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LIFE+ provides grants for innovative environmental schemes and biodiversity projects
LIFE+ will bring simplification by regrouping a broad range of existing environmental programmes and instruments in a single framework. These existing instruments include the current LIFE programme, the Forest Focus and Urban programmes, DG Environment’s funding programme for environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and a general fund for policy development and implementation.
The overall budget foreseen for LIFE+ is just under €1.9 billion for the period 2007-2013. It was agreed that at least 78% shall be used for project action grants, whereas the remaining 22% will be spent by the Commission on cross-cutting measures for the environment, such as impact assessments, communication, operational grants to NGOs, and spending in the context of combating climate change. At least 50% of the budgetary resources for LIFE+ dedicated to project action grants shall be allocated to support the conservation of nature and biodiversity. At least 15% project grants will fund trans-national projects.
LIFE+ will address all four priority areas of the Sixth Environment Action Programme - climate change; nature and biodiversity; health and quality of life; natural resources and waste – as well as the programme’s seven Thematic Strategies.
The new programme is divided into three strands:
The European Parliament and EU Member States, represented by the EU Council, achieved a resolution to differences that resulted from the vote in the Parliament's second reading last October. The main point of disagreement was whether the bulk of funds to be made available under LIFE+ should be spent through national agencies established by Member States, or if the programme should be managed centrally by the European Commission, as was the case under the previous phases of the LIFE programme.
On 27 March 2007, a political agreement on LIFE+ was reached by the Council and the European Parliament in the conciliation meeting. The European Parliament has voted in favour of the LIFE+ text approved by the Council on 14 May. Signed on 23 May 2007, it will enter into force after its publication in a few weeks' time. The LIFE+ programme will be centrally managed by the Commission as the previous LIFE programmes.
Among its advantages, LIFE+ foresees more involvement of Member States in the definition of priorities as they may express national priorities to enable the proposed projects to respond to their various national and regional environmental needs.
When more details relating to calls for application become available, this information will be posted on Grant Tracker. For more details on the LIFE+ Programme please visit the Europa website or the Defra website :
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