LIFE 2021–2027 Program from the European Commission is available to Ukrainian applicants, despite the fact that Ukraine is not yet a member of the European Union. It aims to restore and improve the quality of environmental components, implement environmental protection measures, and combat climate change.
“The program meets the goals and objectives of the European green course. It is aimed, firstly, at transforming the EU into a society with a modern resource-efficient and competitive economy, where there will be no greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Secondly, it is aimed at protecting the EU’s natural capital, the health and well-being of citizens, and reducing environmental and climate-related risks," said Tetiana Bondarenko, “U-LEAD with Europe” Projects Manager.
Participants of the program can be:
- legal entities of any form of ownership of the EU countries, Iceland, Ukraine, Moldova and North Macedonia;
- local self-government bodies;
- central and territorial executive authorities;
- state, municipal or private institutions, whether profitable or non-profit;
- public organisations.
“A project application can be submitted by an applicant alone or by a consortium of participants with many partners. It is worth noting that in some cases, submitting an application from a partnership with a certain number of participants is a direct requirement for participation in the Program. And these should be participants from different countries. Usually, it is from three participants from different countries,” emphasised Tetiana Bondarenko.
Program priorities
The LIFE 2021–2027 Program has four subprograms, which are grouped according to the priorities of projects that can be implemented.
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Nature and biodiversity protection
This subprogram can support project applications that meet the following priorities: protection and restoration of EU nature; halting and preventing biodiversity loss; projects that contribute to the implementation of the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, as well as the development and management of the Natura 2000 network.
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Circular economy and quality of life
Project applications that meet the following priorities can be supported here: transition to a sustainable, circular, non-toxic, energy-efficient and climate-resilient environment; development of circular systems; protection against chemicals; reduction of exposure to harmful noise levels; protection of soil quality; waste management; ensuring clean air and seas.
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Climate change mitigation and adaptation
Priorities of project applications that can be supported under this subprogram: transition to a sustainable, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and resilient economy, thereby contributing to sustainable development; climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, climate change management.
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Transition to clean energy
Project applications that meet the following priorities can be supported here: accelerating the deployment of technologies, digitalization, and increasing relevant professional skills in the market; attracting private financing for sustainable energy; supporting the development of local and regional investment projects; engaging and empowering citizens to transition to clean energy; and developing national, regional, and local policies for the transition to clean energy.
Budget and types of grants
The total budget of the LIFE Program for 2021–2027 is €5.4 billion, €3.5 billion of which is provided for environmental projects and €1.9 billion for climate change measures.
“As of now, there are 32 calls for proposals for these four subprograms on the European Commission’s website. The calls will run until mid-September 2024. The application deadline is September 17, 18, 19, 2024. The results of the project selection are expected to be announced in February 2025. And the signing of grant agreements is expected to be in June 2025,” said Tetiana Bondarenko.
In turn, Alina Bondar, administrative specialist of the U-LEAD regional office in Sumy Oblast, emphasised the types of grant projects that can be submitted under the LIFE 2021–2027 Program:
“Projects are submitted to the competition in one or two stages. And the deadline for submitting documents for the competition will depend on the type of project. Grant assistance will be provided on a co-financing basis. The size of the grant can range from 700 thousand to 20 million euros. EU co-financing can be up to 95% of the project cost. The partners may decide to distribute the funds to different parts in accordance with the agreement.”
The types of grant projects that can be submitted under the LIFE 2021–2027 Program are as follows. These are Standard Action Projects (SAPs), Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs), Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs), Technical Assistance Projects (TAs), and others, including Coordination and Support Grants (OA-CSAs).
Search for partners: all methods are good if they work
The information session also focused on finding partners to participate in the program. This issue is usually one of the most difficult for communities. Therefore, as Tetiana Bondarenko emphasised, all methods should not be rejected:
“First of all, it is worth conducting an audit of existing memorandums, contracts and cooperation agreements. These may be agreements signed decades ago. It is important to restore communication and look for common ground. Participation in international internships, exchange visits, and conferences is also an effective tool. There is access to a wide range of partners. Do not forget about social networks. This is a great way to tell a wider audience about yourself”
Effective methods of finding partners include participation in various associations and maintaining communication with Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Moreover, you can use a special section on the European Commission’s website. In particular, in the section “EU Funding and Tenders Portal”, go to the section of open calls for proposals, find the LIFE 2021–2027 Program, go to the page of a specific call for proposals and find the “Search for Partners” section, where you can view all those interested in this proposal.
Also during the information session, Oksana Lysak, Head of the Ecology Department of the Lutsk city council, Alyona Perebynos, Coordinator of the Zero Waste Cities in Ukraine project, and Sofia Sydorenko, Head of the Ukrainian Zero Waste Alliance NGO, shared their practical experience in submitting a project application, receiving a grant, and implementing a project under the LIFE 2021–2027 Program. They talked about the Zero Waste Cities in Ukraine project, which involves 4 communities and 4 NGOs in Ukraine in partnership with Portugal, Belgium, Germany, and Italy.