Croatia will get EUR 104.5 million under the EEA & Norway Grants 2014 – 2021, being one of the 15 Beneficiary States across the EU in this new funding cycle, to have signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Donor States (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).
Out of the total budget, up to EUR 39 million will be dedicated to the private sector, via two major programmes: Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness (EUR 22 million) and Energy and Climate Change (EUR 17 million).
The programme Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness will be a key priority with 2 main focus areas: Green Industry Innovation and Blue Growth. This programme will be operated by Innovation Norway.
The Energy and Climate Change programme will focus on renewable energy and will be managed by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).
These programme areas open excellent opportunities for organizations in Donor State countries interested to partner on bilateral projects in the areas mentioned above, together with local Project Promoters from Croatia.
Further programme areas of less direct relevance for the private sector (incl. allocation in million euro) are:
- – Social Dialogue – Decent Work (0.47)
- – Local Development and Poverty Reduction (26)
- – Civil Society (8.5)
- – Justice and Home Affairs (13)
- – Bilateral Fund (2.1)
The EEA & Norway Grants 2014 – 2021 has already signed Memorandum of Understanding with 15 countries marking the beginning of the collaboration and investment in the priority sectors. News regarding the previous 11 countries who have joined the programme can be found here: The Czech Republic, Portugal, Estonia, Malta, Slovakia, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania.
For a complete overview of the EEA & Norway Grants 2014 – 2021, you may have a look at the Blue Book – the document outlining the strategy of this mechanism until 2021.
