LIFE Programme Launches Call for Preparatory Projects

The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The sub-programme for Environment covers the priority areas of: nature and biodiversity, environment and resource efficiency, and environmental governance and information. The climate action sub-programme covers the priority areas of climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and climate governance and information.

Once a year the European Commission makes an inventory of specific needs regarding the development and implementation of EU environmental or climate policy and legislation that needs to be addressed during the following years. It then identifies the specific needs that could be addressed by Preparatory Projects.

Under the 2020 call, proposals may be submitted only to address the following specific needs.

Environment sub-programme specific needs:

Enhancing the capacity of EnviCrimeNet to help combat environmental crime (maximum EU co-financing: €450,000)

Support for the preparation of Emission Control Areas in the Mediterranean Sea (duration of the project three years; maximum EU co-financing: €1 million)

Support for the compilation of emission inventories to improve air quality modelling (duration of the project three years; maximum EU co-financing: €1 million)

Support for testing procedures for air pollutants from solid fuel heating appliances (duration of the project three years; maximum EU co-financing: €1 million)

Putting into practice the key actions of the new EU Habitat Action Plan for Dry Calcareous Grassland (maximum EU co-financing: €1.5 million)

Restoration of tree plantations to natural forests (maximum EU co-financing: €900,000)

Restoration of desertified land through nature-based solutions (maximum EU co-financing: €500,000)

Designing mechanisms to increase the presence of biodiversity in urban and peri-urban areas (maximum EU co-financing: €600,000)

Network of training activities for Natura 2000 sites managers (indicative duration three years; maximum EU co-financing: €1 million)

Strengthening primary and old-growth forest protection in Europe by capitalising on World Heritage sites (estimated duration up to four years; maximum EU co-financing: €800,000)

Climate action sub-programme specific needs:

Enabling Carbon Farming via an improved knowledge system (project duration 12-18 months; maximum EU co-financing: €2 million)

Proposals can be submitted by public bodies, private commercial organisations or private non-commercial organisations including NGOs based in the EU. The maximum co-financing rate for Preparatory projects is 60% of the eligible project costs. The earliest start date for projects is 1 January 2021.

Applicants should note that the new features relating to the COVID-19 pandemic which have been put in place for the 2020 LIFE calls for proposals do not apply to Preparatory projects, as this is a specialised call.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 10 September 2020 (16:00 Brussels local time).

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