And yet, despite Norway's long history of free movement of goods and people, a slight majority of Norwegians has rejected participation in Europe's integration into a community of states and peoples, preferring to go its way alone. As we know, natural resources are a big asset but can also be a curse. They can lead to over-reliance, and may give the feeling that one does not need to combine forces with neighbours. Be it as it may, I have the feeling that there are lingering misperceptions about the goals of the EU and about the way it works. Nordic media, just like in the rest of Europe, concentrate all too often on the shortcomings on the European scene and headlines about European affairs claim that 'the EU wants to control Norwegian oil'.
Editors tend to say that only bad news are worth printing.
Let me therefore take the opportunity to convey to you my own view as to what the EU really is all about. I will point out the reasons that led Robert Schuman to his famous declaration that he made 51 years ago. Secondly, I will give a short overview of the success story that European integration is. Moreover, I will take a look at the bilateral relations between Norway and the EU, particularly in the fields of agriculture and fisheries. This will lead me to the question how small states can articulate their interests within the European Union.