NORWAY AND EUROPE - 1972 AND NOW

The Norwegian electorate's rejection of European Union (EU) membership in November 1994 is seen here in the context of a struggle lasting 30 years or so within that country over its relations with the European integration process. The membership application by Norway to the EU is placed in the context of previous unfulfilled attempts to join the Eu ropean Communities (EC), especially that terminated by a referendum in 1972. Relations with the EC since then are described, especially thei r culmination in the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement. The negot iations with the EU are covered, as is the 1994 referendum campaign an d its outcome. In the end, the 1994 vote, like that in 1972, reopened the old territorial and cultural cleavages in Norway.