The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is aimed at supporting investment in key projects in the areas of transport, digital and energy infrastructure with an overall budget of €33.71 billion.
The budgets for each sector are:
- transport: €25.81 billion (including €11.29 billion for cohesion countries)
- energy: €5.84 billion
- digital: €2.07 billion
Transport
In the transport sector, the programme will promote interconnected and multimodal networks in order to develop and modernise rail, road, inland waterway and maritime infrastructure, as well as ensuring safe and secure mobility. Priority will be given to further development of the trans-European transport networks (TEN-T), focusing on missing links and cross-border projects with an EU added value. €1.56 billion of the transport budget will finance major rail projects between cohesion countries and €1.69 billion will be devoted to ensuring that when infrastructure is adapted to improve military mobility within the EU, it is dual-use compatible, meeting both civilian and military needs.
Energy
In the energy sector, the programme aims to contribute to further integration of the European energy market, improving the interoperability of energy networks across borders and sectors, facilitating decarbonisation, and ensuring security of supply. Funding will also be available for cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy generation. When defining award criteria, consistency with EU and national energy and climate plans, including the principle of ‘energy efficiency first’, will be taken into account.
Digital
In the digital sector, the programme supports and catalyses investments in digital connectivity infrastructures of common European interest. The digital strand of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF-Digital) is part of the second generation of the Connecting Europe Facility. CEF-Digital aims to leverage public and private investments in digital connectivity infrastructures of common European interest.
CEF 2021-2027 emphasises synergies between the transport, energy and digital sectors and promotes cross-sectoral work in areas such as connected and automated mobility and alternative fuels.
More information about CEF programme can be found here.
