LIFE+ Call for proposals 2011

The European Commission invites proposals under the LIFE+ environment programme. Proposals must be presented by public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions registered in the EU.

The following themes are covered by this call:

1. LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity
Principal objective: to protect, conserve, restore, monitor and facilitate the functioning of natural systems, natural habitats, wild flora and fauna, with the aim of halting the loss of biodiversity, including diversity of genetic resources, within the EU.

2. LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance
Principal objectives:
- Climate change: to stabilise greenhouse gas concentration at a level that prevents global warming above 2°C,
- Water: to contribute to enhanced water quality by developing cost-effective measures to achieve good ecological status in view of developing river basin management plans under Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive),
- Air: to achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on and risks to human health and the environment,
- Soil: to protect and ensure the sustainable use of soil by preserving soil functions, preventing threats to soil, mitigating their effects and restoring degraded soils,
- Urban environment: to contribute to improving the environmental performance of Europe's urban areas,
- Noise: to contribute to policy development and implementation on environmental noise,
- Chemicals: improve the protection of environment and health from risks posed by chemicals by 2020 by implementing chemicals legislation, in particular Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) and the Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides,
- Environment and health: to develop the information base for policy on the environment and health (the Environment and Health Action Plan),
- Natural resources and waste: to develop and implement policies designed to ensure sustainable management of natural resources and wastes, and to improve the environmental performances of products, sustainable production and consumption patterns, waste prevention, recovery and recycling; to contribute to the effective implementation of the Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste,
- Forests: to provide, especially through an EU coordination network, a concise and comprehensive basis for policy relevant information on forests in relation to climate change (impact on forest ecosystems, mitigation, substitution effects), biodiversity (baseline information and protected forest areas), forest fires, forest conditions and the protective functions of forests (water, soil and infrastructure) as well as contributing to the protection of forests against fires,
- Innovation: to contribute to developing and demonstrating innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments to assist in the implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP),
- Strategic approaches: to promote effective implementation and enforcement of Union environmental legislation and improve the knowledge base for environmental policy; to improve the environmental performance o SMEs.

3. LIFE+ Information and Communication
Principal objective: to disseminate information and raise awareness on environmental issues, including forest fire prevention; and to provide support for accompanying measures, such as information, communication actions and campaigns, conferences and training, including training on forest fire prevention.

EU Cofinancing rates
1. LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity projects
- The rate of EU financial support will be a maximum of 50% of eligible costs (exceptionally, a maximum cofinancing rate up to 75% applies to proposals which target priority habitats/species of the Birds’ and Habitats’ Directives)
2. LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance
- The rate of the Union financial support will be a maximum of 50% of eligible costs.
3. LIFE+ Information and Communication
- The rate of the Union financial support will be a maximum of 50% of eligible costs.

Proposals must be submitted to the national competent authorities by 18 July 2011 and will then be submitted by the national authorities to the Commission by 9 September 2011.

The overall budget for project action grants under LIFE+ in 2011 is €267,431,506. At least 50% of funding will be allocated to measures to support the conservation of nature and biodiversity.

More information, including application guidelines and application forms, can be found on the LIFE website.

Reference: 2011/C 62/07

(Added 2011-02-26)