The European Commission has granted 5.4 billion EUR in funding to 135 infrastructure projects across the European Union (EU) to promote safe, sustainable and efficient future transport.
The projects were selected from 399 proposals submitted under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding programme. This funding aims to promote post-pandemic recovery in EU Member States and enable missing transport links to be constructed across the continent.
The selected infrastructure projects are all within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) that links the EU through a system of roads, railways, inland waterways, shipping routes, ports and airports. The European Commission hopes to complete the TEN-T core network by 2030 and the entire network by 2050.
Director of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), Dirk Beckers said:The European Union is once more investing in the future of its citizens by supporting the creation of a sustainable, green, safe and smart transport system. The projects that we have selected, which cover all modes of transport across Member States, will help boost the EU’s post COVID-19 pandemic recovery by injecting billions into the real economy and guarantee a next generation transport infrastructure for our businesses and citizens.
Several of the funded transport infrastructure projects will boost the European railway network and provide cross-border links and connections to ports and airports. Rail infrastructure projects include the Fehmarn Belt tunnel linking Denmark and Germany, and upgrades to the existing rail-road transhipment terminal in Haniska pri Košicich, Slovakia.
Upgrades to the rail-road trans-shipment terminal will make it easier to move freight between rail and road and adapt the railway gauge so to accommodate trains built for different gauges, including that used in Ukraine.
Additional projects will also digitalise rail operations across Europe through the European Rail Traffic Management System.
EU Commissioner for Transport Adina-Ioana Vălean said:Today we are allocating €5.4 billion to projects across Europe that will improve missing infrastructure links, make transport more sustainable and efficient, increase safety and interoperability, as well as create jobs. These challenging times have reinforced the importance of our EU transport sector and of having a seamless, well connected infrastructure network. In particular projects such as the upgrade of the rail-road transhipment terminal in Haniska pri Košicich will further facilitate our links with Ukraine.
Other funded projects include upgrades to basic port infrastructure and the installation of on-shore power supplies to support European maritime transport and enable ports to help docked ships reduce emissions.
Meanwhile, projects such as the Seine-Scheldt cross-border waterway connection between France and Belgium will improve inland waterway transport, while a pilot of Digital European Sky Demonstrators in green aviation and urban air mobility will support air transport.
In addition, the installation of Intelligent Transport Systems on sections of the road network will improve safety and create secure parking infrastructure for heavy goods vehicles in Spain, Romania, France, Hungary and Italy.
