Adaptation of the TEN-T to civilian-defence dual use - studies, works or mixed

Projects in the areas of (i) ERTMS, also with interlocking devices (including technical buildings/premises where any equipment related to interlocking is stored) or GSM-R components, (ii) recharging infrastructure and (iii) retrofitting rail freight (noisy) wagons are not eligible under the Military Mobility Call as the Union contribution must exclusively take the form of unit contributions under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport sector.

Cyber security systems are only eligible when they are part of a proposal addressing the adaption of TEN-T sections for civilian-military dual use. A stand-alone project addressing the development of a higher level of cyber security is not eligible under CEF.

As defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328, the cybersecurity dual-use requirement includes cybersecurity equipment, solutions and systems directly related to project proposals linked to the resilience of dual use infrastructure, where it is appropriate.

No, fencing in inland/maritime ports is not supported for funding under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, unless it is an integral and necessary part of a (re)construction of a port handling area in line with dual-use requirements on “Multimodal equipment handling (road, rail, maritime and inland waterways)” as defined in Table 6 of the ANNEX to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 .

As indicated in the “Information Note to the CEF Transport Coordination Committee” of 13/12/2018, “activities kept under existing Grant Agreements will not be funded under reflow calls and CEF 2 calls”.

This rule applies even if the original Grant Agreement which included the activities is now closed, unless the technical scope of these activities, and the corresponding grant amount, was removed from the Grant Agreement before its end date to allow the reuse of the unused CEF funding.

If the project exceeds the values defined for dual-use requirements in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328, it is still eligible to apply. However, the proposal must clearly justify the need for implementing a level of infrastructure requirement going beyond the values set out in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 and demonstrate that this is necessary for both civilian and defence needs.

If the application does not demonstrate and justify the need to exceed the values of dual-use requirements set out in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328, based on the article 12(d) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1153, costs shall be eligible only up to the level of infrastructure requirement(s) necessary for dual-use.

In general, all proposals should describe which dual-use requirements are addressed by the project as stated in this FAQ: ec.europa.eu

The (re)building of the gates/access points is considered superstructure and it is not eligible for funding. ITS solutions applied to the gates/ access points of the port can be considered eligible as part of a broader proposal. Please note however that the evaluation of proposals will take into account their relevance for military mobility purposes.

Shore-side electricity supply in ports known as cold ironing may be supported under the Military Mobility call as an ancillary element to a dual-use infrastructure, e.g. a berth. However, as a stand-alone project, projects addressing shore-side electricity alone would hardly demonstrate military mobility relevance and would thus have very low priority.

The construction of combined bridge piers is eligible under Military Mobility as long as it is directly resulting from the construction/upgrading of the road/railway infrastructure.

Yes, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, the installation of buoys and lighting is eligible for funding as it complies with the “Sea port operating period” dual-use requirement.

Yes, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, the construction/upgrade of multimodal freight terminals covering parking, manoeuvring areas and railroads tracks for unloading is eligible for funding.

No, the production of electricity is not eligible for funding as a synergetic element as it is not considered relevant for civilian-defence dual-use under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call.

Under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, (re)construction of border crossing points and buildings for custom staff operations is not eligible for funding. This type of projects is eligible under CEF-T-2026-SAFEMOBGEN call.

To be eligible under the CEF Military Mobility Call, the proposal must comply with the types of eligible actions specified in point 6.3. Actions relating to the adaptation of the TEN-T network to civilian-defence dual-use of the CEF-T 2021-2027 Work Programme (C(2026) 3720 final). The proposal must be also located on the TEN-T network as defined by Regulation (EU) No 2024/1679 and on the EU military mobility network as identified in the Military Requirements for Military Mobility within and beyond the EU approved on 20 November 2018 and last updated in March 2025.

Purchase of a multifunctional fleet vessel is not eligible for funding. In line with the dual-use requirement on “Sea port operating period” defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328, only the ice-breaking equipment that allows operations 24/7 in all-weather conditions is eligible for funding. The ice-breaker can be used to serve other operations.

However, if the vessel will be constructed and equipped with additional specific facilities to serve other operations in addition to the ice-breaking, then only the investment in facilities which are solely related and necessary for the ice-breaking operations, will be considered for funding. In the proposal, the multipurpose of the vessel should be explained and the investments needed for the ice-breaking facilities should be clearly presented, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Yes, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, the electrification of line tracks and upgrade/construction of electrification systems is eligible for funding. As explained in the remark to the dual-use requirement 5 “Electrification system availability” (Table 3 “Railways” of Annex to the Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1328), electrification back-up systems are relevant for stations or multimodal handling facilities but not for railway lines.

No, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, the purchase of a fixed or mobile crane is not eligible for funding. As specified in the Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1328 (remark to the dual-use requirement “Loading ramps and handling equipment/ Parking capacity”, table 6 “Multimodal equipment handling (road, rail, maritime and inland waterways)”): buildings, storage and warehouse facilities, cranes, conveyors, and other devices for moving freight, and mobile assets such as locomotives are excluded.

No. Investments in rolling stock are not eligible under the Military Mobility call.

No, ‘deployment of military forces’ is not an eligibility criterion. Eligibility criteria are listed in section 6 of the Call document.

Purchase and installation of energy generators in the port is considered eligible for funding as it complies with the dual-use requirement on “Sea port operating period” as defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

No, the renewal of mobile assets is not eligible for funding.

Modernisation of locomotives is not eligible for funding.

Modernisation of freight platforms is eligible for funding as long as it addresses dual-use requirement(s) on Multimodal equipment handling (road, rail, maritime and inland waterways) as defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

(Re)construction/modernisation of diesel refueling points for locomotives is not eligible for funding, unless it concerns a rail connection to the airport.

Yes, railway/road connections to a seaport as a last mile connection to the TEN-T and the EU military transport network are eligible for funding under the Military Mobility Call. Proposals may be located both outside and within the perimeter of the seaports. Proposals located both within and outside the perimeter of the seaports where the outside part of the rail line/road connection is not located on the TEN-T and the EU military transport network but ensures the last mile connection between the seaport and the TEN-T and the EU military transport network are also eligible for funding under the Military Mobility Call.

Yes, proposals contributing to the adaptation of either the TEN-T core network, the extended core network or the comprehensive network as defined by Regulation (EU) No 2024/1679 are eligible for funding.

Yes, the (re)construction of the ATS Tower building is eligible for funding as it addresses the dual-use requirement on “Air Traffic Control” (Air Traffic Control infrastructure with sufficient capacity to manage airfield day and night operations) as defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

The modernisation of the Vessel Traffic Management System can be considered eligible as part of a broader proposal. Please note however that the evaluation of proposals will take into account their relevance for military mobility purposes.

Both ITS and road safety can be considered eligible as part of a broader proposal. Please note however that the evaluation of proposals will take into account their relevance for military mobility purposes.

No, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, outermost regions cannot benefit from the higher co-funding rate. As defined in the CEF-T 2021-2027 Work ProgrammePDF (point 8) andCall textPDF (point 10), the maximum co-financing rate under the CEF-T-2026-MILMOB Call is 50%.

Costs related to transport infrastructure resilience such as stormwater management infrastructure may be supported under the Military Mobility call as an ancillary element to a dual-use infrastructure. However, as a stand-alone project, projects addressing resilience of infrastructure alone would hardly demonstrate military mobility relevance and would thus have very low priority.

No, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, a mobile handling equipment particular for cross-connection to multimodal nodes (rail, air, seaport (LoLo/RoRo) and inland waterways) is not eligible for funding. As specified in the remark to the dual-use requirement “Loading ramps and handling equipment/Parking capacity”: buildings, storage and warehouse facilities, cranes, conveyors, and other devices for moving freight, and mobile assets such as locomotives are excluded”.

Purchase of a dredger/ dredging equipment is not eligible for funding. Only the costs of dredging operations are eligible for funding.

No, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure does not fall within the scope of the dual-use requirements as defined in the COM Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 and is not supported for funding under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call.

The competent ministry must sign the Member State agreement (Letter of Support) - frequently this is the ministry competent for transport.

It is for each Member State to designate the competent authority signing the military network map declaration; normally it is signed by the Ministry of Defence.

The Military Requirements for Military Mobility within and beyond the EU approved on 20 November 2018 have been updated in March 2025. Therefore, the following now applies to the footnote of the EU military transport network in the ‘Military network map declaration’: “Tables 3.1 – 3.27 of Annex II to the Military Requirements for Military Mobility within and beyond the EU, as approved by the Council on 17 March 2025 and consolidated into document 6278/25 ADD1 of 18 March 2025. Applicants are encouraged to contact their national CEF Contact Points to verify whether their project proposal is located on the EU military transport network/the 4 EU Priority Mobility Corridors. Applicants are recommended to use the version of the ‘Military network map declaration’ that is available in the submission system taking into account the update (6278/25 ADD1) referred to above. The declaration must be uploaded duly filled and signed by the competent Member State authority (usually by the Ministry of Defence).

