What the MEPs proposed

Members of the European Parliament's committees on energy and transport agreed on Tuesday that the next seven-year budget of the European Union should clearly increase funding for strategic infrastructure. The focus is above all on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the main instrument for financing key cross-border projects. (Európa chce investovať desiatky miliárd do železníc, ciest aj armády. Europoslanci prišli s novým plánom – Aktuality.sk)

From railways to energy grids

The scope of support is to include the modernisation of railway bridges and tunnels and the protection of energy networks against threats. Parliament wants the money to go to investments that connect member states, because, in the MEPs' view, cross-border projects are of the greatest importance for the Union as a whole.

Amounts not yet set

The available information does not show what exact sum would go to the CEF in the new budget. No figure or breakdown of the funds allocated to the individual objectives has been given either.

What comes next

The committees' agreement is Parliament's position in the ongoing debate on the multiannual budget. The final shape of the funding depends on negotiations between MEPs, member states and the European Commission, which are still under way.

For Polish construction, transport and energy companies, this could mean new CEF calls and tenders in the future, provided the proposal is kept in the final budget.

Also read

• Bruksela може finansować ochronę elektrowni i kabli podmorskich. Polska europosłanka zgłasza poprawkę do CEF