TRIESTE – The European Union is making €20 million available to support the modernisation of transport infrastructure along the TEN-T network in border control areas located at the Union’s external borders.
The objective is to improve the flow of rail and road traffic, strengthening the efficiency and sustainability of the European logistics system.
The call is aimed in particular at projects located along the European corridors of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) and at works enabling the upgrading of existing border crossings through coordinated and bidirectional controls between the countries involved.
The resources may finance both studies and infrastructure works aimed at improving rail and road connections with border crossing points. Eligible activities include the upgrading of railway infrastructure to facilitate traffic flows and increase network interoperability, the expansion of parking and waiting areas for heavy vehicles and the increase in capacity of road lanes leading to border crossings.
The programme also supports the integration of fixed devices and smart digital solutions to speed up control procedures and reduce congestion, provided that these technologies are included within broader infrastructure upgrade projects.
The call, however, excludes the financing of stand-alone border control equipment, mobile systems, administrative buildings, warehouses and parking areas intended exclusively for border staff.
Among the conditions set out is the obligation to guarantee access to the infrastructure built to all operators on a non-discriminatory basis. Applicants must also coordinate the works, where relevant, with Interreg cross-border cooperation programmes.
The total budget amounts to €20 million, while the maximum contribution available for each project is set at €10 million.
