The Commission has started negotiations for the association of the LIFE program for the environment and climate with seven non-EU countries: Albania, Andorra, Faroe Islands, Israel, Moldova, North Macedonia and Turkey.
Membership of LIFE will help these countries to disseminate innovative environmental and climate techniques, approaches and best practices that contribute to a climate-neutral economy, circular and resilient and that protect and restore nature, ecosystems and habitats.

The Commissioner for the Environment, oceans and fishing, Virginijus Sinkevičius has declared: “Environmental and climate challenges have no borders. We can address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution only by acting together. By significantly increasing the number of countries participating in the LIFE program, let's put in place concrete cooperation and exchange of solutions outside the EU for a healthy planet“.

The negotiation represents the EU's global ambition to lead by example for the sake of the environment and climate, in view of the international meetings COP15 on biodiversity and COP27 on climate. Thanks to LIFE, public and private organizations in these countries will be able to receive financial support for projects aimed at: develop and demonstrate eco-innovative techniques and approaches; promoting best practices and behavioral changes; support development, the implementation and monitoring of environmental laws; and catalyze the large-scale implementation of successful solutions.

Candidates from these third countries can already submit proposals under the call 2022. For a project to receive funding, the country concerned will have to ratify the association agreement. Iceland joined the LIFE program in September 2021 and in June 2022 Ukraine has signed an agreement to access the program.