EEA and Norway Grants
EEA and Norway Grants
The EEA and Norway Grants 2021–2028 aim at reducing economic and social disparities across the EEA and strengthen ties between Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and 15 EU Beneficiary States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).
Through a long-standing partnership, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the EEA and Norway Grants work together to strengthen fundamental rights and social inclusion across Europe in the programmatic cycle lasting from 2026 until 2031.
FRA's role
The Agency is one of three International Partner Organisations (IPOs) of the EEA and Norway Grants in the Fund for capacity building and cooperation with international organizations and institutions. The Agency provides both advice at an overall strategic level and implements a number of mission-driven initiatives in specific fundamental rights areas. A Framework Agreement establishes the framework for cooperation between FRA and the EEA and Norway Grants.
Together, FRA and the EEA and Norway Grants contribute to more effective fundamental rights protection and greater participation of communities whose voices are often underrepresented.
Strategic advice and support in the development and implementation of programmes
FRA serves as an International Partner Organisation under the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) established between Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia, and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The programme areas defined in the Memoranda of Understanding share a common focus on Roma inclusion and empowerment.
Mission-driven initiatives
Under the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms 2021–2028, FRA implements mission-driven initiatives to strengthen the protection and promotion of fundamental rights in the Grants’ Beneficiary States. These mission-driven initiatives focus on:
- strengthening civic space and supporting a resilient civil society;
- building the capacity of national human rights bodies to fulfil their mandates effectively in an EU law context;
- promoting Roma inclusion and empowerment through local monitoring, participation and evidence-based policymaking.
Roma empowerment
This initiative empowers local Roma youth and women in Bulgaria, Czechia and Romania. It develops a local data collection system to provide evidence on Roma communities’ enjoyment of fundamental rights, complemented by regular stakeholder dialogue and partnerships at local and national levels. By enabling Roma youth and women to help design, analyse and communicate evidence about their communities, the initiative supports better local decision-making, based on meaningful participation.
Civic Space
This initiative protects and strengthens civic space across all 15 beneficiary countries, enabling civic actors to work on human rights, the rule of law and democracy in a sustainable way. It promotes ownership among civil society, national authorities and bridge-building actors through an online civic space knowledge hub, policy advice, national civic space dialogues and capacity building.
Strengthening the national human rights bodies
This initiative strengthens the capacity of national human rights bodies in the 15 beneficiary countries to carry out oversight and other mandated roles under selected areas of EU law, including the Artificial Intelligence Act and the instruments adopted under the Pact on Migration and Asylum. As new EU legislation gives independent human rights bodies a role in national monitoring and oversight frameworks, the need for exchange, cooperation and knowledge sharing is growing. The initiative supports these bodies by increasing their capacity and fostering transnational exchange of expertise.