Timeline

Agreeing national priorities

In autumn 2010, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway presented the beneficiary states with a choice of 32 programme areas. Since September 2010, negotiations have been on-going between the three donor states and each individual beneficiary state to agree on an estimated 10 programmes to be set up in each country. Once concluded, these are set out in framework agreements known as ‘Memoranda of Understanding’ (MoU) which also include details on the administrative set-up and cooperation with the donor states.

The aim is to target the funding in areas where the EEA and Norway Grants would fill a funding gap, and which are in line with shared European priorities.

MoUs signed: what are the next steps?

After the framework agreements have been signed, the beneficiary country begins the work by developing the programmes. In general, the programme operator will have been selected during the MoU process and this entity will then begin to work on the programme proposal – a process that may last up to 8 months.

This programme proposal will need to be appraised and approved by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway before the programme operator can launch calls for project proposals.

When will the open calls be held?

So far, two programmes are up and running, but around 135 are expected all in all. More programme proposals will be forwarded from the countries to the donor states for appraisal in the coming months, and the aim is to get the programmes approved in 2012 in order to get projects started on the ground as soon as possible.

Grants will be awarded to projects following calls for proposals that will be organised by the respective programme operators in the beneficiary states, most likely starting in summer and autumn 2012. Information on all open calls for proposals will be published on this website.

Projects can be implemented until 30 April 2016.