Norwegian government agencies
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 of agencies decisions.
Agencies are organised as Etat. 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.
Agencies
- County Governor, or Fylkesmannen (official site) Regional authority of the Government, with a Governor in each of 18 counties.
- Norwegian Agriculture Authority, or Statens landbruksforvaltning (official site) Authority for the agriculture industry.
- Norwegian Food Safety Authority, or Mattilsynet (official site) Controls all aspects of food safety, including agriculture, import and trade.
- Reindeer Husbandry Administration, or Reindriftforvaltningen (official site) Authority for the reindeer husbandry industry.
Enterprises
Limited companies
- Allocation Committee for support to voluntary children's and youth organizations, or Fordelingsutvalget for tilskudd til frivilligebarne- og ungdomsorganisasjoner (official site) Issues grants for children and youth organizations.
- County social welfare boards, or Fylkesnemndene for sosiale saker Makes decisions of placement of children in institutions and foster homes.
- Ecolabelling Norway, or Stiftelsen miljømerking (official site) Awards ecolabelling.
- County Governor, or Fylkesmannen (official site) Regional authority of the Government, with a Governor in each of 18 counties.
- Market Council of Norway, or Markedsrådet (official site) Makes juridical decisions concerning consumer rights upon specific or general cases.
- National Institute for Consumer Research, or Statens institutt for forbruksforskning (official site) Research.
- Norway's Contact Committee for Immigrants and the Authorities, or Kontaktutvalget mellom innvandrerbefolkningen og myndighetene (official site) Dialog between immigrants and authorities.
- Norwegian Assay Office, or Edelmetallkontrollen Control of trade of noble metals.
- Norwegian Consumer Council, or Forbrukerrådet (official site) Pursues consumer interests.
- Norwegian Consumer Dispute Commission, or Forbrukertvistutvalget (official site) Settles mater from consumers.
- Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman, or Forbrukerombudet (official site) Handles complaints from consumers.
- Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, or Barne-, ungdoms- og familieetaten (official site) Helps children, youth and families who need help.
- Norwegian Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, or Likestillings- og diskrimineringsombudet (official site) Fights discrimination.
- Norwegian Equality and Anti-Discrimination Tribunal, or Likestillings- og diskrimineringsnemnda (official site) Appeal board for the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud.
- Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service, or Arbeids- og velferdsdirektoratet (official site) Administrating age- and disability pensions and other welfare, and manages unemployment.
- Ombudsman for Children in Norway, or Barneombudet (official site) Promotes children's interests in society.
Agencies
- Arts Council Norway, or Norsk Kulturråd (official site) Issues grants to culture, and functions as an advisory board for the ministry in culture affairs.
- Bunad- og folkedraktrådet (official site) Gives advice about and stimulates the use of bunad, the Norwegian national costume.
- Det praktisk-teologiske seminar (official site) Educates ministers of the Church of Norway.
- Church of Norway National Council, or Kirkerådet (official site) Head body of the Church of Norway.
- Museum of Archaeology, Stavanger, or Arkeologisk museum i Stavanger (official site) Archeology and museum.
- National Archival Services of Norway, or Arkivverket (official site) National and regional state archives.
- National Foundation for Art in Public Buildings, or Utsmykkoingsfondet for offentlige bygg (official site) Competence centre and producer of art for public buildings.
- National Library of Norway, or Nasjonalbiblioteket (official site) National library.
- Nidaros Domkirkes Restaureringsarbeider (official site) Preservation work on the Nidaros Cathedral and the Archbishops Palace.
- Norwegian Library of Talking Books and Braille, or Norsk lyd- og blindeskriftbibliotek (official site) Publisher and library for audio books
- Norwegian Archive, Library and Museum Authority, or ABM-utvikling (official site) Authority for archives, libraries and museums.
- Norwegian Film Institute, or Norsk filminstitutt (official site) Preserves, supports and distributes Norwegian and foreign films.
- Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority, or Lotteri- og stiftelsestilsynet (official site) Supervises gaming, lotteries and foundations.
- Norwegian Institute of Local History, or Norsk lokalhistorisk institutt (official site) Promotes local history knowledge.
- Norwegian Language Council, or Språkrådet (official site) Reguates the official version of the Norwegian language.
- Norwegian Media Authority, or Medietilsynet (official site) Regulates all aspects of mass media, including content rating, ownership, concessions and advertising.
- Opplysningsvesenets fond (official site) Manages the real estate of the Church of Norway, except the actual church buildings.
