Funding programme

LIFE is the EU’s funding programme dedicated to the environment and climate action.

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Call overview

This call supports projects under the intervention areas "Safeguarding our species" and "Space for nature".

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Call detail

The topics under this call for proposals concern LIFE Standard Action Projects (SAPs).SAPs represent the ‘traditional LIFE projects’ aimed to:

− develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches‘ Innovative techniques, methods and approaches’ means solutions which are new when compared to the state of the art at Member State and sector level and which are implemented at an operational scale and under conditions that allow the achievement of the impacts set out in the award criterion ’Impact’ first paragraph

− contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practice ‘Best practice’ means solutions, techniques, methods and approaches which are appropriate, cost-effective and state of the art (at Member State and sector level), and which are implemented at an operational scale and under conditions that allow the achievement of the impacts set out in the award criterion ’Impact’ first paragraph

- support the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of the EU legislation and policy, including by improving governance at all levels, in particular through enhancing capacities of public and private actors and the involvement of civil society

− catalyse the large-scale deployment of successful technical and policy related solutions for implementing the EU legislation and policy by replicating results, integrating related objectives into other policies and into public and private sector practices, mobilising investment and improving access to finance.

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Activities funded

Projects should fall under at least one of the two areas of intervention:

Intervention area: “Space for Nature” Any project aimed at improving the condition of species or habitats through area-based conservation or restoration measures falls within the eligible scope of the intervention area “Space for Nature”. This may include, for example, projects for restoring or improving natural or semi-natural habitats, or habitats of species, both within and outside existing protected areas. This may also include projects for creating additional protected areas (or improving the biodiversity focus and contribution of existing protected areas), ecological corridors or other green infrastructure, projects testing or demonstrating new site management approaches, projects acting on pressures, etc.

Intervention area: “Safeguarding our species” Any project aimed at improving the condition of species (or, in the case of invasive alien species, reducing their impact) through any relevant activities other than area-based conservation or restoration measures falls within the scope of the intervention area “Safeguarding our species”. Considering the broad range of threats that may act on species in addition to the degradation of their habitats, such projects may apply to a wide range of relevant measures, spanning from hard infrastructural works to awareness raising of stakeholders.

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Eligibility

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) and be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:

• EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
• non-EU countries:− listed EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.

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Duration

Indicative project duration: between 36 and 84 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment)

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Budget

The total call budget is EUR 145,000,000 and the Commission will fund 30 projects.

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