Norway and Lithuania have signed MoUs of EUR 117.6 million for the new funding period of the EEA and Norway Grants (2014-2021). This will strengthen ties with Lithuania and the other 14 beneficiary countries, as it is one of the main objectives of the EEA and Norway Grants.
A pan-Baltic cooperation on research is to be established. Cooperation in the field of health will be continued with particular focus on public health, children, young people, families in vulnerable groups, home affairs, business development and research.
A number of Norwegian agencies are involved as partners in developing and implementing the programmes in Lithuania, including Innovation Norway, the Research Council of Norway, the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Arts Council Norway and the Directorate for Cultural Heritage.
State Secretary, Audun Halvorsen said, ‘The Government has recently stepped up its efforts to fight work-related crime. Over the next few years, a new and promising project will be developed in this area in Lithuania with support from the EEA and Norway Grants. The labour inspectorates in our two countries will be working together in this important field.”
Norway’s cooperation with Lithuania in the justice sector will continue in the new funding period. This will include continued cooperation in the correctional service system, which will involve the Norwegian Correctional Service, and cooperation between the two countries’ police forces on cross-border crime and organised crime. In addition, new cooperation will be developed on combating work-related crime under the programme area on decent work.
‘Norway and Lithuania have close historic ties. Today nearly 40 000 Lithuanians are living in Norway and around 250 Norwegian companies have operations in Lithuania. Through the EEA and Norway Grants, Norway is further strengthening these ties.
