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European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

LIFE reporting

Under this webpage, you will find a set of guidelines related to the reporting requirements of your grant agreement and the submission of payment and amendment requests. Make sure that you check the programming period applicable to your project (either 2014-2020 or 2021-2027), as the requirements and templates are different.
There are also specific conditions for projects managed by DG Environment (i.e. if your project is a Preparatory or European Solidarity Corps projects that received funding from the LIFE 2014-2020 programme or received funding from the LIFE+ programme 2007-2013).

How to submit requests and reports

For projects financed under the LIFE 2021-2027 programme

Submission of reports and amendment requests is exclusively done via the Funding & Tender portal. Please follow the guidance that is available under the Support section and in particular the Online Manual and the IT How To.

For projects financed under the LIFE 2014-2020 programme

Since summer 2023, the beneficiaries of LIFE14-20 projects managed by CINEA have access to BUTLER for the submission of their reports and deliverables. BUTLER is a web-based application used by CINEA for the grant management of projects funded under the LIFE Programme after the signature of the Grant Agreement, including for the administrative, technical and financial follow-up of the projects, in particular for assessing the reports and payment requests. BUTLER is also accessible to the external monitoring team.

If your project is managed by DG Environment (i.e. is a Preparatory or European Solidarity Corps project that received funding from the LIFE 2014-2020 programme or received funding from the LIFE+ programme 2007-2013), please follow the instructions published on the Project administration LIFE+ (2007-2013)EN•••. For PRE and ESC projects, please use the reporting templates of the LIFE 2014-2020 programme (provided under the Templates section below) for reports linked to payment (mid-term and final reports) and follow the LIFE+ requirements for submission to DG Environment; on the other hand, for progress reports, the template given on the Project administration LIFE+ (2007-2013)EN••• shall be used.

Exception for LIFE NGO4GD and LIFE CAP: the coordinating beneficiary shall submit their report via CINEA-LIFE-MONITORINGatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CINEA-LIFE-MONITORING[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu), copying the Project Advisor and the external monitor.

Requests for payment and reports (mid-term report, interim report, final report, progress report)

Payment requests, technical and financial reports and deliverables as well as progress reports are submitted in BUTLER. The guidance is available under the section Guidance on how to report below.

Please note that there is no need to duplicate the submission by sending an email to the Project Advisor, the external monitor or CINEA-LIFE-MONITORINGatec [dot] europa [dot] eu ( CINEA-LIFE-MONITORING[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) as both CINEA and the external monitoring team will be notified by BUTLER.

When requested by the Agency, additional information to payment requests shall be sent by replying to the email received always copying the relevant CINEA project advisor and external monitor.

When an email is required and in case some files are too large to be transmitted by email, it is preferable to provide only a link to the document or other output (for example if it is available on the project website or other site). Although not encouraged, such large files may alternatively be transmitted through other means such as WeTransfer, if a longer lasting link cannot be provided. In the communication attached to the submission please inform the recipients if the link has a limited validity.

It is highly recommended that all beneficiaries use a qualified electronic signature (QES) to sign the documents requiring a signature. (You can find more background information below). Nevertheless, for beneficiaries without QES, scanned copies (pdf) of the blue ink signed originals are now accepted, allowing all payment requests (with or without QES) to be submitted in BUTLER or by email (when specifically requested). However, the beneficiaries must always keep the paper signed originals in their project folders in case of a future audit.

Further details on content and signature requirements are given in the ‘How to report on your LIFE 2014-2020 projects’ document below and in the ‘package completeness and correctness check’ within the reporting templates under Templates section below (mid-term/final report, or interim/final report for integrated projects).  

Amendment/Termination/Suspension requests

This section is applicable to Amendment requests and Termination or Suspension requested by the beneficiaries.

The requests signed digitally with a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) (preferred option) shall be submitted only CINEA-LIFE-MONITORINGatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (via email to CINEA-LIFE-MONITORING[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu), copying the relevant CINEA project advisor and external monitor. See information on how to obtain a QES.
Please note that BUTLER cannot be used to submit amendment, termination or suspension requests.

