Summary of the results from the LIFE Programme calls for 2025

The consolidated data from the evaluation of the LIFE Programme calls for 2025 make it possible, for the first time, to gain a comprehensive view of the position of Bulgarian organisations within the Programme.

Last year's calls attracted 1,237 project proposals, of which 1,130 were admitted to evaluation, with requested funding exceeding EUR 3.16 billion. A total of 191 proposals, worth approximately EUR 584 million, proceeded to the grant agreement preparation stage, while a further 203 proposals were placed on the reserve lists.

In this competitive environment, Bulgarian organisations are involved in 137 eligible applications across the five thematic strands — both as coordinators and as partners. Of these, 29 project proposals have advanced to grant agreement preparation, and a further 37 project proposals involving Bulgarian organisations are on the reserve lists, including 7 in the role of coordinator. Set against the overall picture of the Programme, this is a result slightly above the average for all participating countries.

The most telling outcome is in the "Nature and Biodiversity" strand. Of 18 Bulgarian organisations, 5 are in proposals at the grant agreement preparation stage, but more significantly, of the 5 proposals with a Bulgarian lead beneficiary, 2 have advanced to grant agreement preparation and one more is on the reserve list. This is the best result in the strand among Member States with at least 5 proposals in the role of lead organisation.

The "Clean Energy Transition" sub-programme, in turn, sees the broadest Bulgarian presence, with 77 eligible participations — more than Romania and Slovakia and almost on a par with Poland. Of these, 19 are in proposals at the grant agreement preparation stage and 28 are on the reserve lists, meaning that close to two thirds of Bulgarian participations in the sub-programme are either approved or held in reserve. Under the horizontal topics, 3 out of 7 Bulgarian participations have advanced to grant agreement preparation, which corresponds to the Programme average.

The results in the other two strands are more modest, but context matters there as well. In "Circular Economy and Quality of Life", 2 out of 17 Bulgarian participations reached the grant agreement preparation stage, this strand containing the most competitive topic in the entire Programme — 328 proposals submitted against 26 approved.

In "Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation", none of the 18 Bulgarian participations advanced to grant agreement preparation, but 3 — including one proposal with a coordinating organisation from Bulgaria — are on the reserve list. This strand is among the most competitive in the Programme: at EU level, 471 participations remain in reserve, and a number of Member States, including Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia and Sweden, likewise report a zero result. The fact that Bulgarian proposals successfully pass evaluation and reach the reserve lists shows that the gap to funding is measured in points against the award criteria.

Overall, the participation of Bulgarian organisations in the LIFE Programme demonstrates a steady presence and a gradual accumulation of experience. Despite strong competition at European level, the results achieved clearly show that successful participation is entirely attainable, particularly with well-prepared project proposals and active partnerships.

The National Contact Point encourages all interested organisations to continue developing their ideas and to make use of the opportunities the Programme offers. The experience gained and the results achieved to date provide a sound basis for even more successful Bulgarian participation in the forthcoming calls.

Our team provides information support to interested organisations, including written clarifications on project concepts, explanations regarding the conditions of the calls, and guidance on the eligibility of costs and budget planning. Contact can be made at various stages of proposal preparation, depending on the organisation's needs.