Stabilitetsgrundad

Stabilitetsgrundad is a term used in Norwegian legal contexts, particularly within administrative law and public administration. It translates roughly to "grounded in stability" or "based on stability." The concept refers to the principle that decisions and actions taken by public authorities should be predictable and consistent to ensure legal certainty and public trust.

This principle is important because it means that individuals and businesses should be able to rely on the fact that administrative decisions, once made and not appealed, will generally remain unchanged. Frequent or arbitrary changes in regulations or interpretations by authorities can undermine this stability, leading to uncertainty and potential hardship for those affected.

Stabilitetsgrundad emphasizes that while public administration must be able to adapt to new circumstances and correct errors, such changes should be well-justified and not undermine the fundamental expectation of stability. It is often invoked in discussions about the protection of legitimate expectations, where individuals have acted in good faith based on previous administrative practice or pronouncements.

The principle serves as a check on arbitrary administrative action, promoting fairness and predictability in the legal system. It balances the need for administrative flexibility with the crucial requirement for legal certainty and the protection of established rights and expectations.