The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a key EU funding instrument in delivering the European Green Deal and an important enabler towards the Union’s decarbonisation objectives for 2030 and 2050. It supports the development of high performing, sustainable and efficiently interconnected trans-European networks in the fields of transport, energy and digital services. CEF investments fill the missing links in Europe's energy, transport and digital backbone.
The CEF benefits people across all Member States, as it makes travel easier and more sustainable, it enhances Europe’s energy security while enabling wider use of renewables, and it facilitates cross-border interaction between public administrations, businesses and citizens.
In addition to grants, the CEF offers financial support to projects through innovative financial instruments such as guarantees and project bonds. These instruments create significant leverage in their use of EU budget and act as a catalyst to attract further funding from the private sector and other public sector actors.
Priorities
CEF Transport supports the construction and upgrade of sustainable transport infrastructure projects, for the development and modernisation of the Trans-European Transport network.
The CEF Energy supports the construction and upgrade of sustainable energy infrastructure projects, including cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy.
The CEF Digital supports the deployment of digital networks, i.e. sustainable and high capacity projects such as 5G coverage of trans-European corridors and submarine cables.
While the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) implements the CEF Transport and Energy programmes, the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) implements parts of the CEF Digital programme.
