The commission

1. Introduction

On 17th March 2026, the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) made the decision to appoint a commission of inquiry to examine matters that had arisen in the light of the publication of the Epstein files, cf. section 19 of the Storting’s Rules of Procedure and recommendation 160 S (2025-2026) from the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs.

At the same time, the Storting requested the Storting’s Presidium to table a motion to the Storting for a separate Act relating to the commission of inquiry. Among other things, this legislation would regulate conflict of interest rules, access to and the handling of information, public access and archiving, matters relating to security, and procedural rights for individuals who are affected by the inquiry. This will be followed up in a separate recommendation to the Storting from the Storting’s Presidium, cf. section 19, third and fourth paragraphs of the Storting’s Rules of Procedure.

2. Background for the appointment of a commission of inquiry

At the end of January 2026, the United States Department of Justice released documents and information relating to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The released materials contained information about individuals who are currently or were previously connected to the Government and public administration. They also contained information about the intentions and objectives of other involved parties towards Norwegian institutions and authorities.

The information that has come to light raises questions about, among other things the possible abuse of senior public offices and positions of trust, the possible exchange of information, services and contacts within closed networks with anti-democratic or criminal elements, public officials’ susceptibility to undue influence and the potential adverse consequences for Norwegian interests, the possible improper management of public funds, how this has been enabled by inadequate oversight and an unhealthy culture within the public administration, in particular the foreign service.

3. Purpose and scope of the inquiry

The primary responsibility of the commission of inquiry shall be to examine the matters and questions that have arisen from the release of the Epstein files. The purpose of the inquiry is to establish a clear factual basis for understanding and learning in order to strengthen the integrity and transparency of the Norwegian authorities, and to make the foreign service a better, more efficient and more targeted organization.

The commission of inquiry’s investigations shall, at a minimum, examine the following matters:

• Relations between Jeffrey Epstein and his network and current or former Norwegian politicians, public officials, civil servants and others who are connected to the Norwegian authorities, including, for example, recipients of public funding
• The consequences for Norwegian interests and security, including whether ties, networks or the exchange of information may have influenced Norwegian foreign policy priorities or created vulnerabilities to pressure or undue influence
• Norway’s campaigns to secure senior positions in international organizations
• The relationship between the Norwegian authorities and external organizations, foundations and networks in which Norway has been involved
• The allocation and use of international development funding and other public grants to international organizations
• The culture, practice, governance systems and control mechanisms in the foreign service, including the handling of conflict of interest rules, record management procedures, and personnel security

The commission itself shall determine the temporal scope of its investigations based on what it considers to be relevant and expedient. However, the investigations must include the process that led to the Oslo Accords in 1993, and matters arising from this.

The commission may, within the scope of its terms of reference, pursue relevant lines of inquiry and matters that emerge during the course of its inquiries.

The commission of inquiry shall make recommendations and propose measures on the basis of its findings. The commission’s recommendations and proposed measures shall be especially aimed at mitigating identified risks, and strengthening transparency, oversight, integrity and trust in the foreign service and the public administration more generally.

4. Delimitation in relation to issues of liability

The commission of inquiry shall establish or assess past events and factual circumstances. The commission may also consider whether violations of the law, including human trafficking, other violations of rules and regulations, or other matters warranting criticism have taken place. However, the commission shall not take a position on the legal responsibility of individual persons.

The commission of inquiry, in consultation with the police and the prosecuting authorities, shall ensure that its information-gathering and other activities do not prejudice or impede the investigative work being carried out by those authorities.

5. The commission’s work

The commission of inquiry shall carry out its activities independently and autonomously of the Storting. Within the scope of its terms of reference and the separate Act relating to the commission of inquiry which will be passed by the Storting, it will be the responsibility of the commission itself to determine how to conduct its inquiries. The commission shall ensure that the principles of adversarial proceedings, due process, and verifiability are upheld throughout its work.

The funding necessary for the commission’s work will be appropriated through the Fiscal Budget, and allocated to the commission by the Storting. The commission will appoint its own secretariat, which will be a separate body. The secretariat will be managed exclusively by and report exclusively to the commission, and will itself determine any other assistance it may require.  

6. Access to confidential information

As noted in section 1, a motion will be tabled to the Storting to introduce a separate Act relating to the commission of inquiry. The Freedom of Information Act and the Archives Act shall apply, subject to such adaptions as are necessary for the commission’s work. A stricter standard of impartiality, based on sections 106 and 108 of the Courts of Justice Act, shall apply to the members of the commission and all those who perform work or services on its behalf.

On the basis of the grounds set out in recommendation 160 S (2025-2026), the commission shall, within the scope of its terms of reference, have access to all relevant information, notwithstanding any statutory, regulatory or contractual duty of confidentiality. This includes classified and otherwise protected information. The commission shall be subject to relevant provisions in the Security Act when handling such information.

Public authorities are expected to make available to the commission all information that the commission considers may be of interest in the inquiry. Furthermore, the Storting requests that the Government exercises the authority available to it under existing legislation, and the authority conferred on it by the separate Act, to exempt current and former civil servants from their duty of confidentiality when providing information to the commission.

Under the special Act, the Commission shall have the power to require individuals to give evidence.

7. Changes to the terms of reference

Should new information come to light or additional questions emerge, the Storting may decide to expand or amend the commission of inquiry’s terms of reference. The commission itself may also initiate proposals to amend, further define or clarify its terms of reference.

Such a need may arise, for example, if the United States Department of Justice releases further information in the matter, or if significant new information emerges during the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs’ ongoing inquiries into alleged misconduct in the foreign service, police investigations, or inquiries and investigations in other countries.

In the event of such changes, consideration will be given to whether an extension of the deadline for the commission’s work is necessary.

8. Deadlines, interim reports and publication

The commission will start its inquiries as soon as possible, and will submit its final report to the Storting by 31st January 2028. The commission may submit interim reports to the Storting should it consider this to be appropriate.

The commission’s reports shall be made public, unless special considerations indicate that they should be wholly or partly subject to confidentiality, cf. section 19, final paragraph of the Storting’s Rules of Procedure.