2004

Estonia and Latvia signed o­n 2 December 2004 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the three EEA EFTA states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway o­n the use of funds available through the European Economic Area Agreement (EEA). The MoU for the EEA Financial Mechanism, established under the EEA Enlargement Agreement, will make 10.1 million euros available in Estonia and 19.7 million euros in Latvia over a five-year period for projects in a broad range of sectors, including environmental protection, renewable energy, promotion of sustainable development, conservation of the European cultural heritage, human resources development, health and childcare.

The Czech Republic signed o­n 2 December 2004 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the three EEA EFTA states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway o­n the use of funds available through the European Economic Area Agreement (EEA).

Norway and Estonia signed o­n 17 November 2004 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, which makes available close to 23 million euros over a five-year period for projects in Estonia aiming to reduce social and economic disparities within the newly enlarged European Economic Area (EEA).

The MoU was signed by State Secretary, Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Traavik o­n behalf of Norway, and by State Secretary, Ministry of Finance Valentina Andrejeva o­n behalf of Latvia during a seminar held in Riga, Latvia attended by some 80 representatives from both countries. The seminar focused particularly o­n priority sectors such as environment, regional development and social integration, including the role of civil society.

The MoU for the EEA Financial Mechanism, established under the EEA Enlargement Agreement, will make 280.8 million euros available over a five-year period for projects in a broad range of sectors, including environmental protection, renewable energy, promotion of sustainable development, conservation of the European cultural heritage, public transport and urban renewal, human resources development, health and childcare.

Poland and the Czech Republic became the first new EEA countries to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for grants made available by the EEA EFTA countries as part of the EEA enlargement on 1 May 2004.