The EU wants to make sure its flagship programme Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) will continue to fund key projects in the areas of transport, digital and energy beyond 2020. Today, the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee confirmed the common understanding reached by the Romanian presidency and the European Parliament on a proposal to launch the second edition of the programme, to run from 2021 to 2027.
The common understanding covers all provisions of the regulation apart from financial and horizontal issues, which are discussed as part of the negotiations on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF), covering the period 2021 to 2027.
In the field of transport, the CEF will promote interoperable and multimodal networks for the development and modernisation of railway, road, inland waterway and maritime infrastructure as well as safe and secure mobility. Priority will be given to further development of the trans-European transport networks (TEN-T), focusing on cross-border projects with an EU added value. CEF 2.0 will also ensure that when infrastructure is adapted to improve military mobility within the Union, it is dual-use compatible, meeting both civilian and military needs.