Støre urges Britain to seek an alternative to Norway’s EU arrangement

Britain should develop its own relationship with the EU rather than adopt Norway’s approach, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said ahead of Andy Burnham’s summit with European leaders. He argued that the differences between the British and Norwegian economies made his country’s model inappropriate for Britain.

Burnham has said he would like Britain to return to the EU in the long term and that every option merits consideration. At a summit with EU leaders in November 2026, he is aiming to explore ideas for improving trade terms.

Through the European Economic Area (EEA), Norway belongs to the EU single market without holding EU membership or a vote on the bloc’s commercial rules. Støre recognised the democratic limitations of that arrangement but said Norwegian parliaments had regarded it as a reasonable practical choice since 1995.

Støre said Norway puts most EU decisions into effect and has needed 100 additional agreements with Brussels, covering areas such as security, climate and students. He said an open economy accustomed to adapting to international standards could accept those terms, but cautioned against them for a country that left over excessive influence from Brussels.

He also suggested Britain, Norway and Canada could cooperate strategically on space and rare earth mineral supply chains, both areas of interest to the EU.