Conference launching the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021 in Poland

The conference launching the 3rd edition of the EEA and Norway Grants in Poland was held September 12, 2019 at the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development in Warsaw. Culture, internal affairs, health, business development and innovation are the next areas supported by the Funds. Agreements for new Programmes were signed by the Minister of Investment and Economic Development Jerzy Kwieciński and the Ambassador of Kingdom of Norway in Poland Olav Myklebust.

In the conference took part inter alia the Minister of Environment Henryk Kowalczyk, the deputy Minister of Health Sławomir Gadomski, the Vice President of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development Adam Banaszak, director of the National Center for Research and Development Wojciech Kamieniecki, director general of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System Paweł Poszytek and the representatives of Norway Ministry of International Affairs and of the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels.

The first three Programmes: Education, Research and Local Development has already been launched under the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021. As a result of signing agreements concerning realization of the next four Programmes: Culture, Home affairs, Health, Business development and innovation, the majority of Funds of the edition 2014-2021 became available for use. This is the chance inter alia for implementing valuable initiatives promoting entrepreneurship in the area of culture, more efficient fight against crime, enhanced prophylaxis, reduction of social disparities in health and support of innovativeness and competitiveness of Polish companies.

EUR 88 million for culture

The Culture Programme will be focused on a role, which culture and cultural heritage play in local and regional development with an emphasis on employment and entrepreneurship in this area. The budget of the Programme is over EUR 88 million (EUR 75 million are funds of the EEA Financial Mechanism and more than EUR 13 million is the national contribution). The Programme is implemented by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in collaboration with partners from Donor-States: the Arts Council Norway (ACN) and the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage (RA).

The programme will include activities and initiatives in art and culture, which promote inclusion of ethnic and national minorities. Moreover, the programme provides support for Jewish heritage in Poland. For support, under the implemented programme, may apply inter alia public cultural institutions, public artistic schools and public higherartistic educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, entities of local governments or churches and religious associations.

Improvement of security

The Home Affairs Programme is implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA) in collaboration with the MSWiA European Projects Implementation Centre (COPE) and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB). Its overall budget is EUR 23,5 million (EUR 20 million are financial resources of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, and over EUR 3,5 million is the national contribution).

The programme will be implemented in 3 areas:

• asylum  and migration – takes into account inter alia activities, which focus on support of voluntary returns as well as support and services for unaccompanied minors, who apply for asylum and for other groups with special needs;
• support for international police cooperation and fight against crime, including actions aimed at improving investigation capabilities and increase the capacity to work with international organizations as Europol, Eurojust, Interpol and Frontex;
• activities for the prevention of natural disasters and for preparedness in case of such disasters.

The Polish-Norwegian initiative concerning improvement of road safety will be also implemented. Moreover, the Programme Operator provides the announcement of open calls for proposals, addressed to public institutions (from public finance sector), non-governmental institutions and international organizations. The Programme Operator plans two calls for proposals – one in the area of collaboration and fight against crime and the second in the area of asylum and migration.

Funds for health

Ministry of Health will be the operator of the Health Programme, implemented in collaboration with the Norwegian Directorate of Health (HDIR). Budget of the Programme is over EUR 23,5 million (EUR 20 million are the funds of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and over EUR 3,5 million is the national contribution).

Strengthened prophylaxis and reduction of social disparities in health are the objectives of the programme. The programme shall focus on activities in the area of telemedicineand e-health politics,healthy lifestyle of children and adolescents, taking into consideration psychiatric care. For support may apply supra-regional hospitals and research institutes, which are part of the healthcare system. Support is intended for actions related to practical tests of telemedicine applications and to e-health in selected medical fields, for instance cardiology, geriatrics,psychiatry,palliative care as well as actions related to health prophylaxis.

Chance for SMEs

Business Development and Innovation is a programme operated by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) in collaboration with Innovation Norway. Its budget is EUR 100 million, from which EUR 85 million are measures of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, and EUR 15 million is the national contribution.

The Programme will enable strengthening of competitiveness of Polish companies primarily through support in development and implementation of innovative technologies, solutions, processes, products and services. For support may apply micro-, small and medium size enterprises.

The Programme provides 4 components, under which calls for proposals will be announced concerning:

• support of green technologies (green industry innovations);
• support of blue innovations (innovative technologies in the area of marine and inland waters);
• support of technologies improving the quality of life (Welfare Technology);
• support of small grants for development of innovativeness in enterprises led by women in all above mentioned subject areas.

Presentation „Calls of the III Edition of EEA and Norway Grants” (PDF 1 MB) (in Polish)

Presentation „Environmental aspects of local development” (PDF 2 MB) (in Polish)