West Norway Office

About West Norway Office

West Norway Office is one of six Norwegian regional offices in Brussels. We represent the interests of our member organisations and help them to achieve their ambitions and find solutions to common European challenges through regional cooperation. We also promote West Norway as a dedicated and highly competent partner to other regions in Europe. Our key priorities include climate, energy (hydrogen, batteries, alternative fuels), research, education, circular economy, and maritime affairs.

We currently have 19 members, of which sixteen municipalities, two county councils and one higher education institution: Austevoll, Austrheim, Bergen, Eidfjord, Fedje, Fjaler, Gloppen, Høyanger, Kinn, Kvam, Sogndal, Sunnfjord, Stranda, Voss, Øygarden, Ålesund, Vestland County Council, Møre and Romsdal County Council and the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL).

Our office is located in Norway House, situated opposite the European Commission and close to other EU institutions in Brussels. As the name suggests, the building consists of several other Norwegian establishments, such as the Mission of Norway to the EU and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgium.

Address: Rue Archimède 17, B-1000 Brussels
Closest metro station: Schuman

Our services:

Information
Through our presence in Brussels, we have access to first-hand information that is relevant for West Norway. We have a monthly newsletter where we shed light on the latest news and EU policies that could have an impact on our region. Additionally, we respond to a wide range of questions from our members and the public.

Transferring knowledge
A good understanding of EU affairs is important for the development of our region, and we offer tailored study trips to Brussels for our member organisations. We also participate in seminars in Norway and offer lectures on various topics that are of interest to our region.

Regional participation in EU projects
We are devoted to raise awareness about the opportunities that lies within the various EU programmes. In order to increase regional participation in EU-funded projects, we provide our members with the latest news about upcoming calls and deadlines. We also assist them in finding European partners for their project ideas.

Networking
We organise meetings with EU institutions and other organisations in Brussels that representatives from our region are interested in meeting. We also collaborate closely with both international and Norwegian networks in Brussels where we promote our regional interests.

About the West Norway Region

Population: 904 364 (2021)
Area: 49.204 km2
Population Density (inh/km2): 17,9

West Norway is a coastal region, located in the South-West of Norway. The main industries are petroleum and process industries, fishery and aquaculture, shipbuilding and offshore shipping, port activities, metal production and farming. The dramatic landscape of the region and its historical heritage also makes western Norway a popular tourist destination, making tourism an important activity for both urban and rural parts of the region. Bergen, with its 285.601 inhabitants, is the largest city and the regional capital. The city hosts several recognised educational institutions, and is the regional center for research and higher education. There are also several other regional research and educational centers throughout the region.