£17million of Funding for the Environment from the European Union
23 June 2009
How do you get the maximum out of the European Union funding programmes for your environmental projects? A conference in Cambridge on 1st July, organised by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) in partnership with the East of England Development Agency, offers you the opportunity to find out how.
The conference ‘Get a Life’ will inform delegates about the EU’s LIFE+ programme for environmental projects which has allocated over £17 million to the UK in 2009. Delegates will be informed about specific strands within the LIFE+ funding streams; they will be offered first hand information on how to be successful in applying for funding; hear case studies from previous regional recipients of LIFE+ funding; and have an opportunity to raise questions with the National contact for the LIFE+ programme in the UK.
Delegates at the event will include local authorities and other public bodies; private commercial organisations and non-commercial organisations including NGOs.
Michael Allen, Chair of EERA’s Environment and Resources Panel and Chair of the event said: “Anticipating and adapting to the challenges facing our environmental infrastructure is a key priority for all of us and we see the LIFE+ programme as a critical component in achieving sustainable economic growth that neither diminishes our well-being nor limits our potential growth in the future.
“This conference will help organisations in the region to secure funding for environmental projects which will ultimately contribute to making the East of England a flourishing region.”
The event is taking place at the Trinity Centre, Cambridge Science Park on 1st July from 12.30pm – 3.30pm. To reserve your place, go to http://www.eera.gov.uk/meeting-and-events/regional-conferences/details/103 or contact Sue Houlder, Conference Organiser, East of England Regional Assembly on 01284 729421 or email: sue.houlder@eera.gov.uk.
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For press queries or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson please contact Claire Sefton on 01284 729427 or email Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk
For further information on European Funding go to http://www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/representing-the-region/europe or contact Lesley Rayner on 01284 729427 or email: Lesley.rayner@eera.gov.uk or Michelle Armstrong on 01284 729415 or email: michelle.armstrong@eera.gov.uk.
Notes to Editors:
What is LIFE+?
The EU is inviting applications for 2009 to the LIFE+ environmental programme. The LIFE+ programme is a streamlined funding programme for the environment and has become the EU’s single programme targeting only the environment.
The LIFE+ Programme has been designed to contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and communication of EU environment policy. The Commission has created three strands:
· LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity
· LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance
· LIFE+ Information and Communication
The Commission has committed a total of Euros 2.143 billion from 2007-2013 to LIFE+. Of this at least 50% is allocated for nature and biodiversity projects. During the period 2007-2013 the EU will launch one call for LIFE+ projects per year.
The 2009 call for proposals closes on 15 September. Euros 250 million is available. The UK’s allocation for 2009 is nearly Euros 20 million. For more details visit: http://www.betaeurope.co.uk/life.htm
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 105 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
- £1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
- Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
- Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
- Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
- Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
EERA Environment and Resources Panel Group Leaders
Michel Allen (Chairman), Community Stakeholder, 01223 742007
Cllr Michael Gibson (Panel Group Leader), Conservative, 01525 840345
Cllr Derek Redhead, (Panel Group Leader), Independent, 01440 820441