EEA and Norway Grants in practice. House being restaured at the ASTRA Museum in Sibiu. Photo: RA.

The EEA and Norway Grants financial mechanisms were established in connection with the enlargement of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2004 when Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta joined. In 2007 the funding mechanisms were extended to incorporate Romania and Bulgaria. Spain, Portugal and Greece also receive funding.

A considerable proportion of the EEA and Norway Grants are earmarked for cultural heritage. In the 2004-2009 period, this exceeded 20% in line with environmental funding. At present we are in a new period – 2009-2014 – and the distribution to the various sectors has not yet been determined.

The main goal of the EEA and Norway Grants is to reduce economic and social disparities in the enlarged EU and European Economic Area. Another objective is to strengthen bilateral relations between Norway and the beneficiary countries. Cooperation in the cultural heritage sector is well suited to achieving these goals.

The EEA and Norway Grants are regulated by an agreement between the EU and the EEA/EFTA countries – Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The contribution paid by these three countries to states in Central and Southern Europe allows them access to the EU’s Internal Market, access which the three countries would not normally have.