Government agencies in Norway explained
The Government agencies of Norway are state-controlled organizations that act independently to carry out the policies of the Government of Norway. The government ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions but not by direct orders. A minister is explicitly prohibited from interfering with the day-to-day operation in an agency or the outcome in individual cases. While no minister is allowed to give orders to agencies personally, they are subject to decisions made by the government. Also, the minister is normally the instance of appeals for agency decisions.
Agencies are organised as . Still, some of the work of the government is carried out through state enterprises or limited companies. For a full list of enterprises and companies, see List of Norwegian government enterprises.
Storting
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Agencies
- Norwegian Agricultural Agency : manages agriculture, forestry, and reindeer herding
- Norwegian Food Safety Authority : controls all aspects of food safety, including agriculture, import and trade
Enterprises
- Statskog: manages state-owned forests and natural property
Limited companies
Ministry of Children and Families
See also: Ministry of Children and Families.
- Allocation Committee for support to voluntary children's and youth organizations : issues grants for children and youth organizations
- County social welfare boards : makes decisions of placement of children in institutions and foster homes
- Ecolabelling Norway : awards ecolabelling
- County Governor : regional authority, with a governor in each of 18 counties
- Market Council of Norway : makes legal decisions concerning consumer rights upon specific or general cases
- National Institute for Consumer Research : research
- Norway's Contact Committee for Immigrants and the Authorities : dialog between immigrants and authorities
- Norwegian Assay Office : control of trade of noble metals
- Norwegian Consumer Council : pursues consumer interests
- Norwegian Consumer Dispute Commission : settles consumer matters
- Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman : handles complaints from consumers
- Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs : helps children, youth and families who need help
- Norwegian Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud : fights discrimination
- Norwegian Equality and Anti-Discrimination Tribunal : appeal board for the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud
- Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service : administrating age- and disability pensions and other welfare, and manages unemployment
- Ombudsman for Children in Norway : promotes children's interests in society
Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs
Agencies
- Arts Council Norway : issues grants to culture, and functions as an advisory board for the ministry in culture affairs
- Bunad- og folkedraktrådet: advises on and promotes the use of, the Norwegian national costume
- Det praktisk-teologiske seminar: educates ministers of the Church of Norway
- Church of Norway National Council : head body of the Church of Norway
- Museum of Archaeology, Stavanger : archeology and museum
- National Archival Services of Norway : national and regional state archives
- National Foundation for Art in Public Buildings : competence centre and producer of art for public buildings
- National Library of Norway : national library
- Nidaros Domkirkes Restaureringsarbeider: preservation work on the Nidaros Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace
- Norwegian Library of Talking Books and Braille : publisher and library for audio books
- Norwegian Archive, Library and Museum Authority : authority for archives, libraries and museums
- Norwegian Film Institute : preserves, supports and distributes Norwegian and foreign films
- Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority : supervises gaming, lotteries and foundations
- Norwegian Institute of Local History : promotes local history knowledge
- Norwegian Language Council : regulates the official version of the Norwegian language
- Norwegian Media Authority : regulates all aspects of mass media, including content rating, ownership, concessions and advertising
- Opplysningsvesenets fond: manages the real estate of the Church of Norway, except the actual church buildings
- Concerts Norway : mobile music performance that performs throughout the country
- Riksteatret: mobile theatre that performs throughout the country
Diocesan Councils
Limited companies
- National Theatre of Norway : theatre in Oslo
- Norsk Tipping: holds a monopoly on all gambling
- Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation : public broadcaster of radio and television channels
Ministry of Defence
Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research
Agencies
Universities
Specialised colleges
Regional university colleges
Limited companies
operates the university/college/research internet communication network and the Norid domain register
Ministry of Climate and Environment
See also: Ministry of Climate and Environment (Norway).
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs
Agencies
Limited companies
- Norwegian Seafood Export Council : marketing of fish abroad
- Secora: construction company for water transport infrastructure
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
See also: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Norway).
