Home | EEA and Norway Grants - Status Report 2022

Foreword

Europe is facing formidable challenges. Russia’s unjustified aggression against Ukraine is not only an attack on Ukraine, but an attack on our common values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, and rules-based international order.

The EEA and Norway Grants have a key role to play in this context. Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, many of which are EEA and Norway Beneficiary States, are contending with challenges related to a massive influx of refugees and the consequences this entails. To alleviate the situation, some of the EEA and Norway Grants funds were used to provide help to Ukrainian refugees in the Beneficiary States. By the end of 2022, more than EUR 13 million had been committed to projects and initiatives to this end.

Anniken Huitfeldt Minister of Foreign Affairs Norway

Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir Minister of Foreign Affairs Iceland

Dominique Hasler Minister of Foreign Affairs Liechtenstein

Foreword

The EEA and Norway Grants have a key role to play in this context. Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, many of which are EEA and Norway Grants Beneficiary States, are contending with challenges related to a massive influx of refugees and the consequences this entails. To alleviate the situation, some of the EEA and Norway Grants funds were used to provide help to Ukrainian refugees in the Beneficiary States. By the end of 2022, more than EUR 13 million had been committed to projects and initiatives to this end.

The overall aim of the EEA and Norway Grants is to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe. Support under the Grants scheme is intended to safeguard the fundamental values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. Today, the EEA and Norway Grants are the largest single source of funding for civil society organisations working to promote these values in the Beneficiary States. This funding is more essential than ever in light of the shrinking civic space and increasing pressure on democracy and the rule of law seen in various countries in Europe over the past years.

By maintaining a strong focus on bilateral partnerships, the Grants also help to build competence and capacity, create networks, develop business ideas, and expand market shares. Stable efforts over time have yielded significant results.

Some of these results are presented in this Status Report. The report provides an overview of activities carried out under the EEA and Norway Grants up to the end of 2022. It highlights the benefits of our collaborative efforts and provides insight into how Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are working together to promote a greener, more competitive, and more inclusive Europe.

At the end of 2022, all 97 programmes were under implementation, and contracts for more than 6,000 projects had been signed within the framework of the Grants’ total allocation of EUR 2.8 billion. In total 1,056 companies had received support and 3,976 jobs had been created. More than EUR 210 million had been distributed to civil society organisations, and 40% of all projects had a donor partner. With programme implementation running until 2024, we are confident that we will be seeing many more results in the time ahead.

In these uncertain times, it is important to continue to strengthen European values. The EEA and Norway Grants are one of the means that Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway are using to address this. We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with all the Beneficiary States in the year to come.

Anniken Huitfeldt Minister of Foreign Affairs Norway

Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir Minister of Foreign Affairs Iceland

Dominique Hasler Minister of Foreign Affairs Liechtenstein

Back to the report

EEA Grants

The EEA Grants are funded jointly by all three Donor States – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The Donor States contribute according to their gross domestic product (GDP). Norway provides approximately 94.4%, Iceland 4.2% and Liechtenstein 1.3%¹. During the 2014-2021 funding period, the EEA Grants amount to €1.5 billion. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the three respective countries form the Financial Mechanism Committee (FMC), the decision-making body of the EEA Grants.

€1.5

Billion

Donor States

Beneficiary States²

Norway Grants

The Norway Grants are funded by Norway alone and amount to €1.3 billion during the 2014-2021 funding period. The Norway Grants are allocated to the 13 countries that joined the European Economic Area (EEA) after 2004. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the decision-making body of the Norway Grants.

€1.3

Billion

Donor State

Beneficiary States²

1.Figures based on average allocations in the funding period 2014-2021.
2.On 21 December 2020, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway signed new cooperation agreements with Hungary on several new programmes under the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021 funding period. However, the Donor States did not reach an agreement with Hungary on the appointment of a Fund Operator to manage the funding for civil society. As a consequence, and as foreseen in the cooperation agreements, no programmes are being implemented in Hungary under the EEA and Norway Grants during the 2014-2021 funding period.

2022: Our year
in review

Supporting Ukrainian refugees

By the end of 2022, 3.5 million Ukrainians had been granted temporary protection in the European Union due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Around 2.5 million are in EEA and Norway Grants Beneficiary States. To help these States cope with this unprecedented influx of refugees, the Donor States have agreed to use some of the available funds to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine in a flexible and quick manner. By the end of 2022, more than €13 million had been committed to funding 66 projects and initiatives. These initiatives are helping Beneficiary States address and facilitate the handling of this humanitarian emergency and promote seamless refugee integration. Some examples include:

Credit: European Parliament Multimedia Centre

European Citizens Prize

Six projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants were awarded the prestigious 2022 European Citizens Prize. The prize, which is awarded every year by the European Parliament, recognises initiatives that contribute to European cooperation and the promotion of shared values. The projects cover important areas such as health, helping refugees, freedom of press, human rights and democracy.

“Arendalsuka”

The EEA and Norway Grants were showcased at “Arendalsuka”. This is the largest political gathering in Norway held annually since 2012, which mission is to strengthen the belief in political empowerment and democracy through open debate and involvement. “Arendalsuka” brings together national and local political parties, NGO's, universities, research institutions, private companies and the Municipality of Arendal. Several Donor Programme Partners took part in the event and organised a wide range of interactive activities at the EEA and Norway Grants stand. More than 600 people visited the stand, including the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Anniken Huitfeldt.

Credit: Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Official inauguration of the EFTA House

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs Ms Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir (Iceland), Ms Dominique Hasler (Liechtenstein) and Ms Anniken Huitfeldt (Norway) joined the inauguration of the EFTA House in Brussels.

Highlights of the year

6,005 contracted projects ¹

40% of projects with Donor project partners ²

1,056 companies supported ³

4,115 researchers supported ⁴

3,976 jobs created ⁵

1. Out of the 6,005 projects, 4,563 are funded by the EEA Grants, 1,386 by the Norway Grants, and 56 by both the EEA and Norway Grants.
2. Among the projects with Donor project partners, 419 projects have a partner from Iceland, 29 have a partner from Liechtenstein, and 2,066 have a partner from Norway.
3. Out of the 1,056 companies, 398 are supported by the EEA Grants and 610 by the Norway Grants.
4. Out of the 4,115 researchers, 1,183 are supported by the EEA Grants and 2,932 by the Norway Grants.
5. Among the 3,976 jobs created, 2,342 have been created through the EEA Grants and 1,633 through the Norway Grants.

EEA and Norway Grants Status report 2022

This report highlights Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway’s contributions to a green, competitive and inclusive Europe by the end of 2022.