- Concerts Norway, or Rikskonsertene (official site) Mobile music performance that performs throughout the country.
- Riksteatret (official site) Mobile theatre that performs throughout the country.
Diocesan Councils
- Agder og Telemark Diocesan Council, or Agder og Telemark bispedømmeråd
- Bjørgvin Diocesan Council, or Bjørgvin bispedømmeråd
- Borg Diocesan Council, or Borg bispedømmeråd
- Hamar Diocesan Council, or Hamar bispedømmeråd
- Møre Diocesan Council, or Møre bispedømmeråd
- Nidaros Diocesan Council, or Nidaros bispedømmeråd
- Nord-Hålogaland Diocesan Council, or Nord-Hålogaland bispedømmeråd
- Oslo Bishop and Diocesan Council, or Oslo biskop og bispedømmerådråd
- Stavanger Diocesan Council, or Stavanger bispedømmeråd
- Sør-Hålogaland Diocesan Council, or Sør-Hålogaland bispedømmeråd
- Tunsberg Diocesan Council, or Tunsberg bispedømmeråd
Limited companies
Agencies
- Foreldreutvalget for grunnskolen (official site) Cooperation between parents and school authorities.
- Norway Opening Universities, or Norgesuniversitetet (official site) Stimulates cooperation between business and higher education, and to increase life-long learning.
- Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, or Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanningen (official site) Supervises and helps improved the quality of higher education.
- Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education, or Senter for internasjonalisering av høyere utdanning (official site) Promotes international cooperation in higher education and research.
- Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, or Utdanningsdirektoratetet (official site) Responsible for the development of primary and secondary education.
- Norwegian Institute for Adult Learning, or VOX-læring for arbeidslivet (official site) Promotes adult learning within reading, writing, arithmetic and ICT.
- Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, or Norsk utenrikspolitisk institutt (official site) Research.
- Norwegian Meteorological Institute, or Meteorologisk institutt (official site) Performs weather observations and calculations.
- Norwegian Social Research, or Norsk institutt for forskning om oppvekst, velferd og aldring (official site) Research.
- Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, or Statens lånekasse for utdanning (official site) Grants loans and scholarships to students.
- Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service, or Samordna opptak (official site) Coordinates admission to undergraduate courses at state universities and colleges.
- The Research Council of Norway Norges forskningsråd (official site) Grants funds for research.
- Statens fagskole for gartnere og blomsterdekoratører (official site) Educates gardeners and flower decorators at secondary school level.
Universities
Specialised Colleges
Regional University Colleges
- Akershus University College, or Høgskolen i Akershus (official site)
- Bergen National Academy of the Arts, or Kunsthøgskolen i Bergen (official site)
- Bergen University College, or Høgskolen i Bergen (official site)
- Bodø University College, or Høgskolen i Bodø (official site)
- Buskerud University College, or Høgskolen i Buskerud (official site)
- Finnmark University College, or Høgskolen i Finnmark (official site)
- Gjøvik University College, or Høgskolen i Gjøvik (official site)
- Harstad University College, or Høgskolen i Harstad (official site)
- Hedmark University College, or Høgskolen i Hedmark (official site)
- Lillehammer University College, or Høgskolen i Lillehammer (official site)
- Molde University College, or Høgskolen i Molde (official site)
- Narvik University College, or Høgskolen i Narvik (official site)
- Nesna University College, or Høgskolen i Nesna (official site)
- Nord-Trøndelag University College, or Høgskolen i Nord-Trøndelag (official site)
- Oslo National Academy of the Arts, or Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo (official site)
- Oslo University College, or Høgskolen i Oslo (official site)
- Sámi University College, or Samisk høgskole (official site)
- Sogn og Fjordane University College, or Høgskolen i Sogn of Fjordane (official site)
- Stord/Haugesund University College, or Høgskolen i Stord/Haugesund (official site)
- Sør-Trøndelag University College, or Høgskolen i Sør-Trøndelag (official site)
- Telemark University College, or Høgskolen i Telemark (official site)
- Tromsø University College, or Høgskolen i Tromsø (official site)
- Vestfold University College, or Høgskolen i Vestfold (official site)
- Volda University College, or Høgskolen i Volda (official site)
- Østfold University College, or Høgskolen i Østfold (official site)
- Ålesund University College, or Høgskolen i (official site)
Limited companies
- Norwegian Social Science Data Services, or Norsk samfunnsvitenskapelig datatjeneste (official site) Information and data services for higher education and research.
