All posts by Margrethe Harboe

B-2 Spirit Conducts Historic Hot Pit Refueling in Norway

Business News, Defense / Security

Orland, Norway —
A B-2 Spirit bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., conducted a historic hot pit refueling at Orland Air Base, Norway on Aug. 29, 2023. The occasion marked the first time that the B-2 has landed in Norway, signaling the shared commitment between the U.S. and Norway to deter threats and strengthen the NATO Alliance. Three B-2 Spirit bombers are currently forward deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, in support of Bomber Task Force Europe 23-4.

Hot pit refueling within NATO countries allows for the B-2 to expand its fuel range and minimize its time on the ground. By exercising the ability to conduct hot pit refueling in strategic locations, the U.S. and our Allies are able to increase combat airpower throughout the European theater.

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AmCham Defense Forum: Expert Perspectives & Nordic Mindsets

AmCham News

AmCham Defense Forum: Expert Perspectives & Nordic Mindsets

First House warmly hosted AmCham’s June Defense Forum, providing representatives from 24 organizations a unique opportunity to share insights, expand collaboration, and assess future transatlantic needs. The agenda focused on supporting US defense industry partners operating in Norway, with discussions centered on Norway’s future acquisitions and Nordic defense cooperation.


Meeting presenters Sigbjørn Aanes, Partner at First House, Erling Heine Alvestad, Specialist Director at the Department of Security Policy, Norwegian Ministry of Defense, and LtCol Christopher D. Shore, Chief of Defense Cooperation Norway-Iceland, provided expert perspectives.

The discussion commenced by addressing the Norwegian political landscape, defense spending, recent political risks, the significant standing of labor, and impacts on defense procurements. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing geopolitical ramifications were also in focus.

 

Also spotlighted were the strategic depth and benefits that Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership offer Norway amidst a shifting security landscape. We thoroughly explored the future of Nordic defense collaboration, including identifying obstacles and broader implications. Additionally, we investigated defense links between the US and Norway, emphasizing considerations for industry collaboration.

The meeting concluded by recognizing the importance of adhering to good business practices in Norway, encompassing proper processes, adhering to timelines, and understanding cultural differences in the business environment – or “mindsets.”

About the AmCham Defense Forum

AmCham’s Defense Forum supports US defense industry partners in Norway. Patron-level representatives work jointly to bridge the gap between public and private sector stakeholders, fostering dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. AmCham’s far-reaching membership network strengthens defense capabilities and secures long term transatlantic bonds.

Jointly founded together with the US Commercial Service, the forum serves as a unique platform for regularly sharing insights, developments, and trends within the defense sector and beyond.

 

 

Norway Retail Sales Surprise With Biggest Jump in 6 Months

Business News, Financial / Investment

Norwegian retail sales rose more than expected in May, jumping the most in six months, led by hardware stores and petrol stations, in another sign that consumers show resilience to rising costs.

Seasonally adjusted retail sales, excluding motor vehicles, rose 1.2% from April, compared with a median forecast of 0.2% gain in a Bloomberg survey of analysts. The statistics office in Oslo also revised the April decline of 1.2% to a dip of 0.1%, it said on Wednesday.

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Exxon CEO Tells Europe to Follow US Approach to Climate Action

Business News, Energy

European leaders looking to tackle climate change should look to US policy and “let the market work” to avoid driving companies away with prescriptive regulations, Exxon Mobil Corp. Chief Executive Officer Darren Woods said.

“I think it’s a huge mistake to be picking winners and losers and focusing on specific technologies,” Woods told the CEO Norway’s Wealth Fund, Nicolai Tangen, on his podcast. “Instead we should be looking more broadly at letting the markets figure out which solutions provide the most emissions reductions for the lowest cost.”

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U.S. Chamber Welcomes Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act

Business News, Pharmaceutical

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy issued the following statement welcoming the introduction of the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC):

“The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security.

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But with title Clean Energy Sector Debates Impact of GOP Efforts to Repeal IRA Tax Credits

Business News, Energy, Financial / Investment

Republican attacks on the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits may be negatively impacting the sector, some industry players and experts say. 

They say the GOP’s efforts to eliminate the subsides risks creating uncertainty for investments — especially with potential financial backers nervously looking ahead to next year’s elections.

“It definitely creates uncertainty in the market and is bad for both Democratic and Republican jurisdictions around the U.S.,” said Christopher Knittel, a professor of applied economics at MIT.

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Fjerner krav om statsborgerskap i ledelser og styrer i selskaper

Business News, Government

Fra 1. juli fjernes kravene til statsborgerskap for daglige ledere, styremedlemmer eller medlemmer av bedriftsforsamlingen som er bosatt utenfor Norge.

– Endringen vil gi selskapene mer fleksibilitet i valg av ledelse. Det vil fortsatt være et bostedskrav som sikrer at kreditorer, ansatte og andre berørte parter kan holde selskapets tillitspersoner ansvarlig, sier næringsminister Jan Christian Vestre.

Tidligere ble det stilt krav om at personer som er bosatt i en annen EØS-stat eller Storbritannia, også måtte være borger av en slik stat. Endringen innebærer at det ikke lenger stilles krav til nasjonalitet for personer bosatt utenfor Norge. Samtidig lovfestes at også bosted i Sveits vil oppfylle det nye bostedkravet.

Les hele artikkelen.

Mondelēz Norge ønsker dialog med regjeringen velkommen

Business News, Food & Beverage

Mondelēz Norge merker seg at Coop Norge har bedt om et møte med regjeringen og etterspurt råd og avklaringer for næringslivet.

Mondelēz Norge hilser en slik dialog velkommen i denne kompliserte situasjonen og sender nå et brev til de relevante departementene for å skissere våre standpunkter, foreslå et møte og tilby eventuell ytterligere informasjon de måtte ønske.

– Vi håper og tror at dette gjør at debatten fokuserer på objektive kriterier. Faktum er at internasjonale leverandører som står bak en betydelig del av dagligvarene i Norge fortsatt opprettholder virksomhet i Russland i varierende grad, uten å bryte sanksjoner. Dette må tas i betraktning når vi går videre, sier Chris Callanan, adm. direktør i Mondelēz Norge AS.

Les hele pressemeldingen her.

Transatlantic Data Flows: Time for a Sustainable Framework

Business News, Government, Technology
Imagine if Europe had never been introduced to the TV show ‘Game of Thrones’ – or if Ed Sheeran was completely unknown to American audiences. This grim hypothetical world could very well have been the reality if data transfers between Europe and the United States did not exist. But data transfers do not only enable our entertainment: they are the lifeblood of our economy and a key pillar of the transatlantic partnership. Today, as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the General Data Protection Regulation, we are reminded of the importance of stable and workable regulatory frameworks.