Europe is putting €2.2 billion in non-repayable grants on the table in support of railway projects, but the attention is concentrated primarily, if not almost exclusively, in the east. Continental railways are left with little more than crumbs in this round of funding. The EU funding comes under the Connecting Europe Facility (Cef), the mechanism designed to connect Europe by enhancing the trans-European transport corridors (Ten-T). Brussels has selected 94 projects out of 258 submissions to receive EU support. Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Sweden will receive funds to implement the European Rail Traffic Management System (Ertms), but the list does not include any major infrastructure projects.
The largest amount granted for a single project goes to Rail Baltica, the new standard-gauge rail line set to connect the Baltic republics with Poland, which will receive a grant of €295.5 million. The EU thus confirms its commitment to this project, now estimated to cost €15 billion, which continues to absorb a significant share of available resources. In second place, with €294.8 million, is the upgrading of a railway line in the Czech Republic, which has relatively modest development compared to the size of the grant.
Funds totalling €294 million have also been allocated to Poland to modernise a domestic rail route, while an additional €76 million is earmarked for upgrading the 70-kilometre cross-border line between Poland and Ukraine from Mostyska to Lviv. Polish railways will also receive nearly €100 million to implement the European Train Control System (Etcs). Cef funding is also directed to Slovakia and Slovenia, with nearly €154 million assigned to the final phase of the new Divača-Koper line. Romania will receive €45 million to improve the 160-kilometre section between Ploiești and Focșani.
The only substantial infrastructure project outside of Eastern Europe concerns the Greek railway system, which is to receive €277 million for upgrading the 400-kilometre transverse route between Alexandroupoli, an important port and commercial hub, and Pythion, near the Turkish border. At the EU level, aside from the projects mentioned above, the Cef programme effectively only provides funding for investments in digital systems and Ertms signalling. Nonetheless, the Connecting Europe Facility is set to allocate a total of €25.8 billion in co-financing for the Ten-T corridors during the 2021–2027 period.
Piermario Curti Sacchi
