At the end of 2011, priorities have been agreed in Memoranda of Understanding with 13 of the 15 countries benefiting from EEA and Norway Grants. Hopefully, agreements with remaining Portugal and Romania can be signed early next year.
This bodes for 2012 becoming the ‘year of programming’ for the EEA and Norway Grants. So far, two programmes are up and running, but around 140 are expected all in all. More programme proposals will be forwarded from the countries to the donors in the coming months, and the aim is to get the programmes approved in 2012 in order to get projects started on the ground as soon as possible.
In addition, we will in 2012 round off the final projects under the previous round of funding. Close to 1250 projects were approved between 2004 and 2009, and the final 100 of these are being completed by 30 April next year. As the year is coming to an end, over 80% of the committed funding has been disbursed, a number that will increase even further throughout 2012, making the implementation of the Grants a success.
All in all, 2011 was a successful year for the Grants, with several important achievements being made. Hopefully 2012 will be just as successful and exciting. To read more our results and upcoming opportunities, see our flip-book version of the Status report 2011.
Photo: Norway and Poland signed agreements in June 2011. Read more