Toelichting bij COM(2025)547 - Connecting Europe Facility for the period 2028-2034 - Hoofdinhoud
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| dossier | COM(2025)547 - Connecting Europe Facility for the period 2028-2034. |
|---|---|
| bron | COM(2025)547  |
| datum | 16-07-2025 |
1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
On 16 July 2025, the Commission adopted a proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework for the period post-2027, including a financial envelope of EUR 81 428 000 000 for the ‘Connecting Europe Facility’ (CEF) for investments in trans-European networks for transport and energy infrastructure, including military mobility and renewable energy projects. This proposal aims to set the legal basis for CEF for the period 2028-2034.
• Reasons and objectives
To achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, the EU needs an up-to-date, high-performance and resilient infrastructure to help connect and integrate the transport and energy sectors throughout the EU and all its regions. These connections are key for the free movement of persons, goods, capital and services.
Inhoudsopgave
·facilitate cross-border connections;
·ensure the EU’s security;
·increase the competitiveness of Europe’s social market economy;
·contribute to combating climate change; and
·lift isolation and foster greater economic, social and territorial cohesion.
High-capacity trans-European networks are also needed to increase the EU’s resilience and military preparedness.
Seamless connections for transport and energy throughout Europe will contribute to the success of the single market. They will provide tangible benefits to all European citizens and businesses, by making it more efficient and sustainable for them to travel, ship goods, and access secure, affordable and decarbonised energy.
For this purpose, the CEF supports investments, both in transport and energy infrastructure through the development of the trans-European networks and in cross-border renewable energy projects. In light of increasing risks linked to natural and technological hazards, evolving security threats, and other disruptions, it is essential to ensure that investments under the CEF are risk-informed and disaster resilient, in line with the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy.
The CEF focuses on projects of highest added value for the EU and catalyses investments in projects with a cross-border impact and European-wide interoperable systems, which must continued to be funded after 2027. By providing support to cross-border projects directly at EU level, the CEF helps overcome coordination problems that arise from the multi-jurisdictional nature of the projects. With its efficient modus operandi, the CEF addresses market failures and helps leverage further investment and funding from other sources, such as national budgets, national energy tariff systems and the private sector, using the full range of tools available under the Financial Regulation.
For transport, the CEF aims to contribute to the completion of the trans-European transport network (‘TEN-T’), with the focus on completing the core and extended core network by 2030 and 2040. The development of a European wide multimodal transport network is a key condition for growth and sustainability in Europe – from the entry points which are the ports to the basic land connections needed for the single market and the connectivity of regions. In this context, the CEF will in particular concentrate on infrastructure projects with a strong cross-border dimension, such as the Rail Baltica project, the Brenner Base Tunnel, the Seine-Escaut inland waterway, Brno-Bratislava, Thessaloniki-Bucharest or the development of hinterland connections of TEN-T ports.
In close coordination with the European Competitiveness Fund and the National and Regional Partnership Plans, the CEF also supports interoperable, safe and smart mobility on the TEN-T network (for example by deploying European traffic management systems such as the European Rail Traffic Management System or the River Information Services for inland waterways), or where appropriate, by ensuring their interconnection through interoperability, standards or user terminals, to the EU space systems such as Galileo, EGNOS and the IRIS², for positioning, navigation and timing and for secure connectivity respectively, and helps the EU transition towards sustainable, decarbonised mobility (for example by providing for onshore power supply for vessels in TEN-T ports).
The CEF can also invest in cross-border connections with third countries implementing the extension of TEN-T corridors to candidate countries. For example, this has been done in the period 2021-2027 for the connections to Ukraine and Moldova, improving the functioning of the Solidarity Lanes, and starting preparatory works to align the rail gauge in these two countries to the EU standard. While this was justified due to the crisis following the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, and in anticipation of their closer integration into the EU market, such investments divert away resources from projects on the territory of Union.
