LIFE+ is the EC’s financial instrument supporting environment and nature conservation projects throughout the EU. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed 3115 projects, contributing approximately €2bn to the protection of the environment. It is the only financial instrument aimed purely at improving the environment and is complementary to the other Community research programmes (such as FP7), the structural funds (such as ERDF) and other rural development programmes.

LIFE+ closely supports the 6th Environment Action Plan (6EAP), adopted by the European Parliament on 22nd July 2002, which sets out the framework for environmental policy-making in the European Union for the period 2002-2012 and outlines actions that need to be taken to achieve them. The areas of the 6EAP that LIFE+ supports are:

• Climate change
• Nature and bio-diversity
• Health and quality of life
• Natural resources and waste

LIFE+ funds projects that implement, update and develop Community environmental policy and legislation. More specifically it directly supports projects that contribute to the delivery or improvement of the Natura 2000 Network, the Birds and Habitats Directives (and the species listed within the annexes of these Directives) and the Communication called ‘Halting the loss of Biodiversity 2010 and beyond’ which can be found on the Commission’s website. Projects contributing to the delivery of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan are also sought by the Commission.

The Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) is intended to make eco innovation an everyday reality throughout Europe. The plan was adopted by the Commission in 2004 to cover a wide range of activities promoting eco innovation and use of environmental technologies. Its objective is to improve European competitiveness in this area, and enable the EU to become the recognised world leader.

What does LIFE+ not fund?
LIFE+ does not fund research and development projects, if you are planning on a project of this nature, you need to look at other instruments such as the Framework 7 Programme. Some limited research can be included, but the Commission prefer limited research that results in a publication and is directly linked to the delivery of concrete conservation actions. Recurring actions are also not supported – an example of this is where a particular habitat survey is conducted annually regardless of whether the LIFE+ project takes place or not – in this instance the habitat survey would not be an eligible action.

LIFE+ has been designed to contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and communication of EU environment policy. The Commission has created three strands:

• LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity - contributes to the implementation of EU Policy and legislation on nature and biodiversity. There are two distinct categories of project: LIFE+ Nature and LIFE+ Biodiversity.
• LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance - contributes to the implementation, updating and development of European Union environmental policy and legislation, including the integration of the environment into other policies, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
• LIFE+ Information and Communication - delivers communication actions and awareness raising campaigns on environmental issues and projects that contribute to forest fire prevention.

For Nature and Biodiversity and Environment Policy and Governance projects the programmes dictates the type of project and activity that you can apply to (Information and Communication projects can use any appropriate methodology). There are three different types, best practice, demonstration and innovative.

A brief description of the three project types can be found below.

Best Practice projects apply appropriate, cost effective, state of the art techniques and methods for the conservation of species/habitat. Testing and evaluating of best practice techniques should NOT be part of the project as they are already state of the art and monitoring is obligatory.

There are certain eligibility criteria that you must comply with for LIFE+. These include:

• Only the EU 27 countries are eligible at present.
• LIFE+ is open to all legal persons, whether public or private, commercial or non-commercial, that are legally established in the EU.
• Project proposals can either be submitted by a single entity or a partnership from one or more of the 27 member states of the EU.
• Member States are responsible for forwarding all project proposals to the Commission, setting national priorities and objectives, and preparing comments on proposals, in particular in relation to national annual priorities.
• LIFE+ projects must take place only on the territory of the EU member states.