On 30 September 2026, the official conference inaugurating the “Green Transition” Programme, financed under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEA Financial Mechanism) 2021–2028, was held.

The event brought together representatives of central government, local and regional authorities, public institutions, the research sector, non-governmental organisations and the Donor States.

Nearly PLN 800 million (more than EUR 160 million) has been allocated to the Programme, including PLN 680 million from the EEA Grants. The funding will be provided to beneficiaries through 9 open calls for proposals and 11 pre-defined projects (awarded outside the competitive procedure).

Key areas of support

The conference presented the framework for the planned calls for proposals and the opportunities to finance projects in four main Programme areas:

• Climate – climate change adaptation, mitigation measures, climate education and air quality improvement;
• Energy – the development of energy communities, geothermal energy, energy storage and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies;
• Nature – the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, the establishment of new nature reserves, the development of nature monitoring and support for environmental data systems;
• Circular Economy – closing the water loop, circularity in construction and green public procurement.

Bilateral cooperation

The EEA and Norway Grants are not only a source of project funding, but also a platform for building partnerships and exchanging experience with institutions from the Donor States – Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein – play a particularly important role. The conference included discussions on the objectives of international cooperation opportunities to establish partnerships under the “Green Transition” Programme. Debate participants emphasised the importance of actively building relationships and sharing experience with institutions from the Donor States. They encouraged prospective applicants to contact the Norwegian Environment Agency, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) and the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS). Conference participants also had an opportunity to learn from the Sendzimir Foundation, a beneficiary of the previous edition of the EEA and Norway Grants. including the good practices developed through its projects and guidance on preparing applications.

First calls for proposals

The first calls for proposals will cover energy storage to support the development of renewable energy sources, the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, and circularity in construction.

The planned calls for proposals will be open to a broad range of applicants, including local and regional authorities, non-governmental organisations, enterprises, scientific and research institutions, entities responsible for nature conservation, and energy communities.

Watch the event recording

For those who were unable to attend the conference in person, a full video recording of the event is available. Watch it on our YouTube channel or in the window below:

In the ‘Materials’ section, you will find:

• Presentations delivered at the conference inaugurating the “Green Transition” Programme:
  • “EEA Financial Mechanism 2021–2028. Green Transition Programme” – presentation by the Department of European Funds, Ministry of Climate and Environment
  • “EEA Grants 2014–2021. Experience and good practices of the Sendzimir Foundation - in Polish”
  • “Green Transition Programme. National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management”
• Photographs from the event