Ecodesign and energy labelling compliance support facility for suppliers and retailers

Call for proposals under the LIFE Programme LIFE-2026 to establish a Europe-wide compliance support facility assisting manufacturers, suppliers, online dealers, retailers and installers to understand and implement EU ecodesign and energy labelling legislation. Indicative EU contribution up to €2.5 million at a maximum funding rate of 90%, single-stage deadline 22 September 2026, indicative duration 36 months and only one grant expected. Proposals must form a consortium of at least three independent beneficiaries from three eligible countries and include minimum partner representation of five supplier/dealer associations and three public/non-profit organisations covering at least two thirds of EU Member States, and deliver a reactive helpline, proactive outreach, EPREL promotion, two pilot online sweeps and monitoring of impacts.

What it funds

Purpose

Establish a Europe-wide compliance support facility combining proactive outreach and reactive assistance to economic operators (manufacturers, suppliers, online dealers, retailers, installers) to increase understanding and market compliance with ecodesign and energy labelling rules. Activities include capacity building, a help-line, tailored guidance, promotion of EPREL and pilot online sweeps with follow-up support.

Funding & deadline:Indicative project length 36 months. Maximum EU contribution suggested up to €2.5 million; funding rate up to 90%. Single-stage call — deadline 22 September 2026 17:00 Brussels time ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities (public or private) established in eligible countries; international organisations may participate where allowed.
2. 2Consortium: minimum 3 independent beneficiaries from 3 different eligible countries.
3. 3Target beneficiaries: suppliers, manufacturers, importers, online retailers, dealers, installers, and sector associations.
4. 4Core outputs expected: help-line service, multilingual guidance and materials, communication campaigns, EPREL promotion, 2 pilot online sweeps and monitoring framework.

Applicants must demonstrate access to technical experts, market surveillance networks and communication capacity; proposals should quantify expected operator engagement (indicator: at least 5 000 economic operators engaged per €1 million of EU funding where relevant) and estimate impacts at project end and 5 years after.

Footnotes

1. 1Call page and full application documents, templates and submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Call and administrative details

Core facts

Call title:LIFE Projects for addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy priorities (PLP). Topic identifier: LIFE-2026. Type of action: LIFE Project Grant (LIFE-PJG) under the LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based model (LIFE-AG). Opening date: 21 April 2026. Deadline: 22 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Submission: single-stage, electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Responsible Agency: CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency).

Expected EU indicative budget for this topic:Indicative contribution considered appropriate by the Commission: up to €2.5 million. Maximum EU funding rate: 90% of eligible costs. The call fiche shows a topic budget line of €2,500,000 for LIFE-2026.

Project duration:Indicative project duration indicated in the topic description: 36 months (indicative).

Policy objective, rationale and scope

Objective:increase compliance of products on the European market with ecodesign and energy labelling requirements by establishing a proactive and reactive compliance support facility for economic operators (manufacturers, suppliers, importers, retailers, installers and online dealers). Rationale: despite the benefits of ecodesign and energy labelling for consumers, markets and EU climate/Green Deal goals, non-compliance remains significant. Suppliers, especially SMEs and actors outside trade associations or in remote locations, often lack awareness or practical understanding of legislative obligations and tools such as EPREL. The facility should facilitate access to existing guidance, promote EPREL uptake, enable capacity building, run help-line services, perform targeted online sweeps with advice and follow-up training, and provide monitoring and impact measurement.

Scope requirements (minimum features):a combined reactive and proactive facility that: 1) raises capacity of manufacturers, suppliers and online dealers through targeted communications and training; 2) establishes a help-line for operator enquiries and a clear escalation path to competent authorities for issues without firm answers; 3) develops communication and dissemination strategies and channels to reach economic operators across the EU (including importers of third-country products); 4) adapts and disseminates technical guidance and promotional material for new and revised product groups; 5) promotes use of EPREL among economic operators, public purchasers and the wider public; 6) promotes the Commission efficient products portal and other resources; 7) organises two pilot online sweeps (spot checks) of labelling on online shops in multiple Member States in the same quarter and provides bilateral follow-up to non-compliant online sellers with support/training; 8) implements monitoring and measurement methodologies that quantify results at project end and 5 years post-project; 9) ensures multilingual accessibility; 10) liaises closely with the European Commission and national market surveillance authorities.