If the beneficiary does not have QES, the entire request package shall be submitted by post or delivery services to either address shown below. The package shall include the original blue ink signed amendment / termination/suspension request on paper as well as all other documents on electronic media, e.g. a USB key. In parallel, the same package with a scanned (pdf) copy of the signed original shall be sent via email to the external monitor only (do not copy CINEA-LIFE-MONITORINGatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CINEA-LIFE-MONITORING[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu), as the package shall be sent solely by post/delivery services to CINEA). 

  • Ordinary or registered mail by postal service
    European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
    Department D - Natural resources, climate, sustainable blue economy and clean energy
    Unit D1. LIFE Energy + LIFE Climate
    OR Unit D2. LIFE Environment (Nature & Circular Economy)
    W-910
    B-1049 Brussels
  • Express delivery service or hand-delivery against signature
    European Commission
    European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
    Unit D1. LIFE Energy + LIFE Climate
    OR Unit D2. LIFE Environment (Nature & Circular Economy)
    Mail Service
    Avenue du Bourget 1
    B-1140 Brussels

Further details on content and signature requirements are given in the annex to the cover letter of the amendment request package (under the contract and financial aspects page of the LIFE website).

Other formal communication

Any formal communicationon on-going projects with the Agency that is not linked to payment or an amendment request or the submission of a foreseen progress report, should be CINEA-LIFE-MONITORINGatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (sent via email to CINEA-LIFE-MONITORING[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu), copying the CINEA project advisor and the assigned external monitor.

Guidance on how to report

For projects financed under the LIFE 2021-2027 programme

For projects receiving funding from the LIFE 2021-2027 programme (Action and Operating Grants), please refer to the guidance under the Funding & tender opportunities portal.

To help LIFE beneficiaries understanding the requirements set in the Model Grant Agreement, CINEA gave two presentations during the latest Welcome days for new LIFE projects. One presentation provided an overview of the Grant Agreement and the related costs eligibility rules to take into account in your project management; the second presentation provided more detailed information, examples and lessons learned. Those presentations are accessible here : 

Please take note of the following:

Frequent errors to avoid when reporting on your LIFE 2021-2027 project – version dated 31/10/2023.

To help LIFE beneficiaries calculate the personnel costs (Employees, Natural and seconded persons, SME owners, Volunteers) over the reporting period, CINEA has developed the following calculation tool (please first read the “Guidance” sheet!). Please note that the second link provides concrete examples on the use of the tool.

For projects financed under the LIFE 2014-2020 programme

Templates

For projects financed under the LIFE 2021-2027 programme

For projects receiving funding from the LIFE 2021-2027 programme, please refer to the templates under Funding & tender opportunities portal.

Except for the following:

For projects financed under the LIFE 2014-2020 programme

End of project report

Layman's report

At the end of the project, a report of 5-10 pages (Layman's report) should be produced summarising the work and results of the project as well as its long-term environmental benefits.

The report should be written for a general audience, in English and another relevant official language of the beneficiary, and should avoid using jargon and complicated sentences. The report should include all relevant information: name and project number, duration, total cost, EU contribution and contact details. Powerful images and different voices (i.e. quotes from various stakeholders, partners or volunteers) help to visualise and maximise the impact of the report.

The report must be published on the project website and be available in electronic format.

Examples of good Layman's reports:

After-LIFE Plans

LIFE projects funded from 2014 onwards (including preparatory, integrated, capacity building and climate action projects, but excluding technical assistance projects), must produce an After-LIFE Plan as a separate chapter of the final report. 

  • For best practice projects, the After-LIFE Plan shall set out how the actions initiated in the LIFE project will be continued and developed in the years that follow the end of the project, and how the longer-term management of the site(s)/habitats/species will be assured.
  • For pilot and demonstration projects, the After-LIFE Plan shall, in addition, set out how the dissemination and communication of the results will continue after the end of the project. It should give details regarding what actions will be carried out, when, by whom, and using what sources of finance.

For all projects, the After-LIFE Plan should:

  • present an overview of the project and an assessment of the situation at the end of the project;
  • define the after-LIFE objectives and methodology;
  • identify funding needs and sources of funds;
  • meet the contractual requirements of this task.

