Brussels, 28/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On a visit to Norway (27-29 June) the Commissioner for regional policy, Danuta Hübner, welcomed Norway and the EU's, “very successful cooperation on questions related to regional policy”. In a press release the Commissioner declared, “Norway's active involvement in cross-border, transnational and neighbourhood programmes with the EU and the Russian Federation is very important for the sustainable economic development of the region. Norway is contributing significantly to supporting EU Cohesion Policy through the European Economic Area agreement”. Norway has been playing an active role in cross border and trans-national cooperation programmes. In cohesion policy and its “European territorial cooperation” objective these programmes are continuing over the 2007-13 period and the Norwegian government will contribute €134 million to it. In Norway Ms Hübner met Ms Liv Monica Stubholt, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Inge Bartnes, State Secretary, Ministry of Local Governance and Regional Development, and President of the Sami Parliament Ms Aili Keskitalo. On Thursday she made a keynote speech on the new EU Cohesion Policy at a seminar organised by the Delegation of the European Commission to Norway and Iceland in Oslo. On Friday she will be participating in a seminary in Tromso on the theme of “Innovation and regional development”. The Commissioner will attend a presentation of Norwegian projects co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Enhancing local capacities will be at the centre of a seminary organised on Friday by the Norwegian foreign affairs minister, with Norwegian and Polish participants. (gb)