As of 1 January 2004 the new state owned company Innovation Norway has replaced the following four organisations: The Norwegian Tourist Board, the Norwegian Trade Council, the The Norwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund, SND and the Government Consultative Office for Inventors, SVO.
Innovation Norway promotes nationwide industrial development profitable to both the business economy and Norways national economy, and helps release the potential of different districts and regions by contributing towards innovation, internationalisation and promotion.
Co-operation Agreement
The co-operation agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Innovation Norway on the integration into the foreign service of the new company’s personnel who are posted abroad was signed today by the managing director, Ms Gunn Ovesen, on behalf of Innovation Norway, and by Secretary General Bjarne Lindstrøm on behalf of the Ministry.
Today Innovation Norway has 210 people working abroad, some of who are employed in Norway and posted abroad while others are locally employed. These people were previously employed in the Norwegian Trade Council and the Norwegian Tourist Board. The company has representatives in more than 30 countries. The administrative procedures in this connection are scheduled to be completed during the spring.
The head of mission has the overall responsibility for the activities of the mission as a whole, including those related to the Norwegian business sector. However, as in the case of other agencies with representatives at Norwegian foreign missions, Innovation Norway will instruct its personnel at such missions in matters that fall within its sphere.
The integration of Innovation Norway personnel will not affect the co-operation projects the company is currently involved in. This means that clients may use the same contact persons as before.
The agreement is an innovative one, which is designed to improve the co-ordination of all Norwegian efforts to promote Norwegian business interests abroad. The embassies will give high priority to these efforts.