The Storting voted on Tuesday, by 57 votes to 44, to incorporate the EU’s revised state aid rules into Norwegian law.

The consequence is that the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) will gain the authority to impose fines directly on Norwegian companies and municipalities, without Norwegian authorities standing in the way, writes Nationen.

Under the decision, ESA will be able to obtain confidential information directly from Norwegian companies and municipalities and may impose fines if the duty to provide information is breached.

Geir Pollestad of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) believes that the Labour Party has systematically turned Norway into a push-over in relation to Brussels, and referred to the country as the “kitten of the North” during the parliamentary debate. He argues that the Legal Affairs Department’s reversal of position is not credible.

“The only party that has changed its mind here is the Legal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice. The Constitution has not changed its mind,” said Pollestad.

The Christian Democratic Party (KrF) changed its position on Tuesday morning and supported the Centre Party’s proposal to postpone the decision until the Supreme Court had expressed its view on the constitutional question.

The proposal was voted down.

Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth (Labour Party) rejected the criticism and pointed out that, after 13 years of assessment, the Legal Affairs Department is clear that the transfer of authority is of a minor and non-intrusive nature.