The Irish Regions Office: IRO Funding Monitor
ENVIRONMENT
The LIFE programme
LIFE, the Financial Instrument for the Environment, introduced in 1992, is one of the spearheads of the European Union's environmental policy. It co-finances projects in three areas, two of which, LIFE Nature and LIFE Environment, are of interest to sub-national authorities in Ireland.
LIFE Nature actions are aimed at conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora of European Union interest, according to the Birds and Habitats directives. They support implementation of the nature conservation policy and the Natura 2000 Network of the European Union. LIFE-Environment actions aim to implement the Community policy and legislation on the environment in the European Union and candidate countries. This approach enables demonstration and development of new methods for the protection and the enhancement of the environment.
The third part of the programme is LIFE-Third Countries, which concerns technical assistance activities for promoting sustainable development in third countries. LIFE is implemented in phases. The current phase, LIFE III (2000-2004), has a budget of €640 million. In 2004 the European Parliament and the Council agreed to the extension of LIFE to 2006.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
LIFE Nature
The specific objective of LIFE-Nature is to contribute to the implementation of Community nature protection legislation: the "Birds" Directive (79/409/EEC) and the "Habitats" Directive (92/43/EEC), and in particular the establishment of the "Natura 2000" network for the in situ management and conservation of Europe's most remarkable fauna and flora species and habitats. Nature conservation projects which contribute to maintaining or restoring natural habitats and/or species populations to a favourable conservation status within the meaning of the Habitats Directive are eligible for LIFE-Nature. Projects must concern Special Protection Areas or Sites of Community Importance and the species listed in these Directives. Examples of actions previously funded include: acquisition of land to protect areas of special importance; restoration of riverbanks and wetland habitats; protection of almost extinct species such as the Mediterranean monk seal; ecological land management contracts with groups of farmers; and management plans for Natura 2000 sites.
LIFE Environment
The specific objective of LIFE-Environment is to contribute to the development
of innovative techniques and methods by cofinancing demonstration projects.
The LIFE Regulation defines five areas eligible for funding:
• land-use development and planning;
• water management;
• reduction of the environmental impact of economic activities;
• waste management;
• reduction of the environmental impact of products through an integrated
product policy.
LIFE-Environment does not finance research or investment in existing technologies or infrastructure. The purpose of the programme is to bridge the gap between research and development results and their large-scale application. To this end, demonstration projects based on the results of projects which have been supported under past or ongoing technological research and development programmes are encouraged. Examples of actions previously funded include: decontamination of treated wood waste; recycling of demolition waste and waste oils; integrated initiatives to promote sustainable development and sustainable tourism; environmental management at regional level; recycling of electronic equipment; actions to combat the greenhouse effect and air pollution; integrated water management in towns and cities; promotion of ecological construction; and "bonus points" systems encouraging the consumption of environment-friendly products.
“Starter” and “Co-op” Measures
Article 3(2)(b)(i) and (ii) of the Regulation (EC) No 1655/2000 foresees the possibility to finance special types of measures called ‘Starter’ and ‘Co-op’. ‘Starter’ measures are intended to help with the preparation of LIFE-Nature projects involving partners in more than one Member State and/or accession countries associated to LIFE. ‘Co-op’ measures are aimed exclusively at supporting exchange of experience among LIFE-Nature projects. They involve at least three ongoing or past LIFE-Nature projects targeting similar nature conservation subjects (e.g. the same species or habitat type or groups thereof) or similar nature conservation themes and problems (communication questions, management planning, specific solutions with others who share nature areas, such as farmers, foresters, fishermen etc.).
LIFE-Third countries
The objective of LIFE-Third countries is to contribute to the establishment of capacities and administrative structures needed in the environmental sector and in the development of environmental policy and action programmes in third countries bordering on the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea other than central and east European accession candidate countries.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Project proposals may be presented by all legal entities established in
the Member States of the European Union (including the new member states)
– e.g. individuals, industrial and commercial firms, local authorities,
etc. The participation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is in particular
encouraged. Proposals must be presented by a single applicant but may envisage
the collaboration of many participants in the context of a partnership implementation.
Partnership is encouraged where a meaningful collaboration can be expected.
In particular when the partnership strengthens the innovative and/or demonstration
character of the project, its dissemination and/or transferability of the
techniques and/or methods demonstrated by the project. Partnerships maybe
established at any level (local, regional, national and international, etc.)
BUDGET AND RATES OF FUNDING
LIFE III (2000-2004) has a budget of €640 million. Approximately €300 million has been allocated for LIFE-Nature for the period 2000-2004. The rate of Community co-financing may be up to 50% of the costs. By way of exception, for projects concerning priority natural habitats or priority species defined in the Habitats Directive the Commission can finance up to 75% of the eligible costs. Approximately €300 million has been allocated for LIFE-Environment for the period 2000-2004. The rate of Community cofinancing can be up to 30% for projects generating substantial net revenue, 50% in other cases. €38 million has been allocated to LIFE-Third countries for the period 2000-2004. The rate of Community cofinancing can be up to 70% of the maximum cost of technical assistance projects.
A further €317 million has been allocated to the LIFE programme for the period from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2006.
APPLYING FOR FUNDS
Calls for proposals under the LIFE programme are published annually, usually at the end of May/early June. Applications are initially submitted to the relevant National Authorities (The Department fo the Environment, heritage and Local Government in Ireland), which then forwards the applications to the European Commission. The deadline for submissions to the National authorities is normally in October.
PROJECT EXAMPLE
Restoring habitats of high conservation value after quarrying: Best Practice Manual (United Kingdom, Spain and Ireland)
This project focused on the environmental restoration of disused waste tips in slate mines and other non-toxic quarries to a semi-natural condition of high bio-diversity value. Three sites of differing climate and substrate were selected, each in a different country, to show the wide applicability of the new methods being used. The largest of the three sites was the Penrhyn, North Wales (UK) which acted as the primary demonstration site with further demonstration plots located in Badajoz (Spain) and in Wicklow (Ireland).
The project culminated in the production of a major publication detailing the findings of the project. In addition, the production of Best Practice Guidelines provides local authorities with a model to improve planning strategies in relation to existing or planned industrial sites of this type and thereby raises environmental awareness within the industry. The project reports have been produced in English, Spanish and Welsh and electronic versions can be downloaded from the following web site: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/ies/life/life.htm
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION
European Commission
DG ENV.D.1
BU-9 02/1
B-1049 Brussels
Fax: +32 2 296 95 56
Website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/life/home.htm
E-mail: life-environment@cec.eu.int
National Contact (LIFE Envionment)
Mr John KIERNAN / Ms. Deirdre KEARNEY
Environment Awareness Section (LIFE)
Department of the Environment
Custom House
IRL - Dublin 1
Fax: +353 1 888 20 14
E-mail: john_kiernan@environ.irlgov.ie
E-mail: deirdre_kearney@environ.irlgov.ie
National Contact (LIFE Nature)
Dr. Alan J. CRAIG
National Parks and Wildlife
Duchas, The Heritage Service
7, Ely Place
IRL - Dublin 2
Fax: +353 1 66 20 283
E-mail : acraig@ealga.ie
European Parliament, Brussels