As representatives from the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance, gathering more than 30 health civil society organisations (CSOs) across Europe, we wish to express our concerns about restrictions on funding that CSOs focusing on environmental and climate action, and benefitting from grants under the EU LIFE programme, are facing.
Under new guidelines communicated at the end of 2024, funds from the LIFE operating grants can no longer be used to develop and implement policy and advocacy activities targeting EU policymakers.
The programme provides EUR 15.5 million for grants to civil society, but has an overall budget of EUR 5.4 billion, including for nature conservation projects for 2021-2027[1]. Such developments could significantly limit the activities of CSOs in the EU and create a highly concerning precedent.
This adds to an already uncertain situation for health-focused CSOs. As of today, health CSOs still do not have information on the operating grants provided under the EU4Health programme for 2025, as the EU4Health Work Programme still has not been presented. This results in limitations to planning their activities, and overall, foreseeing for the future, and adds to previous concerns on the programme’s future, following a disproportionate redeployment of EUR 1 billion from its budget in 2024.
We therefore call on the EU to reconsider the limitations set on the LIFE programme and support a strong and vibrant civic space through sustainable public funding for CSOs, including policy and advocacy activities. Additionally, we ask for transparency and a clear timeline for the publication of the EU4Health 2025 Work Programme.