If the TENT-T cross-border projects are not completed, the increase in travel time and travel costs of people and goods will lead to economic losses stemming from reduced total productivity and slower growth of intra-EU trade. This will amount to a reduction in GDP of -0.4% in 2030 and of -0.8% in 2050 relative to a scenario in which the TEN-T cross-border projects are completed. Employment in the Member States would also decrease by -0.08% in 2030 and by -0.13% in 2050 relative to the baseline 1 .
The CEF should also provide EU funding for implementing dual-use civilian-military transport projects to enable seamless military mobility throughout the EU. The current transport infrastructure in the EU (including the TEN-T) does not allow for largescale movements of troops and heavy equipment and material at short notice. This is essential for European security and defence, as is recognised in the ‘Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030’ adopted on 19 March 2025. CEF also contributes to the overall goal of the “European Preparedness Union Strategy” to create a secure and resilient Union that aims at preserving the vital functions of the society in all circumstances.
The EU has identified four priority multimodal military mobility corridors covering rail, road, rivers, sea and air, that need substantial and urgent investments to facilitate the movement of troops and military equipment. These include widening railway tunnels, reinforcing road and railway bridges, and expanding port and airport terminals. Together with Member States and the military community priority investments have been identified to remove the most urgent bottlenecks(‘hotspots’).
As an essential tool to complete the Energy Union, the CEF will provide funding to two types of cross-border energy projects:
·energy infrastructure projects in the electricity, hydrogen and carbon dioxide transport sectors that have a significant cross-border impact and have been awarded the status of a project of common interest (PCI) or project of mutual interest (PMI) under the TEN-E Regulation;
·cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy that are based on a cooperation agreement between Member States under the Renewable Energy Directive.
These projects are key to (i) improving the security of energy supply in the EU and in neighbouring third countries; (ii) decarbonising the energy system; (iii) facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources, onshore and offshore; (iv) better integrating energy markets; and (v) giving households and businesses in Europe access to affordable energy; thus contributing to the competitiveness of the European economy and the prosperity of people.
In its conclusions on “Advancing Sustainable Electricity Grid Infrastructure”, as approved by the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council on 30 May 2024, the Council acknowledged “the unprecedented investment needs in electricity networks at both transmission and distribution level in order to ensure a highly interconnected, integrated and synchronised European power system”, invited the Commission “to look for ways to increase overall investments for electricity grid infrastructure” and stressed “the need for a robust CEF in order to adequately respond to and support the increased investment needs in onshore and offshore grid development projects”.
• Consistency with existing policy provisions
The CEF’s overarching objective is to support the achievement of the EU policy objectives in the transport and energy sectors for the trans-European networks and cross-border cooperation on renewable energy, by enabling or accelerating investments in projects of common interest and projects of mutual interest, and by supporting cross-border cooperation on renewable energy generation.
In the transport sector, the CEF contributes to the EU’s long-term objectives for the completion of the TEN-T core network by 2030 2 , the completion of the extended core network by 2040, and where relevant, progress towards the completion of the TEN-T comprehensive network by 2050 through preparatory studies. In particular for the completion of the core network, the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) will thus be decisive.
CEF-funded investments also support the transition towards clean, interoperable and multimodal mobility. The CEF is also helping to develop a European high-speed rail network aimed at connecting EU capitals (including through night trains), and to accelerate rail freight.
In the energy sector, the CEF complements the Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) framework and the selection of PCIs and PMIs. Under the TEN-E Regulation, the following three-step logic applies to investments in these PCIs and PMIs. First, the market should have the priority to invest. Second, if investments are not made by the market, regulatory solutions should be explored, and the relevant regulatory framework should be adjusted if necessary. Third, where the first two steps are not sufficient to deliver the necessary investments in PCIs, CEF grants may be awarded to eligible PCIs as a last-resort option. The CEF also complements the cooperation mechanisms set out by the Renewable Energy Directive such as statistical transfers, joint projects or joint support schemes.