Outputs, impacts and indicators requested

Expected qualitative impacts:increased understanding and compliance with ecodesign and energy labelling by economic operators; improved market integrity and level playing field; strengthened market surveillance linkages and more effective use of EPREL. Expected quantitative indicators to be provided and used where relevant (project must quantify outcomes at end of project and for five years after end):

1. 1Number of economic operators engaged and informed: at least 5,000 per million EUR of EU funding (i.e., for €2.5 million indicative contribution, expected minimum engagement ≈ 12,500 operators).
2. 2Primary energy savings triggered by the project (GWh/year).
3. 3Renewable energy generation triggered by the project (GWh/year).
4. 4Investments in sustainable energy renovation triggered (cumulative, million EUR).
5. 5Project-specific indicators to measure increased awareness, compliance improvement rates, EPREL registrations/use metrics, number of help-line enquiries handled and resolved, number of online shops checked and follow-up conversions to compliance.

The topic text states that projects are not expected to address all listed impacts and indicators but must quantify relevant ones for both project end and five years after project end.

Consortium, stakeholders and mandatory consortium requirements

Minimum consortium composition and stakeholder involvement required by the topic:

1. 1Proposal must be submitted by at least three independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from three different eligible countries (see eligibility).
2. 2Involvement of European organisations representing relevant economic operators: a minimum of 5 partner organisations whose combined membership covers at least two-thirds of EU Member States (through their membership networks). These should include associations of suppliers and associations of dealers (retailers).
3. 3Involvement of European public or non-profit sector organisations: a minimum of 3 partners representing consumer associations, standardisation bodies and Market Surveillance Authorities' organisations, whose combined membership covers at least two-thirds of EU Member States.
4. 4Access to networks of technical experts with product/regulation/standards/legal knowledge must be demonstrated.
5. 5Demonstrated capacity in communications, outreach, helpline operation and multilingual service delivery is mandatory.
6. 6Proposals should demonstrate how they build on lessons learned from previous/ongoing projects such as LIFE ComplianceServices, EEPLIANT4 and related initiatives.

The facility should show a balanced representation of interests across public, private and non-profit stakeholders and provide clear processes for escalation of legal or interpretative issues to competent national authorities and the European Commission.

Eligibility, funding and administrative conditions

Geographic and applicant eligibility:applicants (beneficiaries) must be legal entities established in eligible countries listed in the call (EU Member States and countries associated to LIFE). Natural persons are not eligible (except self-employed where permitted). The coordinator must be established in an eligible country. The call and grant template documents provide full rules on eligible countries, associated countries and exceptional participation by non-associated third countries. All applicants must be registered in the Participant Register and validated.

Funding type and rate:This is an EU action grant (budget-based mixed actual cost grant) with a maximum funding rate of 90% and an indicative maximum EU contribution of €2.5 million (the topic states the Commission considers this amount appropriate but proposals requesting other amounts may be submitted).

Consortium requirement:Minimum of 3 independent beneficiaries from 3 different eligible countries (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities).

Submission and evaluation:Single-stage electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Evaluation uses the LIFE award criteria: Relevance (0-20), Impact (0-20), Quality (0-20) and Resources (0-20). Individual thresholds per criterion apply and an overall threshold (55/90) must be achieved. Calls and templates (Application Form Part A and Part B, Detailed Budget Table, Participant Information) must be used; Part B has a 50-page limit.

Project design and implementation guidance

Recommended structure and key activities to include in proposals (detailed and aligned to topic requirements):

