Recital (17) · Regulation (EU) 2021/783

(17)Recent evaluations and assessments, including the mid-term review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and the Fitness Check of Nature legislation, indicate that one of the main underlying causes for insufficient implementation of Union legislation on nature and of the biodiversity strategy is the lack of adequate financing.The main Union funding instruments, including the European Regional Development Fund established under Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note (the 'European Regional Development Fund') and the Cohesion Fund established under Regulation (EU) No 1300/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note (the 'Cohesion Fund'), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development established under Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note (the 'European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development') and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund established under a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 (the 'European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund'), could make a significant contribution towards meeting those needs, on a complementary basis. The LIFE Programme could further improve the efficiency of such mainstreaming through strategic nature projects dedicated to acting as a catalyst for the implementation of Union nature and biodiversity legislation and policy, including the actions set out in the prioritized action frameworks adopted pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC. The strategic nature projects should support programmes of actions in Member States aimed at the mainstreaming of relevant nature and biodiversity objectives into other policies and funding programmes, thus ensuring that appropriate funds are mobilised for implementing those policies.Member States should be allowed to decide, within their Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy, to use a certain share of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development allocation in order to leverage support for actions that complement strategic nature projects as defined under this Regulation.