On December 14th of 2017 Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Latvia on the implementation of the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021 programme “Local development, poverty reduction and culture cooperation” (hereinafter – Programme). The Programme Operator is the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.
The total allocation for the Programme: ~11.8 million euros (EEA Grants allocation 10 million euros (85%) and national co-financing ~1.8 million euros (15%)).
Programme areas:
- Local Development and Poverty Reduction;
- Cultural Entrepreneurship, Cultural Heritage and Cultural Cooperation;
- Good Governance, Accountable Institutions, Transparency.
Programme activities:
- Seven pre-defined projects to strengthen economic development at local and regional level, to enhance cooperation among local governments, and to implement integration related measures for asylum seekers;
- Small grant scheme “Support for business ideas in Latgale” to facilitate employment in the Latgale region;
- Open call shall aim at improving access to professional contemporary arts and culture in the regions.
Pre-defined projects:
The Programme will contribute towards reduction of economic and social disparities by implementing several outcomes:
– Strengthened economic development at local and regional level:
- “Entrepreneurship support measures in the Latgale Planning Region” implemented by Latgale Planning Region;
- “Entrepreneurship support measures in the Vidzeme Planning Region” implemented by Vidzeme Planning Region;
- “Entrepreneurship support measures in the Zemgale Planning Region” implemented by Zemgale Planning Region;
- “Entrepreneurship support measures in the Kurzeme Planning Region” implemented by Kurzeme Planning Region;
- “Entrepreneurship support measures in the Riga Planning Region” implemented by Riga Planning Region;
– Integrity and accountability of public administration at local level improved:
- “Facilitation of inter-municipal cooperation and enhancement of good governance principles in Latvian local governments” implemented by Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments;
- “Integration Related Measures in Mucenieki” – the project shall facilitate integration related measures in Mucenieki and the associated reception centre for asylum seekers. The project shall facilitate multicultural dialogue and enhanced cooperation between the communities in the municipality.
The Programme is implemented by:
- Programme Operator – Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development;
- Programme Partner – the Ministry of Culture;
- The Donor Programme Partner – the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities;
- Arts Council Norway as the partner for the programme area “Cultural Entrepreneurship, Cultural Heritage and Cultural Cooperation”.
More detailed information is available at the National Focal Point’s website: www.eeagrants.lv
