RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SCM/Q2/NOR/8
29 June 2000
(00-2677)
Committee on Subsidies
and Countervailing MeasuresOriginal:  English
SUBSIDIES
Replies to Questions from the UNITED STATES1
Regarding the Updating Notification of NORWAY2
The following communication, dated 26 June 2000, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Norway.
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Q1. Under section 5, Assistance to Environmental Improvement , part 5.3, “Loan Guarantees
for Investment in Cleaner Technologies, Waste Reduction and Recycling”, please cite the law
that terminated or abolished the programme, or indicate whether the programme was originallyintended only for a specific period of time.
Reply
The programme was terminated by the Norwegian Parliament during the autumn of 1997 in
connection with the yearly budget process.  Reference document:  St.prp. 1 (1997-98).
Q2. Under section 5, Assistance to Environmental Improvement , part 5.4, “Guarantee for
Loan Facility and Loan Facility to the Co mpany Responsible for T reatment of Hazardous
Waste”, it was indicated that no new loans or guarantees were given under this scheme in 1998.
Please indicate whether this programme has been abolished, or whether funds continue to be
dispersed.  If the programme has been abolished, please cite the law that terminated orabolished the programme.
Reply
Parliament decided in 1991 to provide guarantees of up to Nkr 250 million for loans taken by
NOAH AS for building a facility for treatment of hazardous waste.  Responsibility for the
administration of NOAH AS was transferred from the Ministry of Environment to the Ministry of
Trade and Industry on 1 January 2000.  For further details see St. prp. nr. 1, (1999-2000) Naerings-og
handelsdepartementet.  On 31 December 1999 the guarantee responsibility was Nkr 141.389 million.
This amounts to 55 per cent of the loans.  The guarantees are deficiency guarantees.  No paymentsbased on the guarantees have been made.  Further guarantees will not be given.
Q3. Under section 8, Assistance to the Fishery Sector,  part 8.1, “Aid to Structural Measures
and Rationalization in the Fish Processing Industry”, please cite the law that terminated or
                                                     
1 G/SCM/Q2/NOR/7
2 G/SCM/N/48/NORG/SCM/Q2/NOR/8
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abolished the programme, or indicate whether the programme was originally intended only for
a specific period of time.
Reply
Aid for structural measures and rationalization in the fish processing industry was given in
1995 under the yearly agreement between the Govern ment of Norway and the Norwegian Fishermen's
Association.  The agreement was established 3 June 1964 between the organization and the
Government to provide measures that ensure an income for fishermen which is in line with the
income of employees in other sectors and thus, gradually enable the industry to be independent of
governmental transfers.
Total expenditure was Nkr 0.3 million in 1995.  The programme was abolished in 1996.
Q4. Under section 8, Assistance to the Fishery Sector,  part 8.4, “Marketing Funds”, please
cite the law that terminated or abolished the programme, or indicate whether the programme
was originally intended only for a specific period of time.
Reply
The aid was given in accordance with the yearly agreement between the Government of
Norway and the Norwegian Fishermen's Association.  The marketing funds were used to promote the
sale of fish and fish products on the domestic market and for export.  According to the agreement, this
fund came to an end in 1995.  Thus, the last total expenditure was Nkr 3.7 million in 1996 and was
granted in 1995.
Q5. Under section 8, Assistance to the Fishery Sector,  part 8.7, “Grant for Building or
Purchase of Vessels to the County of Finnmark”, it was indicated that no aid from this scheme
was paid in 1998.  Please indicate whether th is programme has been abolished, or whether
funds continue to be dispersed.  If the programme has been abolished, please cite the law that
terminated or abolished the programme.
Reply
The programme "Grant for Building or Purchase of Vessels to the County of Finnmark" has
not been abolished.  The stated policy objective of the subsidy was to support the fishing fleet in the
Finnmark region.  In 1996 and 1997, Nkr 10 million was allocated to the programme.  No aid under
the scheme was paid out during either of these two years.  Therefore the Nkr 20 million was
transferred to 1998.
As indicated in the 1999 updating notification of Norway, no aid was given during 1998, and
the funds were transferred to 1999.  However, only 10 million of the total of Nkr 20 million could be
transferred to 1999 due to budgetary technicalities.
As stated, no aid under this scheme has yet been given.  However, the Norwegian Industrial
and Regional Development Fund has already agreed to grant allocations to vessels that presently are
being built.  The funds will be dispersed as the vessels are completed.  Hence the programme will not
be terminated, as the grant funds are needed to fu lfil the obligations of the Norwegian Industrial and
Regional Development Fund in Finnmark.
Q6. Under section 8, Assistance to the Fishery Sector,  part 8.9, “Support for Energy Saving
Devices onboard Fishing Vessels”, please cite  the law that terminated or abolished theG/SCM/Q2/NOR/8
Page 3
programme, or indicate whether the programme wa s originally intended for a specific period of
time.
Reply
The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries abolished the programme "Support for Energy Saving
Devices Onboard Fishing Vessels" on 9 January 1996.
Q7. Under section 8, Assistance to the Fishery Sector,  part 8.10, “Support for the Formation
of Management Groups in the Coastal Fleet”, please cite the law that terminated or abolished
the programme, or indicate whether the prog ramme was originally intended for a specific
period of time.
Reply
Aid under the programme "Support for the Formation of Management Groups in the Coastal
Fleet" was granted in accordance with the agreement between the Government and the NorwegianFishermen's Association in 1984 for the following y ear.  The total value of subsidies granted under
this scheme was Nkr 2 million.  The funds were disbursed between 1986 and 1988.  No new funds
were provided for this scheme and the programme was terminated when the amount available was
used.
Q8. Under section 8, Assistance to the Fishery Sector,  part 8.11, “Aid to Development and
Rationalization in the Fishing Industry”, please cite the law that terminated or abolished this
programme, or indicate whether the programme wa s originally intended for a specific period of
time.  In addition, please indicate when the scheme came to an end.
Reply
Aid to Development and Rationalization in the Fishing Industry was given in 1995 and 1996
in the yearly agreement between the Government of Norway and the Norwegian Fishermen's
Association.  Total expenditure in 1995 and 1996 was Nkr 9 million and Nkr 6.9 million respectively.
The programme was abolished in 1997.
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