Norway Wants to Be Included in EU-UK Brexit Talks on Internal Market

The Norwegian Minister of the European Economic Area and EU Affairs says that Norway would like to participate in the arrangements between London and Brussels regarding the internal market.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Norway would like to participate in the arrangements between London and Brussels regarding the internal market during the Brexit negotiations, Norwegian Minister of the European Economic Area (EEA) and EU Affairs Frank Bakke-Jensen said Tuesday.

"We would like to have the possibility to be included in EU-UK arrangements concerning the internal market, permanent as well as transitional," Bakke-Jensen said in a speech to EU ambassadors in Oslo, as quoted by the UK Express newspaper.

He added that Norway had been conducting bilateral political dialogue with the United Kingdom.

Norway is not an EU member but has access to the free-trade EEA under a special agreement with the European Union.

In January's 12-point Brexit plan, the UK government said it would seek to pursue a post-Brexit free trade deal with the bloc.

The United Kingdom held a referendum on June 23, 2016, deciding to leave the European Union. British Prime Minister Theresa May said the country would trigger the Article 50 of the EU Lisbon Treaty by the end of this March, thus beginning withdrawal negotiations.