Strengthening cooperation with Cyprus

The cultural centre Home for Cooperation, which is situated in the UN buffer zone that separates the two parts of the island, will continue to be a flagship project in the new funding period. The Home for Cooperation is an important meeting place for organisations from all over the island, and received funding under the previous funding period.

'I am pleased that we are continuing to provide support for initiatives that bring Greek and Turkish Cypriots together, in particular the Home for Cooperation, which is a unique meeting place for people from the north and south of the island', said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

Another initiative that will continue to receive funding is the Centre for Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), a cross-cultural museum project. This funding will promote increased knowledge and understanding of Cypriots’ common historical and cultural heritage across religious and ethnic identities.

Building bridges between ethnic groups, civil society development and social inclusion will continue to be priority areas under the new funding period. Funding will also be allocated to health projects and to activities designed to make Cyprus better equipped to address climate change and environmental problems. Innovation Norway will continue to administer the Decent Work and Tripartite Dialogue programme.

Norway has played a part in reducing social and economic disparities in Cyprus through the EEA and Norway Grants since the country became an EU member in 2004. Cyprus is the second smallest beneficiary country.

Facts about the EEA and Norway Grants

• Norway is part of the European internal market through the EEA Agreement.
• The EEA Agreement sets out the common goal of working together to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe and strengthen cooperation between European countries. Norway contributes to this through the EEA and Norway Grants.
• EUR 2.8 billion is available under the grant scheme for the period 2014-2021, to be distributed among 15 beneficiary countries. Cyprus is to receive EUR 11.5 million.
• Norway provides some 98 % of this funding; the remainder is provided by Iceland and Liechtenstein.

See the fact sheet for an overview of the programmes that are to be implemented in Cyprus.