Future of Norwegian salmon tax body hanging in the balance

The Norm Price Council is an independent body, appointed by the Ministry of Finance, whose task is to set binding norm prices for salmon and trout. In other words, it determines the prices underpinning the calculation of how aquaculture companies should be taxed.

The Council’s future will be decided in the Storting, Norway’s parliament, later today. Many observers are expecting it to go now after the Centre Party said it would join the Conservatives in voting it out.

But Centre politicians later said they would bring forward alternative proposals because it was not right they should support the Conservative Party outright . So uncertainty remains.

Geir Ove Ystmark, CEO of the industry organisation Seafood Norway, said earlier: “We are pleased that such a large majority in the Centre Party has listened to the coast and advocated that the aquaculture industry should in future be taxed on its actual income.

“We now expect the Centre Party to support the Conservative Party, Christian Democrats, the Liberal Party, Patient Focus and the Liberal Party in the Storting and that the norm price council be discontinued.”

He said Seafood Norway had warned from the start there was no single market value for salmon and the scheme is very bureaucratic.

Experience from the standard prices that have been set shows that they result in the incorrect taxation of many companies. 

Ystmark declared: “This is not sustainable. Therefore, Seafood Norway was pleased that the Conservative Party submitted a proposal to dismantle the norm price council in the Storting."

The Storting’s Finance Committee submitted a recommendation on Tuesday. The Conservative Party then received further messages from the Christian Democrats, the Progress and Liberal parties and Patient Focus that they also support dismantling.

“Now that the National Congress of the Centre Party has adopted the proposal from Nordland, we expect that it will be followed up by the Centre Party in the Storting, and that there will be a majority in the Storting later today, “ he concluded.