Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) concerning the financial instrument for the Environment (LIFE)'
Date: 1999-09-16
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU financial instrument, EU programme, environmental protection

23.12.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374/45

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC)
concerning the financial instrument for the Environment (LIFE)’

(1999/C 374/11)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the list of Commission proposals pending at 1 May 1999 for which the entry into force
of the Treaty of Amsterdam entails a change of legal basis and/or procedure (SEC(1999) 581 final);

having regard to the Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) concerning the financial instrument for the
environment (LIFE) [COM(1998) 720 final — 98/0336 (COD) — formerly 98/0336 (SYN)]; (1)

having regard to the decision taken by the Council on 18 May 1999, in accordance with Article 265, first
paragraph and Article 175 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to ask the Committee for
an opinion on this proposal;

having regard to the decision taken by the Committee’s Bureau on 15 July 1998 to instruct Commission
4 for Spatial Planning, Urban Issues, Energy and the Environment to prepare the Committee’s work on
this matter;

having regard to the conclusions set out in the Commission’s Report of 4 December 1998 (COM(1998)
721 final) on the progress made in implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1404/96;

having regard to the previous opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council
Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92 establishing a financial
instrument for the environment (LIFE) (CdR
301/95), adopted at its plenary session on 20 and 21 September 1995 (rapporteur: Mrs Du Granrut,
PPE); (2)

having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 178/99 rev. 1) adopted unanimously by Commission 4 on
28 June 1999 (rapporteur: Mr Maier, DE, EA),

adopted unanimously the opinion set out below at its 30th plenary session on 15 and 16 September
1999 (meeting of 16 September).

1.

Introduction

1.1.
LIFE has been the EU’s key financial instrument for the
environment since 1992. Prior to this date, the EU had a
number of small environmental aid schemes, backed up
funding, and geared to particular sectors or
by modest
geographically-defined areas. Although some notable successes
were recorded,
this fragmented approach was ultimately
shown to be inefficient.

1.2.
The LIFE Programme has, from the outset, been broadly
based and tied in with the Fifth Community Action Programme
on the Environment. The LIFE programme is therefore part of
an overall EU strategy which embraces all environmental areas
(nature, water, waste, the atmosphere) and seeks to incorporate
environmental considerations into all measures pertaining to
the economy.

1.3.
LIFE Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92, which came into
force in 1992, was subsequently amended by Council Regu-

(1) OJ C 15, 20.1.1999, p. 4.
(2) OJ C 100, 2.4.1996, p. 115.

lation (EC) No 1404/96 establishing LIFE II. LIFE II comes to
an end on 31 December 1999. As the aim of the LIFE
Programme is to make a major contribution towards the
Community’s environmental objectives, the Commission pro-
poses a third phase (LIFE III) running from the year 2000 to
2004.

1.4.
The draft Council regulation under review draws
lessons from the track records of LIFE I, LIFE II and makes
suggestions for improving the programme, particularly with a
view to increasing effectiveness and transparency.

2. Gist of the Regulation

LIFE III has three well-defined components (LIFE-

2.1.
Nature, LIFE-Environment and LIFE-Third Countries).

LIFE-Nature is designed to help bring about the estab-
2.2.
lishment of
the Natura 2000 European network and
implementation of the Directive on the protection of the flora,
fauna, habitat and wild birds. Support is to be provided, in
re-
particular,
establishing the natural habitats and populations of endangered
species.

for conservation projects maintaining or

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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two new types of

LIFE-Nature includes

2.3.
support
measures: ‘starter’ measures in respect of complex international
projects; and ‘co-op’ measures for promoting the exchange of
information with a view to improving networking between
projects dealing with similar themes, such as similar species or
types of habitat.

2.4.
LIFE-Environment promotes the development of inno-
vative techniques and methods with the following key objec-
tives:

a)

b)

c)

d)

to integrate environmental considerations into spatial
planning, in particular in urban areas,

to promote sustainable industrial production with a view
industrial
to minimising the environmental
activities,

impact of

to recycle waste of all kinds and ensure the sound
management of waste streams,

to achieve sustainable product management, involving in
particular, an integrated approach to production, distri-
bution and consumption which is designed to reduce the
environmental impact,

e)

to develop new environmental measures.

2.5.
In the above mentioned areas, LIFE-Environment will
primarily support demonstration projects for techniques which
have already gone beyond the purely research phase but which
have not yet been applied on an industrial scale and are thus
suitable for demonstration by pilot projects. LIFE-Environment
thus bridges the gap between research and practical implemen-
tation.

