European Member States and UK
Norwegian Transparency Act
Apenhetsloven · Norway
Plain-language summary
The Norwegian Transparency Act (Apenhetsloven) establishes obligations for larger Norwegian companies and foreign companies marketing to Norwegian consumers to conduct due diligence in their supply chains and to respond to public information requests. It is notable for its right-to-information provision, which allows any person to request information from a company about how it addresses human rights risks in its supply chain.
The law requires covered companies to conduct due diligence based on the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, to publish an annual due diligence report, and to respond within three weeks to information requests from the public or civil society organisations.
The third annual reporting cycle, completed in spring 2026, showed 81 percent of covered companies had submitted compliant reports. The Consumer Authority has used enforcement actions to push companies toward more substantive rather than procedural compliance.
Key obligations
- 1
Conduct OECD-based due diligence
Companies must implement due diligence based on the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
- 2
Publish annual due diligence report
Companies must publish a report on their due diligence, identifying the most salient human rights risks and what they are doing about them.
- 3
Respond to information requests
Any person may request information about how the company handles human rights risks. The company must respond within three weeks.
Implementation timeline
June 2021
Act enacted
The Norwegian Parliament passed the Transparency Act.
July 2022
Act enters into force
Obligations became enforceable.
Spring 2026
Third reporting cycle complete
81 percent of covered companies submitted compliant annual reports.
Change log
The Norwegian Consumer Authority confirmed that 81 percent of companies required to report under the Transparency Act had submitted compliant annual reports for the third reporting cycle. The Authority noted continued concern about the depth of supply chain analysis in many reports, which identify risks at a generic level without specific findings or remediation actions.
Official sources