The Greek LIFE Task Force (GR LTF) participates in the workshop ‘European Funds – Opportunities for Small & Medium Entreprises (SMES), Entrepreneurs and Youth’, organized by the Hellenic-Spanish Chamber of Commerce.
The workshop took place in the afternoon of the 28th September in the premises of the Cervantes Institute at Kolonaki, with an attendance of more than 40 participants, most of them SMEs and entrepreneurs. In the context of the workshop many European programmes and funding tools have been presented, such as Horizon’s SME Instrument, the priority sectors of H2020 programme, the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action focusing on the opportunities it offers for the development and establishment for ‘close to market’ solutions, and other funds for entrepreneurs and StartUps (European Program Erasmus etc.).
The European Commission has approved an investment package of €222 million from the EU budget to support Europe's transition to more sustainable and low-carbon future under the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action.
The EU funding will mobilise additional investments leading to a total of €379 million going towards 139 new projects in 20 Member States.
Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella said: "In its 25th year, the LIFE programme continues to invest in innovative projects with high added value for people, businesses and nature. I am delighted to see that the programme transforms close-to-market technologies into new, green business.”
The European Commission launched the Natura 2000 Award to celebrate and promote best practices for nature conservation in Europe. Any entity involved in activities related to Natura 2000 can apply to one of the five Award categories:
In addition, the high-profile “EU Citizens’ Award” goes to the application receiving the highest number of nominations through a public vote on the Award website.
Boosting the circular economy amongst SMEs in Europe The European Commission invites organisations who engage with and support SMEs (e.g. sector associations, industry associations, SME umbrella organisations or networks, chambers of commerce) in the European Union to put themselves forward if they are interested in receiving training from: KPMG, Ecofys, CSR Netherlands and CSR Netherlands regarding resource efficiency, eco-innovation and circular economy.The trainings will be focused on helping you to establish a programme to deliver support on the topic of circular economy to your members.
The content of the trainings can be tailored towards your specific needs/the needs of your organisation. Topics which you can expect to be addressed in the training are: EU financial instruments to finance circular solutions (e.g. Horizon 2020, Life), EU non-financial instruments to help promote circular solutions (e.g. EU Ecolabel, EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), EU Environmental Technology Verification scheme (ETV), green public procurement (GPP), indicators for construction sector) and circular business models (e.g. leasing). The training sessions are expected to take place during Q1 of 2018.
The offer: Capacity building in the form of digital training materials Two-days training session on how to extend services to SMEs regarding resource efficiency, eco-innovation and circular economy Your benefits: State-of-the-art and tailored content in the trainings On-site training Improved service provision to your SMEs Your SMEs can benefit from circular economy solutions, including cost reductions, new/increased revenue streams and improved environmental performance What is expected from you if you participate: Time investment to participate in different training modules Implementation plans to bring the gained knowledge to SMEs.
Following the feedback received in response to the call launched on the 7th of December 2016, the Commission has decided to publish a second call for proposals to support the European Solidarity Corps (ESC). The scope of supported activities will be environmental protection, nature conservation and restoration of
On 30 May, 2017 a special Green Awards ceremony will take place in Brussels. The European Commission has selected 15 representative projects to illustrate the impact of LIFE in the past years.
It’s your turn now! Vote for your favourite project per category (Environment – Nature -Climate) on Facebookuntil 10 May 2017.
In the context of the project LIFE Capacity Building Slovenia the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning is organising the LIFE international networking conference entitled “Environment needs LIFE for the next 25 years”, which will take place 25 th and 26 th May 2017 in European Union House, Ljubljana, Slovenia and at Škocjanski zatok Natural Reserve, Koper, Slovenia.
Today, the European Commission, together with 14 partners from national and regional authorities, universities, knowledge centres, innovators and end-users, takes concrete steps to address regulatory barriers to innovation by signing the first Innovation Deal on “Sustainable Waste Water Treatment Combining Anaerobic Membrane Technology (AnMbR) and Water Reuse”.
LIFE has published a new Focus brochure on one of the greatest environmental, social and economic challenges of the next 30 years – the transition to a circular economy.
In his foreword to the brochure, Karmenu Vella, the European Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, sets out the challenge ahead: “Europe needs to move
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