LIFE Circular Economy and Quality of Life Sub-programme (2021-2027)
Enriched – · Found: 2026-03-13 15:31
EU LIFE Programme sub-programme funding circular economy projects including plastic waste recycling and resource recovery. Annual calls through 2027, Standard Action Projects (SAP) supported. Open to non-profits and organizations in EU Member States and associated countries including Denmark and Baltic region.
Source: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life/circular-economy-and-quality-life_en
Funding Details
- Funder
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
- Funding Goal
- Co-finance projects facilitating the transition toward a sustainable, circular, toxic-free, energy-efficient and climate-resilient economy, and protecting, restoring and improving the quality of the environment. Priority areas include circular economy, resource recovery from waste, water, air, noise, soil and chemical management, and environmental governance.
- Funding Amount
- Varies per call; Standard Action Projects (SAP) typical range EUR 1-5M; Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) larger scale
- Deadline
- Annual, typically autumn each year (2021-2027 programme period) (periodic)
- How to Apply
- All calls published on CINEA website (cinea.ec.europa.eu) and EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Applications submitted exclusively via Funding & Tenders Portal electronically.
- Target Region
- EU Member States and associated countries
- Contact
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) - https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/contact-0_en
- Last Checked
- 2026-05-07 02:26
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
The LIFE Circular Economy and Quality of Life sub-programme is a major EU funding instrument managed by CINEA (the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) under the EU LIFE Programme 2021-2027. Its overarching objective is to facilitate the transition to a sustainable, circular, toxic-free, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient economy while protecting and restoring environmental quality. Thematically, the sub-programme funds projects in circular economy transitions (resource efficiency, waste recovery, recycling), water management and quality, air and noise pollution reduction, soil quality and chemical management, and environmental governance. Projects must demonstrate innovative or best-practice solutions ready for real-world implementation, ideally at industrial or commercial scale. Two main project types are supported: Standard Action Projects (SAP), which implement concrete solutions in the field, and Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP), which support implementation and monitoring of EU environmental policy at a large scale. Calls are also issued for close-to-market projects that can be deployed at commercial or industrial scale during the project duration. Geographically, the programme is open to entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe-associated countries. Denmark and all Baltic Sea region EU member states (Germany, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) are eligible. Danish-registered organisations, including non-profits, can apply directly or as consortium partners. Eligible applicants include NGOs, research institutions, private companies, public bodies, and international organisations. Partnership is generally required. Co-funding rates vary by call but typically cover 55-75% of eligible costs, with non-profits sometimes eligible for higher rates. Calls are published annually on the CINEA website and the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Applications must be submitted electronically through the portal. The programme runs through 2027, ensuring continued funding rounds ahead.
Historical Context
The LIFE programme has operated since 1992. The 2021-2027 Circular Economy and Quality of Life sub-programme is one of two LIFE sub-programmes. Annual calls for proposals are published each year; 2026 calls are referenced on the CINEA website.