7 The way ahead

The Government’s intention in this white paper is to describe the objectives and implementation of the EEA and Norway Grants scheme. Norway’s open, export-oriented economy is dependent on and strongly influenced by developments in Europe, and Norway and the beneficiary states have a common interest in strengthening the internal market. In many EU countries the financial crisis has resulted in major cuts in the public sector and high unemployment, and this has affected large population groups. Young people are finding it especially hard to enter the labour force. Expectations of economic growth and better times are being replaced by disillusion and a sense of marginalisation. Some countries are experiencing political instability. Norway is playing a part in alleviating these problems, most importantly through investment, loans via the International Monetary Fund, and the EEA and Norway Grants. This grant scheme is providing substantial assistance to certain priority sectors that are under pressure from the current crisis.

The Government intends the EEA and Norway Grants to help strengthen bilateral relations between Norway and the beneficiary states, and the programmes are being developed in areas where Norway and the beneficiary states have common interests. Norwegian expertise will be involved in exchanges of knowledge and best practices in the planning and implementation of the programmes, and measures will be taken to make it possible for Norwegian organisations, institutions, companies, the social partners, NGOs and other actors to participate in projects. The forging of ties at programme and project level in a broad range of areas is expected to strengthen cooperation between Norway and the beneficiary states beyond the period of the individual programmes and projects. The Government’s objective is that the EEA and Norway Grants should demonstrate that Norway is a stable and reliable partner that contributes to the achievement of common European objectives in the areas of environment and climate, research and innovation, competence-building, and fundamental democratic values.