What is the LIFE Programme
The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value. Who can take part in a LIFE project Beneficiaries of the Programme are public bodies, non-governmental organisations, universities and private companies. The Coordinator Beneficiary must be based in the EU, while co-beneficiaries may also be in non-EU countries subject to conditions. Priority areas The LIFE Programme for the 2021-2027 funding period comprises of four sub-programmes with a budget of € 5.4 billion: Under the Environment field:
Thus, LIFE will continue to co-finance projects in the environmental sector, in particular in the area of the circular economy, including recovery of resources from waste, water, air, noise, soil and chemical management, as well as environmental governance. The sub-programme provides mostly action grants for projects implementing innovative and best practice solutions in these areas through the so-called Standard Action Projects (SAP). It also covers the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of EU environmental policy and law through the so-called Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs). The European Commission will continue to look for solutions that are ready to be implemented in close-to-market conditions, at industrial or commercial scale, during the project duration.
The LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme has a budget of nearly EUR 1 billion over the period of 2021-2027 and aims at facilitating the transition towards an energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and -resilient economy by funding coordination and support actions (Other Action Grants) across Europe. These are actions of high EU added-value, which are targeted at breaking market barriers that hamper the socio-economic transition to sustainable energy, and typically engage multiple small and medium-sized stakeholders, multiple actors including local and regional public authorities and non-profit organisations, as well as consumers.