Bullet item list from her presentation:

• Norway's general prosperity has not left us without challenges. Since 1999 economic growth has slowed. We have seen a downturn in business investments and a weak development in non-petroleum exports. The competitiveness of Norwegian industries in terms of costs has deteriorated in recent years. (This is partly a reflection of distinctly higher wage growth in Norway than what is the case with our main trading partners, and partly the result of the appreciation of the Norwegian krone over the past few years. Presently, record low Norwegian interest rates have improved this situation somewhat.)
• We are also very much aware of the need to maintain a diverse industrial base so that we do not become overly dependent on the petroleum sector.
• Norwegian companies are competitive in a number of sectors, but the question for the future becomes: HOW DO WE STAY COMPETITIVE?
• Key words here are: innovation, specialization and human capital.
• Our challenge in the time to come will be to find ways to support the creation of businesses and jobs which can absorb our high costs. Innovation will play an important role in this task.
• Innovation takes place, first and foremost, through interaction between a number of different participants, with both cooperation and competition having a stimulating effect. The participants will often be customers, suppliers, competitors, financial institutions, knowledge institutions, consultants as well as the authorities.
• Specifically, the Government will focus on facilitating the improvement of:
  • General conditions for trade and industry
  • Knowledge and competency
  • Research, development and commercialisation
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Electronic and physical infrastructure
• In order to oversee the development of a coherent plan, a special Government Committee has been established consisting of all the relevant (9) ministers. An important task will be to ensure that coordination of the policy takes place across the policy areas under the individual ministers. The Ministry for Trade and Industry has been given the leading and coordinating role.
• The committee will oversee 10 projects, managed by the respective ministries in close cooperation with external partners.
• The Government will regularly invite business representatives and other key players within the innovation community to discuss ways of improving cooperation. An Innovation Forum has been established for this purpose and will convene for the first time June 11.
• For us in the Foreign Service, the key question is how we can facilitate in these processes. How can we give added value?
• I believe it goes without saying that innovation is not a national, internal process. (The most innovative part of our industry - the oil and petroleum sector - was developed in close cooperation with an international environment.) Innovation takes place when ideas meet and develop. And it is in this international meeting place we have our role with our country expertise and our networks.
• However, this requires that our people are active and business minded. Consequently, the business related has been given higher priority in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Clear signal from the top!
• As you may know, from 1 January this year, the new state owned company Innovation Norway was created - with the slogan "We give local ideas global opportunities".
• The purpose of IN is to promote nationwide industrial development profitable to both the business economy and Norway's national economy, and to help release the potential of different districts and regions by contributing towards innovation, internationalisation and promotion.
• The company employs more than 700 people. It has 17 local branches in Norway and offices in 34 countries. IN and the Foreign Service is integrated abroad.
• IN replaces 4 organisations within business and tourist promotion and considerably simplifies the situation for the clients (predominantly SME's). There is now just one organisation to relate to and IN can follow the business development - from the local phase to internationalisation.
• Many places, IN and the Foreign Service is already well integrated through the offices of NTC/the Embassies. We can build on established structures, where also the chambers of commerce have an important role. Some new challenges: Develop networks, no strict borders between what is national and what is international, new cultures?