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Overview of the EEA and Norway Grants (2021–2028)
EEA and Norway Grants (2021–2028): A Guide to Programmes and Priorities for a Better Europe
*(Information in this article is based on publicly available sources as of 05 June 2026.)
1.How EEA and Norway Grants Work
The EEA and Norway Grants are a financial mechanism through which Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway provide support to 15 European countries, including Slovakia. The grants pursue two main objectives: Reducing economic and social disparities in Europe, and Strengthening bilateral relations between the donor and beneficiary countries.
The grants are administered through national programmes managed by Programme Operators or directly by the Financial Mechanism Office (FMO). The system is based on calls for project proposals involving public institutions, private entities, and non-governmental organisations, with a strong emphasis on cooperation with partners from the donor states.Thematic Priorities and
2.Programme Areas
Support during the 2021–2028 period is structured around three main thematic priorities and several programme areas.
| Thematic Priority | Programme Areas |
| 1. European Green Transition | Green Transition; Green Business & Innovation; Research & Innovation |
| 2. Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights | Culture; Local Development & Good Governance; Roma Inclusion; Domestic Violence; Access to Justice; Correctional Services; Serious Crime; Civil Society Fund; Fund for Capacity Building with International Partner Organisations (IPOs) |
| 3. Social Inclusion and Resilience | Education & Youth; Public Health; Disaster Prevention & Preparedness; Asylum & Migration; Institutional Cooperation |
3.A Closer Look at Selected Programme Areas
Green Business and Innovation
This programme area aims to create green value in business. Up to 60% of the available funding is dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the commercialisation of green and blue technologies. Bilateral partnerships are advantageous but are not universally mandatory.
This programme area focuses on green technologies and blue technologies.
Green technologies encompass technologies, products, processes, and services designed to reduce emissions, resource consumption, and environmental impacts through clean energy, circular economy solutions, energy efficiency, and the protection of natural ecosystems.
Blue technologies focus on the sustainable use and protection of water, marine, and coastal resources, including water monitoring, blue energy, sustainable transport solutions, aquaculture, and the protection of aquatic ecosystems.
Green Transition
The Green Transition programme accelerates the shift towards sustainability through clean energy, climate protection, and biodiversity conservation. It requires mandatory partnerships with entities from donor states (unless specified otherwise in a particular call). Any “hard” investments, such as infrastructure installation, must be accompanied by “soft” measures, including training activities and capacity building.
Research and Innovation
This programme area supports scientific excellence. Projects must:
- Have a minimum duration of 36 months.
- Include a partner from a donor state (unless specified otherwise in a particular call).
- Comply with European Union principles, particularly those of Horizon Europe, regarding open science and gender equality.
Disaster Prevention and Preparedness
This programme area improves the management of risks, climate-related threats, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) hazards. Partnerships with donor-state organisations are mandatory (unless specified otherwise in a particular call), and hard investments must be complemented by soft capacity-building activities.
Institutional Cooperation and Capacity Building
This programme area enhances the quality of public services. All projects must involve a partner from a donor state or an international organisation.
Fund for Capacity Building and Cooperation with International Partner Organisations (IPOs)
This fund strengthens regional capacities in areas such as democracy, human rights, green governance, and combating disinformation through cooperation with international organisations.
An Integrated Ecosystem of Support
These programme areas form an interconnected ecosystem.
Research & Innovation generates knowledge and scientific evidence. Green Business & Innovation transforms this knowledge into commercially viable technologies. Building on these innovations, sustainable infrastructure is developed through Green Transition investments, supporting areas such as clean energy, while Disaster Prevention & Preparedness applies innovative solutions to enhance the capabilities of emergency response services.
To ensure that these processes are effectively managed from a legislative and administrative perspective, Institutional Cooperation and the Fund for Capacity Building focus on training public officials, strengthening institutional resilience, and promoting good (green) governance.
EEA-Funded Projects We Have Supported:
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