1. 1Work package 1: Project management, governance, coordination with Commission and national MSAs (market surveillance authorities), data protection, risk management and quality assurance.
2. 2Work package 2: Helpline establishment and operations — set-up, staffing, escalation procedures to national authorities and the Commission, service levels, multilingual capabilities, knowledge management and ticketing system.
3. 3Work package 3: Capacity building and targeted outreach — sector-specific training modules for manufacturers, suppliers, online dealers and installers; SME/remote-actor engagement approach; measurable training KPIs.
4. 4Work package 4: EPREL promotion and uptake — targeted campaigns, guidance for registration, bulk purchaser and public procurement use cases; metrics for EPREL usage increase.
5. 5Work package 5: Guidance adaptation and technical materials — mapping existing guidance (EEPLIANT, ComplianceServices outputs), adapt/create product-specific guides, multilingual publication plan.
6. 6Work package 6: Online compliance sweeps and spot checks — organisation of 2 pilot multi-country online spot checks in the same quarter, focused product groups, testing methodology, bilateral follow-up and remedial training for non-compliant sellers, coordination with national MSAs.
7. 7Work package 7: Monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement — methods and baselines for the quantitative indicators (operators reached per EUR funding, energy and investment indicators), short- and long-term monitoring (project end and 5 years post-project).
8. 8Work package 8: Communication and dissemination — public website, knowledge hub, events, sector trade fair participation, webinars, press and stakeholder briefings.
9. 9Work package 9: Sustainability and exploitation — legacy, handover to Commission/national authorities, embedding services within existing networks, exploitation plan and replication strategy.

Required outputs and deliverables to be reflected in the application:help-line launch and service metrics; multilingual guidance packages and toolkits; EPREL uptake plan and metrics; two multi-country online sweep reports with outcomes and bilateral remediation evidence; training reports and attendance metrics; monitoring and impact reports (project end and model for 5-year post-project monitoring); public repository of materials and multilingual web-located resources; roadmap for continuity and institutionalisation.

Budget, eligible costs and financial templates

Budget rules follow the LIFE Model Grant Agreement and the Detailed Budget Table (LIFE template). Eligible cost categories include personnel (employees, direct contract staff, seconded persons, SME owner unit costs and volunteers where applicable), subcontracting, purchases (travel, equipment, other goods and services), financial support to third parties only if expressly authorised and land purchase only where expressly authorised. Indirect costs are reimbursed at the flat rate specified in the call (see Annex 2 in the call documents). The standard LIFE payment model applies (pre-financing, periodic reports, certificates if thresholds hit). Use the LIFE Detailed Budget Table template and Participant Information template available in the Submission System. The coordinator must also prepare prefinancing guarantee if requested by the financial assessment.

Application process and templates

Applications must be prepared and submitted online via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Use the standard LIFE application form (Part A online and Part B PDF) and the Detailed Budget Table (LIFE Excel template). The application must respect Part B page limits (50 pages) and formatting rules. The call documents, application templates, model LIFE grant agreement and guidance materials (Online Manual, Portal helpdesk and LIFE call document) are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal and in the call’s Topic page. National Contact Points (NCPs), the LIFE helpdesk and Portal helpdesk can provide support. Applicants should attach Participant Information (profiles of partners and key staff), Detailed Budget Table and any mandatory annexes required by the call.

Where to apply and find templates:Submission portal and call materials: EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the topic page. Application templates (Part B, Detailed Budget Table, Participant Information) are in the Submission System. LIFE call document, Model Grant Agreement and supporting reference documents are in the Portal Reference Documents and the CINEA LIFE pages.

Eligible applicant types

Describe which organisation types may apply and typical roles.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: public authorities, national/regional market surveillance authorities, NGOs, consumer associations, trade/industry associations, research organisations, universities, standardisation bodies, non-profit organisations, SMEs and large enterprises (as beneficiaries). Natural persons are not eligible except where expressly allowed by the call (self-employed / sole traders in A.4 may have unit cost rules).
2. 2Recommended lead applicant: organisation with strong project management experience, established contacts with European trade associations, market surveillance authorities and the European Commission.
3. 3Recommended partners: national market surveillance organisations, European-level trade associations (covering minimum 2/3 EU Member States via membership), consumer associations, standardisation bodies, communications experts, help-line operations specialists, and recognised technical laboratories or experts for product-specific technical guidance.

Success rates, stages, and evaluation timeline

Application stages and dates:single-stage submission. Evaluation results indication: January 2027 (indicative); Grant Agreement signature: April/May 2027 (indicative). Number of formal selection stages: 1 (single-stage call with one-step evaluation).

Success rates:Success rates are not published for this specific topic; competition is topic- and year-dependent. The call lists an indicative topic budget of €2.5 million and expects to award one project for this topic; therefore competition may be high. Applicants should ensure strong alignment with mandatory consortium requirements and high scoring across the LIFE award criteria (Relevance, Impact, Quality and Resources).

