Connecting Europe Facility

The Connecting Europe Facility shall enable the preparation and implementation of projects of Common interest within the framework of the trans-European networks (TEN) policy in the sectors of energy, transport and telecommunications. In particular the Connecting Europe Facility shall support the implementation of projects aiming at the development and construction of new or upgrading of existing infrastructure in the field of transport, energy and telecommunications.

 

  • Contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth by developing modern and high performing trans-European networks, thus bringing forward benefits for the entire European Union in terms of competitiveness and economic, social and territorial cohesion within the Single Market and creating an environment more conducive to private and public investment through a combination of financial instruments and Union direct support and by exploiting synergies across the sectors. The achievement of this objective will be measured by the volume of public and private investment in projects of common interest, and in particular the volume of public and private investments in projects of common interest realised through the financial instruments under this Regulation.
  • Enable the Union to achieve its targets of a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% increase in energy efficiency and raising the share of renewable energy to 20% up to 2020, while ensuring greater solidarity among Member States.
Status
running
Target Group
Organizations
Activities
Demonstration and investment activities
Subjects
Energy and Natural Resources, Information and Communication Technologies, Transport (including aeronautics)
Source Regions
European Union
Source Countries
-
Eligible Regions
European Union
Eligible Countries
-
Grant Types
Cooperation, collaboration
Funding Bodies
-
Languages
Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish
Support Types
-
Deadline Date
-
Programme
-
Programme Owner
About
-
Services
-
Legal Source
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing the Connecting Europe Facility
Supporting Programme
-
Resources
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/president/news/speeches-statements/pdf/20111019_2_en.pdf
Refering Grants
-
Annual
yes

Focus

Through the DAE, the EU has set itself ambitious targets for high-speed broadband roll-out and take-up by 2020. CEF is devoted to stimulate and support projects of common interest for the deployment and operation of digital service infrastructures.

These projects are to contribute:

  • to improving the competitiveness of the European economy,
  • to promote the interconnection and interoperability of national, regional and local networks, and
  • access to such networks, thus supporting the development of a Digital Single Market.

Duration

2014-2020


Proposal Submission

Supported activities

Transport

  • Removing bottlenecks and bridging missing links, to be measured by the number of new and improved cross-border connections and removed bottlenecks on transport routes which have benefited from CEF;
  • Ensuring sustainable and efficient transport in the long run, to be measured by the length of the conventional railway network in the EU-28 and the length of highspeed railway network in the EU-28;
  • Optimise the integration and interconnection of transport modes and enhancing interoperability of transport services. The achievement of this objective will be measured by the number of ports and airports connected to the railway network.

Energy

  • Promoting the further integration of the internal energy market and the interoperability of electricity and gas networks across borders, including by ensuring that no Member State is isolated from the European network, to be measured by the number of projects effectively interconnecting Member states' networks and removing internal bottlenecks;
  • Enhancing Union security of supply, to be measured by the evolution of system resiliance and security of system operations as well as number of projects allowing diversification of supply sources, supplying counterparts and routes;
  • Contributing to sustainable development and protection of the environment, notably by fostering the integration of energy from renewable sources into the transmission network and developing carbon dioxide networks, to be measured by the transmission of renewable energy from generation to major consumption centers and storage sites, and the sum of CO2 emissions prevented by the construction of the projects which benefited from CEF

Telecommunications networks

  • Accelerating the deployment of fast and ultrafast broadband networks networks and their  ptake, including by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), to be measured by the level of broadband and ultrafast broadband coverage and the number of households having subscribed for broadband connections for above 100 Mbps;
  • Promoting the interconnection and interoperability of national public services online as well as access to such networks, to be measured by the percentage of citizens and businesses using public services on-line and the availability of such services across borders.


Implementation

The Commission shall adopt multiannual and annual work programmes for each sector. Work Programmes shall establish the forms of grants that may be used to fund the actions concerned. Proposals may be submitted by one or several Member States, international organisations, joint undertakings, or public or private undertakings or bodies established in Member States. Funding rates vary according to the area and project type.

Financial support will be distributed mainly through public procurement procedures carried out by the Commission or one of the bodies on its own behalf or jointly with Member States:

  • May provide for specific conditions such as the place of performance of the procured activities, where duly justified by the objectives of the actions and provided such conditions do not infringe public procurement principles;
  • May authorise multiple award of contracts within the same procedure ("multiple sourcing")

Where duly justified and required by the implementation of the actions, apply to procurement procedures carried out by beneficiaries of grants.
The programme will also use financial intruments, grants, such as equity instruments, loans and/or guarantee facilities or other. Actions in third countries may be supported by the financial instruments if it is necessary for the implementation of a project of common interest.


Terms And Conditions
Legal basis: Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility,  Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network,  Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure,  Regulation (EU) No 283/2014 on guidelines for trans-European networks in the area of telecommunications infrastructure
Link: Regulation, Website

Budget

Budget: € 21 936,76 million in current prices

Transport: EUR 14 945 million, out of which EUR 11.3 billion  shall be transferred from the Cohesion Fund to be spent in line with this Regulation in Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund;
Energy: EUR 5 850 million;
Telecommunications: EUR 1  141 million.



Total Funding Amount
-

Selection Criteria


Eligibility

  • One or several Member States, international organisations, joint undertakings, or public or private undertakings or bodies established in Member States.
  • Entities which do not have legal personality under the applicable national law, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf and offer guarantee for the protection of the Union's financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.
  • Where it is needed to achieve the objectives of a given project of common interest, third countries and entities established in third countries may participate in actions contributing to the projects of common interest. They may not receive funding under this Regulation, except where it is indispensable to achieve the objectives of a given project of common interest.
  • The agreement of Member States concerned by the action shall accompany all proposals for grants except in the field of telecommunications and in the field of transport for air traffic management.
  • Multiannual and annual Work Programmes may provide additional provide specific rules on submissions of proposals.

Open To

EU stakeholders.


Notes