LIFE Programme 2022: dates you cannot miss

Those dedicated to the development of projects and initiatives related to the environment have 17 May 2022 marked in red on their calendar. This is the date chosen by the LIFE Programme to publish its call for proposals for 2022.

It is the only EU financial instrument dedicated exclusively to climate action and the environment, which is why it is such an eagerly awaited event to obtain funding for environmental projects.

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has published the dates for the LIFE 2022 call, which will run as last year in a single phase. Integrated Strategic Projects and Strategic Nature Projects will maintain their usual two-phase procedure.

Key closing dates for LIFE 2022

The opening of the LIFE 2022 call for proposals is expected to be published on 17 May on the EU’s single Funding and Tenders portal. The areas covered by the different modalities of this call are nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and transition to clean energy.  

These are the estimated closing dates:

• September 8: deadline for technical assistance projects (TAPs) for the preparation of SIPs and SNAPs.
• September 8: The deadline for the submission of the concept note for Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) and Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs) has expired. The full proposal would be submitted by 7 March 2023, if the concept note is approved.
• September 21: deadline for operating grants for non-profit organisations (SGA OG).
• October 4: The deadline for standard projects (SAPs) in the Circular Economy and Quality of Life, Nature and Biodiversity, and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation sub-programmes has expired.
• November 16: the deadline for other actions (OAG’s) for the Clean Energy Transition Sub-programme ends.

LIFE Info days

To better explain the scope of these calls, CINEA has organised virtual information sessions after their publication date. Therefore, on 18, 19, and 20 May, talks will be held to guide potential applicants through the 2022 priority themes, as well as to facilitate bilateral meetings with CINEA project managers. You can find all the information on how to take part in these Info Days here.

Created in 1992, the LIFE Programme has co-financed more than 5,000 projects in its thirty years of existence in search of a more sustainable Europe. For the period 2021-2027 it has a budget of €5.4 billion, and a large part of the funding will go to proposals identified as priorities for LIFE, as you can find in this link.