Key risks and recommended mitigations

1. 1Risk: Insufficient national coverage or failure to demonstrate required partner networks (5 supplier/dealer associations + 3 public/non-profit organisations covering 2/3 EU Member States). Mitigation: include strong European associations with wide membership and letters of commitment; show coverage maps and membership lists.
2. 2Risk: Lack of clear escalation path to authorities for legal interpretation questions. Mitigation: formalise MoUs / letters of intent with national market surveillance authorities and the European Commission contact points; describe structured escalation and response SLAs.
3. 3Risk: Failure to demonstrate delivery and sustainability post-project. Mitigation: present a clear legacy/after-life plan, proposed institutionalisation routes (e.g., handover to a European association network or Commission-hosted platform), and estimated cost-sharing or subscription model for continuation.

Templates and application structure guidance

Mandatory templates and recommended structure (use Portal templates):

1. 1Application Form Part A (administrative data) — complete online screens in Portal (coordinator and partner data).
2. 2Application Form Part B (technical description) — use LIFE-specific PDF template from Submission System. Key sections to complete: Project summary, Relevance (background, objectives, compliance with topic), Impact (quantified indicators, 5-year post-project monitoring), Implementation (work packages, Gantt, deliverables, milestones), Resources (budget narrative, staff profiles, partner roles), Communication and Dissemination plan, Risk management, Ethics and Data protection if applicable.
3. 3Detailed Budget Table (LIFE Excel template) — fill in per beneficiary and work package; align totals with Part A online budget and explain major cost items in Part B.
4. 4Participant information (LIFE template) — provide organisational descriptions, key staff CVs, relevant past projects and roles in the proposal.
5. 5If requested by call: specific annexes (e.g., financial capacity documents, prefinancing guarantees, declarations).

Part B structure recommended mapping to LIFE award criteria:Relevance: clear problem analysis, mandatory consortium rules, target groups. Impact: quantified targets (operators reached per million EUR, energy and investment indicators), baselines and five-year trajectory. Quality: detailed work plan, realistic task scheduling, monitoring and evaluation methods, SOPs for helpline and online sweeps. Resources: credible staffing and budget justification, evidence of partner capacity and communication expertise.

How to demonstrate monitoring and impact

Monitoring must capture both short-term outputs (numbers served, materials produced, help-line metrics, EPREL registrations, online sweep compliance rates) and longer-term impacts (improvements in market compliance rates, primary energy savings triggered, investment triggered). Proposals must define baselines, data sources, measurement frequency and responsibilities. A credible 5-year post-project monitoring plan is mandatory; propose indicators, data collection methods, ownership and budget for legacy monitoring.

Commonly referenced resources and projects to leverage

1. 1LIFE ComplianceServices project outputs and e-learning platform (product compliance guidance and training materials).
2. 2EEPLIANT concerted action results and market surveillance best practice materials (EEPLIANT4 ongoing and previous phases).
3. 3EPREL (European Product Registry for Energy Labelling) database as the authoritative registry tool to promote and integrate with the facility.
4. 4European Commission efficient products portal for public-facing information and downloadable resources.

Evaluation and award: scoring and thresholds

Award criteria and scoring (as applied for LIFE calls):Relevance (0-20 points), Impact (0-20), Quality (0-20), Resources (0-20). Individual criterion thresholds: minimum 10/20 per criterion. Overall threshold: minimum 55 points out of 90. The evaluation panel will also check admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria prior to scoring.

Practical checklist and next steps to prepare a competitive proposal

1. 1Assemble consortium meeting the mandatory partner types and coverage (3 beneficiaries from 3 eligible countries; European economic operator associations covering 2/3 of Member States through membership; 3 public/non-profit partners covering 2/3 of Member States).
2. 2Map partner roles, identify a qualified coordinator with experience managing EU grants and stakeholder relationships with national MSAs and EU services.
3. 3Develop a detailed work plan (WP structure suggested above) with clear deliverables, milestones, Gantt and responsibilities.
4. 4Build a monitoring and evaluation framework with clear baselines and measurable targets at project end and 5 years post-project.
5. 5Draft a communications and EPREL promotion plan integrated with stakeholder engagement and market surveillance authorities.
6. 6Populate Portal Participant Register entries for all beneficiaries and prepare the Participant Information annexes and detailed budget table using the LIFE templates.
7. 7Secure letters of support / MoUs from national market surveillance authorities and European trade associations to demonstrate buy-in and escalation links.

