On 11 March 2021, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the second edition of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the European programme which, with a budget of approximately €33.7 billion within the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027, will support investment in Europe’s transport, energy and digital infrastructure networks in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal and of the so-called “Digital Decade”.

More particularly, with regard to the transport sector the CEF will promote interconnected and multimodal networks to develop and modernise railway, road, inland waterway and maritime infrastructure, prioritizing the further development of the Trans-European transport network (TEN-T) and ensuring that, when infrastructure is adapted to improve military mobilitywithin the Union, it is dual-use compatible, meeting both civilian and military needs. 

With regard to the energetic sector, instead, the CEF, on the one hand, will contribute to reach an efficient and competitive market, enhancing interoperability of energy networks across borders and sectors as well as facilitating decarbonisation and stakeholders’ cooperation and, on the other hand, will devolve funding for cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy generation. 

Finally, with regard to the digital sector the CEF will contribute to the development and deployment of innovative, secure and sustainable cross-border digital infrastructures enabling digital networks and services to flourish, equipping major transport paths with high-speed connectivity in order for citizens to enjoy more efficient services.

The agreement will be submitted to the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) for endorsement and will then, once formally adopted by both the Council and the Parliament, enter into force the day after its publication in the EU Official Journal, retroactively applying from 1 January 2021.

Marco Stillo