Report on the implementation of article 66.2
of the TRIPS agreement

Norway

The following communication, dated 24 September 2024, from the delegation of Norway, is being circulated pursuant to paragraph 1 of the Decision on Implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement (document _IP/C/28).

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1  Introduction

1.  Article 66.2 of the WTO TRIPS Agreement requires developed country Members to provide incentives to enterprises and institutions in their territories for the purpose of promoting and encouraging technology transfer to least developed country (LDC) Members in order to enable them to create a sound and viable technological base. The present report provides an overview of the relevant facilities provided by Norway, through the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund).

2.  LDCs are eligible for Norad and Norfund incentive schemes along with other developing countries.

2  THE NORWEGIAN AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION (NORAD)

3.  Norad is a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is responsible for quality assurance of Norwegian development cooperation. Norad also administers several grant programmes for specific purposes, among them is private sector development. Norad provides incentives for technology transfer to LDCs through its facilities for pre-investment support, the Strategic partnerships, the Knowledge Bank of Norad and its technical cooperation through knowledge programmes like Oil for Development, Fish for Development, Oceans for Development, Tax for Development, Digitalization for Development, Statistics and register cooperation, Agriculture for Development, and Energy for Development. Within these programmes are over a hundred agreements with both governments, research institutions, NGOs and multilateral organizations. Many other programmes supported by Norad also include elements of technology transfer.

4.  The facilities for pre-investment support are application-based and untied. The main users are Norwegian enterprises, but foreign enterprises are welcome to apply. The schemes are open to all kinds of technology transfer, but from 2022 priority is given to investments in renewable energy. Technical assistance is the main mode of technology transfer, but the schemes also include investments in basic infrastructure. The financing facilities are fully utilized every year.

5.  The purpose of the Norad facilities for pre-investment support is to encourage firms to invest in developing countries and LDCs. The support schemes intend to pave the way for long-term commercially viable investments through financial support for risk-reducing measures and/or measures that promote the sustainability and feasibility of private investment projects. The facilities promote cooperation, including cooperation relating to transfer of technology, through the support of feasibility studies for establishing joint ventures or foreign subsidiaries; training to strengthen the local staff and management of joint ventures or companies that are owned wholly or partially by one or more foreign companies; and investments in basic environmental infrastructure and basic infrastructure (road, water/sanitation, electricity, and telecommunication). The additionality of Norad's support to individual companies has been facilitating direct investment towards countries and regions where companies would not necessarily have invested otherwise, due to lack of contact to facilitate implementation and risk, among other reasons. The purpose of the facility is also to facilitate and promote job creation, in particular for women and youth. Supported projects are usually completed within one to three years. Disbursements to LDCs for this facility in 2023 are listed in Table 1. The Norad facilities for pre-investment support have a special window for renewable energy investments, also listed in Table 1.