LIFE+ is the European Union’s direct funding programme for the Environment providing funding opportunities for the conservation of protected habitats and species, the halt of loss in biodiversity and the implementation of environmental policy through demonstrative, innovative and information projects.

Environment protection is of crucial importance to the European Union and LIFE+ is there to provide complementary support to other funding instruments aimed at protecting our environment.

The 2012 LIFE+ call which was launched in March, comes to a close in less than a month’s time, on the 26th September. Therefore those who are still to apply are encouraged to develop their e proposal on the E proposal Tool found following this link http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus2012/call/index.htm as soon as possible.

LIFE+ is the European Union’s direct funding programme for the Environment providing funding opportunities for the conservation of protected habitats and species, the halt of loss in biodiversity and the implementation of environmental policy through demonstrative, innovative and information projects. Environment protection is of crucial importance to the European Union and LIFE+ is there to provide complementary support to other funding instruments aimed at protecting our environment.

LIFE+ is subdivided into three distinct strands, thus a vast array of projects can be implemented. These strands are:

– LIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity, co-finances best practice or demonstration projects that contribute to the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives. In addition it also co-finance innovative or demonstration projects that contribute to the implementation of the objectives of Commission Communication (COM (2011) 244 final) “Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020”;

– LIFE+ Environmental Policy & Governance specifically aims at contributing to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy and legislation, the development of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments, the knowledge base as regards environment policy and legislation, and the monitoring of environmental pressures. This strand covers such projects in the remit of nature and biodiversity, climate change, water, air, soil, urban environment, noise, chemicals, environment and health, waste and natural resources, forests, innovation and strategic approaches as well as the integration of environment into other policies, thereby contributing to sustainable development; and

– LIFE+ Information & Communication co-finances information campaigns related to all the environmental aspects mentioned above. Such proposed projects must seek to raise awareness on environmental issues so as to achieve a positive change in people’s attitude towards the environment.

This fund has a total budget of around €2.143 billion for the period 2007-2013, with over €276 million allocated for 2012, with more than €2.6 million as Malta’s indicative national allocation. LIFE+ is open to all bodies that are registered in the EU; therefore applications could be submitted from the public as well as the private sector as well as universities, research institutes and environmental NGOs within the 27 EU Member States.

Applications can be submitted by a single beneficiary or a partnership including a coordinating beneficiary and one/several associated beneficiaries.

The new application package including applications and all the related documentation and guidelines, can be found online on the official website being http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus2012/call/index.htm. Furthermore, one can also find a database listing all the projects that have been funded under LIFE/LIFE+ together with a brief description of the projects as well as links to their websites on http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm

It is important to note that as from this year, the application format is completely electronic, thus one should access the e-proposal following this link. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/eproposalWeb/.

It is important to note that the call for proposals closes on the 26th of September 2012 after which date the applicant can no longer access the proposal on the web portal.

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