Just imagine: Your idea for climate protection or nature conservation is supported by the EU, visible across Europe and part of a movement that is changing our planet for good. The new work programme of the EU's LIFE funding programme from 2025 focuses on projects with a particular leverage effect – in line with the EU's political priorities. This once again opens up the opportunity to implement effective projects – from regional pilot projects to Europe-wide model solutions.
LIFE Programme 2025: Driving a sustainable future
LIFE (L'Instrument Financier pour l'Environnement) is the European Union's central financing instrument for environmental, nature and climate protection. For over 30 years, the LIFE programme has been Europe's innovation driver for a green and sustainable future. With a total budget of around 5.4 billion euros for the current phase (2021-2027), LIFE supports projects that protect the environment, climate and biodiversity. They range from the restoration of valuable habitats to climate-friendly technologies and the promotion of the circular economy. The LIFE Regulation is implemented through two multi-annual work programmes for the periods 2021-2024 and 2025-2027. These programmes set out in detail which priorities will be set and how they will be realised.
In 2025, LIFE will once again open up great opportunities: with a funding volume of around 600 million euros, the programme promotes forward-looking projects for the environment, climate and sustainability and thus makes a significant contribution to Europe's green transformation.
Your advantages with a LIFE project
- Wide range of stakeholders: Companies, public organisations and institutions from EU member states are eligible for funding.
- Wide range of topics: LIFE funds projects on environmental, climate and energy issues – from nature conservation and the circular economy to climate adaptation and energy efficiency.
- Flexible project design: Projects can be customised in terms of duration, budget and choice of partners to meet individual challenges.
- Fair funding: LIFE pays advances at an early stage so that project organisers barely need to make any advance payments.
Structure of the LIFE programme: four sub-programmes for Europe's green transformation
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Nature and biodiversity (NAT)
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Circular economy and quality of life (ENV)
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Climate change mitigation and adaptation (CLIMA)
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Clean energy transition (CET)
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Goal
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NAT is promoting the protection, conservation and restoration of nature in the EU – with the aim of halting and reversing the decline in biodiversity.
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ENV supports projects that protect the environment, improve quality of life and advance the transition to a sustainable, resource-conserving and climate-resilient economy. |
Driving EU climate policy to support a sustainable, fair, energy-efficient, climate-neutral and resilient economy.
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The removal of market and political barriers to climate neutrality and the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
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| Funding priorities |
● Protection of endangered species
● Renaturalisation of damaged ecosystems
● Urban development close to nature
● Sustainable agriculture and forestry |
LIFE projects in this sub-programme test innovative technologies and methods in practice outside the laboratory. The programme covers a wide range of environmental topics such as circular economy & waste, air, water, soil, noise, chemicals and the European Bauhaus Initiative as well as environmental governance.
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CLIMA supports the development, testing and implementation of innovative approaches for realising the EU Green Deal. The focus is on practical solutions, proven procedures and new methods that strengthen climate protection and climate adaptation in politics, administration and society.
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LIFE-CET funds projects (top-down principle) with clearly defined topics, including
● Education on energy efficiency and renewables
● Development of new business models & best practices
● Mobilisation of private investment
● Raising awareness among target group-specific stakeholders
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Funding quota
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Generally up to 60 % of eligible costs (increased to up to 75 % if the focus is on priority species/habitats).
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Generally up to 60 % of the eligible costs.
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Generally up to 60 % of the eligible costs.
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Generally up to 95 % of the eligible costs
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Further funding opportunities:
LIFE-Projects for adressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy priorities (PLP):
The EU Commission uses LIFE-PLP to further develop specific legislative and political environmental and climate issues. The topics are determined on an ad hoc basis in consultation with the member states. The calls for proposals are demand-orientated, without a fixed timetable and for clearly defined issues. PLP calls for proposals are possible in all sub-programmes of the LIFE programme.
Possible operation grants (NGO) (2021-2027):
These are grants to support the work of non-profit organisations. In 2025, there will only be one call for specific grant agreements (SGA) for the implementation year 2026. Only NGOs can apply, that have successfully applied for a framework agreement (FPA) in 2024 for the implementation years 2025-2026.
Which projects are supported by LIFE?
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Eligible project types |
| Nature and biodiversity (NAT) |
● SAPs – Standard Action Projects: SAPs are designed to be flexible (bottom-up principle) and promote the development, demonstration and dissemination of innovative environmental technologies and methods
● SNAPs – Strategic Nature Projects: Focus on the implementation of binding EU environmental plans and strategies
● TA-PPs – Technical Assistance for Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs: TA-PP serves to prepare an application for a strategic project
● TA-R – Technical Assistance for Replication: TA-R promotes, prepares applications for SNAP/SIP and for replication & scaling up of successful projects and capacity building in LIFE-weak Member States
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| Circular economy and quality of life (ENV) |
● SAPs – Standard Action Projects
● SIPs – Strategic Integrated Projects: SIPs serve the large-scale implementation of environmental or climate strategies at regional to transnational level. They mobilise key players, resources and political synergies to enable comprehensive implementation of existing plans in the long term.
● TA-PPs – Technical Assistance for Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs
● TA-R – Technical Assistance for Replication
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| Climate change mitigation and adaptation (CLIMA) |
● SAPs – Standard Action Projects
● SIPs – Strategic Integrated Projects
● TA-PPs – Technical Assistance for Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs
● TA-R – Technical Assistance for Replication
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| Clean energy transition (CET) |
Coordination and Support Actions (CSA): CSAs promote measures such as capacity building, knowledge dissemination, policy advice, digitalisation, development of new business models and investment planning. |
Other actions: LIFE can also support ‘other actions’ (OA) in accordance with Art. 11 of the Regulation, e.g. coordination and support actions (CSAs) or projects on current legislative/policy priorities (PLP). These follow the top-down principle and are subject to stricter requirements than standard projects
When can I apply?
| Project type |
Deadline for submission of outlines |
Deadline for submission of full proposal |
| SAPs – Standard Action Projects |
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| SNAPs – Strategic Nature Projects |
4 September 2025 |
5 March 2026 |
| SIPs – Strategic Integrated Projects |
4 September 2025 |
5 March 2026 |
| TA-PPs – Technical Assistance for Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs |
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23 September 2025 |
| TA-R – Technical Assistance for Replication |
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23 September 2025 |
| PLP – LIFE-Projects for adressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy priorities |
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23 September 2025 |
| Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) |
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23 September 2025 |
EurA AG – Your strong partner for EU LIFE projects
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to optimise the implementation of your LIFE project with professional support. We accompany you from the initial idea through to invoicing - competent, committed and experienced.
Our team of experts is at your side every step of the process: from the selection of suitable project ideas and the preparation of customised applications to detailed planning and implementation. We attach particular importance to the precise definition, calculation and verification of the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are decisive for your funding.
EurA AG
T- 079619256-0Max-Eyth-Straße 2
73479 Ellwangen
info@eura-ag.com