The party has a broad international agenda and activities, with well-established contacts all over the world. Our former party leader, ThorbjørnJagland is a vice-president of the Socialist International (SI) and Espen Barth Eide is a presidency member of the Party of European Socialists (PES). The party is active members of the SI, which brings together more than 130 social democrat and socialist parties from all over the world. Thorbjørn Jagland is also chairing the SI Middle East Committee. The Norwegian Labour Party is eager to promote our ideas on Global Governance and have actively promoted our policies on this field within the SI. The last few years the Norwegian Labour Party have also been the initiator of the SI working groups on World Trade Organisation and Global Environment issues.

Although Norway is not a member of the EU, the Norwegian Labour Party has been allowed membership in the Party of European Socialists. The party promoted EU membership, but Norway voted no in a referendumin 1994. Still, the PES is an important forum for us to follow European politics and discuss with our European Friends.

The Party is also active members of the Nordic Social democratic cooperation SAMAK. SAMAK assembles the social democratic parties and the trade unions in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Faroe Islands, Iceland,Greenland and Åland. SAMAK also cooperates closely with Baltic social democratic organisations. In recent years, SAMAK has among other activities produced joint programmes on the European Union,welfare, employment, environment- and energy policies, global responsibilities and democracy.

The NorwegianLabour Party has an international committee, which is chaired by Sverre Lodgaard. Lodgaard is also Director of Norwegian Foreignpolicy Institute.

The Committee serves as policy advisors for the leadership, activity-initiators and policy developers on international issues.

The international secretary is secretary to the committee.

The international secretary also maintains and develops relations with all sister parties across the world. The international secretary also works to increase the knowledge about the party`s international activities and policies among both members and citizens. Follow-up on the international cooperation projects is also part of the work.

Ms. Maria Hevzy is serving as international secretary.