EC OPENS CONSULTATION ON CONNECTING EUROPE FACILITY
Last week, the European Commission launched a public consultation as part of its interim and ex-post evaluation of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) covering the periods 2014-2020 and 2021-2027. This evaluation covers the three sectors of the CEF (Transport, Energy and Telecoms) and aims to prepare the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) covering the period 2028-2034.
The European Commission public consultation relates to trans-European networks in the transport, energy and telecommunications /digital sectors. Several questions in the consultation are consider highly strategic, notably regarding the tangible outcomes of CEF, the military mobility objectives, the potential challenges in implementing CEF and the reflections over its future in the next MFF.
CLECAT has joined 44 other European transport organisations in signing a joint statement urging Member States and the European Commission to maintain and strengthen a dedicated European transport funding instrument in the next MFF. The signatories raised concerns over the Commission’s plans to redirect a large majority of the European transport funding into National Single Plan. This shift risks undermining Europe’s supply chain resilience, connectivity, and economic competitiveness at a time of increasing geopolitical tensions and ongoing climate challenges. The joint statement it must be Europe’s top priority to strengthen and adapt EU’s infrastructure, address bottlenecks and missing links, and optimise its connectivity and capacity.
The public consultation is open until 28 May. The Commission is expected to finalise its MFF proposal by July, after which negotiations will begin with Member States and the Parliament.