Today, the Commission is launching negotiations on the association to the LIFE programme for environment and climateSearch for available translations of the preceding link••• with seven non-EU countries: Albania, Andorra, Faroe Islands, Israel, Moldova, North Macedonia and Turkey. Joining LIFE will help these countries spread innovative environment and climate techniques, approaches and best practices that contribute to a climate-neutral, circular and resilient economy, and which protect and restore nature.
Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said:
“Environment and climate challenges have no borders. We can only tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution by acting together. By increasing substantially the number of countries participating in the LIFE programme, we put in action concrete cooperation and exchange of solutions beyond the EU for a healthy planet.“
Through this partnership, public and private organisations of these countries will be able to receive financial support for projects to:
- Develop and demonstrate eco-innovative techniques and approaches
- Promote best practices and behavioural changes
- Support the development, monitoring and enforcement of laws similar to the ones in EU as well as plans and strategies that can contribute to implement these laws
- Catalyse the large-scale deployment of successful solutions
Next steps
Applicants of these third countries can already submit proposals under the 2022 LIFE calls for proposalsSearch for available translations of the preceding link•••. In order for a project to receive funding, the relevant third country will have to ratify the association agreement.
Background
The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action running since 1992. It has co-financed more than 5,500 projects across the EU and beyond and has a funding of €5.4 billion. It occupies a niche between EU programmes for research and innovation and large-scale financing programmes. As such, LIFE bridges the gap between research and policy implementation, addressing the external factors related to environmental and climate innovations by testing and demonstrating practical solutions. The new LIFE Programme 2021-2027 allows non-European countries to join the program through bilaterally negotiated association agreements.
Under the new strengthened LIFE RegulationSearch for available translations of the preceding link•••, and in view of strengthening international cooperation on planetary challenges, the EU’s Environment and Climate programme is open to third countries in accordance with specific agreements between the Union and those countries establishing the conditions for their participation. Iceland joined the LIFE programme in September 2021, and last week, Ukraine signed an agreement to access the programme.
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