• Consistency with other Union policies
Transport and energy infrastructure and energy generation will be supported to various degrees by different EU financial programmes and instruments, including the CEF, the National and Regional Partnership Plans, the European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe as well as Global Europe.
It is important to make the most efficient use of the various EU financing programmes and instruments and thus maximise the complementarity and added value of investments supported by the EU. This should be achieved via the new structure of the MFF, by maintaining consistency across relevant EU programmes, avoiding overlaps, and focusing on investments with high EU added value.
In this context, the CEF should focus on supporting (i) projects with a cross border dimension on the TEN-T and TEN-E networks, (ii) projects for seamless military mobility across the EU, and (iii) projects in the field of renewable energy cooperation. Investments in the TEN-T network under the National and Regional Partnership Plans should complement investments under the CEF.
The extension of the TEN-T corridors to candidate countries and transport and energy infrastructure in third countries should be supported in close coordination with Global Europe.
A strong co-creation process between R&I and CEF will be pursued in particular for the decarbonisation of all transport modes, but also for energy. Horizon Europe will continue to support Research and Innovation in transport and energy. The European Competitiveness Fund will cover the scale-up and deployment of cutting-edge innovative solutions for the decarbonisation, digitalisation, sustainability and resilience of transport and energy (e.g. new generation of European Air Traffic Management system supported by AI and cloud technologies, civilian-military dual-use and zero-emission ferry of the future). In particular, it should identify the best mix of private and public capital for such investments.
The CEF’s actions should be used to address market failures or sub-optimal investment situations, in a proportionate manner, without duplicating or crowding out private financing and should have a clear EU added value. In this respect, the CEF and Savings and Investments Union 3 measures can be mutually supportive, as public funding can be effective to de-risk large infrastructure projects and attract private investments in the EU, creating significant leverage effect. At the same time, the growing availability of efficient collective investment vehicles, like the European Long-term Investment Funds (ELTIFs), can efficiently catalyse long-term investments by institutional and other private investors towards infrastructure projects, thereby complementing and amplifying the funding available from CEF. This will also ensure consistency between the actions under the programme and EU State aid rules, including multi-country projects such as Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), avoiding undue distortions of competition in the single market.
The Union transport and energy objectives must be achieved in way that ensures competitiveness, economic growth, cohesion and security, in consistency with climate and environmental policies. Investments should support climate neutrality by 2050, avoid biodiversity loss, and reduce or eliminate pollution, in line with EU policy and legislation. Where appropriate, nature-based solutions could be integrated into projects, as they can often enhance climate resilience while being cost-effective, and providing benefits to society.
2. LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY
• Legal basis
Trans-European networks are covered under Article 170 TFEU, which specifies: ‘The Union shall contribute to the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the areas of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructures’.
The right for the EU to act in the field of infrastructure financing is set out in Article 171 TFEU which provides that the Union ‘may support projects of common interest supported by Member States, (…) particularly through feasibility studies, loan guarantees or interest-rate subsidies’.
Article 172 TFEU specifies that ‘“'the guidelines and other measures referred to in Article 171 (1) shall be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and after consulting the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.’”
Cross-border cooperation in the field of renewable energy is covered by Article 194(1) TFEU, which provides that, ‘“[i]n the context of the establishment and functioning of the internal market and with regard for the need to preserve and improve the environment, Union policy on energy shall aim, in a spirit of solidarity between Member States, to: (a) ensure the functioning of the energy market; (b) ensure security of energy supply in the Union; [and] (c) promote energy efficiency and energy saving and the development of new and renewable forms of energy’”.
For that purpose, as specified in Article 194(2) TFEU, ‘the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall establish the measures necessary to achieve the objectives in Article 194(1).’
• Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)
The scale and the type of the problems targeted by the CEF specifically require EU action since they are by nature EU-wide and can be more efficiently resolved at EU level, leading to overall greater benefits, more accelerated implementation and reduction of costs if the Commission coordinates Member States’ actions.
