The EU aims to build a modern integrated transport system that strengthens the EU's global competitiveness and is able to meet the challenges linked to sustainable, smart and inclusive growth. The first step towards that goal is ensuring a well-functioning infrastructure that can transport people and goods efficiently, safely and sustainably. In 2017, the EU's physical infrastructure counts over 217,000 km of railways, 77,000 km of motorways, 42,000 km of inland waterways, 329 key seaports and 325 airports.
Through the Trans-European Transport Network policy, the EU aims to build an effective EU-wide transport infrastructure network. EU funding programmes and initiatives make available financial support to projects implementing the TEN-T:
- Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – financial support for strategic investment in transport, energy and digital infrastructure.
- European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) – supports investment in key sectors through financial guarantees.
- Horizon 2020 - provides funding for research and development projects with the aim of transferring great ideas from the lab to the market.
- European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) , including notably:
- Cohesion Fund (CF) – supports projects reducing economic and social disparities and promoting sustainable development in 15 cohesion Member States.
- European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions.
Connecting Europe Express
As part of the European Year of Rail, a special EU train criss-crossed the continent from 2 September to 7 October 2021, stopping in over 200 towns and cities along the TEN-T network: The Connecting Europe Express! Find out all about it here.
News
The European Commission has selected 24 projects to receive EU funding to set up alternative fuels infrastructure.
The European Commission is launching a call for proposals launched under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport programme which makes available over €5 billion for European transport infrastructure projects.
The European Commission is inviting proposals for cross-border pilot rail services, as pre-announced in its Action Plan to boost long-distance and cross-border passenger rail of December 2021. The invitation was opened yesterday, during the Connection Europe Days in Lyon.
The Commission has selected 135 transport infrastructure projects for EU grants, from 399 project proposals submitted under the CEF
Road transport agreements to secure supply chains were signed yesterday, together with an understanding on updating Ukraine’s indicative TEN-T network to improve infrastructure connections between Ukraine and EU.
Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean is participating in the three-day ConnectingEurope Days in Lyon.