On Wednesday 16 July, as part of its proposal for the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, the European Commission proposed a strengthening of the existing Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) without changing its foundations (see EUROPE 13682/6).
This mechanism for investment in trans-European transport and energy infrastructure networks, including military mobility and renewable energy projects, has been allocated a total budget of €81.43 billion (compared with €33.71 billion for the current financial framework).
Introduced for the first time in 2014, the programme focuses on projects “with a strong cross-border dimension and high EU added value”, which require EU steering to be implemented in a coordinated way between Member States.
Transport. For transport, the proposed expenditure has been doubled to €51.5 billion, compared with €25.81 billion for the 2021–2027 period. €17.65 billion of this budget is earmarked for military mobility, more specifically for adapting certain parts of the TEN-T network (core network of the trans-European transport network) to the requirements of this type of mobility.
“We have multiplied the budget tenfold this time. (...) We had a very small budget of €1.7 billion in the current MFF”, explained a European official, who explained that the aim was to look at the dual use of the TEN-E network, for both civilian and military purposes.
More generally, the ‘Transport’ CEF contributes to the completion of the TEN-T network by 2030 and the extended core network by 2040 “through building and upgrading infrastructure that is required for seamless cross-border transport operations”.
This CEF is already allocating its final funds in 2025, which means that promoters of major infrastructure projects will face a funding shortfall for the remaining years of the current MFF. The European Commission therefore believes that it is “essential to launch the next CEF (...) and to allocate EU funds to beneficiaries quickly”.
Energy. The specific objectives linked to the energy sector have been allocated €29.91 billion (compared with €5.84 billion previously).
This fivefold increase “will stimulate massive investment in energy infrastructure. (...) We will have more and better electricity grids, interconnections, energy storage and infrastructure for hydrogen”, welcomed the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen.
The ‘Energy’ CEF contributes to projects of common and mutual interest in favour of the completion of the Energy Union and the integration of an efficient internal energy market.
It also focuses on cross-border cooperation in the field of renewable energy, with a selection of cross-border projects carried out each year by the Commission.
An attached document contains an indicative list of 54 projects of common interest that have a cross-border dimension.
To consult the documents: https://aeur.eu/f/hx3 (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)