The NOx Agreements 2018–2027 have been signed by fifteen business organisations and the Ministry of Climate and the Environment. Under the agreements, the business organisations shall ensure reductions in environmentally harmful nitrogen oxide emissions and ensure that total NOx emissions from sources covered by the Agreements do not exceed a specified emission ceiling.
Companies that join the Agreement are exempted from the state NOx tax in exchange for obligations to the Business Sector`s NOx Fund. The Fund's main task is to finance specific NOx-reducing measures.
Supplement for the period 2026-2027
The NOx Agreements 2018–2027 constitute an extension of the Environmental Agreements on NOx for the periods 2011–2017 and 2008–2010. The NOx Agreements – together with the Participant Agreement – form the framework for the work of the Business Sector’s NOx Fund.
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.