IRU welcomes the launch of the European Commission’s final Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport call under the current 2021–2027 EU budget, which provides dedicated funding for three long-standing priorities of the commercial road transport sector: alternative fuels infrastructure, external border efficiency and digital innovation. The package includes EUR 130 million for alternative fuels infrastructure, EUR 20 million for external border-crossing improvements, and EUR 20 million for digitalisation, new technologies and innovation in road transport.
Importantly, the alternative fuels envelope represents the continuation of the successful Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), following joint calls by IRU, ACEA and Transport & Environment to avoid a funding gap in charging infrastructure deployment for heavy-duty vehicles after the previous AFIF programme came to an end.
IRU EU Director Raluca Marian said, “This is an important outcome for commercial road transport. Together with our partners, we called for continued EU investment to avoid losing momentum in the rollout of charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles. We are pleased that the Commission has responded by preserving this support under the final CEF Transport call.”
“At a time when operators are making significant investments in decarbonisation, continued EU support sends an important signal that the EU remains committed to enabling the transition through practical infrastructure solutions,” she added.
Although the EU contribution is limited to 20% of eligible project costs, the EUR 130 million allocation is expected to leverage around EUR 650 million in total investment. The funding supports publicly accessible electric and hydrogen infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles along the TEN-T network and in TEN-T urban nodes.
It places particular emphasis on high-power charging, including megawatt charging systems, and also supports the enabling infrastructure needed to make these projects operational, including grid connections, battery storage and energy management systems. Charging infrastructure installed in safe and secure truck parking areas is also eligible, further strengthening the link between safe parking and transport electrification.
Charging infrastructure located on private premises, such as logistics centres or operator-owned sites, can also receive support, provided the facilities are publicly accessible 24 hours a day and comply with AFIR requirements. However, dedicated private and semi-private depot charging remains outside the scope of the programme.
“The EU’s charging ecosystem cannot rely on public infrastructure alone. Public charging and depot charging serve different operational purposes but are equally essential. While public charging supports vehicles on the move, depot charging enables operators to optimise charging schedules, benefit from lower off-peak electricity prices and reduce total cost of ownership,” said Raluca Marian.
“Future EU funding should therefore evolve towards supporting public, semi-private and private depot charging alike. Only a complementary approach will deliver the infrastructure ecosystem needed for a competitive, affordable and successful transition to zero-emission road transport,” she added.
The call also dedicates EUR 20 million to digitalisation, new technologies and innovation in road transport, another priority consistently promoted by IRU in discussions on the future competitiveness of the sector.
The funding supports infrastructure enabling the commercial deployment of connected and highly automated commercial vehicles, including systems for highly accurate vehicle positioning, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and interaction with surrounding infrastructure. The projects are intended to accelerate market deployment of mature technologies and complement research activities supported under Horizon Europe.
A further EUR 20 million has been allocated to improving transport infrastructure at the EU’s external borders, following growing recognition of the importance of efficient border crossings for Europe’s supply chains.
The funding follows long-standing engagement by IRU with the European Commission highlighting the operational challenges caused by congestion and delays at the EU’s external borders. The programme supports studies and infrastructure projects designed to improve traffic flows at border control areas on the TEN-T network, including road connections, truck parking, waiting areas and other infrastructure facilitating more efficient border-crossing procedures.
“This package demonstrates that constructive dialogue between EU institutions and the commercial road transport sector delivers tangible results,” concluded Raluca Marian. “It reflects several priorities that IRU has consistently advocated over recent years. While more ambitious investment will be needed under the next EU budget, these calls provide an important opportunity to strengthen the EU’s transport infrastructure, improve competitiveness and accelerate decarbonisation.”
As the final CEF Transport call under the current Multiannual Financial Framework, it represents the last opportunity for operators and infrastructure developers to benefit from this source of EU funding before the next EU budget begins in 2028. Applications are open until 6 October 2026.
IRU will continue working with EU institutions to ensure that the next Multiannual Financial Framework provides sufficient long-term investment for the infrastructure needed to decarbonise, digitalise and strengthen the competitiveness of commercial road transport.