registry@eftasurv.int<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/address>\r\n","footer-top":"The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) monitors compliance with European Economic Area rules in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, enabling them to participate in the European Internal Market.<\/p>\r\n"},"menu":[{"name":"ESA at a glance","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Mission and Values","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/mission-values","route":"node"},{"name":"College Members","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/college-members","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Ad hoc College Members","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/college-members\/ad-hoc-college-members","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Staff directory","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/staff-directory","route":"node"},{"name":"EEA Agreement","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/eea-agreement","route":"node"},{"name":"Data protection","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/data-protection","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Register of data processing activities","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/data-protection\/register","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Publications and documents","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/publications-and-documents","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Publications","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/publications","route":"node"},{"name":"Public document database","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/publications\/public-access-to-documents\/public-documents","route":"node"},{"name":"Public access to documents","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/publications\/public-access-to-documents","route":"node","children":[]}]},{"name":"Events","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/events","route":"node"},{"name":"Visiting ESA","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/visiting-esa","route":"node"},{"name":"Contact","url":"\/esa-at-a-glance\/contact","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Internal Market","url":"\/internal-market","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Implementing EEA law into national law","url":"\/internal-market\/implementing-eea-law-national-law","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Internal Market Scoreboards","url":"\/internal-market\/implementing-eea-law-national-law\/internal-market-scoreboards","route":"node"},{"name":"Implementation Status Database","url":"\/internal-market\/implementing-eea-law-national-law\/implementation-status-database","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Notifications and applications","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Professional Qualifications","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/professional-qualifications","route":"node"},{"name":"Services Directive","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/services-directive","route":"node"},{"name":"Rapid alert systems","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/rapid-alert-system","route":"node"},{"name":"Draft technical regulations","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/draft-technical-regulations","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Draft Technical Notifications","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/draft-technical-regulations\/list","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Biocides","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/biocides","route":"node"},{"name":"Public procurement","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/public-procurement","route":"node"},{"name":"Monitoring organisations","url":"\/internal-market\/notifications-and-applications\/monitoring-organisations","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Internal Market complaints","url":"\/internal-market\/complaints","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Internal market complaint form","url":"\/internal-market\/complaints\/form","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Food and veterinary","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Animal health and welfare","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/animal-health-and-welfare","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Declarations","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/animal-health-and-welfare\/declarations","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Food and feed safety","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/food-and-feed-safety","route":"node"},{"name":"Import controls","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/import-controls","route":"node"},{"name":"Seeds","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/seeds","route":"node"},{"name":"Food and veterinary audits","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/food-safety-missions","route":"node"},{"name":"Annual reports and Country profiles","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/country-profiles","route":"node"},{"name":"Animal health, food and feed safety decisions","url":"\/internal-market\/food-safety\/food-safety-decisions","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Transport","url":"\/internal-market\/transport","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Passenger rights","url":"\/internal-market\/transport\/passenger-rights","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Environment