LIFE Programme

The Life Programme provides funding for the support of Environment, Nature Conservation and Climate Action projects throughout the European Union (EU). Any legal persons registered in the EU are eligible to apply, and applications are encouraged from public and private organisations seeking co-funding for projects. Large and small companies, local government and other public authorities, NGOs, Higher Education Institutions and community groups can participate. Every year a call for proposals is launched, and following competitive selection, awards are made that are typically in the range of €1 million to €5 million for projects with durations of three to five years.

The new LIFE Regulation 2021-2027 Regulation (EU) 2021/783 entered into force on 17 May 2021 and applies retroactively from 1 January 2021. The financial envelope for the programme under the new regulation is €5.432 billion, which represents a significant increase compared to the €3.46 billion available to the programme under the previous regulation.

Maximum EU co-financing rates for projects are 60%, 75% and 95%, depending on the project type and topic. The Multiannual Work Programme (MAWP) 2021-2024 and the 2024 Call Documentation are useful sources of information on project topics and policy areas. The eligibility criteria for the different project types are detailed in the MAWP 2021-2024 and the application guidelines published alongside each call.

The new LIFE programme has been expanded into four sub-programmes: nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and clean energy transition.

Nature and Biodiversity: This sub-programme focuses on the protection and restoration of Europe’s nature and halting and reversing biodiversity loss. It will continue to fund nature conservation projects and will support projects that contribute to the implementation of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, and in particular, the development and management of the Natura 2000 network, the Invasive Alien Species Regulation and which support achieving the objectives of the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which is part of the EU Green Deal.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation: Cutting greenhouse gas emissions, increasing climate change resilience and boosting awareness in the climate change mitigation and adaptation areas will remain top priorities under this sub-programme.

Circular economy and quality of life: LIFE projects under this sub-programme will develop technologies and solutions to enhance the circular economy. Projects include the recovery of resources from waste and others on water, air, noise, soil and chemical management as well as environmental governance. These support the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan.

Standard Action Projects (SAP – previously "traditional" projects) are possible under the three sub-programmes listed above. The maximum EU co-funding rate for most SAPs is 60%, and up to 75% for projects under Nature and Biodiversity that fulfill specific conditions.

In addition to SAPs, LIFE also co-funds Strategic Nature Projects (SNAP) and Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP) under the three sub-programmes above. The max. EU co-funding rate for this type of project is 60%.

SNAPs support the achievement of Union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programmes of action in Member States in order to mainstream those objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments.

SIPs implement, on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, environmental or climate strategies or action plans developed by Member States' authorities and required by specific environmental, climate or relevant energy legislation or policy of the Union, while ensuring that stakeholders are involved and promoting coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other Union, national or private funding source.

Technical Assistance Replication: The objective of Technical Assistance – Replication (TA-R) projects are to facilitate and enable the upscaling or replication of results achieved by projects previously funded by the EU. The proposals must fall under the Nature and Biodiversity and Circular Economy and Quality of Life subprogrammes.

Clean energy transition (CET): The CET sub-programme will aim at facilitating the transition toward an energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and -resilient economy by funding coordination and support actions across Europe. These actions aim at breaking market barriers that hamper the socio-economic transition to sustainable energy, typically engaging multiple small and medium-size stakeholders, multiple actors including local and regional public authorities and non-profit organisations and involving consumers.

The CET topics under the call for proposals 2023 concern LIFE Other Action Grants (OAGs) – Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) which are 95% funded. These topics build on previous calls that were part of the Intelligent Energy Europe programme and the Energy Efficiency market uptake topics under Horizon2020 Energy.

The dedicated National Contact Point (NCP) for the OAGs under the CET sub-programme is Enterprise Ireland (Contact Philip Cheasty, details below).

For further information, frequently asked questions, guidelines and tips please consult the European Commission's LIFE website, or email LIFE@decc.gov.ie

The LIFE Calls for proposals 2024 have been published on the Funding & tender opportunities portal on 18 April 2024.

A series of virtual information sessions took place from 23 to 26 April 2024 to guide potential applicants through the LIFE Calls for proposals 2024. The event’s recordings, presentation material and other support for applicants, including a platform for virtual networking, can be found here. All presentations and recordings from the event are available on the #EULife24 Info Days page.

2024 Irish LIFE Information Day

This year’s Irish LIFE Information Day was held on Tuesday 21 May, featuring presentations from the National Contact Point and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), as well as successful LIFE projects and associations.

The recording of the event is now available and the presentations can be viewed below.

If you would like to receive further updates directly, please email LIFE@decc.gov.ie

LIFE Bid Writing Workshop 2022

We held a LIFE Bid Writing Workshop on Tuesday 30 August 2022.

This online workshop, with consultants Deloitte, provided expert guidance to attendees on the bid writing process for LIFE applications, including using the EU Funding and Tenders portal. For those making LIFE applications under the 2022 calls, there was also an opportunity to discuss proposals in one-to-one sessions with Deloitte.

Current projects:

• LIFE EMERALD
• Corncrake LIFE
• LIFE farm4more
• Whey2LIFE
• LIFE Raised bogs "The Living Bog"
• Dublin Urban Rivers LIFE

Recent projects:

• LIFE EcoSens Aquamonitrix
• Wiser LIFE
• GeoparkLIFE
• Raptor LIFE
• Kerry LIFE

A database of successful projects under LIFEis available on the European Commission's LIFE website. Potential applicants are advised to search this database for projects in similar categories to their own, that may have been implemented in other EU member states. This database is a useful tool for identifying project topics and for ensuring that your own project proposal has not been already funded by LIFE.

Under certain circumstances, and applying strict criteria, the Department may co-finance proposals that have been successfully awarded EU LIFE funding, but it is not legally obliged to do so. Further information is available in the relevant State Aid scheme.

If you have a substantial query or you are looking for feedback on whether your project idea has the potential to become a LIFE project, you can contact us in different ways:

National Contact Point

Environment and Climate Research and Advisory Unit

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

Newtown Road, Wexford, Y35 AP90

Tel: +353 (0) 87 363 2883

Email: LIFE@decc.gov.ie

For specific queries about the CET sub-programme’s Other Action Grants – Coordination and Support Actions - please contact:

Philip Cheasty

Enterprise Ireland

Rossa Ave

Bishopstown, Cork

Email: philip.cheasty@enterprise-ireland.com

Tel: +353 (0)87 2663234