In order to support the economic recovery in all Member States, on 16 July 2020 the Commission decided to invest almost €2.2 billion into 140 key transport projects selected for funding via two competitive calls for proposals launched in October 2019 and November 2019.

The new projects, which will receive funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in the form of grants, with different co-financing rates depending on the project type, will help build the missing transport links across the continent, support sustainable transport and create jobs, fulfilling the objectives set out in theEuropean Green Deal.

More particularly, among the projects approved i) 55 concern the rail infrastructurelocated on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), for a total investment of €1.6 billion, ii) 19 support the shift to greener fuels for transport, for example byconverting vessels so they may run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as well as installing corresponding infrastructure in ports, and iii) 9 will contribute to an interoperable railway system in the Union and the seamless operation of trains across the continent through the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). Furthermore, alternative fuelsinfrastructures will be deployed, namely through the installation of approximately 17.000 charging points on the road network.

Once the selected projects will be approved by Member States, the Commission will adopt the formal financing decisions, and thereafter the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) will sign the grant agreements with the beneficiaries at the latest by January 2021.

Marco Stillo