On 3 December, the Polish Ministry of Regional Development, acting as the national Focal Point for the EEA and Norway Grants, is hosting a conference in Warsaw to bring together project promoters, involved ministries and other stakeholders to discuss the outcomes of the three open calls for project proposals. For details on the venue, speakers and topics, see the agenda.
The largest beneficiary
Poland is by far the largest beneficiary of the EEA and Norway Grants, receiving 43 percent of the total support. Despite strong economic growth in recent years, Poland`s GDP per capita is at an estimated 54% of the EU average. The €558.6 million support from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway will support social and economic development projects in Poland. Core areas of support include conservation of European cultural heritage, protection of the environment, and support to Poland as a new Schengen member.
Cooperation with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
The implementation of the EEA and Norway Grants in Poland is a joint effort from the donor states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and Poland. In addition to a continuous dialogue on the political as well as the technical level, the grant schemes have boosted cooperation between entities in Poland and the donor states. To date, more than 20% of the supported projects in Poland include a partner from Norway. The majority of the partnership projects are within the fields of academic research and cultural heritage. In addition, there are a number of partnership projects under the various funds.