Categorisation answers (concise extraction per requested fields)

Below are the structured categorisation responses based on the call text and LIFE templates.

Eligible Applicant Types:Public authorities, national and regional market surveillance authorities, SMEs, large enterprises, manufacturers, importers, authorised representatives, dealers/retailers, installers, universities, research institutes, standardisation bodies, consumer associations, non-profit organisations, European-level trade associations, international organisations (where relevant). Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed owners where the call allows unit cost treatment.

Funding Type:Grant — EU action grant (budget-based mixed actual cost grant).

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required: minimum of 3 independent beneficiaries from 3 different eligible countries. Additional required partners: minimum 5 European organisations representing economic operators (covering at least two-thirds of Member States through membership), and a minimum of 3 European public/non-profit organisations (consumer associations, standardisation bodies, market surveillance authorities’ organisations) collectively covering at least two-thirds of Member States.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible applicants established in EU Member States and countries associated to the LIFE Programme (see call document for specific list). Participation by entities established in third countries not associated to LIFE may be possible only where necessary for action effectiveness and typically at their own cost; coordinator must be in an eligible country.

Target Sector:Clean energy transition, energy efficiency, ecodesign and energy labelling of energy-related products; sectors include appliances/white goods, heating/cooling, ICT devices (smartphones, TVs, displays), lighting, building products where relevant, retail and e-commerce platforms and market surveillance.

Mentioned Countries:EU Member States (general). The topic expects coverage across the whole of Europe and requires consortium partners/associations covering at least two-thirds of EU Member States. Specific non-EU country involvement is possible only as described in the call documents (e.g., associated countries).

Project Stage:Implementation / Deployment: facility establishment, capacity building, outreach, monitoring and demonstration (pilot online sweeps). Projects will operate at demonstration/validation and implementation scale; expected to catalyse market-level compliance and uptake.

Funding Amount:Indicative maximum EU contribution considered appropriate by the Commission: up to €2.5 million. Maximum funding rate: 90% of eligible costs. Topic budget allocation shows €2,500,000 for this topic in the 2026 call overview.

Application Type:Open call — single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal (standard LIFE single-stage model).

Nature of Support:Monetary support (grant funding) to beneficiaries; the facility provides non-monetary services as project outputs (helpline, guidance, training, online sweep follow-up), but funding is awarded as a grant to implement those services.

Application Stages:1 stage (single-stage call). Evaluation + grant preparation (two administrative stages overall: proposal evaluation and grant preparation).

Success Rates:Not published for this specific topic. Topic budget suggests only one grant will be funded — competition likely strong. Applicants should expect a competitive evaluation against LIFE award criteria and mandatory consortium requirements.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Maximum funding rate is 90% which implies beneficiaries must provide at least 10% co-financing (own resources or other public/private co-financing) of eligible costs. The total eligible costs and the requested EU contribution must be detailed in the Detailed Budget Table.

Application templates and structure — outline (how forms look and what to fill)

Application components and recommended contents (use the Portal templates available in the Submission System):

1. 1Application Form Part A (administrative data): coordinator and partner registration in Participant Register (use exact legal names, PICs), budget summary, declaration of honour, contact persons. Fill in online screens in Submission System.
2. 2Application Form Part B (technical description) — PDF (LIFE TA CAP / TA-R / PLP template): recommended structure: Project summary; 1. Relevance (policy context, problem analysis, objectives, concept, methodology, link to previous EU projects and initiatives such as EEPLIANT4 and ComplianceServices); 2. Impact (quantified indicators, baseline, projected end-of-project and 5-year post-project impacts); 3. Implementation (detailed work packages, tasks, milestones, deliverables, Gantt, partner roles and responsibilities, stakeholder engagement plan); 4. Resources (consortium set-up, management, human resources, detailed budget narrative, value for money); 5. Other (ethics, data protection, security if applicable), declarations.
3. 3Detailed Budget Table (LIFE Excel template): fill in per beneficiary and per WP; ensure the online Part A budget matches the detailed table; indicate personnel effort (person-months), subcontracting lines, travel, equipment, other goods/services, financial support to third parties only if allowed, and indirect costs at LIFE flat rate.
4. 4Participant Information (LIFE template): description of each partner, key staff profiles, relevant projects, affiliated entities and associated partners, task descriptions. No page limit for this annex but provide concise, relevant information.
5. 5Mandatory annexes: any call-specific annexes, legal entity validation documents for all beneficiaries, financial capacity proofs (if requested — threshold-based), prefinancing guarantee (if required after financial assessment), and certificates on financial statements if applicable (see call and Data Sheet).

