New Corporate Members:

Crown Relocations
Crown Relocations is one of the worlds leading providers of international and domestic mobility management solutions, serving over 3,000 corporate clients and 43,000 families. From Dallas to Dublin, and over 100 other markets, Crown is right there working alongside its customers. With Crown, you are well connected, worldwide.

Energy Ventures
Energy Ventures manages/advises four venture funds with a total committed capital of NOK 2.3 billion. The company is headquartered in Stavanger, with offices in Aberdeen and Houston. The company’s professionals have extensive industry, investment, transaction and stewardship experience as well as a wide-ranging network in the oil and gas industry.

The Jensen Clinic - Chiropractic
The Jensen Clinic is located in the heart of Notting Hill, just by the entrance to Kensington Palace Gardens. The clinic offers a wide variety of treatments ranging from chiropractic and acupuncture to Streamlining, a spinal rehabilitation program developed by Dr Jensen and professional swimmers.

Isklar bookmark
Dear member, in the June issue of the Connections magazine you will find enclosed a bookmark containing contact information for our new member Isklar. Isklar is a new glacial natural mineral water from Norway, launched in the UK in spring 2008. Regrettably the Isklar information was not printed in the 2009 directory and we would be grateful it you could insert this bookmark in the appropriate section for future reference.

Commission's study finds out that European 20% renewables target can give jobs to 2.8 million people
Reaching the 2020 renewable energy targets is expected to lead to around 2.8 million jobs in the renewable energy sector and generate a total value added of around 1.1% of GDP. This is the main conclusion of a European Commission's study on the impact of renewable energy policy on economic growth and employment in the European Union. Read more

G8 Energy Ministerial: Commissioner Piebalgs calls for good investment climate to take the energy sector out of the crisis
Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, has called for clear price signal in an open and transparent market, as the best tool to reinstall confidence in the global energy markets and mitigate the effects of the current economic crisis. Read more

StatoilHydro hits two gas discoveries
Gas has been discovered by StatoilHydro in the Harepus prospect in the Norwegian Sea and the Corvus prospect in the Oseberg area of the North Sea. Read more

World leaders applaud Norway carbon moves
BERGEN--Norway pledged just under €140 million ($195 million) over five years to help the European Union develop projects for carbon capture and storage, or CCS, via its Continent-wide R&D programs. Read more

Gassco, DNV develop new pipeline inspection method
Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has joined with Gassco to develop a new acoustic inspection method which allows the internal and external status of gas pipelines to be accurately characterized. Read more

Farstad Shipping awarded charter agreement
Farstad Shipping has been awarded a two vessel charter for a period of 12 - 15 months to support the drilling campaign in waters off Australia and New Zealand for a consortium of operators under the agency of Australian Drilling Associates. Read more

New Gas arena for Norway
The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) has asked Gassco to lay the basis for establishing a meeting place which brings together industrial enterprises seeking to use natural gas in Norway. Read more

Odfjell Invest pre-agreement with Petrobras
Odfjell Invest Ltd has reached an understanding with Petrobras for provision of the 6th generation semi-submersible drilling rig “Deepsea Stavanger”. Read more

Nor-Shipping launches Clean Shipping Awards
Nor-Shipping organisers, in cooperation with Den Norske Veritas (DNV), are pleased to announce the nominees for the first Clean Shipping Awards. Winners will be announced at Nor-Shipping 2009’s Opening Conference, scheduled for June 9. Read more

Carbon capture plant launched at UK power station
Aker Clean Carbon and ScottishPower has launched the first carbon capture facility at a coal-fired power station in the UK, when Aker Clean Carbon’s mobile test unit was officially opened. Read more

Britons say broadband 'essential'
UK consumers now believe broadband is becoming as essential a utility as electricity or water, according to a panel of government advisers. Read more

