CEF2 Transport calls for proposals

Investments are directed towards studies and/or works for (high-speed) rail infrastructure along key European transport corridors.

Priorities outlined in the call text (in Dutch):

• Establishing cross-border connections and eliminating missing links,
• Improving connections between rail, inland waterways, and seaports (including hinterland connections), as well as projects aimed at integrating high-speed rail networks with air transport to make long-haul feeder networks more sustainable. In principle, stations are not eligible for funding unless they constitute essential rail infrastructure.

Projects must comply with EU interoperability regulations and be accessible to all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.

Co-financing rates: 50% for studies, 30% for works.

EU co-financing ceilings:

• €30 million for projects in a single Member State,
• €70 million for projects involving two Member States,
• €100 million for projects involving more than two Member States.

Our colleagues at the FPS Mobility and Transport are responsible for validating rail-related projects and can be contacted via EUfunding(opens in your email application).

Investments are directed towards inland navigation on the key European transport axes of the core network.

Priority is given to addressing cross-border connections and missing links, as well as improving connections between rail, inland waterways, and seaports (including hinterland connections).

The call text (in Dutch) specifies that the works concern:

• Upgrading waterways and related infrastructure—such as locks and weirs/dams—to achieve stable or improved navigation conditions, performance, and/or increased capacity for vessel passage, or to ensure good navigation status;
• Construction of new waterways and associated infrastructure (locks, weirs/dams, bridges).

Projects must comply with EU interoperability rules and be accessible to all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.

Co-financing rate: 50% for works

EU co-financing ceilings:

• €30 million for projects in one Member State (MS),
• €70 million for projects in two Member States,
• €100 million for projects in more than two Member States.

Focus on the digitalization of road transport linked to autonomous driving—specifically projects that promote the deployment of new technologies and innovation by developing test environments and infrastructure for autonomous vehicles, in line with the ITS Directive. These projects aim to enable the commercial (pre-)deployment of autonomous vehicles (using sufficiently mature technology) and ensure their efficient operation.

The call text (in Dutch) specifies that support is provided for the following works:

• Infrastructure such as control centers: IT equipment for the remote monitoring of highly automated vehicles, providing support in challenging or unexpected situations. Support is not provided for the construction of actual buildings.
• Digital systems for vehicle positioning and communication with the surrounding environment (including cross-border capabilities and interaction with emergency services). Particular attention will be paid to digital infrastructure that enables the automatic transmission of driving data and the recording of events (e.g., accidents or near-misses). Where necessary, modifications to road infrastructure (such as extending merge lanes) may also be supported, provided it is demonstrated that these are limited to what is required for autonomous vehicle operations.

In both cases, the project must utilize EU-harmonized (e.g., linked to C-ROADS) and sovereign digital infrastructure. Projects may complement others funded by Horizon Europe.

Project location: on the core, extended core, and/or comprehensive network, and within urban nodes of the TEN-T network. If the application includes certain road sections outside the TEN-T network, applicants must justify the need and demonstrate the positive impact on the TEN-T network.

No support is provided for the funding of vehicles, equipment, or alternative fuel infrastructure.

Co-financing rate: 50% for works

EU co-financing ceiling: EUR 10 million per project

Rollout of public charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles (TEN-T and urban nodes) and electrification of ground operations at airports.

The following synergistic elements (max. 20% of the total action cost) may also be funded:

• On-site electricity generation from renewable energy sources;
• Grid connection.

The call text (in Dutch) specifies:

HDV charging infrastructure:

• Publicly accessible charging hubs for heavy-duty vehicles, equipped with at least 4 Megawatt Charging System (MCS) charging points, each with a minimum power output of 1 MW (though not necessarily allowing simultaneous charging at maximum power).
• Publicly accessible charging hubs dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles, equipped with a combination of at least 4 MCS charging points (each with a minimum power output of 1 MW) and Combined Charging System (CCS) charging points (each with a minimum power output of 350 kW) (though not necessarily allowing simultaneous charging at maximum power). In this case, for each hub, the number of supported charging points with a minimum power output of 350 kW must not exceed the number of supported charging points with a minimum power output of 1 MW.
• Elements strictly related to the charging infrastructure within the charging hub area are eligible for funding: construction costs, including chargers or power cabinets supporting charging satellites, canopies, safety and security equipment, parking, circulation areas, and electrical infrastructure (including cabling, electrical substations, batteries, and on-site dynamic energy management devices).
• Locations:
  • on the TEN-T road network or within 3 km driving distance of the nearest exit of a TEN-T road,
  • in certified Safe and Secure Parking Areas (SSPAs), in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1012, and located on the TEN-T road network or within 3 km driving distance of the nearest exit of a TEN-T road,
  • in TEN-T urban nodes, including in port and airport areas, provided that the horizontal requirements set out in section 2.2.5 below are met.

Electrification of airport operations

• Electricity and pre-conditioned air supply to stationary aircraft and airships via fixed or zero-tailpipe mobile equipment.
• Electricity supply facilities for ground operations vehicles.
• Electricity supply facilities for electric or hybrid-electric aircraft and airships.
• Related infrastructure and electricity storage within the airport area.
• Location: TEN-T airports.

