Regulation (EU) 2021/783
Regulation (EU) 2021/783 establishes the LIFE Programme for 2021–2027, the EU’s dedicated funding instrument for environment and climate action. It is the only EU programme exclusively focused on these policy areas and builds on the long-standing LIFE legacy by introducing four sub‑programmes: Nature and Biodiversity, Circular Economy and Quality of Life, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, and Clean Energy Transition.
The programme supports the implementation, enforcement, and development of EU environmental and climate legislation by funding pilot actions, best practices, demonstration projects, and integrated approaches across Member States. It aims to accelerate the green transition, promote innovation, strengthen governance, and mobilise investment in line with the European Green Deal and climate neutrality objectives. LIFE also fosters cross‑sectoral collaboration and ensures complementarity with other EU funding instruments, facilitating replication and upscaling of successful environmental and climate solutions.
Relevance to bio-waste and/or circular bioeconomy:
The “Circular Economy and Quality of Life” sub‑programme directly supports projects on municipal biowaste collection, treatment, and valorisation. LIFE funds initiatives on composting, anaerobic digestion, biobased products, and resource‑efficient systems, promoting high‑quality recycling of organic waste and development of circular bioeconomy solutions. By enabling demonstration projects and replication of best practices, the LIFE Programme acts as a key driver for improving bio-waste management and advancing EU circularity goals.
EU (EEA relevance)
Full title: Regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 (Text with EEA relevance)
Publication date: 2021
Instrument type: Regulation
Binding for EU MS: Yes
Keywords: LIFE programme, circular economy, biowaste, composting, anaerobic digestion, bioeconomy, eu funding, resource efficiency, climate action, environmental policy