LIFE-Environment 1999: 152 new projects approved

Each of the selected projects corresponds to one of the three existing priority areas for LIFE-Environment i.e. Industry (59 projects), Local authorities (84 projects) and Preparatory actions (9 projects). Within these three priority areas, the subsections with the highest number of projects are: for the Industry priority, recycling and clean technologies; for the Local authorities priority, waste and regional and urban policy, and finally, in the field of Preparatory actions, water and waste.

On a proposal from the Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard, the Commission approved 152 projects selected from 682 proposals that were introduced at the beginning of 1999 by organisations from all over the European Union (EU).

The Commission expects the results of these demonstration projects in two to five years’ time. It says the outcome of these demonstration projects should improve the situation on the field and may very well guide the development of future environmental policy initiatives.

LIFE is the only EU financial instrument to provide aid for the environment throughout the Union and in bordering regions. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the development and implementation of EU environmental policy, by financing specific environmental actions in three sectors: LIFE-Environment, LIFE-Nature, and LIFE-Third Countries.

The total budget for LIFE 1996-99 is ECU 450 million. LIFE-environment focuses on the priorities of EU environmental policy, such as waste management. The 1999 selection is the last one under the current LIFE Regulation. A new Regulation covering the period 2000-2006 is under discussion in the European Parliament and Council of Ministers.

Detailed descriptions of the selected projects are posted the LIFE Homepage, linked below