Agreement on EEA and Norway Grants

Press release | Date: 12/09/2024| Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the European Union have now signed an agreement on a new funding period for the EEA and Norway Grants.

Norway's ambassador to the EU, Anders Eide, signed the agreement on behalf of Norway. Credit: Magnus Gulbrandsen/Mission of Norway to the EU

The aim of Norway's funding under the EEA and Norway Grants scheme is to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe. In addition, the scheme helps to enhance cooperation between Norway and the beneficiary countries.

'It is in Norway's interests to ensure that democracy and respect for fundamental human rights remain strong across Europe. It is also to Norway's benefit to enable Europe as a whole to take part in the green transition that we all must undergo,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

Negotiations on a new funding period for the EEA and Norway Grants were formally launched in June 2022, and the negotiators reached an agreement in November 2023. On 25 June 2024, the agreement was approved by the Council of the EU, which represents the member states.

The agreement was signed in Brussels today by Norway's Ambassador to the EU Anders Eide.

The agreement was also signed by Kristján Andri Stefánsson, Iceland's Ambassador to the EU, Pascal Schafhauser, Liechtenstein's Ambassador to the EU, and Deputy Secretary-General John Watson from the EU.

'The EEA and Norway Grants are an important component of the cooperation between Norway and the EU. We will submit the agreement to the Storting for approval this autumn. We will then enter into individual agreements with each beneficiary country,' Mr Eide said.

The agreement with each beneficiary state will set out a portfolio of programmes to be implemented and specify the partners, including Norwegian partners, that will cooperate on programme implementation. It is important to conclude the agreements with the beneficiary states quickly to ensure the best possible outcomes in line with the applicable priorities.

For the 2021-2028 period, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are providing EUR 3.268 billion to the EU's 15 least prosperous states. Norway provides roughly 97 % of this funding. A total of EUR 183 million has been earmarked for measures to help address the ramifications of Russia's war on Ukraine in the beneficiary countries.

The three priority areas that have been designated are:

• Green transition

• Democracy, rule of law and human rights

• Social inclusion and resilience

Allocations to beneficiary countries (EUR million)

Poland	924,9
Romania	596,3
Bulgaria	260
Hungary	254,1
The Czech Republic	225,2
Greece	159,3
Croatia	133,1
Slovakia	130,7
Portugal	126,3
Lithuania	117,9
Latvia	109,5
Estonia	71,8
Slovenia	50
Cyprus	17,6
Malta	11,2