Skip to main content

EU releases first transport infrastructure funds

Following its decision in March to make the first US$16.4 billion tranche of funding available for trans-European transport network projects, the European commission has now adopted the first work programmes within this framework: a multi-annual work programme covering larger projects with a total budget of US$15.1 billion and an annual work programme for 2014 addressing smaller projects with a budget of US1.3 billion. The funding priorities set out in these programmes include: The closing of missing lin
April 8, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
Following its decision in March to make the first US$16.4 billion tranche of funding available for trans-European transport network projects, the 1690 European Commission has now adopted the first work programmes within this framework: a multi-annual work programme covering larger projects with a total budget of US$15.1 billion and an annual work programme for 2014 addressing smaller projects with a budget of US1.3 billion.

The funding priorities set out in these programmes include: The closing of missing links at border-crossing points between member states and the removal of major bottlenecks, in particular along the nine corridors of the TEN-T core network; The promotion of interoperability to overcome technological barriers at national borders, notably in the rail sector; The strengthening of multi-modality in order to facilitate seamless transport chains for passengers and freight (including freight transport services), as well as the full integration of urban nodes into the network and notably in the core network corridors; The stimulation of innovative approaches in line with future technological trends (also covering the indispensable "communication" between infrastructure and vehicles, between hardware and software); The strong emphasis on EU transport policy and legislation, in fields such as railway policy or maritime policy, "clean power for transport", urban mobility, safety and telematics applications for all transport modes; and the opening of funding possibilities for third countries, notably for cross-border projects and participation in major European projects such as SESAR, intelligent transport services, river information services or motorways of the sea.

The budget will boost key projects of the nine core network corridors and help advancing transport policy objectives such as the achievement of interoperability, the promotion of inter-modality and the stimulation of innovation. It is vital for bridging the gap between the East and the West of the Union.

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which governs EU funding for infrastructure projects in the fields of transport, telecommunication and energy during the period 2014–2020, foresees an allocation of US$35.7 billion for transport infrastructure out of which US$15.5 billion is earmarked for projects in member states which are eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund. Funding will be concentrated on priorities which have been set out in the Union Guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and further specified in the CEF Regulation.

Calls for project proposals will be published by 1 September 2014.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US pledges £250m aid to transit jobs
    June 23, 2021
    Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg is allocating funds to projects in 31 US states
  • Need for harmonisation in ITS standards
    February 1, 2012
    As the calendar rolls over, and we hop from continent to continent and World Congress to World Congress, where Memoranda of Understanding and cooperation agreements are the headline news, it is easy for those not intimately involved to forget that standards definition is a well-nigh continual process. Significant progress has been made in recent months towards achieving the critical mass and economies of scale which are going to drive development and deployment in, amongst other things, cooperative infrastr
  • Success of first eCall tests in Greece
    October 2, 2012
    Greece has successfully completed the first tests of its automatic emergency call system, eCall, within the framework of the eCall pilot national research project, a European initiative intended to bring rapid assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the European Union. eCall uses a device installed in vehicles that will automatically dial 112 (the pre-assigned European emergency number) in the event of a road accident and wirelessly send airbag deployment, impact sensor information and G
  • Pilot scheme tests automatic emergency call system
    March 14, 2012
    Development of the European eCall system is now at a stage of national systems testing. Ertico’s project manager for the HeERO pilot scheme Andy Rooke has given ITS International the lowdown on progress towards pan-European eCall services. Live testing is now under way in the nine countries participating in the European Commission’s HeERO project – a three year pilot scheme preparing the way for full deployment of Europe’s eCall automatic emergency call system.