Connecting Europe Facility
On 11th December 2013, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted Regulation (EU) No. 1316/2013 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) - a fund whose purpose is the implementation of infrastructural projects with regard to transport, power supply, and telecommunication.
The Connecting Europe Facility is supposed to contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth by creation of a modern high-capacity trans-European network. CEF will bring about benefits for the entire European Union as a stimulus for growth in competitiveness and social, economic and territorial coherence in the internal market.
Pursuant to Regulation 1316, the CEF budget amounts to EUR 33.242 billion.
EUR 26.250 billion has been allocated to the transport sector with EUR 11.305 billion allocated to the Cohesion Fund to be used by the Member States entitled to financing from the Cohesion Fund.
Bidding competitions are to be the basic form of obtaining funding from CEF.
As far as the transport sector is concerned, the first one was announced by the INEA (Innovation & Networks Executive Agency, the successor to the TEN-T Executive Agency) in September 2014.
The General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) submitted the project proposal entitled “Construction of the S61 expressway Ostrów Mazowiecka - Budzisko (state border)” whose value amounted to PLN 7.441 billion (EUR 1.758 billion), and the amount of financing applied for was PLN 3.768 billion (EUR 0.895 billion).
The result was decided in July 2015.
The aid from INEA was limited to the section from the bypass around Szczuczyn (2nd carriageway) to Budzisko, and the funding from CEF amounted to EUR 414.44 million (i.e. PLN 1.754 million).
What is more, funding from CEF was granted to two multi-applicant type projects related to the implementation of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) GDDKiA takes part in:
- EU ITS Platform, whose value amounts to EUR 14.79 million (funding from CEF - EUR 7.39 million);
- CROCODILE 2, whose value amounts to EUR 41.28 billion (funding from CEF - EUR 8.26 million).
The second tender for the transport sector was announced by INEA in 2015 (with the proposal deadline being February 2016).
The GDDKiA submitted the following projects in the second CEF’s tender:
1. Construction of the express road S3 Legnica - Lubawka (state border)
2. Construction of the express road S69 Bielsko-Biała - state border, detour of Węgierska Górka
3. National Road Traffic Management System within TEN-T - stage I
The Commission assessed the proposals submitted. All projects submitted by the GDDKiA obtained a positive mark, but due to the limited availability of funds in the second tender, the project National Road Traffic Management System within TEN-T – stage I was the only one to be granted financing from the CEF. Details about this project can be found on the website:
The next tender for the transport sector was announced in autumn 2016, and the proposals’ intake ended in February 2017.
In that tender, the GDDKiA submitted the following projects:
1. Construction of the express road S3 Bolków - Lubawka (state border)
The project covers the extension of the S3 express road with a section of 31.377 km with 2x2 lanes on its entire length. The investment also includes the construction of interchanges, road structures (such as bridges, tunnels, flyovers, culverts), rest areas, utilities, road safety and environmental protection equipment (wildlife crossings, screens, etc.). Proposal cost: 742,290,520 €, including EU’s contribution: 630,946,942 €.
2. Construction of the express road S1 Pyrzowice - state border, detour of Węgierska Górka
The project covers the construction of the S1 road’s last section, and its essential scope includes: construction of the S1 express road of 8.53 km, extension of 2 interchanges: “Przybędza” and “Milówka”, construction of road structures (including 2 tunnels) necessary for efficient functioning of the created infrastructure. Estimated proposal cost is 350,692,639 €, including 298,088,743 € of requested CEF’s co-funding.
At the moment, verification and assessment of the submitted proposals is under way. The tender allotment is expected for the end of June or the beginning of July 2017.
General information about the CEF can also be found on the following website: https://www.funduszeeuropejskie.gov.pl/strony/o-funduszach/zasady-dzialania-funduszy/program-laczac-europe/