LIFE+ call for proposals 2013

2013/C 47/10

The Commission invites entities registered in the European Union or in Croatia to present proposals for the LIFE+ call for proposals 2013.

Applications

The application guides that include detailed explanations in regard to eligibility and procedures can be obtained from the Commission's website on the following address:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

Proposals should only be created and submitted by using the online application tool ‘eProposal’. The link to ‘eProposal’ will be communicated in due time via the abovementioned website.

Beneficiaries

Proposals must be presented by entities registered in the Member States of the European Union or in Croatia being public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions.

The following themes are covered by this announcement

1.   LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity

Principal objective: to protect, conserve, restore, monitor and facilitate the functioning of natural systems, natural habitats, wild flora and fauna, with the aim of halting the loss of biodiversity, including diversity of genetic resources, within the EU.

2.   LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance

Principal objectives:

—   Climate change: to stabilise greenhouse gas concentration at a level that prevents global warming above 2 °C,

—   Water: to contribute to enhanced water quality by developing cost-effective measures to achieve good ecological status in view of developing river basin management plans under Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive),

—   Air: to achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on and risks to human health and the environment,

—   Soil: to protect and ensure the sustainable use of soil by preserving soil functions, preventing threats to soil, mitigating their effects and restoring degraded soils,

—   Urban environment: to contribute to improving the environmental performance of Europe's urban areas,

—   Noise: to contribute to policy development and implementation on environmental noise,

—   Chemicals: to improve the protection of environment and health from risks posed by chemicals by 2020 by implementing chemicals legislation, in particular Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) and the thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides,

—   Environment and health: to develop the information base for policy on the environment and health (the Environment and Health Action Plan),

—   Natural resources and waste: to develop and implement policies designed to ensure sustainable management of natural resources and wastes, and to improve the environmental performances of products, sustainable production and consumption patterns, waste prevention, recovery and recycling. To contribute to the effective implementation of the thematic strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste,

—   Forests: to provide, especially through an EU coordination network, a concise and comprehensive basis for policy-relevant information on forests in relation to climate change (impact on forest ecosystems, mitigation, substitution effects), biodiversity (baseline information and protected forest areas), forest fires, forest conditions and the protective functions of forests (water, soil and infrastructure) as well as contributing to the protection of forests against fires,

—   Innovation: to contribute to developing and demonstrating innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments to assist in the implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP),

—   Strategic approaches: to promote effective implementation and enforcement of Union environmental legislation and improve the knowledge base for environmental policy; to improve the environmental performance of SMEs.

3.   LIFE+ Information and Communication

Principal objective: to disseminate information and raise awareness on environmental issues, including forest fire prevention; and to provide support for accompanying measures, such as information, communication actions and campaigns, conferences and training, including training on forest fire prevention.

EU co-financing rates

1.   LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity projects

2.   LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance

3.   LIFE+ Information and Communication

Deadline

Project proposals shall be validated and submitted via ‘eProposal’ to the national competent authorities by 25 June 2013 at 16.00, local Brussels time. Project proposals shall be forwarded via ‘eProposal’ to the national authority of the Member State (or Croatia) in which the beneficiary is registered. Proposals will then be submitted via ‘eProposal’ by the national authorities to the Commission by 5 July 2013 at 23.59, local Brussels time.

Budget involved

The overall budget for project action grants under LIFE+ in 2013 is EUR 278 000 000. At least 50 % of this amount shall be allocated to measures to support the conservation of nature and biodiversity.

The indicative national financial allocations for 2013 are as follows:

Pursuant to the Conference on Accession to the European Union — Croatia document CONF-HR 17, and subject to the entering into force of the EU-Croatia Accession Treaty, and the allocation of the corresponding funds in the EU budget, the indicative allocation for Croatia is EUR 1 250 000.

More information

More information including the application guidelines and application forms can be found on the LIFE website:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

It is also possible to contact the relevant national authorities:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/contact/nationalcontact/index.htm