Norway PM in trade talks with Trump

FEARS that the United States could impose curbs on Norwegian seafood exports receded after Norway’s prime minister, Erna Solberg, met the US president, Donald Trump, last month.

The industry and salmon producers in particular have been worried for some time that Trump’s ‘America first’ policy and the threat of high import tariffs in the form of a border adjustment tax on overseas commodities like fish could hit future sales.

The US is Norway’s fourth largest and fastest growing market.

Seafood sales - mostly salmon - last year increased by one billion kroners or 23 per cent to a total value of NOK 5.7 billion.

America is also an important purchaser of Norwegian trout, which fish farmers have been struggling to sell recently.

Although the two leaders are far apart on issues such as the environment and immigration, they are reported to have got on well during the visit. They have met before at G20 and Nato gatherings.

Trump’s meeting with Solberg at the Oval Office was his first this year with a foreign leader. He noted that Norway has been a strong customer for US built military equipment, including the F-35 aircraft.

Solberg said: ‘The US is an important partner in the fields of trade and security. This meeting gave us an opportunity to present our views on global free trade and the importance of international cooperation to address climate change.

Trump told Solberg: ‘Norway is a great customer, and a great ally and a great friend.’

The seafood industry has yet to comment on the visit, but there is known to be relief that it went well.

Trump provoked international outrage last month after allegedly asking a group of senators why the US had to allow in immigrants from ‘s…hole countries’ in Africa and the Caribbean rather than from places like Norway.