- University Centre in Svalbard, or Universitetssenteret på Svalbard (official site) Research on Svalbard.
- UNINETT (official site) Operates the university/college/research internet communication network and the norid domain register.
Agencies
Limited companies
- Norwegian Seafood Export Council, or Eksportrådet for fisk (official site) Marketing of fish abroad.
- Secora (official site) (Construction company for water transport infrastructure)
- Agency for Public Management and eGovernment, or Direktoratet for forvaltning og informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi (official site) Management consulting, electronic commerce management and operation og government websites.
- County Governor, or Fylkesmannen (official site) Regional authority of the Government, with a Governor in each of 18 counties.
- Government Administration Services, or Departementenes servicesenter (official site) Provides administrative services for the ministries.
- Norwegian Competition Authority, or Konkuransetilsynet (official site) Regulates permission to merge, and regulates to stimulate competition.
- Norwegian Data Inspectorate, or Datatilsynet (official site) Regulates permission to store information on persons or other entities
- Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property, or Statsbygg (official site) Builds, manages and operates all government buildings.
- Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, or Statens pensjonsfond (official site) Fund allocating extra pensions for civil servants.
- Personvernnemda (official site) Ombudsman concerning matters of privacy.
Agencies
- Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs, or Helse- og sosialdirektoratet (official site) Central expertise in administering healthcare and social affairs.
- Norwegian Board of Health Supervision, or Statens helsetilsyn (official site) Highest supervision authority for the health and social services.
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, or Nasjonalt folkehelseinstitutt (official site) Preventative health work
- Norwegian System of Compensation to Patients, or Norsk pasientskadeerstatning (official site) Can issue compensation for mistreatment.
- Norwegian Patients' Injury Compensation Board, or Pasientskadenemnda (official site) Appeal board for the System of Compensation to Patients.
- Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board, or Bioteknologinamda (official site) A board that advises the authorities in matters concerning modern biotechnology.
- Norwegian Appeals Board for Health Personnel, or Statens helsepersonellnemnd (official site) Appeal board for health personnel who lose authorization.
- Norwegian Medicines Agency, or Statens legemiddelverk (official site) Controls research, production and sale of medicine.
- National Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, or Statens institutt for rusmiddelforskning (official site) Research connected to alcohol and drug use.
- Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, or Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet (official site)
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, or Statens strålevern (official site) Expertise and precautions against nuclear and radiation threats.
- Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service, or Arbeids- og velferdsdirektoratet (official site) Administrating age- and disability pensions and other welfare, and manages unemployment.
- Norwegian Food Safety Authority, or Mattilsynet (official site) Controls all aspects of food safety, including agruculture, import and trade.
- Norwegian Governmental Appeal Board regarding medical treatment abroad, or Dispensasjons- og klagenemnda for behandling i utlandet (official site) Appeal board for patients who need treatment abroad, and where there is not adequate domestic service, who are entitled to get the treatment paid by the authorities.
The regional health authorities or regional helseforetak are responsible for providing specialist healthcare services within their designated geographic area.
Limited companies
Agencies
- Compulsory Civilian National Service Administration, or Siviltjenesten i Norge (official site) Administrated the compulsory civilian national service.
- Governor of Svalbard, or Sysselmannen på Svalbard (official site)
- Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway, or Hovedredningssentralen i Nord-Norge (official site) Coordinates rescue operations.
- Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Southern Norway, or Hovedredningssentralen i Sør-Norge (official site) Coordinates rescue operations.
- Justissekretariatene (official site) Manages a number of administrative function related to the juridical processes.
- National Police Directorate, or Politidirektoratet (official site) The police force.
- National Security Authority, or Nasjonal sikkerhetsmyndighet (official site)
- Norwegian Advisory Council on Bankruptcy, or Konkursrådet (official site) Administrates bankruptcies.
- Norwegian Border Commissioner, or Grensekommisær for den norsk-russiske grense (official site) Controls the border between Norway and Russia.
- Norwegian Civil Defence, or Sivilforsvaret (official site) Civil defence; emergency and rescue services in the event of major accidents and incidents
- Norwegian Correctional Services, or Kriminalomsorgen (official site) Operates criminal correctional services, including the prisons.
- Norwegian Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, or Kontoret for voldsoffererstatning (official site) Manages compensation to subjects of criminal injuries.
- Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning, or Direktoratet for samfunnssikkerhet og beredskap (official site) Keeps an overview of societies threats, and works to prevent
- Norwegian Directorate for Emergency Communication, or Direktoratet for nødkommunikasjon (official site) Building and to operate the emergency communication network.
