Regulation relating to an environment fee for visitors to Svalbard
Laid down by Royal Decree on 22 December 2006 pursuant to section 78 of the Act of 15 June 2001 no. 79 relating to the protection of the environment in Svalbard. Submitted by the Ministry of the Environment.
Regulation | Date: 22/12/2006 | Ministry of Climate and Environment
Originally published by: Ministry of the Environment
Laid down by Royal Decree on 22 December 2006 pursuant to section 78 of the Act of 15 June 2001 no. 79 relating to the protection of the environment in Svalbard. Submitted by the Ministry of the Environment.
The translation is not official; it is provided for information purposes only. In the event of any inconsistency, the Norwegian version shall prevail.
This transaltion is based on the norwegian version of 22. december 2006. Later amendments are not translated.
§ 1. The fee and its purpose
Visitors to Svalbard shall pay an environment fee. The purpose of the fee is for those who put pressure on the environment to contribute towards the implementation of care and maintenance work, preventative measures, informative measures and the like, aimed at preserving Svalbard’s unique wilderness environment and cultural heritage. The fee will be paid in to the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund.
§ 2. Geographical scope
The Regulation applies to visitors to land areas and internal waters of Svalbard.
§ 3. Obligation to pay the fee
For each ticket bought for a journey to Svalbard, the tour operator will be charged an environment fee of NOK 150.
Air passengers will be charged an environment fee of NOK 150 for each ticket bought for a journey from Svalbard. The exemptions in the Regulations concerning charges for state aviation facilities and services pursuant to § 7-26 of the Air Navigation Act § 1-4 and §§ 3-1 to 3-6, shall apply correspondingly to the obligation for air passengers to pay the fee pursuant to this regulation.
Individual travellers in their own boats who according to § 7 of the Tourism Regulations are obliged to give notice of their journeys must pay an environment fee of NOK 150 in connection with their notification to the Governor.
§ 4. Refunds
Permanent residents on Svalbard are exempt from the obligation to pay a fee according to the present Regulation, cf. litra i of the first paragraph of § 3 of the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and can claim a refund of the fee from the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund.
§ 5. Exemption
The Ministry of the Environment can grant exemptions from the Regulation when special reasons so indicate.
§ 6. Coercive fine
To ensure that the provisions in the Regulation or decisions pursuant to the Regulation are complied with, the Governor can determine a coercive fine pursuant to §96 of the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act.
§ 7. Penalties
Deliberate or negligent violation of provisions laid down in or pursuant to this Regulation is punishable by fines.
§ 8. Entry into force and amendment
This Regulation enters into force on 1 April 2007. The Ministry of the Environment can amend the Regulation.