ECA: "Long-term effects of LIFE strategic projects are often unclear and weaknesses remain" (Report)

After a first report on the efficiency of LIFE programme on the development of environment and climate research programs, designed to help Member States build their climate plans, performed in 2013, the auditors of the European Court of Auditors have analysed whether LIFE funding of strategic projects, a new category created in 2014, has proven efficient in the last decade. To this end, the EU auditors examined 22 strategic projects out of the 95 funded by LIFE as of April 2025.

Since 2014, the LIFE programme provided €701 M for 70 strategic projects in the 2014-2020 budgetary period (between €7 and €16 M per project). Since 2021, €436 M has been allocated to another 25 projects as of April 2025 (between €10 and €30 M each). LIFE strategic involve a larger number of partners (18 on average, compared to 6 for LIFE projects) and have a longer timespan (5 to 10 years on average).

“LIFE strategic projects provide valuable support, helping stakeholders to cooperate and attract additional funding”, said Joëlle Elvinger, the ECA Member in charge of the audit. “At the same time, weaknesses…