2.6.
LIFE-Environment also provides assistance for prep-
aratory measures and accompanying measures. The ac-
companying measures underpin the evaluation and monitor-
ing of projects and the dissemination of project results.

2.7.
LIFE-Third Countries provides technical assistance with
establishment of the necessary environmental capacities and
administrative structures in Mediterranean and Baltic third
countries. The applicant states are not regarded as ‘third
countries’ for the purposes of the LIFE Programme. Under the
EU accession terms, these states are already able to take part in
LIFE-Nature and LIFE-Environment.

2.8.
It is proposed that LIFE III be allocated total funding of
EUR 613 million for the period 2000-2004. The funding is to
be broken down as follows: LIFE-Nature — 47 %, LIFE-
Environment — 47 % and LIFE-Third countries — 6 %. Aid
provided under the LIFE Programme will take the form of
co-financing. The EU contributions will cover between 30 and
50 % of the eligible cost of projects. In the case of particular
nature conservation projects, the rate may be increased to
75 % and for accompanying measures it may even cover
100 % of the costs.

3. Conclusions

The Committee of the Regions endorses continued
3.1.
application of the financial instrument for the environment
(LIFE).

The Committee of the Regions is pleased to note that
3.2.
the duration of LIFE III is to be five years, i.e. one year longer
than that of LIFE II. This will improve the scope for planning
projects in the medium term and provide both applicants for
aid and authorities with a higher level of certainty when
drawing up their plans.

is, however,

3.3.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the increased
funding for LIFE III. The increase (LIFE II: ECU 450 m spread
over four years; LIFE III: EUR 613 million spread over five
years)
inadequate in the Committee’s view.
However, the increase fails to take sufficient account of a) the
increased importance attached to environmental protection by
EU policy, as witness the Amsterdam Treaty and b) the fact
that the LIFE Programme is already accessible to the applicant
states, thereby significantly increasing the number of potential
applicants for aid.

3.4.
The Committee of the Regions is pleased to note that
the provisions governing the allocation of aid under the LIFE
Programme have been made more transparent and that
the eligibility requirements have been included in the LIFE
Regulation itself.

3.5.
In the Committee’s view, however, the principle of
sustainability should also be enshrined in the text of the
regulation. The promotion of sustainable development should
be included amongst the objectives set out in Article 1 in order
to make it clear that the aim of the LIFE Programme is
to promote balanced, sustainable development as well as
contribute to the development of Community environment
and sustainability policy in particular as regards the integration
of
into other policies and the
implementing and updating of legislation.

sustainability principles

3.6.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes support
being provided to nature conservation projects that restore the
natural living environments and populations of endangered
species. In this regard the COR refers to the importance of the
ban on shooting birds during the breeding period.

3.7. With regard to LIFE-Nature, the Committee of the
Regions is pleased to note that the deadlines for submitting
applications and for decisions to be taken have been brought
forward by three months; this will mean that LIFE-Nature
projects can be implemented one cycle earlier.

3.8.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the fact that
aid provided under LIFE-Environment is to be concentrated on
five key areas

— the incorporation of environmental considerations into

spatial planning,

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— sustainable industrial production,

— waste disposal,

— sustainable product management,

— the development of new environmental measures.

However, the Committee feels that the drive for sustainable-
development should apply to all ‘business’ activities and not
just industry. Fundamental challenges requiring an innovative
environmental approach exist in the craft and small-business
too should aim for sustainable-
sector. Waste disposal
development.

3.9.
The Committee of the Regions calls for the Member
States or regions to be given an adequate say in the allocation

Brussels, 16 September 1999.

of funding. The Committee particularly criticises the fact that
the priority areas and preparatory and accompanying measures
have not been determined in close liaison with the Member
States and/or regions. As a result, the Member States or regions
and local authorities have been given too little latitude in their
medium-term planning and preparation of projects.

Recipients of funding under the LIFE Programme are
3.10.
obliged to provide very comprehensive reports. With a view
to streamlining administrative procedures, the Committee of
the Regions calls for the reporting requirement to be cut back
to the essential level.

3.11.
The Committee of the Regions urges that the dis-
cussions on LIFE III be concluded as quickly as possible to
enable LIFE III to follow on seamlessly when LIFE II comes to
an end on 31 December 1999.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Manfred DAMMEYER