Grants
Article 10
Grants under the LIFE Programme shall be awarded and managed in accordance with Title VIII of the Financial Regulation.
Regulation (EU) 2021/783 CHAPTER II — Eligibility
Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. · Read the official text ↗
Eligible actions
Article 11
1. Only actions implementing the objectives set out in Article 3 shall be eligible for funding. 2. Grants may finance the following types of action: (a) strategic nature projects under the subprogramme referred to in point (1)(a) of Article 4; (b) strategic integrated projects under the subprogrammes referred to in points (1)(b), (2)(a) and 2(b) of Article 4; (c) technical assistance projects; (d) standard action projects; (e) other actions needed for the purpose of achieving the general objective set out in Article 3(1), including coordination and support actions aimed at capacity building, at dissemination of information and of knowledge, and at awareness-raising to support the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency. 3. Projects under the subprogramme 'Nature and Biodiversity' that concern the management, restoration and monitoring of Natura 2000 sites in accordance with Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC shall take account of priorities set out in national and regional plans, strategies and policies on nature and biodiversity conservation, including in prioritised action frameworks adopted pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC. 4. Technical assistance projects for capacity building related to the activities of Member States' authorities to improve the effective participation in the LIFE programme shall support activities of those Member States with low effective participation, with a view to improving the National Contact Points' services across the Union and to increasing the overall quality of submitted proposals. 5. Grants may finance activities outside a Member State or an overseas country or territory linked to it, provided that the project pursues Union environmental and climate objectives and those activities are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of interventions carried out in a Member State or in an overseas country or territory linked to it, or to support international agreements to which the Union is party by providing a contribution to the organisation of multilateral conferences. The maximum contribution provided to international agreements for the organisation of multilateral conferences shall be EUR 3,5 million for the duration of the LIFE programme indicated in Article 1, and such grants shall not count towards meeting the threshold referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 9(3). 6. Operating grants shall support the functioning of non-profit making entities which are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation and policy, and which are primarily active in the area of the environment or climate action, including energy transition, in line with the objectives of the LIFE Programme set out in Article 3.
Eligible entities
Article 12
1. The eligibility criteria set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article shall apply to entities, in addition to the criteria set out in Article 197 of the Financial Regulation. 2. The following entities shall be eligible: (a) legal entities established in any of the following countries or territories: (i) a Member State or an overseas country or territory linked to it; (ii) a third country associated to the LIFE Programme; (iii) other third countries listed in the multiannual work programme referred to in Article 18, under the conditions specified in paragraphs 4 and 5 of this Article; (b) any legal entity created under Union law or any international organisation. 3. Natural persons shall not be eligible. 4. Legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the LIFE Programme shall be exceptionally eligible to participate where this is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of a given action to ensure the effectiveness of interventions carried out in the Union. 5. Legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the LIFE Programme shall in principle bear the cost of their participation.
Direct award
Article 13
Without prejudice to Article 188 of the Financial Regulation, grants may be awarded, without a call for proposals, to the bodies listed in Annex I to this Regulation.
Specification of award criteria
Article 14
The Commission shall set out award criteria in the multiannual work programme referred to in Article 18 and calls for proposals, taking into account the following principles: (a) projects financed by the LIFE Programme are to be of Union interest by making a significant contribution to the achievement of the general and specific objectives of the LIFE Programme set out in Article 3, are not to undermine those objectives and, whenever possible, are to promote the use of green public procurement; (b) projects are to ensure a cost-effective approach, and be technically and financially coherent; (c) projects with the highest potential for contributing to the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 3 are to be given priority; (d) projects that provide co-benefits and promote synergies between the subprogrammes referred to in Article 4 are to benefit from a bonus in their evaluation; (e) projects with the highest potential for being replicated and taken-up by the public or private sector or for mobilising the largest investments or financial resources (potential to act as a catalyst) are to benefit from a bonus in their evaluation; (f) the replicability of standard action project results is to be ensured; (g) projects that build on or upscale the results of other projects funded by the LIFE Programme, its predecessor programmes or by other Union funds, are to benefit from a bonus in their evaluation; (h) where appropriate, special attention is to be given to projects in geographical areas with specific needs or vulnerabilities, such as areas with specific environmental challenges or natural constraints, trans-border areas, areas of high natural value and outermost regions.
Eligible costs related to purchase of land
Article 15
In addition to the criteria set out in Article 186 of the Financial Regulation, costs relating to the purchase of land shall be considered eligible, provided that the following conditions are fulfilled: (a) the purchase contributes to improving, maintaining and restoring the integrity of the Natura 2000 network set up pursuant to Article 3 of Directive 92/43/EEC, including by improving connectivity through the creation of corridors, stepping stones, or other elements of green infrastructure; (b) land purchase is the only or most cost-effective way of achieving the conservation outcome sought; (c) the land purchased is reserved on a long-term basis for uses consistent with the specific objectives of the LIFE Programme; and (d) the Member State concerned ensures, by way of transfer or otherwise, the long-term assignment of such land to nature conservation purposes.
Cumulative and alternative financing
Article 16
1. An action that has received a contribution from another Union programme may also receive a contribution under the LIFE Programme, provided that the contributions do not cover the same costs and that the action pursues the environmental or climate objectives set out in Article 3, and does not undermine any of them. The rules of the relevant Union programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution to the action. The cumulative financing shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action. The support from the different Union programmes may be calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the documents setting out the conditions for support. 2. Support from the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund+ or the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, in accordance with the relevant provisions of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy and the relevant provisions of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the Common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, may be granted to actions awarded a 'Seal of Excellence' certification under the LIFE Programme by complying with the following cumulative conditions: (a) they have been assessed in a call for proposals under the LIFE Programme; (b) they comply with the minimum quality requirements of that call for proposals; (c) they cannot be financed under that call for proposals due to budgetary constraints.
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