EN Official Journal of the European Union C 287/2

Guidelines 2005-2006 for ‘LIFE-Environment’ preparatory projects

(2004/C 287/02)

Article 4(2)(b) of the LIFE Regulation foresees the possibility to finance special projects called ‘preparatory’. They are defined as ‘…projects which are preparatory to the development of new Community environmental actions and instruments, and/or the updating of environmental legislation and policies’.

These guidelines aim to define the scope of such projects and assist applicants by providing relevant information. In addition, the themes for preparatory projects in 2005 and 2006 are listed and briefly described. These guidelines are also available in the LIFE website at the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/life/home.htm

Scope

Preparatory projects should be aimed exclusively at supporting the development of new environmental policies or updating existing environmental policies.

Priority will be given to policy developments or updates as indicated in the thematic strategies foreseen in the Sixth Environmental Action Programme (Sixth EAP) or to projects that are necessary in order to achieve the objectives set out in the priority areas of the Sixth EAP.

Preparatory projects should therefore respond to specific needs in the sector of policy making. They are clearly different from demonstration projects as they do not target the implementation of existing policy.

They also differ from demonstration projects as they do not need to comply with criteria such as being innovative, demonstrative and replicable.

Preparatory projects shall take into consideration existing results of research actions in support of policy making, including those which have been financed by the Community Research Framework Programme. They should aim to enhance synergies with past and ongoing research in that area.

Actions

Preparatory projects may encompass a wide range of actions necessary for pursuing their objectives. They may include actions of an intellectual nature, i.e. studies, investigations, data collection, etc. They may also include more concrete actions, like pilot actions. Ineligible actions are the same as for demonstration projects including for example large scale investments, land purchase and basic research activities.

Duration

Preparatory projects shall fit into the planning period foreseen for the policy development/update which they are aimed at.

They may therefore range from short (+/- one year) to longer duration (two or more years). For each theme the ideal duration will be announced.

Budget

The total cost of a preparatory project should be between EUR 500 000 and EUR 3 000 000. A lower or higher cost may however be justified by the project objective and its expected results. The maximum total cost may however not exceed EUR 10 000 000.

The maximum rate of Community financing will be 50 % of the total eligible costs.

The budgetary resources are the same as for demonstration projects – the budget for preparatory projects will not exceed 5 % of the budgetary resources allocated to LIFE-Environment projects.

Multinational approach

Preparatory projects must have a multinational approach. The geographical coverage of a project will largely depend on the target theme. The multinational approach may necessitate a multinational partnership. This is however not a pre-requisite for all preparatory projects. For example, a project may include actions aimed at various countries, but may be implemented by a single organisation. Only actions in EU Member States or candidate countries will be considered eligible.

Stakeholders' involvement

The role of national competent authorities, technical bodies and professional organisations may be extremely important in ensuring sound results are obtained. Their support or direct involvement may lead to improved results. Participating stakeholders may also be more supportive to future policy development based on the results of projects to which they contributed. This may also represent a good application of the principles of governance insofar as EU policy development is concerned. Applicants should take this aspect in due consideration when preparing their projects. A detailed description of how stakeholders will be made aware and/or involved shall be included in the project proposal.

Where and when to submit

A yearly call for proposals will be launched, after consultation with the Life Committee, in parallel to that for demonstration projects. Proposals for preparatory projects shall be submitted directly to the Commission.

The Commission will forward an electronic copy of all proposals to the national authorities.

Evaluation of proposals

Proposals will be evaluated by the Commission services. Member States will be informed once the evaluation has been completed. The evaluation process will be organised in the following way:

Eligibility check

Evaluation phase 1 (selection)

Evaluation phase 2 (award criteria):

— coherence and quality,

— Community interest.

Awarding Community financing

Pre-selected proposals may be submitted to a revision phase designed to improve the project.

Projects that complete the revision phase successfully will be included in the final selection list.

The Commission will make the final decision on selection and grant agreements will be sent to the projects that are eventually retained.

Non-retained projects will be informed in writing.

The Life Committee will receive detailed information on the project retained.

Themes for 2005-2006

Climate change

Objective: primary objective is the update of Directive 2003/87/EC ‘Greenhouse gas emission trading’ in view of a possible inclusion of sectors not covered at present. A secondary objective will be evaluating the effects of the existing greenhouse gas emission trading scheme with a view to updating this policy.

Expected result: project should deliver all necessary background elements to allow preparing such an update as well as the necessary data to allow measuring its impact in environmental, social and economic terms.

Objective: analyse and identify any gaps in the existing policies in the sector of energy efficiency in buildings and appliances in view of possible new policies and/or update of EU policy in this sector. This analysis should take into account the technical progress in this sector.

Expected results: complete gap analysis of existing policies with particular emphasis on enlargement countries. Final expected output is a concrete and detailed proposal for policy making and/or update of EU policy in this sector. This should include the necessary data to allow measuring its impact in environmental, social and economic terms.

Clean technologies

Objective: extend the IPPC Directive 96/61/EC to intensive fish farming.

Expected results: project should deliver all necessary background elements to allow preparing such an update as well as the necessary data to allow measuring its impact in environmental, social and economic terms.