The project aims to advise SPF DG ENV on how to fund its environmental programmes in the light of the new financial perspectives (2007-2013). The project will examine the proposals for the individual funds in the new period and compare them with those of the current period (2000-2006). The effects on specific policy areas such as rural development, biodiversity protection and climate change will be assessed.
The success of European and national environmental policies depend to a large extent on money. If potential projects do not receive sufficient financing from the start then they will never fully achieve their objectives. Environment is a cross-cutting theme for the structural and cohesion funds in the new financial perspectives. A new instrument for environmental funding LIFE+ will be introduced and the EAFRD and EFF provide new instruments for the funding of the rural development pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) respectively. Consequently the opportunities for using funds to achieve environmental objectives should be greater than ever before. However, applicants for funding must be aware of the various funding instruments and how they may apply to environmental projects.
The financial objectives were only agreed upon in Brussels in December 2005 and the proposals for the funds have not yet been finalised. However, member states should start to think as early as possible about the options for funding their environmental programmes. While some funds are directed specifically at environmental objectives, others could be used for multiple purposes but have potential environmental applications. It is important, therefore, to take the opportunity at the beginning of the funding period to assess the potential of the various funds for achieving environmental aims.
The success of European and national environmental policies depend to a large extent on money. If potential projects do not receive sufficient financing from the start then they will never fully achieve their objectives. Environment is a cross-cutting theme for the structural and cohesion funds in the new financial perspectives. A new instrument for environmental funding LIFE+ will be introduced and the EAFRD and EFF provide new instruments for the funding of the rural development pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) respectively. Consequently the opportunities for using funds to achieve environmental objectives should be greater than ever before. However, applicants for funding must be aware of the various funding instruments and how they may apply to environmental projects.
The financial objectives were only agreed upon in Brussels in December 2005 and the proposals for the funds have not yet been finalised. However, member states should start to think as early as possible about the options for funding their environmental programmes. While some funds are directed specifically at environmental objectives, others could be used for multiple purposes but have potential environmental applications. It is important, therefore, to take the opportunity at the beginning of the funding period to assess the potential of the various funds for achieving environmental aims.
The overall objective of this study is to analyse future funding opportunities for the SPF DG Env resulting from the new funding regimes starting in 2007. This must be related to the current national funding structure and programmes in use in Belgium which are based around these nine themes:
- Biodiversity and biosafety
- Risk from chemicals and pesticides
- Climate and ozone protection
- North Sea and marine environment
- Production policy
- Environmental technologies
- Health and environment
- Citizenship and environment
- Inspection and control
The specific aims of the project are:
- To analyse the 2007-2013 funding regime in Europe for its environmental funding opportunities.
- To assess whether the current Belgium funding structure, programmes and projects will be eligible for funding by the new funding regime, and if this is not the case, which adaptations to the national funding regimes and programmes will need to be made.
- To elaborate a set of recommendations (guidance document) for the future structuring of Belgian federal programmes.
To achieve this, the project will:
Establish a common agreed approach with the relevant experts from SPF DG Environment.- Perform a “state of affairs” literature review about the proposals presented thus far concerning the new funding regime.
- Analyse the different proposed funding regimes for environmentally relevant programmes.
- Make recommendations for the future federal programme design.