- Norwegian Judge Advocate General, or Generaladvokatembetet (official site) Head proecutor of the military court.
- Norwegian Mediation and Reconciliation Service, or Konfliktrådet (official site) Settles disputes.
- Norwegian Police Security Service, or Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste (official site) Surveillance of domestic threats to national security.
- Norwegian Police University College, or Politihøyskolen (official site) Police officer college.
- Samerettsutvalget Research related to the Sami.
- Spesialenheten for politisaker (official site) Investigates accusations of criminal offences by police or procecution officers in duty.
Limited companies
Agencies
Enterprises
Limited companies
Agencies
- International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry, or Internasjonalt fag- og formidlingssenter for reindrift (official site) Research.
- Labour Court of Norway, or Arbeidsretten (official site) 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, or Integrerings- og mangfoldhetsdirektoratet (official site) Authority concerning integration of foreigners.
- National Centre for Documentation on Disability, or Nasjonal dokumentasjonssenter for personer med nedsatt funksjonsevne (official site) Research.
- National Institute of Occupational Health, or Statens arbeidsmiljøinstitutt (official site) Research.
- Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs, or Sosial- og helsedirektoratet (official site) Competence centre for the management of healthcare and social affairs.
- Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, or Utlendingsdirektoratet (official site) Immigration permits and authority.
- Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare, or Arbeids- og velferdsdirektoratet (official site) Manages the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service.
- Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board, or Utlendingsnemda (official site) Appeal board for the Directorate of Immigration.
- Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service, or Arbeids- og velferdsetaten (official site) Administrating age- and diability pensions and other welfare, and manages unemployment.
- Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, or Arbeidstilsynet (official site) Authority aimed at occupational health and safety.
- Norwegian Pension Insurance for Seamen, or Pensjonstrygden for sjømenn (official site) Administrates the seamen's pension.
- Petroleum Safety Authority Norway, or Petroleumstilsynet (official site) Insures occupational safety and health in the petroleum industry.
- Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or Kompetansesenter for urfolks rettigheter (official site) Research.
- Resource Centre for Nature and Reindeer Husbandry Services, or Ressurssenter for natur og reindriftstjenester Research.
- State Conciliator of Norway, or Riksmeklingsmannen (official site) Negotiates wage and traffic disputues between employer and labour unions.
- Sámediggi, or Sametinget (official site) Sami parliament.
Limited companies
Agencies
- Brønnøysund Register Centre, or Brønnøysundregistrene (official site) Manages the vast amounts of registers related to buiness, commerce and civil matters.
- Guarantee Institute for Export Credits, or Garanti-instituttet for eksportkreditt (official site) Grants guarantees for export companies.
- Norwegian Accreditation, or Norsk Akkreditering (official site) Insures that research laboratories meet international regulations.
- Norwegian Directorate of Mining with the Commissioner of Mines at Svalbard, or Bergvesenet med bergmesteren for Svalbard (official site) Registrs mining claims, and regulates other concerns regarding mining, including environmental issues and mining on Svalbard.
- Norwegian Maritime Directorate, or Sjøfartsdirektoratet (official site) Insures and encourages sea and water transport safety.
- Norwegian Metrology Service, or Justervesenet (official site) In charge of research and measuring of metrology; insures through control that all meters measure correct.
- Norwegian Geological Survey, or Norges geologiske undersøkelser (official site) Research and survey related to geology.
- Norwegian Industrial Property Office, or Patentstyret (official site) Registers patents
- Norwegian Ship Registers, or Skipsregistrene (official site) Registry for the Norwegian Ship Register and the Norwegian International Ship Register.
- Norwegian Space Centre, or Norsk Romsenter (official site) Space agency.
Limited companies
Agencies
- National Rail Administration, or Jernbaneverket (official site) Owns and operates the railway infrastructure.
- Norwegian Accident Investigation Board, or Statens havarikommisjon for transport (official site) Investigates accidents related to air-, water-, road- or rail transport.
- Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, or Luftfartstilsynet (official site) Inspectorate and authority concerning air transport
- Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority, or Post- og teletilsynet (official site) Regulates the telecom industry, issues telephone numbers etc.
- Norwegian Railway Inspectorate, or Jernbanetilsynet (official site) Inspectorate concerning rail transport, including urban rail.
- Norwegian Public Roads Administration , or Statens Vegvesen (official site) Builds, operates and maintains state and county road infrastructure.
Limited companies
See also