EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 15.6.2021 COM(2021) 309 final 2018/0228(COD) COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT



pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union



concerning the position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014



2018/0228 (COD) COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT



pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union



concerning the position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014 1.Background Date of transmission of the proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council

(document COM(2018) 438 final – 2018/0228 COD): 6 June 2018 Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee: 19 September 2018 Date of the opinion of the Committee of the Regions Date of the position of the European Parliament, first reading: 10 October 2018 17 April 2019 Date of transmission of the amended proposal: 9 June 2021 Date of adoption of the position of the Council: 14 June 2021 2.Objective of the proposal from the Commission The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is one of the funding instruments under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. The general objective of the CEF is to develop and modernise the trans-European networks in the fields of transport, energy and digital and to facilitate cross-border cooperation in the field of renewable energy. For transport, CEF aims at contributing to the completion of the trans-European transport core network by 2030 and the comprehensive network by 2050. CEF also supports the modernisation of the TEN-T network, in particular the deployment of alternatve fuels infrastructure and digitalisation of transport. In addition, civilian-military dual-use transport projects will be implemented through the CEF. For energy, the focus is on contributing to the development of the trans-European energy networks and further integration of the internal energy market and interoperability of networks across borders and sectors; facilitating the cross-border cooperation in the area of renewable energy and enabling decarbonisation through integrating renewable energy sources. For digital, CEF aims at contributing to the deployment of safe and secure very high capacity digital networks and 5G systems and to the increased resilience and capacity of digital backbone networks in line with the European digital connectiviy objectives for 2025 and 2030. 3.Comments on the position of the Council The Council’s position at first reading, adopted on 14 June 2021, supports the main objectives of the Commission’s proposal. The most important changes introduced compared to the Commission’s proposal include: Budgetary elements, co-financing rates New provisions were included in relation with the European Council Conclusions of 21 July 2020 regarding specific support from the Heading 1(2), European Strategic Investment for the completion of missing major cross-border railway links between Cohesion countries. The Commission can support these provisions. The Commission can accept provisions specifying the allocation of Cohesion envelope which lay down the dates until certain thresholds will be applicable: (1) for the Member States whose gross national income (GNI) per capita measured in purchasing power standards and calculated on the basis of Union figures for the period 2015-2017 is less than 60% of the average GNI per capita of the EU-27, 70% of 70% of the amount they have transferred to the CEF shall be guaranteed until 31 December 2024; (2) until 31 December 2025, the total amount allocated to actions in a Cohesion Member State shall not exceed 170% of the share of that Member State in the total amount transferred from the Cohesion Fund. The Commission can accept the modification of the indicative percentages of the allocation of the Cohesion envelope, which sets up that 85% of the envelope will be used for actions relating to efficient, interconnected and multimodal networks and 15% of the envelope will be used for the actions relating to smart, sustainable, inclusive, safe and secure mobility. A provision in the transport sector setting up a threshold of up to 10% of the General envelope, which can be used for blending operations, was included. A provision specifying that the Cohesion envelope shall not be used for blending operations was included. The provisions provide for flexibility and therefore the Commission can accept these modifications. A threshold was included indicating that up to 15% of the overall energy sector budget shall be distributed for the cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy with the possibility to increase it up to 20%. The Commission can accept this amendment. A threshold was laid down that up to 1% of the overall budget may be used for the technical and administrative assistance. The Commission can accept this modification.