and energy","url":"\/internal-market\/environment-and-energy","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Energy","url":"\/internal-market\/environment-and-energy\/energy","route":"node"},{"name":"Emissions and climate change","url":"\/internal-market\/environment-and-energy\/emissions-and-climate-change","route":"node"},{"name":"Environment","url":"\/internal-market\/environment-and-energy\/environment","route":"node"},{"name":"Land use, land use change and forestry","url":"\/internal-market\/lulucf","route":"node"}]},{"name":"EEA EFTA Separation Agreement with the UK","url":"\/internal-market\/eea-efta-separation-agreement-uk","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Rights granted under the Separation Agreement","url":"\/internal-market\/eea-efta-separation-agreement-uk\/rights-granted-under-separation-agreement","route":"node"},{"name":"Annual reports","url":"\/internal-market\/eea-efta-separation-agreement-uk\/annual-reports","route":"node"}]},{"name":"The Internal Market and COVID-19","url":"\/internal-market\/internal-market-and-covid-19","route":"node"}]},{"name":"State aid","url":"\/state-aid","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Legal framework","url":"\/state-aid\/legal-framework","route":"node"},{"name":"State aid guidelines","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-guidelines","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Archive","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-guidelines\/archive","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Rates applicable to EFTA States","url":"\/state-aid\/rates","route":"node"},{"name":"State aid register","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-register","route":"node"},{"name":"Preliminary assessments","url":"\/state-aid\/preliminary-assessments","route":"node"},{"name":"General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)","url":"\/state-aid\/gber-information-sheets","route":"node"},{"name":"State Aid Scoreboards","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-scoreboards","route":"node"},{"name":"SGEI Reports","url":"\/state-aid\/efta-states-reports-application-sgei-decision","route":"node"},{"name":"Transparency","url":"\/state-aid\/transparency","route":"node"},{"name":"Notification procedures","url":"\/state-aid\/notification-procedures","route":"node"},{"name":"State aid complaints","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-complaints","route":"node"},{"name":"Private enforcement","url":"\/state-aid\/private-enforcement","route":"node"},{"name":"State aid rules and COVID-19","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-rules-covid-19","route":"node"},{"name":"State aid rules following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and transition to net-zero economy","url":"\/state-aid\/state-aid-rules-ukraine-crisis","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Competition","url":"\/competition","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Leniency","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-in-the-eea\/leniency","route":"node"},{"name":"Competition rules in the EEA","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-in-the-eea","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Legal framework & guidance","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-in-the-eea\/legal-framework-and-guidance","route":"node"},{"name":"ESA's jurisdiction","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-in-the-eea\/esa-jurisdiction","route":"node"},{"name":"Best practices, notices and guidelines","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-in-the-eea\/best-practices-notices-and-guidelines","route":"node"},{"name":"Hearing Officer & procedural rights","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-in-the-eea\/hearing-officer-and-procedural-rights","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Competition cases","url":"\/competition\/competition-cases","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Sector inquiries","url":"\/competition\/competition-cases\/sector-inquiries","route":"node"}]},{"name":"How to make a complaint","url":"\/competition\/how-to-make-a-complaint","route":"node"},{"name":"National cooperation","url":"\/competition\/national-cooperation","route":"node"},{"name":"EEA cooperation","url":"\/competition\/eea-cooperation","route":"node"},{"name":"Inspections","url":"\/competition\/inspections","route":"node"},{"name":"International cooperation networks","url":"\/competition\/international-cooperation","route":"node"},{"name":"Competition rules and COVID-19","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-covid-19","route":"node"},{"name":"Competition rules and the Ukraine crisis","url":"\/competition\/competition-rules-ukraine-crisis","route":"node"},{"name":"eCom","url":"\/competition\/ecom-notifications","route":"node","children":[{"name":"eCom registry","url":"\/competition\/ecom-notifications\/ecom-documents","route":"node"}]}]},{"name":"Newsroom","url":"\/newsroom","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Updates","url":"\/newsroom\/updates","route":"node"},{"name":"Logo, photos and videos\u00a0","url":"\/newsroom\/logo-photos-videos","route":"node"},{"name":"Communications contact","url":"\/newsroom\/communications-contact","route":"node"}]},{"name":"Careers","url":"\/careers","route":"node","children":[{"name":"Current vacancies","url":"https:\/\/jobs.eftasurv.int\/vacancies.html","route":"external"},{"name":"Guidelines for applicants","url":"\/careers\/guidelines-for-applicants","route":"node"},{"name":"Recruitment