CEF co-financing rates at 50%!

21 February 2019

nland Navigation Europe welcomes the provisional agreement on the Connecting Europe Facility II (2021-2027). We strongly support the overall aim to invest in public goods infrastructure of EU added value as well as in digitalisation and decarbonisation to achieve EU sustainability and innovation goals.

While the Commisssion and the Council of transport ministers planned to reduce the co-funding rates for inland waterway bottlenecks in the upcoming Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) from max. 40% to max. 30%, but the European Parliament made it sticking point to increase the co-funding rate from max. 40% to max. 50%. In a historical perspective, EU co-funding rates for inland waterway infrastructure have progressively increased from 10% to 50%. The co-funding rates for cohesion countries remain at max. 85%.

INE is very pleased with the strong backing of the European Parliament for a higher co-financing rate for trans-European waterways. It will be of strong support to create a quality infrastructure network by 2030. Next to capacity upgrades, waterway authorities work towards a reliable network with continuity of navigation and high service levels. Finally, investments are needed to anticipate to climate change and be ready for technological changes.

INE remains concerned that CEF Transport will obtain less money than in the current financial period 2014-2020. The total amount for the general envelope, BEUR 12.83 is in constant prices and not in current prices. INE advocates that the resources for transport should be reinforced or at least maintained at the same level as before. We team up with more than transport sister organisations in the MoreEUbudgetfortransport campaign to push for a higher CEF budget.