Proposal for a Regulation establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013

ENVE-VI/035
Adopted

Proposal for a Regulation establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013

 Adoption: 09/10/2018
 Theme: Environment and climate change , Agriculture, Maritime and Consumer policies , Economy and Finance , Enterprise and Industry
Commission: Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE-VI)
Support the continuity and the new edition of the LIFE Programme; Ensure that climate objectives will account for 25% of the MFF budget; Increase the budget envelop from 5,450,000,000 € to 6,780,000,000 € for the whole Programme; Keep the same levels of co-financing of the local and regional authorities as in similar actions currently under LIFE and Horizon 2020; Emphasise project quality, avoiding binding, geographically-determined advance allocations and demands that the levels of co-financing of the local and regional authorities are not decreased in future calls for proposals; Draw the attention to outermost regions and to border regions, requesting the EGTCs to be mentioned as eligible entities assimilated to consortia; Include financing projects of awareness and governance, including networks and initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors.
**Impact at the European Parliament: The European Parliament adopted the 1st reading of its report on 12 December 2018. The EP has taken into account the partnership with local and regional authorities for the implementation of the programme; the EP has requested more support to outermost regions and overseas countries and territories, including small-size projects and capacity-building projects (which is also a principle highlighted by the CoR in several MFF opinions); the EP has stressed on air quality in cities; the importance of social networks has been taken into consideration; the coherence and synergies with other policies has been taken into account. The EP has requested a "bio-geographical" balance of beneficiaries and has increased the co-funding rate, but only in nature and bio-diversity actions, and not when the beneficiaries are local and regional authorities, The EP has partially followed the CoR recommendation of increasing the financial envelop: EC proposal (Art. 5) CoR proposal Total: EUR 5 450 000 000 in current prices (1) EUR 3 500 000 000 for the field Environment (a) EUR 2 150 000 000 for the sub-programme Nature and Biodiversity (b) EUR 1 350 000 000 for the sub-programme Circular Economy and Quality of Life; (2) EUR 1 950 000 000 for the field Climate Action, (a) EUR 950 000 000 for the sub-programme Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (b) EUR 1 000 000 000 for the sub-programme Clean Energy Transition. EP proposal: Total: 6 442 000 000 (1) 4 715 000 000 (a) 2 829 000 000 (b) 1 886 000 000 (2) 1 950 000 000 (a) 950 000 000 (b) 1 000 000 000 CoR proposal: Total: 6 780 000 000 (1) 4 165 000 000 (a) 2 315 000 000 (b) 1 850 000 000 (2) 2 615 000 000 (a) 1 450 000 000 (b) 1 165 000 000 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2018-0487 **Impact at the Council of the EU: The ENVI Council adopted its partial general approach on 20 December 2018. The Council has stressed on renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, including capacity-bulding as requested by the CoR including technical assistance and National Contact Points. The Council also modifies the award criteria of Art. 13 (a) in line with the CoR proposal. The Council agrees with the CoR in keeping the LIFE Committee. However, although quality is the leading criteria for project award, the Council insists on keeping geographical balance. The Council also establishes basic co-funding rates of 60% in biodiversity projects https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/20/life-programme-council-agrees-its-position-on-the-eu-s-environmental-policy-flagship-programme/ ** The first tripartite meeting (trilogue) took place on 9 January 2019. There was exchange of views on key issues such as: project objectives, co-financing rates, budgetary issues, geographical balance, and provisions related to reglementation of work programmes through delegated or implementing acts. The discussion continued on 7 February and on 11 March. The results of the technical work were discussed within the Council Working Party on the Environment on 8 February. ** The Council reached a common understanding with the European Parliament and issued a progress report on 20 March 2019 dealing on the legislative part. The budgetary aspects are linked to the final negotiations of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/03/20/life-programme-coreper-confirms-common-understanding-reached-with-parliament/
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS: - welcomes the proposal by the European Commission which, acknowledges the success of the LIFE programme and the European added value generated thus far; - welcomes the specific reference to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and that it helps to ensure that climate objectives will account for 25% of the MFF budget; - approves the proposal to increase the budget for the LIFE programme under the MFF by 60%. Points out, however, that this budget increase corresponds in part to an extension of areas eligible for funding; therefore, the Committee hopes a further increase could be considered, compatible with the general MFF proposal; - is concerned that the funds available to local and regional authorities for projects linked to climate and energy transition policies may suffer an overall reduction in the forthcoming MFF; - welcomes the decision to emphasise project quality, avoiding binding, geographically-determined advance allocations and demands that the levels of co-financing of the local and regional authorities are not decreased in future calls for proposals; - proposes specific measures for staff and VAT costs; - draws the attention to outermost regions and to border regions, requesting the EGTCs to be mentioned as eligible entities assimilated to consortia; - stresses on financing projects of awareness and governance, including networks and initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors; - considers that the LIFE Committee should not abolished.
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