Ensure the proposal follows the page limits, layout and font rules set in the Call document; do not delete instructions in the templates. Proposals will be screened for admissibility (page limits/layout), eligibility (partners, countries), financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria before evaluation.

Summary: What is this opportunity about and how to explain it?

This LIFE-PLP topic seeks to fund a Europe-wide compliance support facility that will increase compliance with ecodesign and energy labelling rules by proactively engaging and supporting economic operators (manufacturers, suppliers, importers, retailers, online dealers and installers). The facility must combine a reactive helpline capable of handling technical and specific enquiries with proactive outreach, targeted capacity building and communication campaigns, promotion and training on EPREL and other Commission tools, adaptation and dissemination of technical guidance in national languages, and practical compliance support through two multi-country pilot online sweeps of e-commerce shops with bilateral remediation. The facility must demonstrate clear monitoring, quantification of impacts (at project end and 5 years after), and close coordination with the European Commission and national market surveillance authorities. Proposals are expected from balanced consortia including trade associations, consumer bodies, market surveillance organisations and technical experts, and should request up to €2.5 million EU contribution at a 90% funding rate (co-funding of ≥10% required). The action is single-stage and competitive; applicants should follow the LIFE application templates, address mandatory consortium and coverage requirements, provide a robust work plan and monitoring framework, and plan for sustainability and institutionalisation of services after project close.

For submission use the Portal submission service and the LIFE-specific templates; guidance documents include the LIFE call document, Online Manual and Model Grant Agreement. See the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and CINEA LIFE support pages for deadlines and help LIFE Call page CINEA LIFE support for applicants EPREL registry Ecodesign and energy labelling information LIFE Compliance Services (project outputs) EEPLIANT concerted action Draghi report on competitiveness EU Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full call documentation, application templates and submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: EU Funding & Tenders Portal - LIFE-2026-PLP-ENER-COMPLIANCE.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a call for proposals under the LIFE Programme (Programme for the Environment and Climate Action) specifically addressing ecodesign and energy labelling compliance support. The opportunity targets the establishment of a comprehensive facility to assist economic operators including manufacturers, suppliers, online dealers, retailers and installers in understanding and implementing EU ecodesign and energy labelling legislation. The project aims to increase compliance with these requirements across the European market through proactive outreach, capacity building and targeted support services.

Call Details

Call Reference:LIFE-2026

Call Type:LIFE Projects for addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy Priorities (PLP)

Action Type:LIFE Project Grants (LIFE-PJG) with LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based (LIFE-AG) model

Opening Date:21 April 2026

Submission Deadline:22 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission)

Funding Available

Total Budget:€2,500,000

Maximum EU Contribution per Project:€2.5 million (Commission considers this appropriate for addressing objectives, but other amounts may be submitted)

Maximum Funding Rate:90% of eligible costs

Expected Number of Grants:Only 1 grant expected to be awarded under this topic

Project Duration and Timing

Expected Duration:Indicatively 36 months

Strategic Context and Objectives

Ecodesign and energy labelling legislation are critical EU policy instruments that eliminate worst-performing products from the market and provide consumers with information on product sustainability and energy consumption. These measures support informed purchasing decisions, create economic benefits for consumers, help producers market sustainable products, and contribute to major EU objectives including the European Green Deal and EU energy independence. However, significant non-compliance remains a concern, with a substantial portion of products on the European market failing to meet information and performance requirements. Economic operators including manufacturers, suppliers and online dealers frequently lack awareness, knowledge or detailed understanding of legislative provisions.

