21 April 2023

The European Commission has launched the 2023 calls for proposals under the LIFE Programme, the EU’s funding instrument to meet its environmental, climate and energy objectives.

To date, this programme has co-financed more than 5,000 projects that contribute to protecting and improving the quality of the environment through the shift towards a clean, circular, energy-efficient, climate-neutral, and climate-resilient economy, including the transition to clean energy.

With an allocation of €611 million, the 2023 calls will grant projects that specifically address nature conservation, environmental protection, climate action, and transition to clean energy.

Targets, deadlines and allocations for LIFE calls in 2023

Newly opened LIFE calls in April

Some of the calls that have just opened will provide funding to Standard Action Projects (SAPs) that pursue specific objectives of the LIFE Programme, such as:

  • €148.4 million for nature and biodiversity, open until September 6th.
  • €81 million for circular economy and quality of life, open until September 6th.
  • €66.35 million for climate change mitigation and adaptation, open until September 21st.

The remaining opened calls will allocate their funds as follows:

  • €83 million to Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) that implement environmental or climate strategies developed by Member States and required by specific EU legislation or policies. Concept notes will be open for submission until September 5th and full proposals until March 5th 2024.
  • €14 million to Operating Grants (OGs) for non-profit-making entities involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of EU legislation and policy. These entities must have signed a Framework Partnership Agreement. The call will close on September 21st.
  • €6.5 million for Technical Assistance Replication, to upscale or replicate the results from other projects funded by the LIFE programme or other EU programmes, open until July 27th.
  • €15 million for projects for addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy Priorities (PLP), open until September 7th.

Upcoming LIFE calls in May

Only the following calls are still to be opened in 2023:

  • Technical Assistance Preparation to support the preparation of Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs) and Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs). The call will be open from May 2nd until September 7th.
  • Action Grants (AGs) for clean energy transition projects, to support actions aimed at coordination, capacity-building, dissemination of information and awareness-raising. This last call is expected to be launched on May 11th and close on November 16th.

The LIFE Programme, in support of a sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine

The European Commission is also calling for proposals for two projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine that will be financed by the LIFE Programme.

These calls are part of the Phoenix initiative to develop and put at the disposal of Ukrainian cities cutting-edge expertise in affordable and sustainable reconstruction obtained from the New European Bauhaus (NEB), an interdisciplinary initiative that connects the European Green Deal to living spaces and experiences.

The two selected LIFE projects will support Ukrainian cities in implementing a holistic and sustainable city planning approach, providing innovative solutions for the rapid reconstruction of destroyed or damaged infrastructures and facilities.

Moreover, they will focus on sustainable and circular reconstruction, covering waste management, the reuse of debris resulting from damages and destruction, or the management of hazardous waste. They will also apply water treatments and decontamination, building on mappings and strategies previously financed by European funds.

FI Group has 20 years of experience and wants to accompany you on the new NextGenerationEU path. Our experts are at your disposal to analyse how your project fits into the NextGenerationEU European recovery fund and to take the next steps together with you. Contact us.

Marina Marcos

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