As with previous AFIF calls for proposals, projects under this call must utilize a blending approach for their financing. Applications based solely on own funds are not permitted; the specific objective of AFIF is to unlock financial resources from banks or other institutions to fund the market rollout of alternative fuel infrastructure. At least 10% of the total project budget must consist of a loan granted by a European or national financial institution accredited as an Implementing Partner (IP), or by another financial institution or commercial bank.

For this final ‘reflow 2026’ call, projects are exempt from submitting a socio-economic cost-benefit analysis (CBA) in either case.

This 10% requirement does not apply if financing is provided via a capital injection.

For Belgian projects, PMV (Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen) can act as the IP. Inquiries and applications regarding this can be sent to PMV-CEF@pmv.eu.(opens in your email application)

Co-financing rate: 30% for works

Maximum EU co-financing amount: €10 million per project

Priorities:

• Shore-side electricity and charging infrastructure in maritime and inland ports, in line with the provisions of the AFIR Regulation.
• Conversion/retrofitting of vessels (including electric, hybrid, hydrogen, methanol and biomethane technologies, and other technologies, including wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS)). A ceiling of €5 million per vessel applies to this component.

The call text (in Dutch) specifies further provisions regarding implementation/works:

Shore-side electricity and charging infrastructure in TEN-T maritime and inland ports:

• Onshore power supply systems and shore-side battery charging (SBC) systems for seagoing cargo and passenger vessels (including tugs and cruise ships) and inland waterway vessels are eligible.
• Projects may include upgrades to the electricity grid within maritime and inland ports if required for the onshore power supply systems or SBC systems.
• Synergetic elements (max. 20% of project costs)—such as on-site renewable energy generation (e.g., photovoltaic plants, wind turbines, etc.), connection of the port grid to the external grid, and shore-side power banks (SPB)/energy storage systems (batteries)—are also eligible.
• Infrastructure must be accessible for use by all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.
• For merged port entities or entities managing more than one maritime port, only the geographical area of ​​the maritime port listed in Annex II of the TEN-T Regulation may be included in the project.

Vessels:

Eligible for funding:

• Maritime ferries of at least 2,000 GT operating regular services for the transport of passengers, vehicles, and/or freight on fixed routes between two or more maritime ports, at least one of which is a TEN-T core or comprehensive maritime port.
• Short-sea shipping vessels of at least 2,000 GT operating passenger and/or freight transport services in coastal waters and calling at at least one TEN-T core or comprehensive maritime port.
• Inland waterway vessels operating within the TEN-T inland waterway transport network as defined in Section 2 of TEN-T Regulation No. 2024/1679, and falling within the scope of Directive (EU) 2016/1629 (vessels longer than 20 meters with a capacity of more than 12 passengers).
• Support is limited to the costs of installing equipment on or retrofitting the vessels.

Co-financing rate: 30% for works.

Maximum EU co-financing amount: EUR 10 million per project.

As with previous AFIF calls for proposals, projects under this call must utilize a “blending” approach for their financing. Applications based solely on own resources are not permitted; the specific objective of AFIF is to unlock financial resources from banks or other institutions to finance the market rollout of infrastructure for alternative fuels. At least 10% of the total project budget must consist of a loan granted by a European or national financial institution accredited as an Implementing Partner (IP), or by another financial institution or commercial bank.

For this final Reflow 2026 call, projects are exempt from submitting a social cost-benefit analysis (CBA) in both cases.

For Belgian projects, PMV (Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen) can act as the Implementing Partner (IP). Questions and applications regarding this can be sent to PMV-CEF@pmv.eu(opens in your email application)

Infrastructure at the EU’s external borders to facilitate smoother traffic flow (e.g., improved access to border crossings and parking areas), prioritizing solutions that enable coordinated checks.

The call text (in Dutch) outlines further priorities and provisions:

• Infrastructure works improving rail and road connections to border crossings, as well as queue management and parking facilities at border control points.
  • Railway projects facilitating traffic flows at TEN-T border crossing points (BCPs), including in the area of ​​interoperability.
  • Upgrading of truck parking areas, waiting areas, and lane capacity between parking areas and border control points, provided this improves traffic flow at the Union’s external border.
  • Border control equipment and facilities cannot be funded as standalone projects; however, specific border control equipment—such as smart IT solutions that facilitate and/or accelerate border checks and reduce congestion at crossings, or fixed equipment integrated into transport infrastructure—may form part of a broader project aimed at adapting transport infrastructure.
• Mobile equipment is not eligible for support. Administrative buildings, storage and warehouse facilities, and parking facilities for border officials are not eligible for support.
• Priority will be given to upgrading existing border crossings to enable the implementation of coordinated bi-directional checks along TEN-T European Transport Corridors.
• Facilities and infrastructure funded under CEF must be accessible for use by all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.

Co-financing rate: 50% for studies and works

EU co-financing ceiling: EUR 10 million per project

Support for projects that are beneficial to both civil and defence sectors and meet specific dual-use infrastructure requirements.

Preference will be given to projects connecting multiple Member States and located on one of the four EU military mobility corridors.

The call text (in Dutch) further stipulates that, where studies and works are combined, these activities must cover different sections.

In such cases, infrastructure funded under CEF must be accessible to all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.

Co-financing rate: 50% for studies and works.

EU funding ceilings:

• EUR 20 million for projects in one Member State (MS),
• EUR 40 million for projects in two Member States.
• An increase in this amount may be considered if the project involves more than two Member States and can demonstrate sufficient EU added value and strategic importance to justify it.