For over two decades, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway have partnered with EU Member States to reduce social and economic disparities and strengthen bilateral cooperation through the EEA and Norway Grants. As Europe continues to face challenges such as climate change and geopolitical tensions, the Donor States have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting a greener, more democratic, and resilient Europe in the 2021-2028 funding period. The document outlining the programmes and funds for this funding period has been made public and can be viewed online here.
The new funding period builds on the successes of 2014-2021, with a total budget of €3.268 billion. This includes €1.805 billion allocated to the EEA Grants and €1.463 billion to the Norway Grants. The funding will support 15 programme areas and three dedicated funds, structured around three overarching priorities:
- European green transition
- Democracy, rule of law, and human rights
- Social inclusion and resilience
The EEA and Norway Grants are based on the common values of respect for human rights, dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These principles guide all programmes, ensuring alignment with international standards, transparency, good governance, and non-discrimination.
Digitalisation is a key component across all programme areas, ensuring technological advancements support economic and social development while addressing challenges such as data security and disinformation.
Ukraine
In response to the challenges arising from the invasion of Ukraine, the two funding mechanisms will allocate a total of €183 million (€100 million from the EEA Grants and €83 million from the Norway Grants). These funds will be used to support projects that address identified needs in Beneficiary States and will be implemented across various programme areas and funds.
Copyright: UA+LT=TULA. Author: Anna Vaskevich
The EEA and Norway Grants funds
The EEA and Norway Grants 2021-2028 include three dedicated funds:
- Civil Society Fund (€327 million) – Supports civil society organisations and democratic participation across the Beneficiary States. A portion of the fund is allocated to transnational initiatives, and it is managed by independent Fund Operators. Learn more here: New Civil Society Fund.
- Fund for Capacity Building and Cooperation (€65 million) – Facilitates knowledge exchange, programme development, and strategic cooperation between Donor and Beneficiary States. Managed by the Financial Mechanism Office (FMO).
- Fund for Social Dialogue and Decent Work (€15 million) – Supports social dialogue and fair working conditions in Beneficiary States receiving Norway Grants. It is managed by an independent Fund Operator contracted by the FMO.
The ‘Blue Book’ 2021-2028, which outlines the programme areas and funds eligible for support, serves as the foundation for negotiations between the Donor States and Beneficiary States. Each Beneficiary State’s specific priorities will be formalized in the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The document details the objectives, areas of support, and implementation mechanisms for each programme, ensuring a results-driven approach tailored to each country's needs.
The implementation of the Grants will continue to emphasize partnership between Donor and Beneficiary States at both the programme and project levels, ensuring transparent and effective use of funds.
To learn more about the programme areas and funds under the EEA and Norway Grants 2021-2028, you can access the full document here: Programme Areas and Funds.
A public consultation held between September and October 2024 gathered input from a wide range of stakeholders, contributing to the final version of the ‘Blue Book’. The results of the consultation can be found here: Public Consultation Results.