Call: Fostering the network of LIFE National Contact Points

The general objective of the LIFE Programme shall be to contribute to the shift towards a sustainable, circular, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and - resilient economy, in order to protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment, including the air, water and soil, and to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to tackle the degradation of ecosystems, including by supporting the implementation and management of the Natura 2000 network, thereby contributing to sustainable development. The LIFE Programme shall also support the implementation of general action programmes adopted in accordance with Article 192(3) TFEU.

Specific objectives of the LIFE Programme are:

1. to develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches for reaching the objectives of Union legislation and policy on the environment, including nature and biodiversity, and on climate action, including the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency, and to contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practice, in particular in relation to nature and biodiversity, including through the support of the Natura 2000 network;
2. to support the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union legislation and policy on the environment, including nature and biodiversity, and on climate action and the transition to renewable energy or increased energy efficiency, including by improving governance at all levels, in particular by enhancing the capacities of public and private actors and the involvement of civil society;
3. to act as a catalyst for the large-scale deployment of successful technical and policy-related solutions for implementing relevant Union legislation and policy on the environment, including nature and biodiversity, and on climate action and the transition to renewable energy or increased energy efficiency, by replicating results, by integrating related objectives into other policies and into public and private sector practices, by mobilising investment and by improving access to finance.

The LIFE Programme is structured as follows:

1. the field ' Environment', which includes:

• the subprogramme ' Nature and Biodiversity';
• the subprogramme ' Circular Economy and Quality of Life';

2. the field ' Climate Action', which includes:

• the subprogramme ' Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation';
• the subprogramme ' Clean Energy Transition'.

Objective:

The Commission has identified some specific needs to be addressed through dedicated calls (the so-called Other Actions (OAs). They include, amongst others, specific projects addressing specific needs for the development and implementation of Union environmental or climate policy and legislation.

Based on article 11 of the LIFE Regulation 2021/783 the LIFE Multi Annual Work Programme 2021-2024 (COM(2021) 4997 final), includes the possibility to finance each year a limited number of specific projects designed to support specific needs for the development and implementation of Union environment policy and legislation.

For reference, the LIFE projects, called in the past LIFE Regulation preparatory projects, are now called specific projects addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy Priorities (PLP).

Point 4.1.4 of the Multi Annual Work Programme indicates that under the so called Other Actions, additional projects responding to the Union legislative and policy priorities could be determined on annual basis, following a consultation with Member States.

Once a year the Commission makes an inventory of the specific needs regarding the development and implementation of Union environmental or climate policy and legislation that need to be addressed during the following years and identifies among them the needs that could be addressed by specific projects.

Before launching this annual call for proposals, the Member States received a draft list of the identified specific needs that could be addressed by those projects and were asked to comment. Based on these comments, the final list was established.

Scope:

The proposed specific project under the topic LIFE 2021-PREP-Network shall address the following specific need identified.

• Fostering the Network of LIFE National Contact Points (NCP).

Expected Impact:

The LIFE Regulation defines the importance of a collaboration between the Commission and the LIFE Programme’s National Contact Points (NCP) network in order to stimulate cooperation aiming to improve and make NCP services across the EU more effective. It also aims at increasing the overall quality of proposals submitted, organising seminars and workshops, publishing lists of projects funded under the LIFE Programme or undertaking other activities, such as media campaigns, in order to better disseminate project results and to facilitate exchanges of experience, knowledge and best practices and the replication of project results across the Union, thus promoting cooperation and communication.

After the analysis of different options, the idea of a network run by one or more NCPs was retained. This should allow NCPs to develop the ownership of the network activities.

The proposed project should:

• aim to facilitate trans-national co-operation between LIFE National Contact Points (NCPs) with a view to identifying and sharing good practices and improving the support to LIFE programme applicants, thus increasing their successful participation;
• give special attention to enhancing the competence of NCPs, including helping less experienced NCPs to rapidly acquire the know-how built up in other countries;
• build, as far as possible, on the existing knowledge and tools generated by one or more the NCP, avoiding duplication and establishing synergies;
• open up to the participation of all NCPs, including the ones from OCTs and non-EU countries (newly) associated to the LIFE Programme, and encourage the active involvement of each NCP;
• organize yearly NCP Trainings;
• cover the period of 2.5 years.

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
  • non-EU countries:
    • listed EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme (participating countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature
• the coordinator must be established in an eligible country

• Only NCPs from EU Member States, OCTs and Associated Countries are eligible to participate in and receive funding for this action.
• The consortium should involve a good representation of experienced and less experienced NCPs. - A close coordination and cooperation will be essential to achieve the objectives and impact of the NCPs network.
• NCPs from EU Member States or Associated Countries choosing not to participate as a member of the consortium should be invited and encouraged to participate in the project activities (e.g. workshops).
• The activities carried out by the network shall remain open to NCPs not participating as direct beneficiaries of the project. The costs incurred for such participation (e.g. reimbursement of travel costs) are eligible for funding by the Commission and need to be included in the estimated budget.

Proposal page limits and layout:

Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:

• Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants (future coordinator, beneficiaries and affiliated entities) and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
• Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
• Part C (to be filled in directly online) containing additional project data
• mandatory annexes and supporting documents (to be uploaded):
  • detailed budget table (mandatory excel template available in the Submission System)
  • participant information (mandatory template available in the Submission System)
  • letters of support from competent authorities, if available
  • other annexes, if available.

Page limit - Part B: 50 pages

The available call budget is EUR 800,000.