.PT expands international cooperation to Iceland

Within the framework of the Fund for Bilateral Relations, .PT and ISNIC, .PT's counterpart in Iceland, have just established a partnership, focusing on communication and international cooperation.

Through the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, signed in May 1992, three EFTA states - Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein - became partners in the internal market of the Member States of the European Single Market. The parties established a European Economic Area Financial Mechanism, known as EEA Grants, through which Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein provide financial support to the Member States with the greatest deviations from the European average in GDP per capita, including Portugal. The main objectives are to reduce economic and social disparities within the EEA and to strengthen bilateral relations between donor and beneficiary countries. The EEA Grants support five programs: Blue Growth, Environment, Reconciliation and Gender Equality, Culture and Active Citizens. 

In addition to these five programs, there is also the Fund for Bilateral Relations. This fund aims to support initiatives aimed at strengthening relations between Portugal and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Iceland is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), which allows it to participate in the European Single Market without being a full member. .PT then made contact with ISNIC, which readily agreed to partner with us and develop a campaign highlighting the importance of sustainability and cybersecurity for the growth of a ccTLD and, consequently, for companies and for the country. With this campaign, called "Atlantic Roots, Digital Future”, we aim to increase the digital presence of people and companies, through campaigns, events, promotional material, training and workshops, cooperation and exchange of experiences between the two countries.

This partnership began with participation in the IDC Directions event on October 3, the day we celebrated 33 years since the first .pt domain was registered, and will culminate at the beginning of next year with the presentation of a case study at CENTR, the association of European country code top-level domain name registries, of which .PT and ISNIC are members, on how two small countries, one in the EU and one outside the EU, can cooperate.