SIGNING OF THE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE EEA FINANCIAL MECHANISM – 28
APRIL 2005
On
28 April 2005, the Permanent
Representative of Malta to the European
Union, Mr. Richard Cachia Caruana, participated in a Ceremony of
Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of
the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism between Malta, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Mr
Kjartan Johannsson, Ambassador of Iceland to the
Kingdom
of
Belgium
and to the European Union, H.S.H. Prince Nikolaus of
Liechtenstein
, Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the
Kingdom
of
Belgium
and to the European Union and Mr Bjorn Grydeland, Ambassador of the Norway to the European
Union, signed on behalf of the three donor
states.
The
European Economic Area Financial Mechanism was created in order to
contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the
European Economic Area.Through
its accession to the European Union, Malta automatically became
a party to the European Economic Area Agreement and is also eligible for
funding under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism.As a result, a total of € 1.92 million will be made available
to Malta over the period
running from 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2009.This sum will be complemented by €1.7 million under the
Norwegian Financial Mechanism, which is subject to a separate Memorandum
of Understanding the signing of which is set to take place in the near
future.
The
specific target areas agreed to in the Memorandum of Understanding are:
·Protection
of the environment; ·Conservation
of the European cultural heritage; ·Health
and childcare; and ·Academic
research.
thus
making €1.92 million available for projects in these areas.
The
Planning and Priorities Co-ordination Division within the Office of the
Prime Minister has been designated the Maltese Focal Point and will be
administering these funds.
