The National Focal Point informs potential applicants for funding from the Fund for Bilateral Relations at National Level about the launch of the Open Call of CZ09 “Czech-Norwegian Research Programme“. Financing of costs related to searching for partners and preparation of bilateral project proposals are eligible to be covered exclusively from the Fund at Programme Level. Project Promoters may apply for reimbursement of costs incurred by project promoters and project partners from Norway while applying for a project under the call for proposals.

National Focal Point for the EEA and Norway Grants 2009-2014 in the Czech Republic would like to inform the public, potential grant applicants and all partners involved in the preparation within the EEA and Norway Grants, on the current status of prepared programmes. More information on programmes, their approval or planned calls can be found in the table attached.

The exhibition “Norwegian winter in Liberec” was opened by HE Jens Eikaas, Norwegian ambassador in the Czech Republic on 9th December 2013. The event which will take place in the Regional Library in Liberec till 9th January 2014 will present various forms of the Norwegian-Czech cooperation in the area of education, culture and sport. The EEA and Norway Grants represent an important link between the two countries. A large number of interesting projects totalling €104.6 million was supported in the previous period 2004 - 2009. The overall allocation for the current programming period 2009 - 2014 was set at €131.8 million.

On 29 November, 2013, The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MEYS), in cooperation with the Research Council of Norway, is pleased to announce a Call for proposals 2013 in the programme area Bilateral Research Cooperation under the Czech-Norwegian Research Programme (formerly CZ09 Research Support Fund) in the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 (FM 2).

The 3rd Working Group of the Fund for Bilateral Relation at National Level was held on 6th November in the Interactive Technical Museum in the Lower Area of Vítkovice with the participation of representatives of Czech and Donor Programme Partners and also The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Prague.

The 2nd Annual meeting within the EEA and Norway Grants 2009 – 2014 was held on 31st October 2013 with the participation of the Norwegian Ambassador Jens Eikaas, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Finance Eva Anderová, Director of the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels Stine Andresen and Chairman of the Financial Mechanism Committee under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anders Erdal. Eight of Programme Agreements of the fifteen Programmes within the EEA and Norway Grants 2009 – 2014 were signed during the meeting.

On behalf of the National Focal Point for the EEA and Norway Grants 2009 – 2014 we would like to invite you to the Industrial Cultural Heritage Conference within the Fund for Bilateral Relations at Nation Level, which will be held on 5th November 2013 in Ostrava (Lowe Area of Vítkovice). More information you can find in attached invitation and agenda of the conference. Registration is open by 1st November on the email conferenceVitkovice@mfcr.cz.

The Ministry of Finance publishes a record of the Launch conference of the Programme CZ15 – Judicial capacity building and cooperation in justice / correctional services, including alternative sentencing '' financed by the Norway Grants 2009 to 2014, held on the 7th October 2013 in the Judiciary complex (Na Míčánkách – Praha).

Today there was the Launch conference of the Programme CZ15 – Judicial capacity building and cooperation in justice / correctional services, including alternative sentencing '' financed by the Norway Grants 2009 to 2014. The program is implemented by the Ministry of Finance in cooperation with partners - the Ministry of Justice and the Council of Europe. The conference was attended by representatives of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Prague, the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels, the Council of Europe, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, courts, prosecutors, the Prison Service and the Probation and Mediation Service. The aim of the conference was the official launch of the Programme CZ15 and its presentation to stakeholders.

The Programme Operator of the Czech-Norwegian Research Programme – The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports announces that the term of announcement the Open Call has been postponed. Preparing the Open Call within the Czech-Norwegian Research Programme shall continue and therefore we recommend to continuously monitor the websites www.msmt.cz and www.norwaygrants.cz.

The main aim of the conference is the official introduction and presenation of the Programme CZ15 to stakeholders with the participation of the Ambassador of Norway in Prague Jens Eikaas, Deputy Minister of Finance for International Relations and Financial Policy Eva Anderova and Senior Director of Internal Administration and European Programmes in the Ministry of Justice Milos Pochobradského. The conference will be hosted by Alexander Hemala.

• Date: 7th October 2013, a Press Conference from 11:45
• Location: On Míčánkách Judicial Complex, 28th 1533/29b Regiment ( Auction Hall)

The Civil Society Development Foundation (hereinafter NROS) and the Environmental Partnership Foundation (hereinafter Nadace Partnerství or NaP) officially launched the Programme CZ03 Fund for non-governmental non-profit organizations on 24th September 2013. The Programme is funded by the EEA Grants 2009 – 2014 and it is focused on strengthening the development of civil society, promote social equity, democracy and sustainable development.

