Through the EEA and Norway Grants, Norway, together with Iceland and Liechtenstein, contributes to reducing economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area (EEA) and to strengthening cooperation and contacts with 15 European countries.

The Czech Republic has been a beneficiary of these funds since 2004, when it joined the European Union and thus the European Economic Area, which is an agreement between the EU and the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Since 2004, the EEA and Norway Grants have supported a number of interesting projects in the Czech Republic.

The providers of support are three non-EU and EEA member states, i.e. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, with Norway providing 97 per cent of the total funding. The beneficiaries of the funding are selected countries in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe.

The main coordinator of the EEA and Norway Grants in the Czech Republic is the Ministry of Finance, which also manages most of the programmes in cooperation with the relevant line ministries. To better coordinate common priorities and strengthen bilateral cooperation, institutions from Norway are involved in the administration of the programmes.

In September 2017, Memoranda of Understanding for the current, third programming period of the EEA and Norway Grants were signed at the Agnes Monastery in Prague. The Czech Republic will receive EUR 184.5 million (approx. CZK 5 billion). The Czech Republic will receive EUR 184.5 million (approx. CZK 5 billion). The support will be given mainly to projects focusing on science and research, environmental protection, cultural heritage and cultural cooperation, public health, education and judicial cooperation. There is a strong focus on human rights, Roma inclusion and the development of civil society. The new period also brings great opportunities for bilateral projects and activities. Projects will be completed by 30 April 2024 at the latest.