EU funds News published: 22 April 2026Published on the site: 27 September 2026 5 min read

LIFE 2026: the €601.5 million standard calls have closed. How to prepare for LIFE 2027

Standard projects under the LIFE 2026 calls (total budget €601.5 million) could be submitted until 22 September 2026. Only the second stage for the SNaP and SIP strategic projects closes on 4 March 2027.

Todos & Company editorial team · EU funding consultancy since 2006

LIFE 2026: the €601.5 million standard calls have closed. How to prepare for LIFE 2027

Programme sheet · Call window closed LIFE 2026 — the EU programme for the environment and climate action (nature, circular economy, climate, clean energy)

The European Commission's LIFE 2026 calls had a total budget of €601.5 million for projects on nature, circular economy, climate and the energy transition. Companies, NGOs and public authorities in Romania could submit standard projects only until 22 September 2026, and that deadline has passed. The only remaining deadline, 4 March 2027, is the second stage of the strategic projects (SNaP and SIP). In practice, it concerns only applicants who submitted their concept note by 3 September 2026. For everyone else, realistically, preparation for the next LIFE round starts now.

In brief

Programme: LIFE, the EU programme for the environment and climate action (Regulation (EU) 2021/783)
Authority: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
Beneficiaries: any legal entity established in the EU or in a country associated with the LIFE programme: companies, NGOs, public authorities, research organisations
Total budget: €601.5 million for the 2026 calls
Submission period: calls launched on 21 April 2026; standard projects (SAP) until 22 September 2026, 17:00; SNaP/SIP concept notes until 3 September 2026; full SNaP/SIP proposals until 4 March 2027, 17:00
Status: the calls for standard projects are closed; for strategic projects, only the second stage of the two-stage procedure is still open

How was the €601.5 million budget divided?

According to the CINEA announcement of 22 April 2026, the money was divided as follows:

Standard action projects (SAP): €319 million, of which €166 million for nature and biodiversity, €79 million for circular economy and zero pollution, €28 million each for climate change adaptation and mitigation, €7.5 million for nature governance, €6.5 million for environmental governance and €4 million for climate governance;
Other projects and actions: €103.5 million, of which €85.5 million for the clean energy transition and €18 million for legislative and public policy priorities (nature and biodiversity, circular economy);
Strategic projects: €163 million: €75 million for strategic nature projects (SNaP), €58 million for strategic integrated environmental projects and €30 million for strategic integrated climate projects;
Technical assistance: €1 million for preparing SNaP and SIP projects;
Operating grants for NGOs: €15 million, through a separately announced call.

Can anyone still apply in this cycle?

For standard projects, no one can apply any longer. On the CINEA page, the call for nature and biodiversity (LIFE-2026-SAP-NAT-NATURE) shows the status "Closed", and the deadline of 22 September 2026 was common to all SAP lines, to technical assistance and to operating grants.

The SNaP and SIP strategic projects follow a two-stage procedure. Concept notes had to be submitted by 3 September 2026. The deadline of 4 March 2027 is for the full proposals of the second stage, so it is not a new opportunity for those who did not submit a concept note. Moreover, these projects are large, usually coordinated by national or regional authorities, and implement environmental or climate plans and strategies.

What comes after LIFE 2026?

The 2026 calls were launched on the basis of the LIFE multiannual work programme for 2025, 2026 and 2027 (Commission Implementing Decision C(2025)955 of 15 April 2025). The official documents we consulted do not yet give dates, budgets or deadlines for the 2027 calls. They have not been announced. As a benchmark, the 2026 calls were published on 21 April, and standard projects had about five months for submission.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation is to treat the coming months as a preparation period. LIFE projects are not equipment grants. Funding goes to pilot, demonstration or best-practice projects, with environmental results that can be measured and replicated elsewhere. A solid application takes several months of work, not several weeks.

For SMEs: the lines on circular economy, zero pollution and the clean energy transition suit companies with a technology or process already tested on a small scale, which they want to demonstrate in real conditions.
For town halls, county councils and ADIs (intercommunity development associations): the lines on climate change adaptation, nature and biodiversity (for example, Natura 2000 areas under their administration) and governance are relevant.
Prepare in advance: your account and PIC code on the Funding & Tenders portal, baseline data (starting situation, environmental indicators), partners and the source of co-financing. LIFE does not cover 100% of costs, and the exact rate is set in the documents of each call.
A common mistake: the application describes an ordinary investment, with no demonstration character and no replication plan. Such proposals usually receive a low score.

If you are not sure whether your project fits LIFE or rather a regional programme or the Modernisation Fund, start with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still submit a standard LIFE project in 2026?

No. For all standard action projects (SAP), the deadline was 22 September 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time), and the calls are closed. The next opportunity will be the LIFE 2027 call, whose dates have not yet been announced.

What does the 4 March 2027 deadline mean?

It is the deadline for the full proposals of the second stage of the SNaP and SIP strategic projects. In the two-stage procedure, the first stage was the submission of concept notes by 3 September 2026. Anyone who did not submit a concept note can no longer enter this cycle.

Can a Romanian company apply to LIFE on its own?

Yes. According to CINEA, any legal entity established in the EU or in a country associated with the LIFE programme can apply for a project grant, including a company from Romania. The partnership and co-financing conditions are set separately in the document of each call.

Can town halls apply to LIFE?

Yes. Local public authorities are among the eligible beneficiaries. Projects on climate change adaptation, habitat restoration and environmental governance suit them especially well.

When will the LIFE 2027 calls be launched?

The date has not been officially announced. The LIFE work programme also covers 2027, but the calendar and budgets of the calls are published on the CINEA website and on the Funding & Tenders portal only at launch.

Official sources

Information checked on 26 September 2026. Conditions may be amended by the managing authority — check the guide in force before submitting.