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Updates on Norway

31 Dec 2005

Norway ratified on 16 February 2000, becoming the 7th State Party.

In April 2002, the Permanent Commission for Penal Law submitted its reports and a proposal to include the crimes in the Rome Statute into the Norwegian Penal Code. Norway already has a law of cooperation and enforcement of sentences from 15 June 2001 (Act. No. 65/2001).

The need for legislative enactments or amendments was described in the ratification bill in order to ensure compliance with the obligations envisaged under the Statute, as well as to enable Norwegian authorities to provide voluntary assistance to the Court. Thus, implementation legislation was deemed necessary in the field of international cooperation and judicial assistance, and with regard to enforcement of sentences of imprisonment.

As of September 2002, legislative enactments similar to those pertaining to cooperation with the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda were under consideration. The text of Act No. 38 of 24 June 1994, relating to the incorporation into Norwegian law of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on the establishment of international tribunals for crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, provides an illustration of the kind of provisions envisaged.

The bill of ratification of the Rome Statute was sent to Parliament on 26 November 1999. The Norwegian Parliament approved ratification on 27 January 2000, and the King gave his signature of approval on 4 Feb 2000. All of the steps for ratification were complete as of 7 February 2000, and implementing legislation was passed June 2001.

Irrespective of the need for legislative enactments referred to above, the Rome Statute was to be considered closely in the context of future reviews of Norwegian criminal legislation, i.e. particular relevance to definitions of crimes and general principles of criminal law in the Statute.