The ‘No EU’ debate meeting during Arendal Week was on the topic ‘Woeing room in the EEA agreement – can it be used to ensure political control of the price of electricity?’
August 16, 2023
Einar Frogner, leader of the No EU party, welcomed and provided background to the discussion:
– In the past year and a half, electricity prices have been completely controlled in the market at great cost to families and the business world. It’s an area of work we hear a lot about, but see very little of in practice, Frogner said.
Can energy prices be subject to political control again? Can the working room be used? Is there the political will and courage to do something about it?
The committee consisted of Jermund Skarr, Head of SV’s International Selection Department, Tobias Drevland Lund, MP from Roudt, Dorde Buxasp Lerum, Central Board Member from Sentrungdomain, and Nimra Ramzam, Central Board Member from CAF. The meeting was chaired by Eva Nordlund, journalist and commentator for the Nationen newspaper.
The workroom is not in use
Everyone on the committee thought there was room for maneuver within the EEA agreement, but that room for maneuver is not being used enough.
– There is room for maneuver in the European Economic Area, but the agreement remains a limitation anyway. We don’t see any willingness to use it. Tobias Dreveland-Lund said Red would choose to withdraw from the European Economic Area and negotiate a trade agreement.
Nimrah Ramsam of the AUF believes that the working room has not been used enough.
– It is clear that there is room for action, and there is room for further exploitation of it. She said there is likely to be more room for maneuver in the EEA agreement than current and previous governments have used.
We do not want to withdraw from the European Economic Area. If there are many directives that we are not satisfied with, we can say no to them, rather than withdraw.
The Youth Center will go beyond using the workspace.
There is clearly room for maneuver within the European Economic Area. We can terminate the European Economic Area Agreement. We want to renegotiate the European Economic Area and enter into a trade agreement, said Dordi Boksasp Lerum from Senterungdommen
Gjermund Skaar of SV believes that leeway is not only the right of reservation, but the right of reservation is the most important part of it.
– Those who support the EEA talk about the right to reserve and instead talk about constructive conversation in the back room. SV’s position is that we must withdraw from the EEA agreement. If Norway is judged on an employment ban, this is a clear sign that the EU is interfering in Norwegian working life. If hard is considered against hard, then the EEA of the SV part.
The AUF is not willing to terminate the European Economic Area in order to maintain the ban on rent.
– We stand behind LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik not to give up on hiring. We must have an assessment of what we will do if we do not get approval to maintain the ban. Namira Ramsem said: We want Norway to be part of the European Economic Area.
Energy price and space to work
More renewable energy is what the AUF sees as the answer to the energy price crisis.
– The cause of our energy crisis is our lack of strength. The only way to do something about it is to develop more renewable energy. Our power depends on electricity, Ramadan said, so we have the advantage of being connected to the power grid that gives us the opportunity to import when we produce too little ourselves and export when we have a surplus.
We want Norway to continue linking us to the EU’s energy packages.
Tobias Drevland Lund was completely at odds with the AUF about this solution.
– Develop more current such as filling a bathtub with a plug. Many will react to the fact that we have to pay for pure hydro at the right price for coal. “We have proposed a politically charged electricity price of 35 euros per kilowatt-hour,” Drivland-Lund said.
I don’t think there is room for electricity policy management within the EU’s electricity packages. We will build more electricity in Norway, but it cannot be built the way it is being built now with major interventions in nature. Access to affordable electricity is seen as a right, not a good, said Jermond Scar of SV.
– I think it is a delusion to take the energy field out of the European Economic Area. He said the alternative should be to terminate the European Economic Area agreement.
The Youth Center believes that there may be a new battle for the European Union in Norway.
– We are at the forefront of the new European Union battle. The negative side must stand together. “We’ve never had a greater need for that,” said Dorde Buxasp Lerum.
Big picture at the top: The team from left: Jermund Skarr, Chairman of the International Committee of SV, Tobias Drevland-Lund, Parliamentary Representative from Roudt, Namira Ramzam, Central Board Member of CAF, Dorde Buxaspe Lerum, Central Board Member of Sentrungdomain. Far left: Interview with leader Eva Nordlund, journalist and commentator for Nishnen. (Photo: Sindre Humberset)
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