Open Society Fund Prague as the Programme operator of the Programme CZ12 - Let´s Give (Wo)men a Chance, will officially launch this Programme in September 2013. The Programme aims to promote equal opportunities for women and men both in work and personal life as well as prevention and help for victims of domestic and gender-based violence in the Czech Republic. The Programme is funded from Norway Grants and willl allocate 137 million Czech crowns to projects in the focus area between the years 2013-2016.

The Ministry of Finance publishes a record of the launch of the Conference of the Program CZ11 - Public Health Initiatives within the Norway Grants 2009 - 2014, held on 21st August 2013 in the Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice .

Today Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice held the Launch Conference of the Programme CZ11 - Public Health Initiatives within the Norway Grants 2009 - 2014. Conference was attended by representatives of the National Focal Point - Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Prague. Speakers of the conference presented the program to potential applicants and other stakeholders. The total allocation for this program is set at € 19.18 million Euro, nearly half a billion crowns.

On the 21st August 2013 from 10:00 pm in the Theatre Hall of Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice the Launch Conference of the Programme CZ11 - Public Health Initiatives within the Norway Grants 2009 - 2014 will be organized. It will be attended by representatives of the National Focal Point for the EEA and Norway Grants - Ministry of Finance, Programme Partner - Ministry of Health and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Prague.

The term of announcement of the Open Call within the Czech-Norwegian Research Programme has been postponed to the period of August/September 2013.

The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU), Programme Partner, organized the Conference for representatives of the Programme Operators and other subjects involved in preparation and implementation of the programme areas “Research” and “Scholarship” on 6th – 7th June in Norway.

The most frequent defects of applications for funding from the Fund for bilateral relations at national level

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in cooperation with the Norwegian Research Council and the Norwegian Embassy in Prague organizes the Matchmaking Event from 30th - 31st May 2013 in Prague whose purpose is to encourage the creation of partnerships in projects within the Czech-Norwegian Research Programme (formerly CZ09 Research Support Fund).

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in cooperation with the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Embassy in Prague and the Ministry of Finance organizes last repetition of Information Event for the Czech-Norwegian Research Programme.

The second seminar for representatives of Programme Operators and Programme Partners was held on 20th - 22nd March 2013 in order to get general information on the EEA and Norway Grants 2009 - 2014. The seminar was organized by the National Focal Point - Ministry of Finance.

The EEA and Norway Grants have entered into a strategic partnership with the Council of Europe to promote tolerance and fundamental rights. This campaign against hate speech online starts on 22 March 2013 and will run through to 2014.

The Programme CZ09 Research Support Fund was approved by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairson 25th January 2013. The Programme Operator of the Programme is the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The Programme will be presented at the information event organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on Friday 5th April 2013 in Building C, Karmelitská 7 Prague 1.

Fund for Bilateral Cooperation at National Level within the EEA and Norway Grants 2009 - 2014: Side-Event: “Exchange of experience and best practice in the field of tackling and preventing domestic violence and violence against women is a crucial part of the fight against these societal problems”

Based on the implementation of the Fund the Operator of the CZ 01 Programme updates the text of the call on the information about the quality assessment of applications. At the same time, the Annex No.3 of the call - formal application requirements and quality assessment is updated as well.

Programme Operator of the CZ01 Programme will publish the revised annex No.1 – “Eligible expenditures of the Fund for bilateral relations at national level” and annex No.9 – “List of paid documents to the Request for payment from the Fund for bilateral relations at national level” in the first half of February 2013. The both annexes are part of the Guidelines for Applicants and Final Beneficiaries from the Fund for Bilateral Relations at national level within EEA and Norway Grants 2009 – 2014. Updating annexes mainly involve the increasing financial limit of fees for external experts, reimbursement of refreshment and per-diem allowance for external participants and also adding to the conversion of EUR/CZK etc. Detailed information are presented in annex.

In the current period the Czech Republic will receive from Donor States approx. 131.8 million € . - Presentation of the main areas of support.

Ministry of Finance release the Presentation of current preparation Programmes of EEA and Norway Grants for applicants and for beneficiaries in the Czech Republic.

National Focal Point for the EEA and Norway Grants 2009-2014 in the Czech Republic would like to inform the public , potential grant applicants and all partners involved in the preparation within the EEA and Norway Grants, the current status of prepared programmes.

Ministry of Finance released Information leaflet for general information and specific projects for 2013 funded by the EEA and Norway Grants from 2009 to 2014 in the Czech Republic.