LIFE International Conference on Katerina Raftopoulou Note. Before using this presentation, please complete at least the following. Add your name and the date of the meeting on slide 1. Add your logo on the master slide (instead of « your logo ». add the dealine for projet submission in your country on slide 15. Add the coordinates of your MoT, DO and national focal point on slide 43. International Conference on Katerina Raftopoulou Management of Priority Waste Streams External Monitoring Team 15 June 2006 LIFE Environment, Nature Nicosia, Cyprus & Third Countries

Treaty of Amsterdam, Art 174 Community policy on the environment: Preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment Protecting human health Prudent and rational utilisation of natural resources Promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems

Key principles Precautionary principle: pollution should be rectified at source Principle of preventive action Polluter pays principle Principle of integration Utilisation of technical and scientific data

Sixth Environmental Action Programme 2001-2010 Environmental Policy Innovative in its approach Seek new ways of working with a wide cross-section of society Full enforcement of all existing legislation LIFE together with other instruments (EMAS, Ecolabel) contributes to an effective implementation of the policy

What is LIFE;

LIFE III - General Objectives LIFE co-finances environmental actions that... “contribute to the implementation, updating and development of Community environment policy and legislation, in particular as regards the integration of the environment into other policies, and to sustainable development in the Community.”

LIFE III - General Objectives The specific objective of LIFE Environment is to contribute to the development of innovative techniques and methods by co-financing demonstration projects that further the development of EC environment policy, The specific objective of LIFE-Nature is to contribute to the implementation of Community nature protection legislation: the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive, and in particular the establishment of the Natura 2000 network for the in situ management and conservation of Europe's most remarkable fauna and flora species and habitats. The specific objective of LIFE-Third Countries is to contribute to the establishment of capacities and administrative structures needed in the environmental sector and in the development of environmental policy and action programmes in third countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea.

The Rules and Regulations The LIFE Regulation (1655/2000 amended by 1682/2004) The Special Provisions of the Commission’s Grant Agreement The Common Provisions (CPs) Previously known as SAPs The project proposal Defines scope and objectives of the project Contains the baseline for technical and financial planning Confirms the partnership and management/team structure Summarises objectives and methods envisaged

LIFE phases Launched in 1992: LIFE I (1992-1995): €400 million LIFE II (1996-1999): €450 million LIFE III (2000-2004): €640 million LIFE III Extension (2005-2006): €317 million LIFE + (2007-2013): €2190 million

Budget distribution In the years 2004-2005: LIFE-Environment (47%) LIFE-Nature (47%) LIFE-Third Countries (6%)

LIFE in numbers Since 1992: Total: 2.618 projects 1.497 LIFE-Environment projects 908 LIFE-Nature projects 213 LIFE-Third Countries projects Total: 2.618 projects

Since 1992: LIFE in Cyprus LIFE-Third Countries projects 1 LIFE-Nature project Total budget: € 6.3 million + € 2.5 million = € 8.8 million EC contrib: € 4.5 million + € 1.5 million = € 6.0 million

LIFE Third Countries The specific objective of LIFE-Third Countries is to contribute to the establishment of capacities and administrative structures needed in the environmental sector and in the development of environmental policy and action programmes in third countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea.

16 benefiting countries Albania Algeria Bosnia-Herzegovina Croatia Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Lebanon Malta and Cyprus were eligible until accession in 2004. Some projects are still being implemented in these countries. Malta Morocco Syria Tunisia Turkey The West Bank and Gaza The Baltic shoreline of Russia (Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg regions)

LIFE Third Countries projects 213 projects supported since 1992 Project duration generally 3-4 years EC financial support: maximum 70% of eligible costs Average size of EC co-financing rate: €320,000 per project Currently 84 on-going LIFE TCY projects (Sept 2005) [4 in Cyprus]

Projects favoured Technical assistance projects Contribution to sustainable development Solution to major environmental problems Contribution to implementation of international agreements Priority to promotion of cooperation at transfrontier, transnational and regional level Approximation to the EU environmental acquis

Examples of capacity building elements Training of ministry staff (environment and related sectors) Training of NGOs, teachers and other stakeholders Training of technical staff e.g. in industries to reduce environmental impacts of industrial activities Development of environmental legislation Development and implementation of innovative methods for dealing with environmental problems, e.g. to reduce waste production and discharge Development of management structures for protected areas Implementation of monitoring systems to assist in identifying needs for environmental regulation

Examples of project themes in Cyprus Waste (waste management, domestic waste, recycling, waste water, mining waste, pig-farming wastes, ELVs, C&DW, WEEE) Pollution (industrial, transport emissions) Land-use planning, urban development, indicators EMAS Natura 2000 Public awareness on conservation and environmental issues

Role of the External Teams Support the Commission in monitoring projects by: Explaining Regulations and Provisions Do not make decisions Do not get involved in management of financial issues Help the Commission to evaluate progress on a technical level Act with confidentiality Independent from projects

Contacts DG Environment - Unit E4 EC Desk Officer for Cyprus (TCY) Mr. Michael Oliver, +322 2990705, michael.oliver@ec.europa.eu EC Desk Officer for Greece and Cyprus (ENV, NAT) Mr. Alexis Tsalas, +322 2993052, alexis.tsalas@ec.europa.eu Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Ms. Eleni Stylianopoulou LIFE External Monitoring Team for Cyprus: Ms. Katerina Raftopoulou, + 30 210 862 75 41, katerina.raftopoulou@astrale.org

LIFE website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life