Russian fishing group Norebo is suing Norway for refusing fishing permits in Norway's exclusive economic zone.
The Oslo District Court begins hearing the case today, NRK reports.
At the center of the dispute is the relationship between the sanctions and the Russian-Norwegian fishing agreement, which allows the fleets of both countries access to each other's areas.
Norebo, which is under sanctions from Norway and the European Union, sees the refusal as discriminatory: other Russian companies are given permits. Norway objects: the issue is not the Russian origin of the company, but its inclusion in the sanctions lists. The European Union, in particular, points to the possibility of using its ships for intelligence purposes.
There is also a dispute about the limits of the restrictions. Norebo claims that the sanctions rules apply to the territory of Norway, including the territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles, but do not provide grounds for denying a fishing license in the exclusive economic zone beyond its borders.
Norway's position is different: the Norwegian authorities cannot grant economic benefits to a sanctioned company, regardless of its location.
In January, Norvo already lost the dispute over a temporary measure - the ability to continue fishing until the case is finally resolved. Then the court recognized that when it came to discuss the requests, the state has the right to take into account sanctions and national security interests. The dispute must now be considered on its merits.
A senior researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Geir Hønneland Institute does not expect the results of the case to disrupt fishing cooperation. Last year, Moscow already threatened to withdraw from it due to the refusal of the licenses of Norebo and Morman seafood, but in the end the agreement was kept.
The practical interest of the company is clear: according to Hønneland, in the Norwegian area the fish are bigger and closer to sales markets. Moreover, even if Norebo loses, as NRK points out, it will be able to choose its quota, for example, in the fisheries protection zone around Spitsbergen.