When employers become watchers
Imagine if today at work you were watched for every single minute.
Not just when you arrived and left, or when you went for your lunch. But every task, every conversation, every moment observed and logged. Read more

Seafood export on the increase
The export of seafood from Norway in May was valued at NOK 3.3 billion, an increase by NOK 461 million or 16 % compared to the same month last year. Read more

Emissions trading: public consultation on future EU ETS auctioning rules launched
A public consultation on rules to govern the future auctioning of emission allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has been launched by consultants working for the European Commission. The consultation forms part of the Commission's preparation of a Regulation on auctioning of allowances with respect to the third and later trading periods. Read more

Innovation recovery plans in chaos, says report
A report to be published in a month's time lambasts national recovery plans for failing to achieve global coordination of innovation policies to combat the recession. It concludes that a massive global conference on innovation is needed to promote cross-border collaboration. Read more

Delivering real benefits for citizens across Europe: Commission achievements 2004-2009
The European Commission has set out its record of achievement in advance of the European Parliament election. The European Commission has made the re-unified European Union work to the benefit of its citizens and has brought increased stability and prosperity to a Union of 27 Member States. It has responded decisively to the financial and economic crisis. It has implemented an integrated approach to fighting climate change and securing energy supply. The Commission has sought to shape globalisation so that it is inclusive, better regulated and reflects European values. Read more

Financial services: Commission proposes stronger financial supervision in Europe
The European Commission has adopted a Communication on Financial Supervision in Europe. The Communication proposes a set of ambitious reforms to the current architecture of financial services committees. Read more

Council of the European Union adopts the "EU Blue Card": more advantages for high-skilled foreign workers
The Council adopted a directive aimed at facilitating conditions of entry and residence in the EU of third-country citizens for the purpose of highly qualified employment. Read more

A ‘shared commitment for employment’: Commission initiates new strategy to tackle the employment impact of the crisis.
The EU will make available €19 billion of planned European Social Fund expenditure to support people hit by the economic crisis. The EU will also frontload funds and co-financing by Member States will not be necessary for 2009-2010. Together with the European Investment Bank Group and other partners, a new EU loans facility will be set up to provide micro-credits for those who would usually have difficulty accessing the necessary funds to set up a business or micro-enterprise. Read more

ECONOMY: EU27 GDP down by 2.4%
According to an overview published by Eurostat, GDP went down in the EU by 2.4% in the first quarter this year. Compared to the same period last year GDB went down 4.5%. The figures for Norway shows that GDP went down 0.3% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. Read more

London Update
Welcome to London Update, the newsletter which gives you a round-up of London success stories and news highlights in the ultimate place to do business. Read more

Majority in favour of high speed trains
There is now a majority in the Storting (Parliament) in favour of building a network of high speed trains in Norway. The aim is to capture 95 per cent of those who now go by air between Oslo and Norway's larger cities. Read more

Norway to step up humanitarian efforts
The Government has presented a white paper on Norwegian humanitarian policy, reaffirming that Norway intends to be a leading political and financial partner in efforts to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those in need. Read more

Rolls Royce training centre to Norway
The British Rolls Royce Group has decided to establish its maritime training centre for Europe in Aalesund, Norway, Aftenposten reports. The centre will be opened in a little more than two years. Read more

Welcome to the Norwegian Embassy's Newsletter for June!
June is just as packed with events as May was. Norway's Foreign Minister will be giving lectures in both Edinburgh and London later this week, while the The King's Guard of Norway takes part in Beating Retreat 2009. 

Art lovers can enjoy two Widerberg exhibitions; father Frans in London and son Nico in Newcastle. And don't miss the exciting Munch exhibition in Glasgow, and Norwegian painter Natalie Holland's portrait 'Agnes' which will be on display at the National Portrait Gallery.

Finally, there will be a number of Norwegian musicians at the City if London Festival, including a gig by Jan Garbarek in St Paul's Cathedral. Whatever you choose to do, enjoy it! Read more