12 December 2018
A report on the financing of the next Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), one of the European Union's key tools for funding cross-border infrastructure, has been approved by the European Parliament today.
A report on the financing of the next Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), one of the European Union’s key tools for funding cross-border infrastructure, has been approved by the European Parliament today. MEPs were setting out its post-2021 approach to the CEF fund which has the primary goal of providing EU funding into infrastructure networks, helping reduce market failures and attract further investment from the private sector.
The ECR Group has always supported this type of initiative that brings genuine EU added value in the areas of transport and digital infrastructure. However, as a Group we are encouraging a more competitive approach to bidding under the next framework, that runs from 2021-2027.
Speaking after the vote, ECR transport spokesman Roberts Zīle said: “We need to take a more competitive approach regarding the programme, by opening calls up to open and fair competitions, rather than distrusting exclusively into national envelopes.
“Opening up funding this way would allow Member States to keep their promise to EU taxpayers and complete much needed ongoing cross-border infrastructure projects.”
Zīle has also welcomed the additional support of 6.5 billion euro in order to support civilian-military dual use transport infrastructure, which will help to adapt Europe’s transport network to military defence requirements and improve military mobility in the EU.