During the last few years we have registered continued and renewed violations of fundamental rights, including physical and verbal attacks on minority groups, migrants, and on organisations defending human rights in Europe.

To address these concerns, the EEA and Norway Grants have joined forces with the Council of Europe and support the No Hate Speech Movement. This campaign against hate speech online starts on 22 March 2013 and will run through to 2014.

The objective is to take action against hate speech online in all its form – while respecting freedom of expression. The No Hate Speech Movement is based on human rights education, youth participation and media literacy.

EEA Grants support NGO projectsThrough the EEA and Norway Grants Norway also support NGOs and other actors promoting tolerance and fundamental rights.

NGOs in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain can apply for project funding to take action against hate speech.

Support to civil society is one of the key priorities of the Grants, with NGO programmes worth a total of €147 million.

NGOs are also eligible for funding under many of the other thematic EEA and Norway Grants programmes. This makes the Grants one of the prime funding schemes for civil society in Central and Southern Europe.