Created in 1992, the LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action, which has co-financed more than 5,000 projects helping Europe to become greener. As of 2021, the LIFE programme includes the new Clean Energy Transition sub-programme.

The LIFE programme's main goals are to:

EU Missions are large-scale initiatives under Horizon Europe setting clear, time-bound goals that drive focused efforts towards some of our greatest challenges such as climate change, cancer, ocean restoration, soil health, and the development of climate-neutral and smart cities. By bringing together researchers, policymakers, citizens, and stakeholders, EU Missions pool the necessary resources to drive innovation and deliver concrete solutions for societal benefit. 

The European Commission has launched five EU Missions:

This cluster aims at reducing environmental degradation, halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity on land, inland waters and sea and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society in both urban and rural areas.

This cluster aims to fight climate change by better understanding its causes, evolution, risks, impacts and opportunities, and by making the energy and transport sectors more climate and environment-friendly, more efficient and competitive, smarter, safer and more resilient.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

Areas of intervention

The European PPP Expertise Centre supports the public sector across Europe in delivering better public-private partnerships (PPPs). PEC's team of experienced PPP professionals, based in the Advisory Services Department of the European Investment Bank (EIB), serves 42 EPEC member organisations. These organisations are typically national or regional PPP units, and other public entities in charge of PPPs, as well as the European Commission.

EPEC covers the following activities:

fi-compass is a platform for advisory services on financial instruments under the European Structural and Investment funds (ESIF) and microfinance under the Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI).

fi-compass is designed to support ESIF managing authorities, EaSI microfinance providers and other interested parties, by providing practical know-how and learning tools on financial instruments.

The European investment advisory hub (EIAH) aims to strengthen support for project development and preparation by assisting Member States and other promoters to identify investment needs and to prioritise, prepare and structure projects in the EU. Assistance can also be delivered during project implementation phase to ensure successful delivery.

The InvestEU Portal allows project promoters to reach investors that they may not be able to reach otherwise. The Portal continues the work started under the European Investment Project Portal (EIPP) and is the online EU ‘marketplace’ connecting EU-based project promoters to investors worldwide. It provides project promoters with more options to finance their projects

Adding projects to the portal is free of charge.

Eligible projects:

Financing the energy retrofitting of buildings is a great challenge. With investments varying from 200 to 1,200 EUR/m2, access to attractive and long-term financing is perceived as the primary barrier for homeowners. Financial incentives such as grants, guarantees or soft loans for energy renovation could motivate homeowners to make the investment decision more easily.

Local and regional authorities in cooperation with financing institutions can offer to homeowners of private residential buildings: