Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)

Can your company contribute to developing or modernising transport, energy, or digital networks across Europe? You may be eligible for a European subsidy under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

CEF Transport

CEF Transport aims to support investments in order to develop and modernise roads, railroads, inland waterways. and maritime infrastructure across Europe. In the Netherlands CEF Transport is carried out under the flag of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

You can find more information in Dutch regarding (the Dutch part of) the Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) on the Netherlands Enterprise Agency's website.

When do you qualify for CEF Transport?

Your project should focus on at least one of these themes:

• bridging missing links in the TEN-T
• solving existing infrastructural bottlenecks
• improving the connections of railways and transport services within the member states
• improving cross-border infrastructure
• improving transport systems and making them sustainable
• helping reduce carbon emissions, by using renewable energy and introducing new, clean energy transport technologies

CEF Energy

CEF Energy supports the upgrading of existing infrastructure and the development of new energy transmission networks within Europe.

When do you qualify for CEF Energy?

Your project should focus on at least one of these themes:

• help reduce carbon emissions, by promoting renewable energy and introducing new, clean energy technologies into the energy system
• improve the operability of networks across borders and sectors
• help ensure security of supply, by proposing ways to simplify and speed up permitting and authorisation procedures
• improve cross-border collaboration, especially when it comes to renewable energy
• help connect regions that are currently isolated from European energy marketscontribute to further integration of an efficient and competitive internal energy market

For the programming period 2021-2027 CEF Energy will focus on the European Union’s climate and energy targets for 2030. Consistency with both EU and national energy and climate plans will be taken into account when defining award criteria.

CEF Digital

Investments under CEF Digital should help ensure reliable, secure and fast networks. CEF Digital focuses on projects that improve the distribution of 5G infrastructures along major transport paths.

When do you qualify for CEF Digital?

Your project should focus on at least one of these themes:

• contributing to the deployment of safe and secure, very high capacity digital networks and 5G systems
• improving the resilience and capacity of the digital backbone networks within the EU, by linking them to neighbouring countries
• improving the digitalisation of transport and energy networks

How to apply

Until 2027 there will be different calls for CEF Transport (in Dutch). The ongoing call for alternative fuels, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF, in Dutch) remains open until the end of 2023. Please submit your Project proposal to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl, in Dutch). You can use the English-language form projectideeformulier ENG (pdf), which you can find on the Dutch-language information page on RVO’s website.

Please check CINEA's website for current Calls for more information on the calls for CEF Transport and CEF Energy. With regard to the CEF Transport programme, your project must be approved by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

For CEF Digital please check European Union's website for currently open calls.