NORWAY IS REASSESSING its relationship with the European Union due to growing global instability, the country’s foreign minister has said.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the “benign world” that existed when Norway twice voted against joining the EU no longer exists.

“This crazy world out there, with what’s happening with China and the US, is forcing the EU to grab tools from a toolbox that was not so active,” Eide said.

Norway has rejected EU membership twice, in 1972 and 1994, with debates over fishing and agriculture proving particularly divisive.

“We said no in 1972 because of fish and again in 1994, it was very much about fish. Fish and agriculture,” Eide told the Financial Times.

Despite remaining outside the bloc, Norway is deeply integrated with the EU through the European Economic Area (EEA), which gives it access to the single market.

The country, which has a population similar to Ireland’s and one of the world’s highest GDPs per capita thanks to its oil and gas industry, conducts the vast majority of its trade with the EU.

However, Eide suggested that Norway’s current arrangement leaves it increasingly exposed as the EU takes a more active role in areas such as trade, defence and security.

The issue has become more pressing following Trump’s return to office, his tariff policies and growing concerns across Europe about the long-term reliability of US security guarantees.

Norway is a member of Nato but has watched on as Trump has repeatedly spoken about taking control of Greenland, which belongs to fellow Nato member Denmark.

“If there was a referendum tomorrow I would vote yes… but that’s not the same as saying now is the moment to actually ask for a referendum,” Eide told the Financial Times.

For now, he said, there was a need “to be honest about the shortcomings of our current set-up”.

While both Eide and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre personally support EU membership, neither is currently calling for a new referendum.

Opinion polls continue to suggest most Norwegians would vote against joining the bloc if a referendum were held today.

According to recent polling, 35.3% of Norwegians say they would have voted yes to Norwegian EU membership if there was a referendum.

Eide also pointed to Iceland’s upcoming referendum on restarting EU membership talks as something Norway would be watching closely.

“When it comes to Iceland, it is significant for us … We need to follow this closely,” Eide said.

Icelanders are due to vote in August on whether to reopen accession negotiations with the EU after talks were suspended in 2015.

The issue has already been discussed by Irish ministers. Last month, Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne said it would be a “big moment” for Ireland if Iceland voted to reopen negotiations with the bloc.

Iceland, like Norway, already has close ties to the EU through the European Economic Area (EEA), giving it access to the single market despite remaining outside the union.