EU funding is also the appropriate means to address the financing challenges that cross-border projects typically face. The unequal distribution of project benefits and project costs between the different Member States concerned makes it more difficult to finance these projects from national funding sources alone.
• Proportionality
The proposal complies with the proportionality principle and falls within the scope for action in the field of the trans-European networks, as defined in Article 170 TFEU, and Article 194 TFEU for cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy. The action envisaged by this proposal is specifically limited to the EU dimension of transport and energy infrastructure and cross-border deployment of renewable energy sources.
• Choice of the instrument
The legislative instrument and the type of measure (i.e. funding) are both set out in the TFEU, which provides the legal basis for the CEF, and states that the tasks, priority objectives and the organisation of the trans-European networks may be set out in Regulations.
3. RESULTS OF RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
• Retrospective evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation
The ex post evaluation of CEF 2014-2020 and the interim evaluation of CEF 2021-2027 are being conducted in parallel and work is well advanced.
For the CEF 2014-2020, in the transport sector all grant agreements have ended at the end of 2024 and projects are in the process of closing. So far, more than half of the projects have been closed. Those have an absorption rate of 91.3% of the allocated budget, compared to the amount of the latest grant agreement in force. Given this high absorption rate, a very large part of the closed projects achieved their objectives as laid out in the grant agreement (for example: progress on the implementation of cross-border sections, deployment of ERTMS, improved hinterland connections for ports, improved inland waterways, etc.).
For the CEF 2014-2020 in the energy sector, the portfolio consisted of 149 actions, of which 141 actions have already been finalised. Some 8 actions, including large construction projects in the electricity sector are ongoing. The overall financial progress of the entire CEF-1 portfolio at the end of 2024 was 58%.
Most of the transport budget and the larger share of the energy budget for the current CEF 2021-2027, has been allocated to projects. The CEF Transport military mobility budget (EUR 1.7 billion) was frontloaded after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is fully allocated. The last funds were allocated in the beginning of 2024, leaving no resources for the four remaining years of the current MFF. By the end of 2024, a few projects were finalised (e.g. alternative fuels infrastructure, safe and secure parking areas). Under CEF Energy, some 166 PCIs and PMIs were selected under the first PCI/PMI list, out of which 41 were awarded funding in the 2024 call, demonstrating the significant funding needs for cross-border energy infrastructure.
Given that investment in infrastructure is a long-term process it is too early to measure results of the CEF 2021-2027. The CEF has secured EUR 1.5 billion in non-reimbursable grant support, enhancing EU-Ukraine cross-border connectivity and increased capacities via the Solidarity Lanes and TEN-T corridors.
The preliminary findings of both CEF evaluations confirm that the programme has performed well to date. The design of the instrument is appropriate to address a historic lack of funding into cross-border infrastructure with high EU added value by ringfencing funding for these projects into a dedicated instrument. It is consistent with other EU funding instruments and policies, particularly on decarbonisation and environmental sustainability. Its governance model (using competitive calls for proposals and direct management of funds through a centralised agency) is well-suited to address the programme’s needs and provide a level playing field for applicants.
CEF funding is consistently deemed indispensable, enabling crucial transport projects that would otherwise face significant delays, reduced scope, or not be carried out at all due to insufficient national or private funding. Beyond direct financial support, the CEF also provides significant leverage, attracting additional public and private capital and acting as a strategic anchor for investment.
The latest indication from the number and value of actions funded by topic and subprogramme, as well as from the Programme Performance Statement for CEF 2021-2027, is that the CEF is also on track to achieve most of its output targets, with a strong performance in meeting expected outputs. While the full results and impacts will take time to materialise, the programme’s current trajectory suggests positive outcomes in line with its objectives.
