Brussels, 05/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - The rules establishing LIFE, the EU's financial instrument for the environment and climate, which has a budget of €3.1 billion for the period 2014-2020, has been formally adopted in first reading. The Council of the EU proceeded to its formal adoption on Thursday 5 December on the sidelines of the Transport/Telecommunications Council meeting, without debate. It was in fact no more than a formality, with the European Parliament having earlier endorsed the budget of the programme as negotiated with the Council (see EUROPE 10968).
For the next seven years, LIFE will benefit from a substantial increase in its resources (its current budget is only €2.2 billion) and out of the €3.1 billion envelope available to it to co-finance projects, €760 million are intended for a separate sub-programme exclusively dedicated to climate action. The major innovations of LIFE 2014-2020 include the new “integrated projects” that are jointly funded in order to facilitate application of legislation concerning water, waste, air quality and the protection of nature; the granting of specific funding to help prepare for those integrated projects; higher rates of co-funding for projects in favour of nature and biodiversity; and the selection of projects eligible for co-funding depending on their quality and their potential. The new LIFE regulation repeals Regulation 614/2007 EC. (AN/transl.jl)