There seems to be a view that European countries must be either in the EU or condemned to outer darkness and (implicitly) a Third World and/or vassal status.

But Norway demonstrates that is its possible to have your cake and eat it, too

ie it's both/and not either/or and they are free to have a look at what the EU is proposing and then to adapt or adopt it according to taste.

Not that they reject much, and indeed they tend rather to adopt more rapidly, and more comprehensively than the funereal pace of most EU initiatives - which, with enlargement, can only get slower.

In terms of Jerome's point re climate change, the initiative IMHO can only come from energy producers acting collectively and putting to the EU and US alike an offer they cannot refuse.

I believe that Norway is uniquely well placed to lead that process if they could only summon up the self confidence to add to their innate (and currently rather tarnished) sense of moral superiority.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson