Oslo, August 21: Norway’s Foreign Ministry has expressed concerns regarding US tariffs during discussions with a senior trade official in Washington.
According to the ministry, Norway’s State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik met with US Deputy Trade Representative Jeff Gotteman on Wednesday. The meeting focused on tariffs and the ongoing investigation into global industrial production capacity initiated by the US.
On July 24, the US announced new tariffs on goods from Norway and 59 other trading partners, including the European Union (EU). As reported by the Xinhua news agency, Washington stated that one reason for these measures is the insufficient restrictions on imports of products made with forced labor from these countries.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated, “We completely disagree with the unilateral imposition of tariffs by the US and the justifications provided.” Kravik emphasized that there is no basis for treating Norway differently from the EU during the meeting.
Eide noted that Kravik also raised questions regarding the US’s overcapacity investigation, which includes Norway, the EU, and 14 other nations. The potential for a trade agreement between Norway and the US was also discussed.
Eide remarked, “Any agreement must be in Norway’s interest. We will not compromise at any cost.” He added that the US’s tariff policy is creating uncertainty for countries that have already established agreements with Washington.
After the meeting, Norway’s State Secretary took to social media platform X, stating, “I had a constructive meeting with US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gotteman. We discussed the long-standing trade relations between Norway and the US. I reiterated my country’s strong opposition to the Section 301 investigations against Norway. I hope to continue discussions on this issue.”
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