Life + - Background

The LIFE+ funding scheme covers a wide range of support options. The general objective of the programme is to contribute to the implementation and updating of Community environmental policy and law, including the integration of the environment into other policies. In particular, the programme supports the implementation of the 6^th EU Environment Action Programme including the thematic strategies and hence projects with European added value in member states.

The programme consists of three components:

• Nature and biodiversity
• Environment policy and governance and
• Information and communication.

As regards their content the funding priorities are outlined in more concrete terms in the multi-annual strategic programme in Annex II of the "LIFE+" Regulation (see below).

According to Annex I of the "LIFE+" Regulation, the following measures may be financed:

• operational activities of NGOs at EU level,
• developing and maintaining networks and data bases directly linked to the implementation of environmental policy, in particular when improving public access to environmental information,
• studies, surveys, modelling and scenario building,
• monitoring, including the monitoring of forests,
• capacity building assistance,
• training, workshops and meetings,
• networking and best practice platforms,
• information and communication actions,
• demonstration of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments,
• and specifically for the nature and biodiversity component:
• site and species management, including the improvement of the ecological coherence of the Natura 2000 network,
• the monitoring of conservation status, including setting up procedures and structures for such monitoring,
• the development and implementation of species and habitats conservation plans,
• the extension of the Natura 2000 network in marine areas,
• the purchase of land (subject to certain conditions).

LIFE+ projects should be geared towards self-contained products or complete service packages, i.e. recurring activities should not be funded as part of project related measures. Of special significance is the distinction between LIFE+ and other EU financing programmes (in particular ELER, EFRE, ESF, CIP, FP7). LIFE+ may only be used to finance measures which do not fulfil the eligibility criteria and main purpose of these funds. Therefore applicants have to state reasons why they apply for funding under the LIFE+ scheme and do not use other funding instruments.

Public and private institutions are eligible for funding through LIFE+. Every year the European Commission funds new projects. For this purpose it makes an annual call for proposals. The project proposals are assessed by the European Commission with the support of external experts and on the basis of a formally defined scheme. The Commission provides comprehensive documentation on its website for every call for proposals (see below). Potential applicants are advised to study these documents very carefully!

The project selection is linked to several conditions which have to be observed by the European Commission. First of all at least 50% of the annual budgetary resources have to be dedicated to nature and biodiversity conservation. Project proposals for the component "nature and biodiversity" are therefore given priority in the selection process. However, the nature conservation quota being a European wide quota means that member states can fall short of the rate or exceed it. Secondly at least 15% of the annual budgetary resources should be allocated to trans-national projects and for this reason projects with international partners receive an assessment bonus, provided they serve the project purpose.

Every EU member state receives so-called "indicative national allocations". The allocations are calculated on the basis of criteria defined in the "LIFE+" Regulation (population and total surface of "Natura 2000" sites of a member state). Germany received the largest indicative national allocation. The funds allocated to German projects for the coming years are estimated to be as follows (figures in million euro, tentative estimates, subject to corrections):

Note: The larger figure for 2009 results from a political decision by the European Parliament and the Council to increase the LIFE+ budget 2009 with the aim of supporting additional projects on adaptation to the consequences of climate change.

Indicative national allocations can, however, only be claimed if a sufficient amount of eligible project proposals are tabled by the member state in question.

If a project has been accepted it will be financed by means of action grants for projects. The grant will be disbursed to the recipient in several instalments. The average time frame for the projects is 4-5 years. The co-financing rate of the projects amounts as a rule to 50%. Only projects falling under the range of priority habitat types or species of the Habitats Directive and priority bird species of the Birds Directive can be reimbursed to up to 75%. There is no defined minimum budget for LIFE+ projects. However, the regular project budget amounts to at least 1 million euro.