Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Benedetto Della Vedova met at the Farnesina today with his Norwegian counterpart for European Affairs Ingvild Naess Stub. The meeting, one of a series of particularly intense bilateral encounters, centred on principal European and international topics.
Della Vedova explained the priorities and progress achieved thus far by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Although not a European Union member, Norway participates through the European Economic Area in essential aspects of the single market, the 20th anniversary of which will be celebrated this year. “We hope to further strengthen the privileged relations between Norway and the EU”, Della Vedova underscored.
Special focus was given to immigration and the Frontex Plus operation, energy supply and the Ukraine crisis. “Italy, which recently became an observer country in the Arctic Council”, the under-secretary pointed out, “is highly interested in playing an active role in the Arctic region, not least at scientific level, in partnership with Norway”.
