In 2009 Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway reached their target of committing €1.23 billion to projects in the public benefit within the European Economic Area. The status report published today sets out the fruits of five years solid progress, marked by the 30 April 2009 deadline for committing funding to projects.
A total of 1250 projects, programmes and funds have been awarded financial support through the EEA and Norway Grants. The report sums up the positive difference these projects are making in the lives of people and communities in Central and Southern Europe.
In the report you can read about how a grant is ensuring just trials for trafficking victims in Bulgaria, why education is added to Latvia's crime-fighting arsenal, and how energy renovation of 300 school and hospital buildings in Poland will result in improved environments and cost savings for local communities. The tally of achievements also includes a strengthened civil society, protected cultural heritage, and enhanced bilateral relations between the beneficiary states and the donor states.
But this score is not the end of the EEA and Norway Grants story. Until the grant schemes` implementation deadline in April 2011, regional and local municipalities, businesses, civil society organisations and educational institutions will continue to apply the awarded grants to their social and economic projects. In addition, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are currently negotiating with the European Commission about a new set of grant schemes to take on the relay stick from the EEA and Norway Grants 2004-2009.