The prize is given to young talented European writers and aims to “put the spotlight on the creativity and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature, to promote more circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works”.

The grant, founded by the Booksellers’ Association, The Norwegian Writer’s Union and the Bjørnson Festival, is given to an emerging writer of great promise.

The names of twelve European authors to receive the first ever European Union Prize for Literature were announced the 16th of July 2009 by the European Commission, the European Booksellers Federation (EBF), the European Writers' Council (EWC) and the Federation of European Publishers (FEP). Carl Frode Tiller with the title "Innsirkling" (Encirclement) was the winner from Norway.

Sigmund Jensen won the grant for “a particularly remarkable book” for his novel THE TIBERIUS CLIFF, while Kristine Næss won one of the two grants for new, powerful writers, for her novels, prose and poetry. Her latest novel HANNAH'S STORY WITH HEDDY, was widely acclaimed by critics on its publication in 2008.

Today it was announced that Per Petterson has been awarded the Nordic Council’s Literary Prize for his novel I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME.

Lars Petter Sveen has been awarded the Tarjej Vesaas First Book Prize for his short story collection DRIVING FROM FRÆNA. A week later Jo Nesbø decided to share the Readers' Prize with him.

Askildsen, generally regarded the greatest living short story writer in Norway, is given the prize for his contribution to literature.

Sortland has been nominated for his novel about teenage pregnancy, EVERYBODY’S GOT A HUNGRY HEART.

Petterson's novel I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME won the category for adult fiction, while Sortland's EVERYBODY'S GOT A HUNGRY HEART won the category for fiction for children and young adults.

Dag Solstad’s novel NOVEL 11, BOOK 18 has been longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize

Inger Bråtveit's SISS AND UNN and Per Petterson's I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME are both nominated in the category Best Adult Fiction, whereas Bjørn Sortland's EVERYBODY'S GOT A HUNGRY HEART is among the nominees for the Best Book for Children and Young Adults.

Poet, essayist and novelist Geir Gulliksen has won the Mads Wiel Nygaard Endowment for 2008. Lars Petter Sveen has won the Aschehoug Debutant Grant 2008.

Heidi Marie Kriznik has received the Unified Language Prize 2008 for her writing. The prize is awarded annually to a writer who has created excellent literary works using a popular, radical bokmål Norwegian.

The respected German website for serious childrens’ books critique has named Hanne and Klaus Hagerup’s SCARY as one of the four best international childrens’ books of 2008.

Endre Lund Eriksen has won the Ark Children’s Book Prize for his latest novel THERE’S A TERRORIST IN THE UPPER BUNK.

Westlie won the prize for best work of non-fiction for My Father’s War , while Petterson won the fiction award for I Curse the River of Time .

Tore Renberg has won the Booksellers' Prize, one of the most prestigious Norwegian literary prizes, for his novel Charlotte Isabel Hansen .

Ketil Bjørnstad’s novel The River (Aschehoug, 2007) was recently launced in Denmark and is now receiving excellent reviews.

Ketil Bjørnstad’s novel To Music has been awarded the French Prix des Lecteurs 2008, beating Paul Auster, Truman Capote and Susanna Clarke as well as domestic favourites Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Tatiana de Rosnay and Sylvie Testud.

Harald Rosenløw Eeg has been nominated for the global 540.000 EURO Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2009.