Norway EU membership returned to the agenda, when the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee backed a report urging EU institutions to actively promote Norway, Iceland and Greenland’s path to the Union, citing security and energy interests in the High North.
What the committee actually approved
The committee endorsed a recommendation on the EU’s diplomatic strategy and geopolitical cooperation in the Arctic, framing closer ties with Norway as part of Europe’s response to a harsher security environment.
The text invites the Commission, Council and High Representative to “explore deeper cooperation” with Norway, including the option of Norwegian accession to the EU and the potential alignment with the Union’s mutual assistance clause (Article 42(7) TEU). While non‑binding, the vote signals a clear political direction ahead of a plenary decision.
Energy security makes Norway strategic
The report describes Norwegian oil and gas resources and power‑cable interconnections as “invaluable for the EU’s energy security”. In the medium term, Norwegian hydrocarbons remain integral to Europe’s transition, while cross‑border electricity trade supports market stability. The document also pairs critical raw materials and Arctic infrastructure protection with a call for tighter EU‑Norway coordination.
How this differs from today’s Norway–EU relationship
Norway is not an EU member but participates in the Single Market via the EEA, adopting most internal‑market rules without a vote in EU institutions. The committee’s push contrasts with Oslo’s traditional caution after two No referendums (1972, 1994), yet it reflects growing debate about the costs of staying outside full decision‑making as the EU deepens policies on trade, energy and security.
Iceland’s referendum and Greenland’s calculus
The Arctic angle extends beyond Norway. The report notes Iceland’s plan to hold a referendum by 2027 on resuming EU accession talks. For Greenland, which left the European Community in 1985 and remains a self‑governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, MEPs point to closer cooperation—and even membership as a long‑term possibility—recognising that any such step would face constitutional and sectoral hurdles (not least fisheries) given Greenland’s current status.
What happens next
The committee’s recommendation is set to go before the full Parliament in Strasbourg. Even if adopted, it would not open negotiations—only national governments and the Commission shape accession processes—but it would add parliamentary weight to a strategic case for bringing key North Atlantic partners closer to the EU’s security and energy framework. For Norway, the message is blunt: the door is open if the political will in Oslo shifts.
The debate crystallises a wider Nordic‑EU question: how to secure the Arctic, diversify energy and protect infrastructure amid Russian pressure and global competition. Whether through membership or reinforced partnerships, the northern flank is moving higher on the Union’s agenda—and so is Norway EU membership.
