two years after the end of the negotiations, they are still discovering new consequences every day. To me, it is absolutely unbelievable, he says.

NHO President Ole Erik Almlid agrees.

– Report In any case, Norway should stop the EEA debate, he says.

Barnier told British Prime Minister Theresa May during the Brexit negotiations that he thought it was surprising that the British did not have an independent body considering such issues.

– What do you think about the results of the group?

– If I'm not mistaken, the report says that participation in the internal market is important for Norway's economic development. Do you want to go ahead and join the EU? Well, that depends on the Norwegian people. It is their choice.

There is still no doubt about what He wants us to do.

– You're ready, we're ready. He says the door is open.

Barnier, a member of France's liberal conservative Republican Party, says he knows Prime Minister and AAP chief Jonnar Kahr-Stor very well. He's done that since he was head of the store in Brundtland's government.

Barnier visited the store on Tuesday morning to congratulate him on the report. Høyre's Ine Eriksen Søreide also received such a greeting, she says.

– I congratulated them that Norway has set up this independent commission for you to get the truth. Truth is key to any debate, says Barnier.

Little faith in EU punishment

Recently, the EU's relationship with Norway has been brought to the fore as a way Exciting letter From EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simpson to the government. There, the EU has set a mid-August deadline to introduce a controversial renewable energy directive.

“In the absence of progress, the commission will consider all possible measures to protect the integrity of our common market,” Simpson warned.

Barnier has little hope that the EU will introduce punitive measures against Norway. But he didn't rule it out.

– I don't want a situation where negative actions are taken rather than good cooperation, he says.

He notes that the relationship between the EU and Norway has always been characterized by cooperation, and he sees no reason why that should change.