Merz: The EU wants energy cooperation with Norway and Canada

The European Union wants to tighten energy cooperation with Norway and Canada, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Friday after a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in northern Norway. The talks also concerned security and cooperation in the space sector.

Merz emphasized that Europe needs common strategies to ensure stable energy supplies, also with countries outside the European Union. As he noted, Norway and Canada are key partners in building Europe's energy security.

“We need common strategies for energy security, also with countries that are not EU members,” said the German Chancellor at a joint press conference with the prime ministers of Norway and Canada.

According to Merz, the talks held during the visit to northern Norway created the basis for further development of energy cooperation between European countries and allies in the North Atlantic region.

The meeting of the three leaders took place during a visit related to the NATO exercise “Cold Response”. The delegations visited, among others: Andoeya and Bardufoss. In addition to energy, the talks also concerned security and cooperation in the space sector.

Stoere and Merz, who met at the Norwegian space center Andoeya Space above the Arctic Circle, announced the expansion of strategic cooperation between Oslo and Berlin to include the space sector.

“The use of satellites is critical to national security and defense capabilities,” Stoere said.

Norway is the only country in Europe that has infrastructure enabling missile launches over the open sea. The German government announced to invest EUR 35 billion over the next five years in its own space sector and satellite technologies. According to both heads of government, the combination of Norwegian infrastructure with German technological base will strengthen European capabilities to launch satellites into orbit as part of the so-called European space sovereignty.

“It's time for Europe to develop its own capabilities in space,” Merz told Andoeya Space.

The announcement of cooperation in the space sector is a development of the agreement on strategic military partnership between Germany and Norway signed on February 14. Based on it, both countries will introduce six submarines manufactured in German shipyards into service. Additionally, defense companies are to integrate their projects in the field of naval technologies and weapon systems, including long-range hypersonic anti-ship missiles.

From Oslo Mieszko Czarnecki (PAP)

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