The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has announced a call for applications for 2024 as part of the “The Connecting Europe Facility” (CEF Transport) programme. The allocated €2.5 billion will fund projects aimed at expanding and modernising the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
The projects selected for funding by the EU will focus on making transport across the TEN-T more sustainable, smart, interoperable, and resilient. According to a statement from CINEA, “The CEF Transport programme will continue contributing to the EU’s goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.”
Under the new TEN-T Regulation (Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1679), the CEF Transport 2024 competition covers core, extended, and comprehensive TEN-T networks.
It includes funding for rail, inland waterways, sea and inland ports, road safety initiatives, multimodal cargo terminals, passenger hubs, intelligent transport systems, safe and reliable mobility solutions, and sustainable infrastructure.
“The EU needs an efficient and interconnected multimodal transport system for both passenger and freight transport,” CINEA emphasised. “This involves developing an accessible, reliable, and efficient rail network, improving inland waterway and seaport infrastructure, better integrating different transport modes, and increasing automation and interoperability to enhance the efficiency and safety of the transport network.”
Application process
Applications for the CEF Transport 2024 competition are open to:
- One or more EU member states
- International organisations, public or private institutions established in an EU member state or in countries associated with the CEF, such as Ukraine and Moldova
Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding and Tenders Portal by 5 p.m. CET (Brussels time) on January 21, 2025, according to CINEA.
Competition results
Once the application deadline has passed, the proposals will be reviewed by independent external experts, the European Commission, and CINEA. The results will be communicated to applicants within six months of the deadline.
Grant agreements will be signed with representatives of the successful projects within nine months after the submission deadline.
For those interested in serving as an expert on the Application Evaluation Commission, registration is available through the Participant Portal.
To assist applicants in understanding the submission process, evaluation criteria, and grant award procedures, an online information day on the CEF 2024 Transport Challenge will be held on October 2, 2024.
Photo: Jai79, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons