The Norwegian Parliament Validates Joint Green Certificates Market with Sweden and Incorporation of RES Directive into EEA Agreement

The Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) has given today, 12 December 2011, its consent on two acts of importance for the future renewable energy policy of the country:

1. consent on the bitateral agreement between Norway and Sweden on the establishment of a joint market for green certificates to start on 1 January 2012. The details of the legislative procedure are available here (in Norwegian). The Norwegian act on green certificates (so-called elsertifikater) was adopted on 24 June 2011 (Lov om elsertifikater).

"Vedtak i korthet

Stortinget har samtykket til inngåelse av avtale mellom Kongeriket Norges regjering og Kongeriket Sveriges regjering om et felles marked for elsertifikater av 29. juni 2011."

2. consent on the incorporation of Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RES Directive) into the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The details of the legislative procedure are available here (in Norwegian).

"Vedtak i korthet

Stortinget har samtykket til deltakelse i en beslutning i EØS-komiteen om innlemmelse i EØS-avtalen av direktiv 2009/28/EF om å fremme bruken av energi fra fornybare kilder (fornybardirektivet)."

The last formalities will be the formal approval by the King and the decision by the EEA Committee. The latter decision is expected to take the form of an exchange of letters before the end of next week since the last official meeting of the year has passed.