Recent policy reports including the Letta Report and Draghi Report on EU single market competitiveness, as well as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2025-2030, emphasize the importance of enforcing compliance with product legislation and effective market surveillance to ensure market integrity and a level playing field for economic operators.

Project Objectives

The primary objective is to ultimately increase compliance of products on the European market with ecodesign and energy labelling requirements through proactive outreach to and engagement of economic operators, fostering improved understanding and implementation of product performance and information requirements, and facilitating uptake of existing resources available.

Scope and Required Activities

The proposed action must establish a facility combining both reactive and proactive assistance to economic operators, particularly manufacturers, suppliers and online dealers such as retailers and installers, through targeted and timely information to increase their awareness, knowledge and understanding of relevant ecodesign and energy labelling regulations. Special attention must be given to engaging small and medium-sized suppliers and dealers, including those not engaged in trade associations and those located in remote areas.

Proposals must cover the following activities with both reactive and proactive approaches:

• Raise capacity of manufacturers, suppliers and online dealers on ecodesign and energy labelling requirements and developments through targeted and timely communication, dissemination and capacity building activities
• Set up a help-line service to address enquiries from economic operators, with escalation procedures for questions lacking authoritative answers
• Develop and deploy effective communication and dissemination strategies and channels to reach relevant economic operators across Europe, including importers placing products from third countries on the Union market
• Disseminate, create and/or adapt existing technical guidance and promotional material for new and revised product groups covered by current and upcoming legislation
• Promote use and uptake of EPREL (European Product Registry for Energy Labelling) amongst economic operators and the wider public
• Promote relevant available guidance and resources such as the European Commission efficient products portal through appropriate channels including websites, targeted campaigns, webinars, conferences, sectoral trade fairs, industry associations and specialised networks
• Conduct compliance support through online sweeps by organising 2 pilot spot checks of energy labelling on online shops in multiple Member States simultaneously within the same quarter, focused on specific product groups, with bilateral follow-up to offer support and training
• Develop appropriate monitoring and measurement activities to capture impacts including increased compliance, awareness, knowledge and engagement of economic operators

The facility should not invent or take responsibility for interpretations of legislation or formal guidance, but rather support economic operators in accessing and applying relevant information and guidance, referring questions where no answers exist to competent national authorities including market surveillance authorities or the European Commission.

Successful beneficiaries must proactively liaise and closely coordinate with the European Commission and competent national authorities including national market surveillance authorities. All information, services and tools developed must be accessible in national languages of targeted countries to ensure accessibility and uptake.

Expected Impact

Proposals must present concrete results and demonstrate how these will contribute to topic-specific impacts through solid analysis of current situation, realistic assumptions and baselines, and clear causality links between proposed activities, results and impacts.

Qualitative Impact

Proposals must demonstrate how they will contribute to increased understanding of and compliance with EU ecodesign and energy labelling legislation by economic operators.

Quantitative Impact

Proposals must quantify results and impacts using provided indicators when relevant. Results and impacts should be quantified for project end and for 5 years after project completion. Key quantitative indicators include:

• Number of economic operators engaged and informed by actions aiming to improve understanding of new legislative acts: at least 5,000 per million EUR of EU funding
• Primary energy savings triggered by the project (in GWh/year)
• Renewable energy generation triggered by the project (in GWh/year)
• Investments in sustainable energy renovation triggered by the project (cumulative, in million Euro)

Proposals should also provide indicators specific to their proposed activities. Proposals are not expected to address all listed impacts and indicators.

Consortium Requirements

Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.

Relevant stakeholders necessary for successful implementation must be involved in the project consortium with adequate balance of interests, including at minimum:

• European organisations representing relevant economic operators in different sectors such as associations of suppliers and associations of dealers, with minimum of 5 partners covering together through their membership at least 2/3 of EU Member States
• European organisations representing relevant actors in public or non-profit sector, with minimum of 3 partners representing consumer associations, standardisation bodies and Market Surveillance Authorities organisations, covering together through their membership at least 2/3 of EU Member States

Access to networks of experts with technical knowledge on concerned products, regulations and standards as well as wider legal framework is necessary and must be demonstrated. The facility must be sufficiently resourced to provide swift follow-up to economic operators using effective channels such as help-line service. Expertise in communication and outreach is also required and must be demonstrated.

