Bogdan KotykBekhzod Melikov

European Economic

Area Grants

September 2007, Bratislava

European Economic Area

WHEN?

the agreement on EEA signed in May 1992entered into force on 1 January 1994WHO?created by then EC and EFTA member states today: 28 states

DONOR STATES

€ 1.17 billion available over the 2004-2009 period to 15 beneficiary states

Norway - largest donor95 percent of the funding

EEA Grants were formally established in May 2004

Beneficiary States

Priority Sectors

In total, the financial mechanisms will make € 1.17 billion available over

the 2004-2009 period

Through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, Norway will make an

additional €567 million available to the 10

countries that joined the EU and the EEA in 2004

Both mechanisms run over a five-year period until 2009

THE EEA GRANTS

The philosophy guiding this contribution is based on the values of solidarity, opportunity and cooperation:A Europe of equals will spur sustainable economic and social development; a Europe of disparities will not.

AIMto reduce social and economic disparities within the EEA

to enable all EEA countries to participate fully in the Internal Market.

Openness and availability are fundamental principles of the EEA Grants

Eligible applicants

All public and private actors

Non-Governmental Organisations

Other civil society organisations

Maximal contribution of the donor

60% of the total eligible project cost , but may be

extended to up to 85% if the applicant has secured at least

15% co-financing from a government budget allocation

NGOs may receive a grantrate of up to 90% of total eligible project costs, the application is submitted within one of the priority sectors that are common to both financial mechanisms.

ALLOCATIONS PER BENEFICIARY STATE

While some beneficiary states have concluded their planned calls for proposals already, most have one final round to go before the end of the commitment period in April 2009

Year in brief

more than 40 block grants or ‘funds’ will be established

Spring 2007 was an especially

busy period for the block grants under the EEA

Grants

The funds will be administered by national intermediaries to reflect the individual needs and requirements in each beneficiary state

The research funds in Slovakia and Poland

are the first to become operational after being approved by the donor

states in February 2007.

20 already approved funds have just been made operational or are about to be launched

Scholarship schemes supported by the EEA Grants will be set up in eleven beneficiary states for a total value of around €25 million

Beneficiary state overview: SLOVAKIA

€5.9 million NGO fund with three focus areasSustainable developmentHuman rightsSocial issues

Approved research fundsNanotechnologySustainable developmentRenewable energy sourcesbiotechnology and food.

A seed money fund was found in spring 2007

Implementation of Czech schools and scholarship fund

€2.8 million fund

The goal of providing equal opportunities is an important principle of the fund

For the first time there are Czech students studying in Iceland and Liechtenstein

The deadline–15th May 2007

the first school and scholarship fund to become operational

Altogether, scholarship funds are planned in 11 beneficiary states at a total value of around €25 million

REFERENCES

The European Economic Area (EEA) http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/eea/index.htm

EEA Grants http://www.eeagrants.org

The EEA Grants Status Report May 2007

Daniel Lešík, Veronika Tencerová Power Point Presentation

www.fses.uniba.sk/staff/gregusova/doc/Manaz_ZS06/presentations_students/EEA_lesik_tencerova.ppt

Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area

Thank you for your attention