Examples of good After-LIFE Plans:

Key Project-level Indicators (KPIs)

The LIFE Key Project Indicators (KPIs) provide information on the results achieved by LIFE projects. The LIFE KPIs serve different purposes and are meant to capture both the environmental or climate impacts and the socio-economic dimension of LIFE projects. The main functions of the KPIs are:

  • To contribute to monitoring the performance of the LIFE programme towards its objectives in line with the requirements set in art. 19 of the LIFE regulation 2021/783 (Annex II).
  • To provide information on the project impacts in line with the specific objectives of the relevant LIFE sub-programme and thematic priorities as set out in the LIFE Call documents.

In addition, the KPIs can provide complementary information to the Agency on the fulfilment of contractual obligations under the Grant Agreement and support its work on policy feedback to the relevant Commission services or for other information, communication, dissemination and publicity purposes.

The submission of KPIs values forms part of the projects reporting requirements. CINEA evaluates the project's progress and results also, but not exclusively, based on the KPIs.

At proposal stage, applicants need to indicate the expected results of their project in terms of environmental and also socio-economic benefits. This is done via the Funding & Tenders opportunities portal.

Since the 2021 Calls, once a project is funded, the KPIs chosen in the Grant Agreement are automatically transferred in the KPI webtool (only accessible to LIFE funded projects). Within the first nine months of the project’s implementation, projects are requested to fine-tune and detail in the KPI Webtool their initial submission(so-called First Snapshot). Although consistency with the KPIs chosen in the Grant Agreement is in general expected, changes in the selection of the indicators are possible, for instance in case an indicator was misinterpreted, or an impact cannot be measured. By project end, beneficiaries provide an update of the KPIs values based on the actual project achievements (Final Snapshot). Significant deviations from the initial submission should be explained in the reports and/or in the relevant deliverables. The Agency is responsible for validating the data submitted by the beneficiaries.

The access to the KPI webtool is granted to the person designated in the Grant Agreement (Article 1.6.3 for the LIFE 2014-2020 projects) or in the Grant Management System as Primary Coordinator Contact (PCoCo) for the LIFE 2021-2027 projects. However, other persons designated for the specific purpose of filling up the KPI data can be granted access to the LIFE KPI Webtool. In case an addition or modification of a user’s access account is required, the request shall be made via the SMART ACCESS WIZARD by any of the persons already having a “beneficiary” access to the LIFE KPI webtool for the specific project. Please consult the Guidance on the KPI Webtool SMART ACCESS WIZARD to know how to change or add a user in the KPI webtool.

For LIFE21-27 projects there are two sets of KPIs depending on the sub-programme under which a project is financed: one set of indicators for projects financed under the Circular economy and Quality of life, Nature and Biodiversity and Climate Adaptation and Mitigation sub-programmes; another one for LIFE Clean Energy Transition (CET) sub-programme.

For non-CET LIFE21-27 projects, a compilation of the guidance for each individual KPIs present within the KPI database is available in the “KPI Guidance Document” document. This includes the different entries available in the various drop-down lists of the KPI webtool. The number of KPIs on which data need to be submitted depends on the scope and expected impact of each project. In general, in addition to at least one indicator related to relevant environmental/climate priority targeted, each project is required to report on eight indicators that are common to all projects. KPI data needs to be supported by some proof of evidence and sound monitoring methods. Since the LIFE KPIs are tailored on specific environmental and climate policy priorities and related LIFE programme objectives and requirements, it can happen that they do not cover all the possible impacts of a project. Projects can have their project specific indicators and information about them can be shared with the Agency through the regular reporting.
For LIFE-CET projects, specific guidance is available here.

A special guidance document on Key Project-level Indicators for LIFE Strategic/Integrated projects is also available.

It is worth noting that, the LIFE KPI database may need to be updated on a regular basis, depending on the various parameters, including any future LIFE Regulation, policy requirements, progress of data gathering and issues identified. This would imply subsequent modifications to this guidance document.

Useful weblinks mentioned in above modules for your convenience

 

General publications19 February 2024
Guidance on the KPI Webtool SMART ACCESS WIZARD
General publications9 January 2023
KPI Guidance Document
General publications9 January 2023
Annexes with KPI lists
General publications6 May 2024
LIFE CET-specific KPI Guidance

NGO Grants

For operating grants financed under the LIFE 2021-2027 programme

Submission of reports and amendments are exclusively done via the Funding & Tender portal. Please follow the guidance that is available under the Support section and in particular the Online Manual and the IT How To.

NGO4GD grants