The European Commission is launching a new and innovative way to fund transport infrastructure projects in Europe. The call for proposals, which opened on 8 February, aims to combine €1 billion in grants with funding from public financial institutions, the private sector and, for the first time, the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe and a top priority for the Juncker Commission.

This new combination of funds will help achieve the dual objective of boosting investment to finance transport infrastructure upgrades in an innovative and sustainable manner, while facilitating the creation of the jobs required to deliver such infrastructure.

Selected projects must contribute to sustainable, innovative and seamless growth along the trans-European transport network.

The objectives of the call are:

• removing bottlenecks, supporting cross-border links and accelerating the digitalisation of transport, particularly in sectors with high potential and market gaps, such as in countries eligible for the Cohesion Fund;
• ensuring the deployment of sustainable and efficient transport systems
• strengthening the intermodality and interoperability of the transport network, including through new technologies and traffic management systems, such as the European Rail Traffic Management System, intelligent transport systems for road, or the SESAR programme (Single European Sky ATM Research).

Support will be awarded on a competitive basis, following a thorough evaluation and selection process. The call will have two deadlines for the submission of proposals: 14 July 2017 and 30 November 2017.

For further information on the call, click here.

The Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) will organise an information day on the call on Monday 27 February 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.