Norway

Norway... time to prune farm subsidies?

Norway puts a high priority on maintaining high levels of well-being in rural communities, many of which are in remote and challenging environments. While it is broadly successful in achieving this goal, it comes at a high price, most notably in the form of substantial support to farmers. Is there a better way?

Policy challenges for agriculture and rural areas in Norway

Norwegian policy gives high priority to supporting rural communities, with support for agriculture receiving particular attention. It is broadly successful in terms of maintaining rural communities, and urban-rural gaps in a range of well-being indicators are comparatively narrow.

Addressing the challenges in higher education in Norway

Norway’s predominately public and tuition-fee free tertiary education system encourages participation and has high attainment rates. However, challenges in spending efficiency, study times, skills demand, inclusiveness and quality remain.

Macroprudential policy tools in Norway: strengthening financial system resilience

In Norway house prices have risen to high levels, associated with very strong credit growth, in a context of low interest rates. Such a combination was in many countries a contributory factor to the 2008-09 crisis.

OECD Central Government Debt Statistics 2012

Tax reform in Norway: a focus on capital taxation

Norway’s dual income tax system achieves high levels of revenue collection and income redistribution, without overly undermining economic performance and while paying attention to environmental externalities.

Norway: Sustainable development: climate change and fisheries policies

Sustainable development is a key theme in policy making in Norway. Norway can and should follow through more strongly the logic of its pioneering use of economic incentives to further sustainability goals.

The contribution of economic geography to GDP per capita

Fiscal equalisation is a transfer of fiscal resources across jurisdictions to offset disparities in revenue raising capacity or public service cost. It covers on average 2.5% of GDP or 5% of total government expenditure across OECD countries.

Making the most of Norwegian schools

Traditionally, the Norwegian compulsory education system has focused strongly on the linked goals of equal opportunities to learn, comprehensive and inclusive education.