Like most other EU funding programmes, CEF2 is administered through the Funding & Tenders Portal. To process project applications, an EU-Login-Account and registration by the applicant organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal is required. Further information on the registration can be found here.
All CEF2 application forms are available, will be processed and submitted as the final application to CINEA via the Funding & Tenders Portal. The Portal also provides further information such as, for example, the Proposal Submission Service User Manual for applicants.

The CEF2 Regulation work programme provides the basis for financial support by the European Union for projects of common interest for the period 2021-2027. Article 20 fleshes out funding priorities and provides information on the funding budget for the individual years.

• Actions in connection with efficient, interconnected, interoperable and multimodal networks

  • Rail:

    • construction and upgrading of cross-border connections and infills of gaps;
    • increasing the capacity and performance of existing sections including upgrading of level crossings and upgrading for 740 m long trains;
    • capacity enhancement at rail nodes, including for a better interaction of long-distance and local services;
    • connecting freight terminals with the TEN-T network;
    • electrification of lines and modernisation of electrification systems.

  • Inland waterways:

    • upgrading of inland waterways and associated infrastructure (locks etc.) to improve navigation conditions and/or enhance capacity for passing vessels;
    • building new waterways and associated infrastructure;
    • new construction or upgrading of locks and moveable bridges to enhance navigation;
    • automation of waterway infrastructure (locks, weirs, embankment dams, bridges) to improve operations and safety;
    • enhancing bridge clearance heights.

  • Inland ports:

    • improving the connections between inland ports and inland waterways;
    • basic and waterborne infrastructure in inland ports including shore-side power supply;
    • building or upgrading of road/rail links to ports;
    • dredging operations in the port area or on port access routes.

  • Seaports:

    • safe sea access (e.g. breakwaters, locks and navigation aid equipments);
    • basic port infrastructure;
    • shore-side power supply;
    • building or upgrading of road/rail links.

  • Roads, CT terminals and multimodal logistics platforms:

    • pre-identified road links in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of Part III of the Annex to the CEF2 Regulation, in particular core network cross-border links;
    • enhancing road links to seaports, inland ports and CT terminals, as listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013;
    • construction or modernisation of CT terminals in accordance with Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013.

  • Projects in connection with smart and interoperable mobility

    • Intelligent systems such as ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System), ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems), SESAR (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research Programme), RIS (River Information Services), EMSWe (European Maritime Single Window environment), VTMIS (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information Systems), eFTI (electronic Freight Transport Information) as well as traffic data;
    • new technologies and innovation incl. capacity and traffic management as well as interoperability in the rail sector.

  • Projects in connection with sustainable and multimodal mobility

    • Creating infrastructure for alternative fuels (for details, see “AFIF”)

  • Projects in connection with sustainable and multimodal mobility

    • Motorways of the sea;
    • multimodal nodes in passenger transport;
    • reducing noise from rail freight.

  • Projects in connection with safe infrastructure

    • Safe and secure HGV parking areas;
    • resilience of transport infrastructures.

• Actions supporting the deployment of high-speed electricity charging infrastructure on the TEN-T road network, in particular for long haul journeys, at safe and secure parking areas, in sparsely populated areas as well as for heavy-duty transport such as buses and HGVs;
• actions supporting the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure on the TEN-T road network, with priority to long haul heavy-duty transport;
• actions supporting the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure on sections of the TEN-T rail network for which a derogation from the electrification requirement has been granted in line with Article 12(3) or 39(3) of the TEN-T Regulation, on sections of isolated networks as defined in Article 3(u) of the TEN-T Regulation, or in terminals for refuelling shunting locomotives;
• actions supporting the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling and electricity recharging infrastructure dedicated to public transport and heavy-duty vehicles in urban nodes;
• actions supporting the use of alternative fuels in TEN-T maritime and inland ports, on inland waterways and at airports;
• actions supporting LNG storage for TEN-T maritime and inland ports as a transitional solution and with priority to actions that include the progressive uptake of bio-LNG.

Where possible, AFIF projects should also integrate the innovative strategies and solutions of the Horizon Europe funding programme.
Under AFIF, financial aid is only granted if the project also receives funding from promotional banks such as the EIB or other credit institutions. This funding must cover at least 10 % of the total costs and evidence of the funding commitment must be provided to CINEA.

