Call: Integrated Projects under sub-programme Environment

The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. 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.

The LIFE Programme shall in particular have the following general objectives:

• to contribute to the shift towards a resource-efficient, lowcarbon and climate- resilient economy, to the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment and to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, including the support of the Natura 2000 network and tackling the degradation of ecosystems;
• to improve the development, implementation and enforcement of Union environmental and climate policy and legislation, and to act as a catalyst for, and promote, the integration and mainstreaming of environmental and climate objectives into other Union policies and public and private sector practice, including by increasing the public and private sector's capacity;
• to support better environmental and climate governance at all levels, including better involvement of civil society, NGOs and local actors;
• to support the implementation of the 7th Environment Action Programme.

The sub-programme for Environment covers the priority areas:

• Environment and Resource Efficiency,
• Nature and Biodiversity, and
• Environmental Governance and Information

Integrated projects (IP) under the sub-programme for Environment are projects implementing on a large territorial scale (regional, multi-regional, national or trans-national scale) environmental plans or strategies required by specific Union environmental legislation, developed pursuant to other Union acts or developed by Member States' authorities, primarily in the areas of nature, water, waste and air, while ensuring involvement of stakeholders and promoting the coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other relevant Union, national or private funding source.

Applicants may fall under one of the following three categories: (1) public bodies, (2) private commercial organisations and (3) private non-commercial organisations (including NGOs).

An Integrated Project proposal has to include one or more associated beneficiaries in order to be eligible. An associated beneficiary may be legally registered outside the EU, provided that the coordinating beneficiary is based within the EU. Priority will be given to transnational projects.

Applications will be submitted in two stages:

• Stage 1: Concept note of 10 pages (Deadline: 06.10.2020)

Shortlisted applicants will be notified and invited to submit full proposals in March 2021.
There is no pre-determined project duration for a LIFE Integrated Project. However, considering the project's direct link with long term plans and strategies most Integrated Projects are expected to last between 6 and 10 years.

It is foreseen that the LIFE programme would contribute – on average – 10 million € to each IP (i.e. the total project budget could be around 17 million €).
EU co-finance rate: max. 60%

For detailed information on LIFE national contact points, please follow this link.