About
A more equal Europe
The ambition of the EEA and Norway Grants is to contribute to a more equal Europe. The three donor states, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway will make available €1.3 billion of project funding over five years to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe. Beneficiaries are organisations, NGOs, municipalities and businesses across Central and Southern Europe.Background
The EEA and Norway Grants were established in conjunction with the enlargement of the European Union in 2004. Ten new member states joined not only the EU, but also the European Economic Area (EEA), which brings together the Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and the EU in the Internal Market. In 2007, Bulgaria and Romania also joined and became beneficiaries of EEA and Norway Grants. In addition to the new EU member states, Greece, Portugal and Spain also take part in the funding schemes.
Values
Solidarity, because the grants aim to reduce social and economic disparities.
Opportunity, because they aim to help new EU members integrate with the internal market.
Cooperation, because it is an aim to strengthen political and economic ties between Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and the 15 beneficiary states.
Size of funds
In the five-year period 2004-2009, €1.3 billion will be made available. A total €672 million is channeled through the EEA Grants, jointly set up by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, to the 12 countries that have joined the EU since 2004, as well as to Greece, Spain and Portugal. Norway contributes with around 95% of the funding.
Norway makes available an additional €567 million through the Norway Grants to the ten countries that joined the EU in 2004, and contributes €68 million in bilateral cooperation programmes with Bulgaria and Romania. The bilateral cooperation programmes are administered by Innovation Norway.
Organisation
The EEA and Norway Grants are implemented in cooperation between the donor states and the beneficiary states, with the Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) in Brussels acting as the day-to-day secretariat. A national Focal Point is the co-ordinating authority in each of the beneficiary states.
The EEA and Norway Grants have joint management, but separate decision-making bodies. The Financial Mechanism Committee (FMC), consisting of representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs in the three donor states, is the decision-making body for the EEA Grants. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the decision-making body for the Norway Grants.
Type of funding
The project support from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway is made available in the beneficiary states through open calls for proposals.
- Individual projects: are the most common form for support and have a grant threshold of €250,000. All calls for individual projects have now been concluded.
- Funds and programmes:provide small-scale grants and an easier application process for groups such as students and NGOs. The funds and programmes still offer funding to applicants through open calls. See the open call overview.
