Malta allocated €4.5 million through Iceland, Liechenstein, Norway EU agreements
Malta has been allocated a total of €4.5 million by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway by means of two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Donor States and Malta on the Implementation of the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the 2009-2014 period.
€2.9 million have been allocated under the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism with the remaining €1.6 million under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
In addition to identifying the priority and programme areas to be targeted in Malta through the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms 2009-14, the MoUs also establish a framework for cooperation in order to ensure the effective implementation of the two Financial Mechanisms. Dr John Paul Grech, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed the MoUs on behalf of Maltese Government whilst Ambassador Ms Ingrid Schulerud, MoU Co-ordinator signed on behalf of the Donor States. Mr Tord Tukun, Minister Counsellor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Malta and Italy in Rome and Ms Stine Anderson, Director of the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels, formed part of the delegation from the Donor States.
The EEA and the Norwegian Financial Mechanisms were established following an agreement between Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Kingdom of Norway and the European Union through which these three Donor States will contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area, and to strengthen relations between the Donor
States and the Beneficiary States (including Malta) to the mutual benefit of their peoples.
Apart from these two overall objectives, the two Financial Mechanisms aim to enhance co-operation between the Donor States and the Beneficiary State to contribute to securing a stable, peaceful and prosperous Europe, based on good governance, democratic institutions, the rule of law, respect for human rights and sustainable development.