As provided under Article 22 i of Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 establishing the CEF 4 and currently in force, the Commission will publish a progress report in autumn this year on the implementation of the programme from 2021 to 2024. It will present for each sector: the different calls for proposals, the main areas of investment and how CEF was able to react to recent crises.
• Stakeholder consultations
A series of public consultations covering the entire spectrum of future EU funding was launched on 12 February and remained open until 6 May 2025. One consultation covered EU funds implemented with Member States and regions and covered trans-European networks, cohesion policy, common agricultural policy, fisheries policy, maritime policy and home affairs.
On trans-European networks, stakeholders underline the critical importance of maintaining a dedicated EU-level instrument for transport infrastructure, (such as CEF), separate from national investment envelopes.
Public authorities from Central and Eastern Europe advocate for dedicated EU support to upgrade and expand key TEN-T corridors, citing delays in electrification, bottlenecks in freight capacity, and gaps in multimodal connectivity. For example, Polish and Romanian respondents point to the need for better east-west links and interoperable signalling systems to improve cross-border mobility.
In the energy domain, stakeholders highlight several persistent challenges that undermine the effectiveness and inclusiveness of EU support for energy infrastructure. Public authorities from Romania, Poland, Germany, and Spain stress that outdated grid infrastructure, especially in rural and coal-dependent areas, acts as a bottleneck for deploying renewable energy. These regions often lack sufficient transmission capacity or face delays in grid modernisation, leading to stalled projects and missed climate targets. Regional and municipal actors, particularly from Finland and the Baltic states, raise concerns about the slow progress of cross-border interconnectors and fragmented planning between national and EU levels. This is seen as weakening the resilience and interoperability of the European energy system, particularly in the context of geopolitical tensions.
From March to May 2025, the Commission organised a European Citizens' Panel on a New European Budget as a way for citizens to engage with EU institutions and have their say on the EU policymaking process. The event included three sessions gathering 150 randomly selected citizens, including an in-person session from 28-30 March, a second online session (April 25-27), and a third and final session in Brussels (May 16-18). The participants, coming from all 27 EU countries and representing the EU’s diversity, reflected on where the EU Budget could bring the most added-value to Europeans and also highlighted the importance of cross-border infrastructure, notably in transport. A considerable number of Member States were asking for additional budget for military mobility during the mid-term review of the current MFF in 2024, because of the exhausted CEF envelope. Many Member States also regularly call for military mobility to be set as a priority for EU investments in transport infrastructure, considering the overall geopolitical context and evolving security developments in Council meetings and in formats related to security and defence.
• Impact assessment
The proposal is supported by the impact assessment nationally pre-allocated envelopes within the post-2027 MFF, submitted to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board on 7 July 20205. The Board issued its opinion on 10 July.
The impact assessment focused on the design and scope of National and Regional Partnership Plans to implement future nationally pre-allocated envelopes. For investments in trans-European transport (including military mobility), energy infrastructure and cross-border cooperation in renewable energy, it assessed two options for financing cross-border projects: implementation under nationally pre-allocated envelopes or a dedicated instrument for cross-border projects.
The impact assessment compared experience gathered from implementing cross-border projects under current national and regional plans (e.g. cohesion policy, the Recovery and Resilience Facility) and experience within the CEF. It also assessed the administrative burden for Member States’ authorities and project promoters for both options and discussed the optimal use of EU funds.
The impact assessment concluded that directly-managed EU support would ensure the predictability and stability needed by complex cross-border projects. Allocating grants through a competitive and phased approach would make it possible to focus on the most mature projects.
