1250 projects for €1.2 billion

On 30 April 2009, the last remaining funding under the grant schemes were committed, resulting in the approval of 1250 projects in 15 countries across Central and Southern Europe.

Environment on top

Environmental protection is central to the EEA and Norway Grants' values, and around one fourth of the total project support has been allocated towards efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainable development. More than 300 environmental projects will receive funding, and improved energy efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions are at the core of this support. The protection of our common European cultural heritage is another central priority under the grant schemes. Over 200 such projects have been approved to secure the renovation of historical monuments, arts, and documents, making these available for generations to come.

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway have also made strengthening civil society a cornerstone of the EEA and Norway Grants. Through 19 NGO funds established in 12 beneficiary states, some 1000 NGO projects are already in implementation. Efforts to strengthen democracy and human rights, fight discrimination, and promote social inclusion are key areas of support under the funds. The largest NGO fund under the grant schemes has been established in Poland, providing sought-after funds for the country's civil society sector. In the summer of 2008, two long awaited NGO funds were also established in Bulgaria and Romania, to support watch-dog activities and public policy initiatives by civil society organisations.

Several countries have also chosen to channel substantial amounts of funding to secure effective protection of the Schengen area's external border. Projects related to border security, police cooperation and a strengthened judiciary are central to this priority sector, and the Schengen support also facilitates cooperation between the Norwegian police and the national police services in the beneficiary states.

€500 million for Poland

Poland is by far the largest beneficiary of grant support under the EEA and Norway Grants. By the end of the commitment period, over 400 Polish projects are receiving more than €500 million in grant support. Poland has chosen to steer significant amounts of its funding towards environmental projects, including efforts to improve energy efficiency in public buildings.

With over €100 million in support, the Czech Republic is another large recipient under the grant schemes. Home to a rich and diverse cultural heritage, the country has chosen to allocate significant grant support to protect and preserve its historical buildings and monuments. Cultural heritage is also an important priority in Slovenia, where one of the approved projects aims to revive five of the country's old town centres.

In neighboring Hungary and Slovakia, several projects have been implemented to promote cross-border cooperation in the region. In the Baltic countries, on the other hand, efforts to improve health and childcare services have been prioritised, with a number of projects aiming to improve conditions in child care institutions.

Efforts to fight and prevent forest fires are specific for Greece, Portugal and Spain, where several projects have been implemented to secure large land areas from damaging fires. Forest protection is also a priority in Malta, where the EEA and Norway Grants support an afforestation project in one of the island's nature parks. A unique project is also underway in Cyprus, where an educational centre is being established in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia, in order to foster closer ties between civil society organisations from both Cypriot communities.

The figures referred to in this text include the Norwegian bilateral cooperation programmes with Bulgaria and Romania, which are administered separately by Innovation Norway.