The NOx Agreement 2018-2025 has been signed by fifteen business organizations and the Ministry of Climate and the Environment. Through the Agreement, the business organizations shall ensure that the total NOx emissions from sources covered by the Agreement do not exceed a set emission ceiling.
The NOx Agreement is an extension of the Environmental Agreement on NOx for the period 2008-2010 and the period 2011-2017. The NOx Agreement - and the declaration of affiliation - form the framework for the work in the The Business Sector`s NOx Fund.
Through the Agreement, the business organizations will ensure reductions in the environmentally harmful nitric oxide gases. Companies that join the Agreement are exempted from the state NOx tax in exchange for assuming obligations to the The Business Sector`s NOx Fund. The Fund's main task is to finance specific NOx-reducing measures.
The parties to the Environmental Agreement on the reduction of NOx emissions for the period 2018-2025 have agreed to extend the Agreement by two years. The extension means that emission ceilings are set for the years 2026 and 2027, and that the Agreement provides a basis for exemption from NOx tax until 31 December 2027. The extension also means that some of the deadlines specified in the Agreement are adjusted. In other respects, the provisions of the Environmental Agreement of 24 May 2017 apply.
Supplement for the period 2026-2027
Approval by ESA
The NOx Agreement 2018-2025 was approved by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) on 22 February 2018.
ESA's decision for the NOx Agreement 2018-2025
The supplement for the period 2026-2027 was approved by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) on 11 june 2024.
ESA's decision for the supplement for the NOx Agreement 2026-2027
The emission obligation in the NOx Agreement
NOx emissions from sources covered by the Agreement shall be kept below a total emission ceiling over periods of two years. The Ministry of Climate and the Environment has adjusted the emission obligation in accordance with Clause 2.3 of the Agreement. The emission ceiling has been adjusted up to:
Total for 2018 and 2019: 202,510 tonnes
Total for 2020 and 2021: 192,510 tonnes
Total for 2022 and 2023: 182 510 tonnes
Total for 2024 and 2025: 172,510 tonnes
Total for 2026 and 2027: 161,000 tonnes
The Environmental Agreement 2011-2017
The Environmental Agreement on NOx 2011-2017 has been fulfilled with a total reduction of 16,000 tonnes of NOx. During this period, the Agreement had partly annual and partly biennial goals that were to be met:
| Year | Tons of NOx |
| 2011 | 3 000 |
| 2012 | 2 000 |
| 2013 and 2014 | 4 000 |
| 2015 and 2016 | 4 000 |
| 2017 | 3 000 |
The Environmental Agreement 2008-2010
The Environmental Agreement on NOx 2008-2010 has been fulfilled with a total reduction of 18,000 tonnes of NOx.
| Year | Tons of NOx |
| 2008 | 2 000 |
| 2009 | 4 000 |
| 2010 | 12 000 * |
Of this, 7,000 tonnes were completed in 2011 for Agreements entered into before 31.12.10.
The Gothenburg Protocol
The Environmental Agreements on NOx are important contributions to meeting Norway's obligations in the Gothenburg Protocol. In addition, the work of providing a better basis for calculating NOx emissions.