Life Natura Life is the financial means for the environment introduced by the EEC in 1992. It is one of the milestones of the EEC environmental policy and it provides financial support for the projects proposed by the EEC member countries involving the following themes: nature, environment and other countries.
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Life nature: it supports actions aiming at protecting the natural habitats, fauna and flora of Community interest stated in the Council Directive "Birds" and in the Council Directive "Habitat". These projects support the implementation of the natural conservation policies of the EEC, in particular Nature 2000 Network. Life environment: it aims at the implementation of the EEC policy and legislation in the countries members but also in the applicant countries, by means of demonstrative actions and new methods for the protection and the development of the environment. Life in other countries: actions concerning technical assistance activities in order to promote the sustainable development in those countries. This part of the project LIFE aims at activating skills in the protection and development of the environment both in the EEC partner governments and in the societies and in the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) of those countries. For further information about all LIFE projects financed by the EEC, please refer to the LIFE Projects Database in the EEC website.
Natura 2000 network The foundation of the Nature 2000 Network was provided for by the Council Directive n. 92/43/EEC of the European Council dated 21st May 1992, concerning the "Conservation of the natural and semi-natural habitats and of the wild flora and fauna", widely known as "Habitat". This Directive was adopted in Italy in 1997 with the Regulation approved by the Presidential Decree n. 357 dated 8th September 1997, modified and integrated by the Presidential Decree n. 120 dated 12th March 2003. The purpose is ambitious: the Directive aims at protecting biodiversity - not only in the areas included in the network - by means of direct protection measures for animal and vegetable species.
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The EEC is convinced that the only effective way of preserving European biodiversity is the integration of the habitat, flora and fauna protection with the economical activities and the social and cultural needs of the populations living in the areas of the Nature 2000 Network. This is something new in the EEC policy in this field: man is not a stranger in the ecosystem, but he is a part of it.
Reference legislation
Materials
Interesting links - European legislation: europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/search/search_lif.html - Europa nature and biodiversity: ec.europa.eu/environment/nature - Europa environment: ec.europa.eu/environment/index_en.htm - LIFE projects: ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm - EU Environment documents catalogue: ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/home.htm - Italian Environment Ministry - nature conservation: www.minambiente.it/index.php?id_sezione=962 - Italian Environment Ministry - natura 2000: www.minambiente.it/index.php?id_sezione=1475
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