Ministry of Government Administration and Reform
- Agency for Public Management and eGovernment : management consulting, electronic commerce management and operation og government websites
- County Governor : regional authority of the Government, with a Governor in each of 18 counties
- Government Administration Services : provides administrative services for the ministries
- Norwegian Competition Authority : regulates permission to merge, and regulates to stimulate competition
- Norwegian Data Inspectorate : regulates permission to store information on persons or other entities
- Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property : builds, manages and operates all government buildings
- Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund : fund allocating extra pensions for civil servants
- Personvernnemda: ombudsman concerning matters of privacy
Ministry of Health and Care Services
Agencies
- Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs : central expertise in administering healthcare and social affairs
- Norwegian Board of Health Supervision : highest supervision authority for the health and social services
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health : preventative health work
- Norwegian System of Compensation to Patients : can issue compensation for medical malpractice
- Norwegian Patients' Injury Compensation Board : appeal board for the System of Compensation to Patients
- Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board : a board that advises the authorities in matters concerning modern biotechnology
- Norwegian Appeals Board for Health Personnel : appeal board for health personnel who lose authorization
- Norwegian Medicines Agency : controls research, production and sale of medicine
- National Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research : research connected to alcohol and drug use
- Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority : expertise and precautions against nuclear and radiation threats
- Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service : administers age- and disability pensions and other welfare, and manages unemployment
- Norwegian Food Safety Authority : controls all aspects of food safety, including agriculture, import and trade
- Norwegian Governmental Appeal Board regarding medical treatment abroad : appeal board for patients who need treatment abroad, and where there is not adequate domestic service, who are entitled to have treatment paid for by the authorities
Regional health authorities
The regional health authorities (Norwegian: regional helseforetak) are responsible for providing specialist healthcare services within their designated geographic area.
Limited companies
Ministry of Justice and the Police
Agencies
- Governor of Svalbard
- Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway : coordinates rescue operations
- Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Southern Norway : coordinates rescue operations
- Justissekretariatene: manages a number of administrative functions related to legal processes
- National Police Directorate : the police force
- National Security Authority
- Norwegian Advisory Council on Bankruptcy : administers bankruptcies
- Norwegian Border Commissioner : controls the border between Norway and Russia
- Norwegian Civil Defence : civil defence; emergency and rescue services in the event of major accidents and incidents
- Norwegian Correctional Services : operates criminal correctional services, including prisons
- Norwegian Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority : manages compensation for victims of criminal injuries
- Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning : maintains an overview of and works to prevent societal threats
- Norwegian Directorate for Emergency Communication : builds and operates the emergency communication network
- Norwegian Judge Advocate General : head prosecutor of the military court
- Norwegian Mediation and Reconciliation Service : settles disputes
- Norwegian Police Security Service : surveillance of domestic threats to national security
- Norwegian Police University College : police officer college
- Samerettsutvalget: research related to the Sami
- Norwegian Bureau for the Investigation of Police Affairs : investigates accusations of criminal offences by police or prosecution officers on duty
Limited companies
- Norsk Eiendomsinformasjon: land registry company which provides land information to the professional market
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development
- Norwegian State Housing Bank : issues loans for housing
- National Office of Building Technology and Administration : expertise within building technology
Ministry of Petroleum and Energy
Agencies
Enterprises
- Enova: manages subsidies and encourages energy conservation
- Statnett: owns and operates the central power grid
Limited companies
- Gassco: operates all natural gas pipe lines in the country
- Petoro: manages the state's direct financial interest in the petroleum industry
Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion
Agencies
- International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry : research
- Labour Court of Norway : court that takes under consideration disputes about validity, interpretation and existence of collective agreements, questions regarding breach of collective agreements, questions regarding breach of the peace obligation, and claims for damages resulting from such breaches
- Directorate of Integration and Diversity : authority concerning integration of foreigners
- National Centre for Documentation on Disability : research
- National Institute of Occupational Health : research
- Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs : competence centre for the management of healthcare and social affairs
- Norwegian Directorate of Immigration : immigration permits and authority
- Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare : manages the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service
- Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board : appeal board for the Directorate of Immigration
- Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service : administers age- and disability pensions and other welfare, and manages unemployment
- Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority : occupational health and safety authority
- Norwegian Pension Insurance for Seamen : administrates the seamen's pension
- Petroleum Safety Authority Norway : ensures occupational safety and health in the petroleum industry
- Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or Norwegian: Kompetansesenter for urfolks rettigheter): research
- Resource Centre for Nature and Reindeer Husbandry Services : research
- State Conciliator of Norway : negotiates wage and traffic disputes between employer and labour unions
- Sámediggi : Sami parliament
Limited companies
- Rehabil: rehabilitation workplace
Ministry of Trade and Industry
Agencies
Limited companies
Ministry of Transport and Communications
Agencies
- National Rail Administration : owns and operates the railway infrastructure
- Norwegian Accident Investigation Board : investigates accidents related to air-, water-, road- or rail transport
- Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority : inspectorate and authority concerning air transport
- Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority : regulates the telecom industry, issues telephone numbers
- Norwegian Railway Inspectorate : inspectorate concerning rail transport, including urban rail
- Norwegian Public Roads Administration : builds, operates and maintains state and county road infrastructure
Limited companies
- Avinor: airport and air traffic management operator
- Baneservice: construction company for railway infrastructure
- Posten Norge: postal service
- Vy: railway operation
See also
