EUROPE: Projects to accelerate the deployment of ERTMS and the roll out of infrastructure for the use of ‘alternative’ fuels are eligible to apply for funding under the CEF Transport Blending Facility launched by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank on March 28.
The facility is designed to provide financing for projects which contribute to the sustainability and efficiency of the transport sector. It has an initial €200m allocation from the EU budget, which is intended to help leverage funding from national promotional banks and the private sector which might otherwise lack an incentive to invest in infrastructure.
The facility was welcomed by UNIFE, which said blending public and private funding ‘can be a valuable source of financing, in addition to ongoing support from EU funds that remains vital for rapid ERTMS deployment’.
