Estonia launches regional development fund

A €3.4 million fund for local and regional development was launched in Tallinn on 25 February.

The regional development fund will support a multitude of projects aimed at administrative capacity building in Estonian public sector, developing regional development strategies and support for entrepreneurs. A total €3.4 million in grant support will be made available to such projects run by Estonian local governments and government associations, county governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

At the launch, chargé d'affaires of the Norwegian embassy in Tallinn, Silja E. Skjelnes, stressed the wish from the Norwegian side for the EEA Grants to help promote local and regional development. Skjelnes added that in addition to contributing to local and regional development, she hoped the fund would create new opportunities for further developing the co-operation at the local and regional levels between Estonia and Norway.

The first call for grant applications will be opened shortly, and the call text wil be published on www.eeagrants.org. Further details are available on the web page of the fund manager, www.eas.ee/noremp (in Estonian).

Estonian-Norwegian seminar

On 28 March a seminar for municipalities from Estonia and Norway will be held in Tallinn, to put the spotlight on possibilities to cooperate at the local and regional level with support from the new fund. The seminar is being organised by the Estonian Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the Norwegian embassy in Vilnius, Enterprise Estonia and the Estonian and Norwegian associations of municipalities.

More information on this seminar will be made available as planning proceeds. Information will also be distributed via the Estonian and Norwegian associations of local and regional authorities.

In connection with the first call for applications, information days for potential applicants will be held in Tartu, Pärnu and Jõhvi.