UKRAINE JOINS EU’S CEF PROGRAM
On 6 June, Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean and Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov signed an agreement, officially associating Ukraine with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program. This agreement opens opportunities for Ukraine to access EU funding for projects in the fields of transport, energy, and digital sectors, ultimately enhancing connectivity and advancing the country’s integration into the EU.
For reference, the CEF program is a key contributor to achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal and Digital Decade 2030 targets. In the current (2021-2027) programming period, € 25.8 billion is allocated for CEF Transport, € 5.8 billion for CEF Energy, and € 2 billion for CEF Digital. In the transport sector, Ukrainian authorities and companies will now be eligible to apply for funding under future CEF transport calls during the current programming period. Emphasis will be placed on initiatives that strengthen connectivity between the core networks of Member States and third countries, aligning with the trans-European transport (TEN-T) Regulation.
Commissioner Vălean highlighted that Ukraine's participation in the CEF program is a concrete step toward bolstering the Solidarity Lanes initiative and supporting the country's reconstruction efforts.
Source: European Commission