http://www.norway.no News from the public sector http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/ud/Whats-new/News/2007/The-Nordic-countries-take-responsibility.html?id=487880 (Government) Climate change and environmental issues were the main agenda items at an open meeting of Nordic ministers in Oslo on 31 October. The ministers discussed how the Nordic countries, both individually and together, can tackle the challenges and exploit the opportunities presented by a globalised world. 2007-11-05T10:46:58+01:00 http://www.npd.no/English/Aktuelt/Nyheter/2007.10.29+Store+muligheter+for+lagring+av+CO2.htm (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate) The Norwegian continental shelf offers opportunities for storing carbon dioxide, according to a report for the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) by Gassnova, Gassco and the NPD. 2007-11-05T10:44:45+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/vis/english/magazine/art-2007-11-05-01-en.html (Statistics Norway) Nordic comparisons show that the relative innovation activity of the Norwegian business and enterprise sector is higher when corrected for industry structure. This and other results of Nordic comparisons are now available in a new report. 2007-11-05T10:41:25+01:00 http://www.nve.no/modules/module_111/news_item_view.asp?iNewsId=35990&iCategoryId=623&iResponse=3 (Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate) The power situation as of October 31th. It has been Norwegian net export of electricity since the last week of April. The net export was on its highest level with 598 GWh in week 34. Thereafter it has decreased towards 115 GWh in week 43. Total Norwegian net export has been 10 TWh the last 27 weeks. 2007-11-05T10:40:31+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/02/30/ekteskap_en/ (Statistics Norway) In 2006, 227 registered partnerships were contracted. Since the law about registered partnerships came into force, there have never been so many partnerships contracted during one year. The high number is due to the increase in partnership between females. 2007-10-26T12:39:27+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/11/02/konkurs_en/ (Statistics Norway) In the past 14 years, the number of bankruptcies has never been lower than in the third quarter of this year. The total number of bankruptcies was 583. This is a decrease of 18 per cent compared with the third quarter of last year. 2007-10-26T11:08:4+01:00 http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/oed/Press-Center/Press-releases/2007/Nomination-of-blocks-for-the-20th-licens.html?id=486974 (Government) Mrs. Åslaug Haga, Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, has invited oil companies to nominate blocks they think should be included in the 20th licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf. The invitations were sent to all owners of licenses on the shelf and pre-qualified companies. 2007-10-26T11:06:14+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/00/10/statres_en/ (Statistics Norway) StatRes is a system for development and dissemination of statistics on central government. Its aim is to provide the general public and the authorities with more knowledge of state-run activities. StatRes is an abbreviation for state resource use and results. 2007-10-26T10:59:12+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/01/10/innvgrunn_en/ (Statistics Norway) In 2006, 29 500 first-generation immigrants with non-Nordic citizenship immigrated to Norway for the first time. 80 percent of these immigrants came due to labour or family reunion. Over the last two years, the labour immigration has almost tripled. 2007-10-26T10:53:15+01:00 http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/oed/Press-Center/Press-releases/2007/StatoilHydro-into-Shtokman.html?id=486918 (Government) StatoilHydro will take a 24 per cent share in the company which is to develop the Russian Shtokman field – Shtokman Development Company (SCD). The agreement between Gazprom and StatoilHydro will be signed today. 2007-10-25T16:01:24+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/09/05/iktuh_en/ (Statistics Norway) External trade with ICT goods is growing, but in less degree than the trade with traditional goods. Imports of ICT goods are dominated by computers and related equipment, while exports are dominated by telecommunication equipment. Exports of ICT goods are highest in Oslo and Akershus and lowest in Hedmark and Oppland. 2007-10-24T10:27:17+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/10/06/20/oljeregn_en/ (Statistics Norway) The operating income for the oil companies increased by NOK 138 billion to NOK 635 billion in 2005, as a consequence of increased oil prices. This also caused a rise in operating result of NOK 81 billion. 2007-10-24T10:25:45+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/vis/english/subjects/01/05/40/avfregno_en/art-2007-10-23-01-en.html (Statistics Norway) During the last eleven years, the amount of waste has increased by 30 per cent to 9.6 million tonnes. In comparison, the GDP has increased by 37 per cent. The amount of waste levelled out somewhat in 2006. 2007-10-23T10:18:24+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/06/01/akukurs_en/ (Statistics Norway) 15 per cent of all employed persons attended courses, seminars, conferences etc. in the second quarter of 2007. Compared with recent years, the difference in course attendance between men and women is narrowing. 2007-10-23T10:17:2+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/vis/english/subjects/01/03/10/energiregn_en/art-2007-10-19-01-en.html (Statistics Norway) In spite of a high growth in energy used in transport, the total Norwegian consumption of energy was approximately the same in 2006 as in 2005. This is due to record electricity prices and lower activity in manufacturing industries. 