In accordance with Art. 9(2)(c) in conjunction Art. 12 of the CEF2 Regulation, the following actions will be supported:

• All actions set out in section 6 of the multiannual work programme, provided they are relevant to a civilian-defence dual use of the infrastructure;
• actions for the upgrading of sections of the core network and comprehensive network not listed in section 6 of the work programme, provided these are relevant to a dual use;
• actions involving components of air transport infrastructure as defined in TEN-T Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013, provided they are relevant to a dual use.

In the period from 2021 to 2023, the CEF2 funding budget will be as follows (excl. funding from the Cohesion Fund, for which projects from Germany cannot apply):

Objectives			Budget
General Envelope:
Projects in accordance with Article 9(2)(a) of the CEF Regulation Rail infrastructure inland waterways inland ports maritime ports roads rail-road terminals multimodal logistics platforms	Projects on the core network		2,695 million euros (of which 2,695 million euros in 2023)
	Projects on the comprehensive network		250 million euros (of which 250 million euros in 2023)
Projects in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) of the CEF Regulation Smart, interoperable, multimodal mobility	Projects for smart and interoperable mobility		1,040 million euros (of which 400 million euros in 2023)
	Projects for sustainable and multimodal mobility	AFIF	1,040 million euros (of which 400 million euros in 2023)
		All other projects	260 million euros (of which 100 million euros in 2023)
	Projects in connection with reliable and safe infrastructure - Safe and secure HGV parking areas - Road safety (only cohesion countries) Resilience of transport infrastructures		260 million euros (of which 100 million euros in 2023)
Military Mobility
Projects in accordance with Art. 9(2)(c) of the CEF Regulation (Military Mobility)	All Projects		790 million euros (of which 790 million euros in 2023)

Maximum funding rates can be found under “Summary”.

Public or private sector corporations with legal personality and based in Germany are eligible to apply if Germany has given its agreement to their application. This means that the Ministry must formally confirm to have taken note of the application. To do so, it must have access to the complete application file.

Every application that concerns Germany, i.e.

• the applicant is German,
• a German party is involved in the project or
• the project is implemented in Germany

must be reviewed and confirmed by the Ministry. To this end, the application must be made accessible to the Ministry by the respective cut-off date mentioned below via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

The following persons have to be granted access to your application:

Stefanie Schröder	stefanie.schroeder@bmdv.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 4175
Frank Zwielich	frank.zwielich@bmvi.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 2631
Jörg Stangl	joerg.stangl@bmvi.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 2632
Karen Vargas Gamez	karen.vargasgamez@bmvi.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 2633
Silvia Ehreke	silvia.ehreke@bmvi.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 2634
Lina Harms	lina.harms@bmvi.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 2635
Antje Below	antje.below@bmvi.bund.de	Tel.: +49 (0) 30 18 300 2638

Please note that, when granting them access to your application via the Funding & Tenders Portal, you must exclusively use the email addresses above, as the accounts are set up under these addresses.

If you have any questions, please contact the Ministry by telephone or send an email to ref-g32@bmdv.bund.de.

General Envelope

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, CINEA, closed the third CEF2 call for funding on 30. January 2024. We will provide information about a new funding call here as soon as possible.

Military Mobility

The third CEF call for applications for funding under the Military Mobility funding line ended on 21 September 2023. Should another call for applications be launched, we will provide information here in good time.

Funding objectives of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF)

CINEA published the second AFIF on 29 February 2024 with a volume of EUR 780 million. It consists of a call for unit cost funding for charging infrastructure and a second call for funding for all other AFIF objectives. CINEA will, together with the European Commission, stage a virtual info day from 14:30 to 17:00 hrs on 8 April 2024 AFIF 2024.

CINEA sets the following deadlines for the funding calls:

24 September 2024 5 p.m. Brussels time
11 June 2025 5 p.m. Brussels time
17 December 2025 5 p.m. Brussels time

The application documents must be submitted to the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) via the Funding & Tenders Portal one month before the respective deadline..

	Please note that these references are for informational purposes only. They do not replace the rules and conditions set out in the relevant legal bases.