policy","url":"\/careers\/recruitment-policy","route":"node"},{"name":"Junior Professionals Programme","url":"\/careers\/junior-professionals-programme","route":"node"},{"name":"Working at ESA","url":"\/careers\/working-at-esa","route":"node"},{"name":"Candidate Portal ","url":"https:\/\/jobs.eftasurv.int\/login.html","route":"external"},{"name":"Register","url":"https:\/\/jobs.eftasurv.int\/register.html","route":"external"},{"name":"Staff portraits - Interview with Johanne F\u00f8rde","url":"\/careers\/staff-portraits-interview-johanne-forde","route":"node"},{"name":"Staff portraits - Interview with Per Arvid Sj\u00f8g\u00e5rd","url":"\/careers\/staff-portraits-interview-arvid-sjogard","route":"node"}]}],"data":{"node":{"type":"press_release","title":"Internal Market: Norway must change its rules on wages and vacation","alias":"\/newsroom\/updates\/internal-market-norway-must-change-its-rules-wages-and-vacation","language":"en","languages":["en","nb"],"body":"
The EFTA Surveillance Authority finds that Norwegian rules are in breach of two directives concerning labour law.<\/p>
Norway has acknowledged the breaches. Nevertheless, it has not yet brought its national law in line with EEA law. As a consequence, the Authority today issued two reasoned opinions to Norway.<\/span> <\/p> Firstly, the Authority finds that the Norwegian Wage Guarantee Regulation is in breach of the Employer Insolvency Directive by requiring employees to register as job\u2011seekers, in order to receive the payment of outstanding wage claims.<\/span> <\/p> The Employer Insolvency Directive ensures payment of employees' outstanding claims in the event of employer insolvency, and thus improves employees' rights in this field. The Directive requires EEA States to set up an institution to guarantee the payments. However, it does not allow for EEA States to impose additional limitations on the payment of employees' entitlements, such as provided for by the Norwegian rules.<\/span> <\/p> Secondly, the Norwegian Annual Holidays Act does not fully ensure the four weeks annual leave provided for by the Working Time Directive. In the event employees fall sick during their scheduled annual leave, Norway lays down a minimum threshold of days which must pass before employees may demand to have their annual leave prolonged by a corresponding number of days.<\/span> <\/p> Moreover, the Annual Holidays Act requires that the compensatory annual leave must be taken in the same year. Accordingly, if an employee had been on a long-term sick leave, he may not be able to use all of the annual leave guaranteed by the Working Time Directive.<\/span> <\/p> A reasoned opinion is the second stage in infringement proceedings. The Authority may bring the matter before the EFTA Court if Norway fails to take the measures necessary to comply with the reasoned opinions within two months.<\/span> <\/p> <\/p>
For further information, please contact:<\/p>
Mr. Andreas Kjeldsberg Pihl<\/a><\/em> Press & Information Officer tel. (+32)(0)2 286 18 66 <\/span>mob. (+32)(0)492 900 187<\/span> <\/span><\/p> <\/span><\/p>","summary":"The EFTA Surveillance Authority finds that Norwegian rules are in breach of two directives concerning labour law. Norway has acknowledged the breaches. Nevertheless, it has not yet brought its national law in line with EEA law. As a consequence, the Authority today issued two reasoned opinions to Norway. Firstly, the Authority finds that the Norwegian Wage Guarantee Regulation is in...","date":1392206400,"theme":{"id":27,"title":"Internal Market","weight":1},"number":"PR(14)03"}},"dataStatus":"success"}};You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. Internal Market: Norway must change its rules on wages and vacation The EFTA Surveillance Authority finds that Norwegian rules are in breach of two directives concerning labour law.
Norway has acknowledged the breaches. Nevertheless, it has not yet brought its national law in line with EEA law. As a consequence, the Authority today issued two reasoned opinions to Norway.
Firstly, the Authority finds that the Norwegian Wage Guarantee Regulation is in breach of the Employer Insolvency Directive by requiring employees to register as job‑seekers, in order to receive the payment of outstanding wage claims.
The Employer Insolvency Directive ensures payment of employees' outstanding claims in the event of employer insolvency, and thus improves employees' rights in this field. The Directive requires EEA States to set up an institution to guarantee the payments. However, it does not allow for EEA States to impose additional limitations on the payment of employees' entitlements, such as provided for by the Norwegian rules.
Secondly, the Norwegian Annual Holidays Act does not fully ensure the four weeks annual leave provided for by the Working Time Directive. In the event employees fall sick during their scheduled annual leave, Norway lays down a minimum threshold of days which must pass before employees may demand to have their annual leave prolonged by a corresponding number of days.
Moreover, the Annual Holidays Act requires that the compensatory annual leave must be taken in the same year. Accordingly, if an employee had been on a long-term sick leave, he may not be able to use all of the annual leave guaranteed by the Working Time Directive.
A reasoned opinion is the second stage in infringement proceedings. The Authority may bring the matter before the EFTA Court if Norway fails to take the measures necessary to comply with the reasoned opinions within two months.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Andreas Kjeldsberg Pihl Press & Information Officer tel. (+32)(0)2 286 18 66 mob. (+32)(0)492 900 187