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Partners - Norway

Updated 06/2012

Legal requirements

Some of the Acts and Regulations that govern cooperation between enterprises in different countries are:

  • SE Act norsk
  • Act relating to public limited companies (Public Limited Companies Act) norsk
  • Regulation on employees' right to co-determination in European companies norsk
  • Competition Act norsk

Forms of cooperation

There are various ways of cooperating with Norwegian enterprises. The type of cooperative arrangement that enterprises opt to enter into with Norwegian firms is often a strategic choice and will be an individual decision in any given case. Examples of forms of cooperation are:

  • Franchise
  • Partnership
  • Joint venture
  • Sub-contracts
  • Cooperation on production
  • Technology transfer
  • Joint research projects

New European business models

European Company - a 'Societas Europaea' (SE) can be established by merging at least two public limited companies in different EU/EEA countries or by restructuring a subsidiary of a limited company in another country. This is intended to make it easier for enterprises to expand and operate in several EU/EEA countries.

For a European Company with an office in Norway, the rules laid down in the Public Limited Companies Act apply wherever appropriate, unless specified otherwise in the SE Regulation or any rules laid down pursuant to that Regulation. Similarly, any other rules laid down in or pursuant to laws that apply to public limited companies generally, or to the operations run by the business enterprise, will also apply to the SE. Any requirement in the law to organise your business as a public limited company does not prevent you from organising as a European Company.

Other options for expanding your business are taking over an existing one, merging with another company or opening a branch in another EU country.

Administrative procedures

Registration

The launch of joint operations and mergers is covered by the rules of company law that apply to the legal form of the enterprise concerned.

European Company: to set up a European Company, you need share capital of at least EUR 120 000, and the company must be registered in the country where it has its head office. An SE can be registered in Norway by registering the Norwegian enterprise as a public limited company in the Register of Business Enterprises.

  • Brønnøysund Register Centre - Registration forms norsk

Avoiding double taxation

In the matter of liability for tax in Norway, you need to check whether there is any basis for taxation in Norway under Norwegian domestic law. It is also important to find out whether any tax agreements have been concluded with the other country. If so, and if this limits the right to tax the assets or income the case relates to, you may choose which method should be applied to avoid double taxation.

If no tax agreement has been concluded with the country concerned, or if the specific situation falls outside the scope of the tax agreement, taxation will be handled according to Norwegian domestic law.

  • Ministry of Finance - list of tax agreements norsk

Resources

The Europa portal shows the latest news from the Government and the Ministries. It also provides links and background to Norway's cooperation with Europe where this has a bearing on Norwegian society.

  • Europa portal norsk

You can find further information on the following web sites:

  • Enterprise Europe Network - Information on technology transfer norsk
  • Research Council of Norway - Joint research projects norsk
  • Norwegian Tax Administration norsk

Programmes

The Enterprise Europe Network databases can help enterprises to find cooperation partners to develop new technology or find a new distributor. The databases hold details of almost 600 European enterprises interested in cooperating with Norwegian industry, and are maintained in collaboration with our colleagues in the Enterprise Europe Network all over Europe.

  • Enterprise Europe Network - Looking for partners in Europe norsk

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Legal texts

    • Act of 01.04.2005 No 14: Act relating to European companies, implementing the EEA Agreement Annex XXII no 10a (Council Regulation (EC) No 2157/2001) (SE Act) norsk
    • Act of 13.06.1997 No 45: Act relating to public limited companies (Public Limited Companies Act) norsk
    • Reg. of 01.04.2005 No 273: Regulation on employees' right to co-determination in European companies norsk
    • Reg. of 04.12.1992 No 964: Regulation relating to material competition rules in the EEA Agreement norsk
    • Act of 19.06.1992 No 56: Act relating to commercial agents and commercial travellers (Agency Act) norsk

Living and moving in Europe

Still need help?

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Enterprise Europe Network - Contact points

The Enterprise Europe Network provides businesses with information and advice through its local contact points. 

Choose your nearest contact point for personalized help and advice:

Further help

Innovation Norway offers financing, training, consulting, networking and profiling services.

  • Innovation Norway norsk

The European Business Register (EBR) is a service covering 16 European countries; the Register provides reliable official information from each country's national trade register. Firms can use this register to find information on their European cooperation partners.