UiB establishes Centre for EU and EEA law

“The Norwegian NAV-case has shown that increased insight into EU and EEA law is necessary,” says Professor Christian Franklin at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen (UiB).

Franklin will lead the Centre for the Europeanization of Norwegian law (CENTENOL). The Research Council of Norway is supporting the centre with NOK 21 million over a four-year period from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028. This is the largest call for proposals specifically aimed at legal research ever.

Must challenge and expand EU and EEA knowledge

The centre will both challenge and expand current knowledge of EU and EEA law by means of research, teaching, communication and networking activities.

Norwegian lawyers and public servants must become better able to understand the consequences of EU and EEA law for Norwegian law and public proceedings. More specifically, the researchers at the center will take a closer look at how social security, immigration and employment law are affected by European law.

“We largely need increased knowledge about how EU and EEA law used to be Norwegian law and public administration,” Franklin says.

Intervening in all areas of life

Karl Harald Søvig the Dean of The faculty of law, UiB, thinks it is very gratifying that the Research Council is announcing funds related to legal research.

“EU and EEA law intervenes in almost all areas of life and is relevant to all legal fields, both in the private and public sector.”

“There is a need for knowledge of both the individual legal rules and the more general aspects. For example, EU and EEA law has led to regulations taking on a different role in the legal system,” says Karl Harald Søvig.

• Strengthen research on jurisprudence that concerns the Europeanisation of Norwegian law.
• Building an Open Access knowledge base.
• Strengthen education on EU and EEA law together with the partners.
• Collaboration with the University of Agder, the University of Stavanger, Reykjavik University and the Liechtenstein Institute.