Closer links between EU funding and policy priorities of the national plans would enhance their cross-border dimension. However, implementing cross-border infrastructure projects through the plans would be more complex and costly for both Member States’ authorities and project promoters. For the Member States to align their investment agendas with those of neighbouring countries would be a lengthy process, both during the initial plan negotiations and if there are any amendments. For example, Germany would have to coordinate its national plan with eight neighbouring Member States; Hungary with five. In cases where the process is delayed in one or more Member States, this could cause knock-on delays. The Commission could support these coordination efforts (both during the negotiations and through the provision of technical assistance via the plans), but the burden for Member States’ authorities would remain significant. This could also significantly increase the administrative burden for project promoters, who would need to implement their cross-border projects under several national plans and report within separate reporting and audit schemes (one per Member State).
However, the impact assessment underscored that the National and Regional Partnership Plans could cater for complementary investments for cross-border sections and for projects of high EU relevance. These could include sections of national interest on the trans-European networks and certain energy projects, such as national grid reinforcements that support cross-border interconnections. Since these projects would be carried out within the territory of a single Member State, their implementation would not entail the additional costs mentioned above for cross-border projects involving more than one Member State. Allocations for these projects could also be very relevant when combined with EU funding as part of centrally-managed, cross-border, renewable energy auctions (auction-as-a-service model).
Directly managed EU support would ensure the predictability and stability needed by complex cross-border projects. Awarding funding directly at EU level would make it possible to maintain the long-term political commitment to strategic projects, to create sufficient certainty, predictability and stability for other investors. Direct management would also facilitate a coordinated implementation of military mobility projects to facilitate the seamless and rapid transport of troops and military equipment across the EU.
Allocating grants in a competitive and phased approach under direct management would ensure predictability of funding and make it possible to focus on the most mature (phases of) projects. Furthermore, if there are significant delays during implementation or if project costs are lower than initially anticipated (for instance through successful public procurement procedures), any amounts not used by beneficiaries could be re-allocated to other projects. The ‘use it or lose it’ principle of the CEF has ensured that funds are optimised within the programme and are reallocated to other projects offering the best EU added value. For CEF 2014-2020, the ‘use it or lose it’ approach will make it possible to increase programme absorption from about 80% to 90% based on current estimates.
Direct management of complex cross-border projects would also reduce administrative costs for Member States’ authorities. Economies of scale under a cost-based delivery model help keep the overall cost of direct management low. This is confirmed by the high productivity ratio with each full-time equivalent staff member handling an average budget of EUR 25 million per year. This covers the entire lifecycle of programme management from the publication of the call until audit, including feedback to policy and reporting. The direct management of cross-border projects in transport and energy is cost-efficient and represents 0.39% of the EU funds over the 2021-2027 period, including all coordination and management costs incurred in the Commission.
Having a separate instrument would however require efforts to ensure consistency with the transport and energy investments that would be included in the plans.
The Commission proposal reflects the benefits of a dedicated instrument for cross-border projects identified in the impact assessment.
• Simplification
The Commission's global simplification efforts under the post-MFF 2027 will also apply to the CEF programme delivery.
The CEF is designed to reduce overlaps and complexity. For transport and energy infrastructure, the CEF will thus focus on projects with a clear cross-border dimension that are complementary to investments under the National and Regional Partnership Plans.
The rules of the National and Regional Partnership Plans and CEF are aligned as much as possible. Clear delimitation between CEF and National and Regional Partnership Plans and alignment of rules will reduce the current complexities of the EU funding landscape and benefit both Member State authorities and beneficiaries.
For further simplification, the CEF will rely, where appropriate, on simplified cost options (lump sums, unit costs) when allocating grants. The regulation will also provide for a further simplified legal framework for the CEF through the possibility to move provisions and conditions to work programmes.
Regulation (EU) [XXX]* of the European Parliament and of the Council [Performance Regulation] proposed as part of the MFF for the period post-2027 aims to reduce the inconsistency and complexity of monitoring and reporting requirements. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements will not be individually set for every financing instrument such as the CEF, but simplified and streamlined throughout the whole MFF, including for information, communication and visibility.
4. BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS
The Commission’s proposal for the CEF includes the following amount: EUR 81 428 000 000 (in current prices).