Proposals must clearly demonstrate how they build on existing experiences and lessons learnt from LIFE ComplianceServices, EEPLIANT4 and other relevant projects and initiatives.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Countries

Proposals must involve applicants from at least 3 different eligible countries. Eligible countries include all EU Member States and countries associated to the LIFE Programme.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include public bodies, research organisations, non-profit organisations, and private companies. Applicants must have legal capacity to implement the project and demonstrate financial and operational capacity.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (Portal) at EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission is single-stage, meaning there is only one deadline for full proposals. Applicants must register in the Portal and use the online submission system.

Proposals must follow the standard application form for LIFE TA CAP, TA-R, PLP and BEST projects available in the Submission System. Detailed budget tables and participant information forms must be completed and uploaded as part of the application.

Evaluation and Award

Proposals will be evaluated based on award criteria including relevance to call objectives, quality of proposed activities, expected results and impacts, consortium composition and capacity, and cost-effectiveness. The evaluation will assess how well proposals address the specific needs outlined in the call and demonstrate realistic and achievable objectives.

Only 1 grant is expected to be awarded under this topic. The contracting authority (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency - CINEA) will select the proposal that best meets the evaluation criteria.

Legal and Financial Framework

Successful applicants will be required to sign a Model Grant Agreement (MGA) based on the LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based model. The grant will be managed according to EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 and LIFE Regulation 2021/783. Beneficiaries must comply with all applicable EU and national legislation, including data protection requirements and rules on conflict of interest.

The maximum funding rate of 90% means applicants must secure at least 10% co-financing from other sources. Eligible costs include personnel costs, travel and subsistence, equipment, subcontracting, and other direct costs as defined in the Model Grant Agreement.

Key References and Related Initiatives

This call builds on and complements existing initiatives including the LIFE ComplianceServices project, which since September 2023 has been developing an online platform to support suppliers, retailers and installers in correct interpretation and application of EU ecodesign and energy labelling legislation. The ComplianceServices platform already includes general guidelines for key stakeholders and product-specific guidelines on tumble dryers, with plans to expand to additional product groups including heating technologies.

The call also references the Ecodesigned4LIFE project, which ensures civil society representation in preparatory processes for implementing measures under ecodesign and energy labelling legislation, and the EEPLIANT4 initiative supporting compliance with EU product legislation.

Key EU policy documents referenced include the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2025-2030, the Letta Report on the EU Single Market, and the Draghi Report on EU competitiveness.

Support and Guidance

Applicants are encouraged to consult the following resources:the LIFE database of previously funded projects; the EU Funding and Tenders Portal Online Manual providing step-by-step guidance on proposal preparation and submission; the EU Grants AGA (Annotated Grant Agreement) containing detailed annotations on all grant agreement provisions; and the LIFE Programme website with FAQs and information on the programme.

National Contact Points (NCPs) for the LIFE Programme in each eligible country can provide country-specific guidance and support. The IT Helpdesk is available for technical questions regarding portal access and submission procedures.

Important Considerations for Applicants

Applicants should note that this is a highly prescriptive call with specific requirements reflecting the top-down nature of PLP projects addressing identified policy priorities. Proposals must directly address the scope and activities outlined in the call rather than proposing alternative approaches. The call emphasizes building on existing experiences and lessons from previous projects, so applicants should thoroughly review ComplianceServices, EEPLIANT4 and related initiatives.

Given that only 1 grant is expected to be awarded, competition will be intense. Proposals must demonstrate exceptional quality, realistic and achievable objectives, strong consortium composition with appropriate geographic coverage and stakeholder balance, and clear added value compared to existing initiatives.

Applicants must ensure their consortium includes the required minimum of 5 supplier and dealer association partners and 3 public/non-profit sector partners, with combined membership coverage of at least 2/3 of EU Member States. This requirement is mandatory and non-negotiable.

Footnotes

1. 1The LIFE Programme is the EU Programme for Environment and Climate Action, structured in two fields (Environment and Climate Action) and four sub-programmes (Nature and Biodiversity, Circular Economy and Quality of Life, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, and Clean Energy Transition). This call falls under the Clean Energy Transition sub-programme.