The European Commission has chosen 94 transport projects to receive nearly EUR2.8 billion ($3.3 billion) in EU grants through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). By modernizing railways, inland waterways, and maritime routes across the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), these initiatives will not only enhance connectivity between European regions and cities—north to south, east to west—but also strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of the EU’s internal market.
Rail transport is set to receive the largest share of the funding—77 percent of the total—with investments aimed at significant infrastructure upgrades across the TEN-T core and extended networks, particularly in cohesion countries. This encompasses the construction of Rail Baltica in the Baltic region and Poland, along with enhancements in Greece and Slovakia. Moreover, high-speed rail lines will be developed in Czechia and Poland.
Boosting interoperability across borders
Additionally, 46 projects across 11 Member States—including Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Sweden—will implement the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on trains and tracks, thereby improving rail safety and interoperability across borders.
The CEF Transport program for 2021-2027 boasts a total budget of EUR25.8 billion. This funding is available for projects in all EU Member States, as well as in Ukraine and Moldova—two CEF associated countries. With the current selection, 95 percent of this budget has already been allocated.
Since its inception in 2014, the Connecting Europe Facility has supported 1,861 projects (including the current selection of 94 projects) with a total of EUR47.34 billion in the transport sector.
