Website: ec.europa.eu/environment/life/home.htm

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LIFE, the Financial Instrument for the Environment, introduced in 1992, is one of the spearheads of the European Union's environmental policy. It co-finances projects in three areas:

• LIFE-Nature works to conserve natural habitats and the wild fauna and flora of European Union interest, according to the Birds and Habitats directives, thus supporting implementation of the European Union's nature conservation policy and the Natura 2000 Network.
• LIFE-Environment aims to implement Community policy and legislation on the environment in the European Union and candidate countries. This approach enables demonstration and development of new methods for the protection and the enhancement of the environment.
• LIFE-Third Countries concerns technical assistance activities for promoting sustainable development in third countries. This component of the programme supports the development of environmental management capacities, both for the administrative partners outside the Union and for companies and NGOs in those countries.

LIFE is open to all EU countries, some candidate countries (currently Romania) and some third countries bordering the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea.