A worldwide slowdown would hurt other Norwegian industries and impede the country's effort to develop an economy less dependent on oil.

Næss did receive some critique from Norway for "selling out know-how" to the British, as whaling was a huge Norwegian industry.

His largest work was Norsk industri- og næringshaandbok, a registry of several branches of Norwegian industry and business.

Analysts in Oslo said Norway could block the takeover if it raised concerns about foreign ownership of Norwegian industry.

If carried out in full, the company would abandon a business that had also been a bedrock of Norwegian industry.

He took part in a development of the Norwegian industry from exporting cellulose and pulp, to refining and exporting paper.

The Norwegian Mapping Authority participates in R&D and cooperates with Norwegian industry and other government agencies in areas such as export-oriented measures.

But by 1977 high wages had made Norwegian industry uncompetitive and a soaring forced cut-backs in public and private spending.

The complaint charged that the Norwegian industry was Government subsidized.