About West Norway Office
The West Norway Office is one of six Norwegian regional offices in Brussels. Our vision is to be an accessible, visible and useful tool, representing the interests of our members and promoting West Norway as a region with strong economical and cultural ties.
West Norway Office JSC, is owned by the West Norway Office Foundation, which currently has 18 members. Our members are mostly municipalities (Austevoll, Austrheim, Bergen, Eidfjord, Fedje, Fjaler, Gloppen, Høyanger, Kvam, Sogndal, Sunnfjord, Stranda, Voss, Øygarden and Ålesund), but there are also two county councils (Vestland and Møre & Romsdal), 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 its name suggests, the building consists of several other Norwegian establishments, such as the Mission of Norway to the EU and the Norwegian Embassy in Belgium.
About the West Norway Region
Population: 899.507 (2020)
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 of the region are petroleum/oil-related industry, fishery, maritime affairs such as shipbuilding and offshore shipping, 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 283 930 inhabitants, is the largest city and the regional capital. The city hosts several recognized educational institutions, and is the regional center for research and higher education. There are also several smaller regional research and educational centers throughout the region.
Contact:
Director: Merete Mikkelsen
Address: Rue Archimède 17, 1000 Brussels
Closest metro station: Schuman
Phone: 0032 2 2850000
E-mail: merete.mikkelsen@west-norway.no
European Affairs Adviser: Anna Lygre Solvang
Address: Rue Archimède 17, 1000 Brussels
Closest metro station: Schuman
Phone: 0032 2 2850000
E-mail: anna.solvang@west-norway.no
Our services
Information
Through our presence in Brussels, we pick up on relevant information to share with the region. We publish our own monthly e-newsletter, where we shed light on EU news and policies that can have an impact on our region and Norway in general. Additionally, we respond to a wide range of questions from the public.
Transferring knowledge
Good understanding of EU issues is important for the development of our region, and is why we organize tailored study trips to Brussels for groups from our region. We also participate in seminars and lectures in Norway.
Project experience
West Norway Office is devoted to raise awareness about opportunities in the region regarding EU funded programs and projects. In order to increase regional participation in EU projects, we provide people with all the necessary information regarding upcoming deadlines, new programs, partner search, etc.
Network
We can organize meetings with EU institutions and other organizations that people from our region are interested in meeting. We also collaborate closely with international and Norwegian networks in Brussels where we promote regional interests.