Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) announced that 152 key projects across EU will receive funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The European Commission is proposing to invest EUR 2.7 billion in the transport projects that support competitive, clean and connected mobility in Europe. The EU’s investment will unlock EUR 4.7 billion of public and private co-financing. All projects were selected for funding via competitive calls for proposals launched on 13 October 2016. INEA received 349 applications accounting for a total of nearly EUR 7.5 billion of requested co-funding.
The largest part of the funding will be devoted to developing the European rail network (EUR 1.8 billion), decarbonising and upgrading road transport and developing Intelligent Transport Systems (EUR 359.2 million), as well as deploying Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems (EUR 311.3 million).
The selected projects will contribute to modernising rail lines, removing bottlenecks and improving cross-border connections, installing alternative fuel supply points, as well as implementing innovative traffic management solutions. “The demand for investment in transport infrastructure is huge. This new wave of investment focuses on clean, innovative and digital projects to modernise Europe’s transport network. Today we are one step closer to a true Transport Union, serving the needs of citizens, stimulating the economy and creating jobs. Looking ahead, I am inviting stakeholders to make best use of the remaining funds, using blending to maximise impact and leverage all possible resources,” EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said.
The projects include flagship initiatives such as the upgrade of the over 100 km-long Białystok-Ełk rail section in Poland; modernisation of ATM systems in EU Member States; full expansion of the Karawanken road tunnel linking Slovenia and Austria; development of a high-speed electric vehicle charging network across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy.
This year, out of the total EUR 2.7 billion, the Commission is allocating EUR 1.8 billion for the 15 Member States eligible for support from the Cohesion Fund in order to further bridge infrastructure disparities*.
Under the CEF, EUR 23.2 billion is available from the EU’s 2014-2020 budget to co-fund TEN-T projects in the EU Member States. Of this amount, EUR 11.3 billion is reserved for projects in Member States eligible for the Cohesion Fund. Since 2014, three waves of calls for proposals have been launched (in 2014, 2015 and 2016). Under the 2014 and 2015 calls, grant agreements were signed for 452 projects. These projects currently receive co-funding from the CEF programme for a total amount of EUR 18.7 billion. The 2016 call will help reach 92% of the total CEF Transport budget, for a total investment of EUR 41.6 billion in the EU economy.
* (For the 2014-2020 period, Cohesion Fund support concerns Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).
Photo: © ÖBB/Harald Eisenberger
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