On 10 and 17 June 2011, a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 was signed. Pursuant to it, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland undertook to provide Poland with non-refundable assistance in the amount of EUR 578 million. Under the new financial perspective, EUR 76 million was allocated to the programme area "Public health initiatives".

On 20 December 2012, the following agreements were signed: Programme Agreement of 20 December 2012 between the Minister of Regional Development and the EEA Financial Mechanism Committee on grants to the programme "Development and better adaptation of health care to demographic and epidemiological trends", Programme Agreement of 20 December 2012 between the Minister of Regional Development and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on grants to the programme "Development and better adaptation of health care to demographic and epidemiological trends" and Programme Agreement of 20 December 2012 between the Minister of Regional Development and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on grants to the programme "Reducing social inequalities in health".

On the basis of the aforementioned documents, the following memoranda of understanding were concluded on 29 January 2013:

"Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the programme entitled: Development and better adaptation of health care to demographic and epidemiological trends under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014" and "Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the programme entitled Reducing social inequalities in health under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014" between the Minister of Regional Development acting as the National Focal Point, and the Minister of Health acting as the Operator of Operational Programmes in the area Public health initiatives.

The Minister of Health acts as the Programme Operator of PL13 "Reducing social inequalities in health"

It is a donor partnership programme implemented in collaboration with the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

The programme consists of a predefined project that contributes to developing a cross-sectoral strategy and tools to reduce inequalities in health, as well as pilot projects related to extensive measures in the field of public health in local communities in selected poviats.

The pre-defined project will be implemented by the Department of Healthcare Insurance. The project will focus on public health management. It envisages the development of a cross-sectoral strategy to reduce inequalities in health, as well as the development of a model to assess health needs and a programme of health promotion and preventive health care for local communities that will serve as guidelines for poviats submitting their proposals.

Call for proposals for pilot projects concerning health promotion and preventive health care for local communities will take the form of a call for proposals with bodies of local administration (poviats) as applicants.

The call for proposals to programme PL13 was published on 31 March 2014 and will continue until 2 June 2014.