Bulgaria will get more than EUR 210 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 Lichtenstein). The total budget includes EUR 24.3 million of national co-financing.
Out of the total budget, approx. EUR 56.5 million will be dedicated to the business and energy sectors, under the following programme areas:
- Business Development, Innovation and SMEs (EUR 28.5 million)
- Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Security (EUR 28 million)
The programme for Business Development, Innovation and SMEs aims to support increased value creation and sustainable growth. Under the programme Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Security, the aim is to support less carbon intensive energy and increased security of supply.
Out of the two programmes directly adressing the private sector, Innovation Norway will manage one of them (the Business Development, Innovation and SMEs), while the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate will operate the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Security programme. Both programmes open opportunities for companies in the three donor countries to become project partners.
Further programme areas of less direct relevance for the private sector are:
- Social Dialogue – Decent Work
- Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Judicial System
- Home Affairs
- Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Enhanced Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups
- Environment Protection and Climate Change
- Cultural Entrepreneurship, Cultural Heritage and Cultural Exchange
- Civil Society
The total EEA & Norway Grants budget allocated to Bulgaria, including the funds for Bilateral Relationship and Technical Assistance, amounts to EUR 218.6 million.
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.
For an overview of the 2009 – 2014 results of the EEA & Norway Grants mechanism, with a focus on the funding that was available for private sector enterprises, please check Winnovart’s 2015 study.
