LIFE programme

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.

During this period, LIFE has co-financed some 4600 projects across the EU, with a total contribution of approximately 6.5 billion Euros to the protection of the environment and of climate.

Issues such as the holes in the ozone layer over the poles and global warming prompted an acceleration in European environmental policy-making and institution-building.

EU financial assistance for nature conservation was first made available in the early 1980s, following on initiatives dating back to the 1970s.

This recognition of the importance of providing financial assistance for habitat protection was taken forward in 1982 when the European Parliament succeeded in introducing a small budget line for nature conservation, enabling financing of a dozen or so projects.

Its scope was widened to include the financing of demonstration projects in the fields of waste, contaminated site restoration and remedial action for land damaged by fire, erosion and desertification.

It prioritised conservation of marine life and integrated management of biotopes, with a particular emphasis on international cooperation and coordination.

In the event, however, ACNAT was quickly superseded by the adoption of a new, all-encompassing environment fund that targeted five main priority fields.

The adoption of the Single European Act in 1986, which for the first time gave EU environmental policy a firm treaty basis, along with the Fifth Environment Action Programme, approved in 1993, really opened the door for the LIFE funding mechanism.

The projects to be financed must bring a benefit to the European Union, promote sustainable development and provide solutions to major environmental problems.

For example, in 1993, the sustainable development and environmental quality component of LIFE I focused on projects relating to the textile, tannery, paper and agro-food industries; waste reduction and recycling demonstration projects; decontamination of polluted sites; sustainable development in agriculture, transport and tourism; urban transport; and modernisation of environmental monitoring networks.

LIFE-Environment projects had to contribute to innovation or policy implementation in the fields of environmental monitoring, clean technologies, waste management, the identification and rehabilitation of contaminated sites, the integration of environmental concerns in town and country planning, aquatic pollution reduction and the improvement of the urban environment.

Projects had to target Special Protection Areas or Sites of EU Importance and the species listed in the directives.

Examples of actions supported include the protection of wolves, bears and bats in Italy, restoration of coastal meadows and wetlands on Baltic Sea islands, and removal of non-native species such as American mink from the Scottish Hebrides.

Projects had to be of interest to the EU, promote sustainable development and provide solutions to major environmental problems.

This was initially planned as a one-off event but was considered such a success that it led to the European Commission establishing an annual 'Green Week' in Brussels.

The third phase of the LIFE programme ran for a five-year period, though it was implemented in four rounds due to late adoption of the legal base.

In September 2004, with the publication of Regulation (EC) No 1682/2004, LIFE III was extended for a further two years (2005 and 2006), with an additional budget of €317 million.

The intention of the extension was to avoid a legal gap between the close of LIFE III at the end of 2004, and the adoption of new EU financial perspectives in 2007.

The total estimated cost of projects to which LIFE contributed financially represented a huge environmental investment in Europe and neighbouring states.

At the beginning of 2011, the responsibles of the programme highlighted that this budget was still under-utilised by some countries (such as Germany, United Kingdom and France).

In addition, it will co-finance innovative or demonstration projects that contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the 2006 Community Commission "Halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 – and beyond".

They can be either national or transnational, but the actions must exclusively take place within the territory of the member states of the European Union.

The Commission aims to ensure a sound geographic distribution of projects by establishing indicative annual allocations for each Member State.

Answers to some frequently asked questions in relation to the application process can be found on the LIFE website The project proposals received from the national LIFE+ authorities are registered by the commission and an acknowledgement of receipt is transmitted to the coordinating beneficiary.

Should this committee give a favourable opinion, and within the limits of the funds available, the commission will then decide upon a list of projects to be co-financed.

[8] The 'Environment' strand of the new programme covered three priority areas: environment and resource efficiency; nature and biodiversity; and environmental governance and information.

This sub-programme helps to make the shift towards a sustainable, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and resilient economy.

Projects include the recovery of resources from waste, and others on water, air, noise, soil and chemical management as well as environmental governance.

And it will continue to implement, monitor and evaluate EU environmental policy and law through Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs).