Green Forum • 17 July, 2024 at 12:00 PM
The European Commission has selected 134 transport projects to receive over €7 billion in EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU's instrument for strategic investment in infrastructure. This marks the largest call under the current CEF Transport program.
Approximately 83% of the funding will support projects that align with the EU's climate objectives, aiming to improve and modernize the EU network of railways, inland waterways, and maritime routes along the trans-European transport (TEN-T) network. Rail projects will receive 80% of the €7 billion. The revised TEN-T Regulation will take effect starting tomorrow, July 18.
Funding will go towards major projects to enhance cross-border rail connections along the TEN-T core network, including Rail Baltica in the Baltic Member States, the Lyon-Turin link between France and Italy, and the Fehmarnbelt tunnel between Denmark and Germany.
Around 20 maritime ports in Ireland, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Lithuania, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, and Poland will receive support for infrastructure upgrades, including capabilities to supply shore-side electricity to ships and transport renewable energy.
Work on inland waterway infrastructure will improve cross-border connections between France and Belgium in the Seine-Scheldt basin and between Romania and Bulgaria on the Danube. Inland ports in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands will also receive funding to enhance Europe's network of rivers and canals for sustainable transport.
For road transport, projects to launch cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (ITS) and create new, safe, and secure parking areas will increase safety for individuals and professionals alike.
Air traffic management projects will continue developing the Single European Sky initiative, making air transport more efficient, safer, and more sustainable.
Finally, several projects will expand capacity along the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, which facilitate imports and exports between Ukraine and the EU. These projects include improvements to road transport infrastructure at border crossing points between Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania; increasing capacity on the Hungary-Ukraine rail border crossing; constructing a new section of road in Poland extending to the bo