Poland and Norway launch joint research fund

Norwegian Minister of Education and Research Øystein Djupedal

“I think the fund can make a difference, and I would like to see lasting results from this,” said Norwegian Minister of Education and Research Øystein Djupedal in Warsaw to launch the fund.

The Polish–Norwegian research fund is part of the EEA (European Economic Area) Financial Mechanisms, in which EEA–EFTA nations provide funding for the 12 countries that have joined the EU and the EEA since May 2004. Norway has contributed €13 million to the fund, with the remaining €2.3 million coming from Poland.

Poland and Norway have a long history of joint research efforts and there is great potential for expanding Norwegian–Polish research cooperation, said Djupedal.

In the 6th EU Framework Programme Poland and Norway participated in almost 250 projects together, mostly in the fields of ICT, environment and agriculture. The two countries are also partners in 14 ERA-nets, a cooperation between research funding agencies at European level.

This makes Poland one of Norway’s top twelve partners in the Framework Programme, said Djupedal. “I am confident that the Polish-Norwegian Research fund will be a success, and strengthen the relations between our countries even further”.

Between now and 2009 Norway will contribute €1.3 billion to projects designed to reduce social and economic disparities in the EEA.