Based on the positive experience from the implementation of the previous CEF programmes, the Commission proposes to continue the implementation of the new programme, for both CEF sectors, with direct management by the Commission and an executive agency.
As detailed in the Legislative Financial and Digital Statement, the proposed budget will cover all the necessary operational expenditure for the implementation of the CEF programme, plus the cost of human resources and other administrative expenditure in connection with the management of the programme.
5. OTHER ELEMENTS
• Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal
Article 1 – Subject matter
This article introduces the subject matter of the Regulation, which is to establish the Connecting Europe Facility programme.
Article 2 – Definitions
This article sets out the definitions relating to the Regulation.
Article 3 – Programme objectives
This article sets out the general objective of the programme and the specific objectives for each sector.
Article 4 – Budget
This article sets outs the indicative financial allocation for the programme.
The article includes a provision to cover all the necessary expenses pertaining to preparatory, monitoring, control, audit, evaluation and other activities; necessary studies, meetings of experts, corporate IT tools and any other technical and administrative assistance needed in connection with the management of the programme.
Article 5 – Additional resources
This article sets the conditions for the additional financial contributions to the programme.
Article 6 – Alternative, combined and cumulative funding
This article ensures that an action that has received a contribution under the programme may also receive a contribution from any other EU programme, if the contributions do not cover the same costs.
Article 7 – Third Countries associated to the programme
This article sets the conditions under which third countries may participate in the programme.
Article 8 – Implementation and forms of Union funding
This article sets out the management mode of CEF as direct management. All forms of funding and financial support envisaged under the Financial Regulation can be used. Support to Financial Instruments or budgetary guarantees shall be channelled through the ECF (European Competitiveness Fund) investment instrument or the GE (Global Europe ) delivery mechanism.
Article 9 – Eligibility
This article sets out the criteria for persons and entities to be eligible for the programme.
Article 10 –Complementary rules of grants
This article sets out the conditions for reduction, suspension, termination or transfer of the grants to ensure sound financial management and to mitigate the risks linked with significant delays that can occur in the case of major infrastructure projects. It provides that grants may be reduced or terminated if the action for which the grant was made has not started within one year following the starting date indicated in the grant agreement or if a review of the progress of the action finds that the implementation of the action has suffered such major delays that the objectives of the action are likely not to be achieved. The article provides for simplifications of grant agreements relating to a global project.
This article also sets the maximum co-financing rates applicable to each sector.
Article 11 – Cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy
This article sets out the objectives and conditions for cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy. It provides general criteria and procedural requirements to select these projects and empowers the Commission to lay down specific criteria and the details of the process for such projects by means of a delegated act. This article also provides for a possibility to transfer funds towards the Union renewable energy financing mechanism set up under Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.
Article 12 – Work programme
This article provides that the programme will be implemented by work programmes referred to in the Article 110 of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.
Article 13 – Delegated acts
This article allows the Commission to adopt delegated acts relating to the annex to this Regulation.
Article 14 – Exercise of the delegation
This article contains standard provisions on the delegation of powers.
Article 15 – Committee procedure
This article covers the CEF committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. It specifies that the advisory procedure set out in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 will apply.
Article 16 – Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2024/1679
This article provides for an amendment to Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. The aim is to shift the legal base of the Commission Implementing Act on dual-use infrastructure standards currently provided for in the CEF Regulation (Article 12(2) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1679). For this implementing act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 laying down the infrastructure standards for the TEN-T network is a more appropriate legal base than a CEF spending programme. However, the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 will continue to apply until the Commission adopts a new implementing act in accordance with Article 48.3 of the Regulation (EU) 2024/1679.
Article 17 – Repeal
This article repeals the previous CEF Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 2021/1153).
Article 18 – Transitional provisions
This article provides for the transitional provisions relating to the CEF actions and to the technical and administrative assistance.
Article 19 – Entry into force and application
This article states that the Regulation shall apply from 1 January 2028.
Annex