All states or regions can enter by acquiring a licence in the programme that guarantees them exclusive rights to use the eea instruments in the desired region or nation. In return, the licensees undertake to respect all the quality requirements of the European eea
level when implementing the eea programme. It is advisable to include the eea programme in an existing power or climate protection programme for local authorities on a national or regional level in order to guarantee that the eea programme is directly anchor- ed in it over the long term.