In order to strengthen cooperation between Latvian and Norwegian institutions, project promoters under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014 - 2021 Programme “Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Environment” (hereinafter ‑ Programme) may apply for support for the Fund of Bilateral Relations. Programme level initiatives are supported under areas of climate change mitigation, adaptation and environment.
Financial conditions:
- The available funding for the implementation of the Programme level initiatives is 100 000 euros;
- On the use of funding and bilateral measures of the Programme shall be decided by the Cooperation Committee, which advises on the preparation and implementation of the Programme.
Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries are project promoters specified in the 18 February 2020 Cabinet Regulation No. 93 "Regulations for the implementation of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 programme "Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Environment"":
- Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD) as pre-defined project “Integration of climate change policy in sectoral and regional policies” promoter;
- Ministry of Agriculture as pre-defined project “Enhancement of sustainable soil resource management in agriculture” promoter;
- Open Call “Mitigation of Risks Related to Historically Contaminated Sites” project promoters.
Fund for Bilateral Relations supports:
- activities aiming at strengthening bilateral relations between Norway and Latvia;
- the search for partners for donor partnership projects prior to or during the preparation of a project application, the development of such partnerships and the preparation of an application for a donor partnership project;
- networking, exchange, sharing and transfer of knowledge, technology, experience and best practice between the project promoters and Norway and/or international organizations.
Eligible costs of Fund for Bilateral Relations
Eligible costs for beneficiaries are financed at the rate of 100 %:
- costs of the search for partners for donor partnership projects;
- costs of organizing conferences, seminars, courses, exhibitions, campaigns, work travels, training seminars and meetings;
- costs of a data collection, preparation and publication of reports, studies and publications;
- costs of external consultants and experts involved;
- other costs validated by the Cooperation Committee.
In order to be considered eligible, the costs must be:
- used exclusively to accomplish the objectives of the initiative;
- made in accordance with the principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, as well as the legal framework of public procurement;
- work travel expenses are eligible in accordance with the expenditure norms specified in regulatory enactments regarding the procedure for reimbursement of work travel-related expenses, taking into account that the costs of transport services do not exceed the prices corresponding to the economy class.
Application procedure
Applicant submits proposal of an initiative to the MEPRD as the Programme Operator at least 1 month before the planned event.
An application form for the initiative for the fund of Bilateral Relations for the project promoters:
Within 30 calendar days after the implementation of the initiative, the project promoter must prepare and submit to the MEPRD the justification documents together with the report form.
The measures of the Fund for Bilateral Relations shall be implemented until October 30, 2024, or until the available funding has been used.
Contact information:
MEPDR Development Instruments Department
Senior Expert of National and Foreign Assistance Instruments Division
Aija Kesmina, phone: +371 67026522, e-mail: Aija.Kesmina@varam.gov.lv