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NORWAY
Stortinget
Parliamentary bodies dealing with human rights :
Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs - Standing Committee on Justice

Type of parliamentary body Multifunctional
Nature Permanent
Related to chambers Stortinget
Date of creation - - -
Last renewal date
Mandate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs: all foreign affairs issues, including human rights. The committee's responsibilities are matters relating to foreign affairs, development cooperation, Norwegian interests on Svalbard or in other polar regions and matters in general relating to agreements between Norway and other states or international organizations. Standing Committee on Justice: all issues falling within the competence of the Ministry of Justice, including human rights issues at the national level. The committee's responsibilities are matters relating to the judicial system, the probation service, the police, persons performing civilian national service, other judicial issues, ex gratia payments, general legislation relating to public administration, the penal code, civil and criminal procedural legislation and general civil legislation.
Membership Both committees are appointed by the Stortinget for a four-year period (the legislative term). The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs has 15 members; the Standing Committee on Justice has 11 members.
Working methods The Standing Committees are preparatory bodies serving the Storting. In general, on the proposal of the President, the Storting or the chamber concerned distributes all matters requiring preparation to the competent standing committees. The latter do not make any final decision, but present recommendations in writing to the Stortinget. As regards legislation, the committees may not deal with matters other than those submitted by the Storting or the Odelsting (lower chamber) . The committees may hear oral statements from persons whom they request to attend (including experts and government officials) or who apply for permission to put information before the committees (such as NGOs). Generally, such hearings are open. The committees do not make any written reports or statements except those contained in their written recommendations to the Storting.
Relations with other parliamentary bodies The committees report in general directly to the Storting. The Storting may decide that a matter shall first be dealt with by a specific committee, and that this committee's draft recommendations shall then be submitted for comment to another committee before the recommendation is presented.
Relations with external bodies There is no formal relationship with external bodies. However, such bodies may be invited to hearings on specific matters dealt with by the Committee; or have informal meetings with the Chairperson or other members of the Committee.
Subjects dealt with There are regular meetings with humanitarian and relief organisations on matters related to human rights and humanitarian assistance, particularly in relation to Africa. In addition, there are frequent meetings with human rights organisations on the human rights situation in specific countries or regions.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Main address The Norwegian Parliament
Utenrikskomiteen, Stortinget
0026 OSLO
Phone ...
Fax ...
E-mail ...
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PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
Name Mr. Olav Akselsen
Notes Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs
Name Ms. Anne Marit Bjørnflaten
Notes Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice
SECRETARY
Name Mr. Victor C. Rønneberg
Notes Secretary of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs
Address (if different from above)
Phone + 47 23 31 35 13
Fax ...
E-mail utenriks@stortinget.no
web site: ...
Notes
Name Ms. Trude Lyng
Notes Secretary of the Standing Committee on Justice
Address (if different from above)
Phone + 47 23 31 30 80
Fax ...
E-mail justis@stortinget.no
web site: ...
Notes

Information on this page was last updated on 31 March 2009
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