2007-10-19T13:46:12+01:00 http://www.udi.no/templates/Page.aspx?id=8898 (Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) Foreign women who are abused in marriages may apply for residence permits based on individual grounds. The assessment will be based on the information given by the women. - No foreign women should be forced to live in a violent marriage in fear of losing their residence permit, notes Director General of the UDI, Ida Børresen in Bergens Tidene on October 2. 2007-10-19T13:40:11+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/vis/english/subjects/03/01/10/dodsarsak_en/art-2007-10-19-01-en.html (Statistics Norway) The decline in mortality due to cardiovascular disease in recent decades continued in 2005. Overall cancer-related mortality continued to be stable, but the number of deaths from lung cancer increased. 2007-10-19T13:33:54+01:00 http://www.mattilsynet.no/english/news_archive/citizens_of_oslo_are_recommended_to_boil_their_drinking_water_52276 (Norwegian Food Safety Authority) Parasites have been found in the drinking water in parts of Oslo. It has not yet been reported any illness due to this, but the Norwegian Food Safety Authority still recommend people who live in the affected area to boil their water. 2007-10-18T15:08:44+01:00 http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/aid/Whats-new/News/2007/Successful-Norwegian-integration.html?id=485748 (Government) – There is an ongoing debate in Norway about whether the integration of immigrants is successful or not. A new European study demonstrates that Norway succeeds in many areas, and we are pleased to have this confirmed, says Mr. Bjarne Håkon Hanssen, the Norwegian Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion. 2007-10-18T11:54:34+01:00 http://www.npd.no/English/Aktuelt/Nyheter/2007.10.17+Skaper+historier+om+framtiden+NS.2.2007.htm (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate) More than 40 years have passed since the first well was drilled on the Norwegian continental shelf, and the question is whether Norway will remain an oil and gas nation four decades from now. Scenarios can help to raise awareness about factors influencing developments on the NCS 2007-10-18T11:51:56+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/04/02/10/barnregnp_en/ (Statistics Norway) Parental payments accounted for 25 per cent of gross operating expenditures in private kindergartens in 2006, compared to 32 per cent in 2005. This follows the trend from last year whereby state and municipal subsidies account for an increasing share of kindergarten revenues. 2007-10-17T10:09:53+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/10/03/inet_en/ (Statistics Norway) The number of broadband subscriptions was 1 368 000 at the end of the second quarter, an increase of 235 000 in the last twelve months. Only two municipalities have less than 20 private broadband subscriptions per 100 households. 2007-10-16T10:25:46+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/10/10/10/petroleumsalg_en/ (Statistics Norway) Sales of auto diesel increased by 15.4 per cent in September. Total sales of petroleum products came to a total of 820 million litres in September 2007, a small decrease by 0.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. 2007-10-16T09:56:9+01:00 http://www.udi.no/templates/Page.aspx?id=8880 (Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) This is one of several points in the instruction from The Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (AID) concerning the au pair arrangement. An information document concerning the rights and obligations of an au pair and the host family will be prepared. It will be required from now on that this document is signed by the au pair, the host family and eventually the procurement agency. In addition, the pocket money has been increased from NOK 3,000 per month to NOK 4,000 per month. 2007-10-16T09:32:21+01:00 http://registry.kredittilsynet.no/ (Financial Supervisory Authority) Kredittilsynet’s registry contains information on all enterprises and individuals that are under Kredittilsynet’s oversight. The types of enterprises and individuals involved are listed in the Financial Supervision Act, section 1. 2007-10-12T10:23:15+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/10/08/10/elektrisitet_en/ (Statistics Norway) The production of power came to 11 246 GWh in August, the highest production figure ever recorded for this month. Gross consumption of electricity and net exports totalled 8 653 GWh and 2 593 GWh, respectively, which is all time high as well. 2007-10-12T10:17:56+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/05/01/30/skattoppgjor_en/ (Statistics Norway) Wealth tax was assessed for about 1.1 million persons in 2006. This is a decline of 120 000 from 2005. However, assessed wealth tax increased by 11 per cent to NOK 9.8 billion. 2007-10-12T10:14:24+01:00 http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/md/Press-Centre/Press-releases/2007/Nobel-Peace-Prize-a-Timely-Recognition-o.html?id=485563 (Government) – I wish to congratulate the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, and former US Vice President Al Gore with the Nobel Peace Prize. This is a recognition of global warming as today’s most significant threat to global as well as regional stability. Addressing the challenges of climate change is therefore vital to achieve global peace and stability, emphasises Minister for the Environment Helen Bjørnøy. 2007-10-12T01:00:0+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/08/02/10/kpi_en/ (Statistics Norway) The consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.3 per cent from September 2006 to September 2007. The decrease is mainly attributable to price fluctuations on electricity tariffs. The CPI adjusted for tax changes and excluding energy products (CPI-ATE) increased by 1.6 per cent. The CPI rose by 0.7 per cent from August to September 2007. 2007-10-10T10:26:33+01:00 http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/08/02/20/pif_en/ (Statistics Norway) Prices of petroleum products and electricity were the main reason for a 1.2 per cent growth in the price index last month. Lower prices of food, crude materials and chemicals moderated the price increase. 2007-10-10T01:00:0+01:00