20 January 2023
Agenda, Minutes & Conclusions Presentations
ELTI co-organised a workshop with DG MOVE on 17 January 2023, providing the participants the opportunity to learn about the CEF Blending Instrument - Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), the ongoing call and the future perspective of this instrument. You may find information about this facility here: CEF-Blending-AFIF.
This meeting allowed ELTI members to:
a) Demonstrate to the European Commission (DG MOVE) that NPBIs are experienced and reliable partners when it comes to the implementation of projects in the field of transport infrastructure, in the specific case of alternative fuel solutions.
b) Provide feedback to the Commission under the conditions more NPBIs might make use of the CEF blending facility. Here, we continue to look for members active in infrastructure financing which have not yet used the CEF Blending facility and who are willing to summarise the obstacles for the use of the facility.
21 September 2021
CEF AFIF Administrative Agreement AFIF Processes and Modalities
On 16 September 2021, the European Commission published a rolling call for proposals to support the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure: The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) “Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility” (AFIF), including five cut-off dates until end of 2023: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/calls-proposals/2021-cef-transport-call-proposals_en
The AFIF aims to promote substantial participation of private sector investors and financial institutions, to achieve a higher impact of the investment in projects contributing to the environmental sustainability of the transport sector in Europe, in line with the Green Deal objective.
It is implemented via a cooperation framework between the European Commission and development or other public finance institutions (named Implementing Partners) to support investments combining the use of grants and financing from the Implementing Partners (e.g. loan, debt, guarantee, equity) (Combined Operations) and with / without financial instruments from the InvestEU budget (Blending Operations).
With a budget of EUR 1.575 billion (out of which ~20% are from Cohesion budget with higher co-funding rates), the grant component of the Combined/Blending Operations under the CEF AFIF is managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Promoters can apply for the CEF AFIF grants only a financing from a financing institution has been approved (amounting at least 10% of the total investment costs).
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is expected to be one of the first Implementing Partners although and the Commission (DG MOVE) would highly appreciate to start cooperation with as many as possible other Implementing Partners under the CEF AFIF. Above please find a presentation summarising the processes and modalities of the AFIF as well as the draft Administrative Agreement describing the modalities of the cooperation.
8 July 2021
DG MOVE - AFF Presentation
As part of a meeting co-organised with ELTI on 8 July 2021, the European Commission (DG MOVE) provided a presentation on the CEF Alternative Fuels Facility (AFF) explaining how they are cooperating with National promotional banks and institutions.
8 December 2020
EPC Publication - A just transition to sustainable mobility
As the European Commission launches its long-awaited Strategy for sustainable and smart mobility, EU and national efforts to continue the transition to sustainable mobility will ensue. However, the green transition often overshadows and, at times, even comes at the expense of the most affected and vulnerable groups of society. The precarious, the elderly, people with disabilities and rural residents still face unfair conditions and access to mobility. Green alternatives are often scarce and far away, if they exist at all.
Sofía López Piqueres and Sara Viitanen highlight the lack of inclusiveness in and the omittance of rural areas from European mobility systems and outline 11 recommendations which would ensure distributional justice, procedural justice and recognition justice.
The carrots and sticks that are used to incentivise people to adopt more sustainable mobility options must be carefully studied. Moreover, process matters. Achieving buy-in for the transition requires considering the varying needs of people and placing special focus on vulnerable groups with limited mobility options, who may end up carrying a disproportionate cost of the transition without seeing the immediate benefits. It is time to accelerate the transition towards a climate-neutral economy and society with mobility systems that are both environmentally friendly and socially just.
24 November 2020
CEF Blending Workshop
Agenda Presentations Background Information Participants
Financing of transport infrastructure is an important field within our activities and which receives significant support from the European Commission. The CEF Transport Blending Facility is an innovative approach when promoting the substantial participation of private sector investors and financial institutions in projects contributing to the environmental sustainability and efficiency of the transport sector throughout Europe.
Mr. Herald Ruijters, Director in the European Commission (DG MOVE) and his team presented this efficient instrument during 2-hour workshop on Tuesday, 24 November 2020. CDC, BGK and ICO, who are already using this facility, also provided background information about their experience with the instrument.
Background
The CEF Transport Blending Facility will support two areas that will feature on the Commission's agenda for a clean and digital transport system:
• Deployment of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS)
• Deployment of Alternative Fuels
This facility is implemented via a cooperation framework between the European Commission and Implementing Partners in order to support Blending Operations, i.e. investments combining the use of grants and/or financial instruments from the EU budget and financing from the Implementing Partners (via a loan, debt, equity or any other repayable form of support).