The programme approach of the EEA and Norway Grants means that considerable responsibility is delegated to the beneficiary states. Each beneficiary country has a National Focal Point, most often a ministry, which has the overall responsibility of the Grants. Each country also has several programme operators are responsible for making the funding available to applicants through calls for proposals, appraising applications, selecting and monitoring projects.
Entities from the donor countries are partners in the programmes, contributing in the preparation and implementation of the programmes, and in facilitating partnerships at project level. The donor countries, through their secretariat for the Grants, monitor the implementation process.
Involved entities
The Financial Mechanism Committee (FMC): The decision-making body for the EEA Grants. The committee consists of representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The FMC draws up and passes policy, regulations and guidelines, approves all programmes and ensures monitoring, control and evaluations.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The decision-making body for the Norway Grants.
The Financial Mechanism Office (FMO): The Brussels- based secretariat for the EEA and Norway Grants. The FMO is affiliated with theEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA) and reports to the Foreign Ministries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Functioning as the contact point between Donor and Beneficiary States, the FMO plays a pivotal role in the Grants administration, overseeing their day-to-day management. This includes tasks ranging from financial management to monitoring, ensuring compliance, communication and facilitating results reporting. Below, you will find a detailed organigramme illustrating the structure and various units within the FMO.
The National Focal Point (NFP)is the main partner in each Beneficiary State. It has the overall responsibility for the implementation of the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and for ensuring that all programmes contribute to the objectives of the Grants.
A Programme Operator (PO) is responsible for preparing and implementing the individual programme and for selecting and contracting projects funded.
A Donor Programme Partner (DPP)is a public entity from a Donor State advising and participating in the preparation and/or implementation of a programme. Its contribution is agreed upon between Donor and Beneficiary States.
An International Partner Organisation (IPO) is an international organisation or an institution designated by the EEA Financial Mechanism Committee (FMC)/Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) and involved in the implementation of the EEA and Norway Grants 2021–2028.
The Donor Stateshave delegated decision-making powers to the FMC with respect to the EEA Grants, and to the NMFA for the Norway Grants. The Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) serves as the secretariat for both the EEA and Norway Grants.
Certifying Authority and Audit Authority:As the beneficiary countries carry the main responsibility for implementation of the Grants, they likewise hold the responsibility for establishing the management and control systems. This includes a certifying authority and an audit authority.
Donor Embassies: The donor Embassies in the beneficiary countries, in particular those ofNorway, take part in the dialogue between the donor and beneficiary countries and play an important role in communicating the results of the Grants.