Under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, if the scope of the project proposal concerns a passenger railway line, it should be located on the TEN-T passenger railways network. If it concerns a freight railway line, it should be located on the TEN-T freight railways network. If the project proposal concerns a mixed railway line (freight and passenger), it may be located on either the TEN-T passenger or freight railways network?

Under the 2026 call for proposals, the proposals submitted to the following calls are exempted from submitting a CBA:

• CEF-T-2026-SIMOBGEN
• CEF-T-2026-MILMOB
• CEF-T-2026-AFIFGEN
• CEF-T-2026-SAFEMOBGEN
• CEF-T-2026-SUSTMOBGEN

For these calls, the submission system does not contain an upload slot for the upload of CBA documentation.

The following information should be provided in Application form Part B (Technical Description), point 1.7 Dual-use potential (civilian-defence):

As regards the first aspect (to what extent the proposed project contributes to enhanced strategic deployment of military forces in the EU for missions, operations and routine activities?):

• To what extent the project contributes to cross border synergies;
• To what extent the project contributes to enhanced EU Battlegroup strategic deployment, including the potential strategic deployment leg;
• To what extent the project contributes to strategic deployment for one of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy scenarios;
• Is the project proposal in line with the Member State's National Military Mobility plan (Council Conclusions on Security and Defence in the context of the EU Global Strategy - Council Conclusions (25 June 2018), Paragraph 18 a), data.consilium.europa.eu) ?

As regards the second aspect (to what extent the project eliminates identified gaps on the Member State's infrastructure network, including bottlenecks currently undermining military movements?):

• To what extent the project will facilitate movement of military oversize/overloaded assets on the transport network;
• To what extent the project will have an impact on decreasing congestion on the transport and multimodal nodes;
• To what extent the project is connected to the entire/main Member State’s and EU military transport network;
• To what extent the project will provide unrestricted access to the military for routine activities.

The information provided by applicants should not contain any classified information.

Each project application under the CEF Transport Military Mobility call must clearly specify the actual parameters of the existing infrastructure elements planned to be upgraded or replaced, as well as the corresponding future parameters intended to be achieved, so that these can be assessed against the TEN-T/CEF requirements (in the case of new infrastructure, the project application must clearly specify the future parameters intended to be achieved). The application must also clearly define, which dual-use requirements are applicable to the scope of the project. The description of the scope of the project should be substantiated with technical data proving the compliance of future parameters of the infrastructure with the respective technical values and standards defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 for the relevant dual-use requirements applicable to the scope of the project.

As set out in Section 6 of the call texts, twinned proposals are proposals relating to the same project that are submitted under different calls and/or topics. Where proposals form part of the same Global Project, this must be clearly indicated in Part B. However, proposals submitted under the same topic are not considered twinned proposals, even if they form part of the same Global Project. They will be evaluated as separate proposals.

Under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, the (re)construction of railway tracks in a port terminal handling area can be supported provided that it complies with dual-use requirements on “Multimodal equipment handling (road, rail, maritime and inland waterways)” as defined in Table 6 of the ANNEX to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1328. The rail access could cover rail infrastructure e.g., new rail tracks, upgrade of existing rail tracks, adaptation for 740-meter-long trains and connections within the maritime ports, necessary utilities installations (e.g. electricity) needed for the railway operations.

No, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, OPS is not supported for funding as it does not relate to any dual-use requirement as defined in Table 2 ("Seaports) of the ANNEX to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

Safe and secure parking areas for trucks and commercial vehicles can be supported under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call; applicants should demonstrate the contribution of infrastructure to civilian-defence dual use. Safe and secure parking areas must be designed and built in line with EU requirements on safe and secure parking areas and certified in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1012. The applicant should also justify the utility of the safe and secure parking area for the functioning of the network.

Yes, the construction of a fixed loading/RoRo ramp in a seaport can be supported for funding as a stand-alone project. Mobile loading ramps, including loading and unloading ramps on vessels, are not relevant for funding neither as a stand-alone project nor as part of a broader proposal.

Yes, the extension of a quay wall is relevant for funding provided that it results in the (re)construction of a functional berth that meets the applicable dual-use requirements defined in Table 2 ("Seaports) of the ANNEX to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

Yes, the upgrade of the port handling area can be supported for funding provided that it complies with dual-use requirements on “Multimodal equipment handling (road, rail, maritime and inland waterways)” as defined in Table 6 of the ANNEX to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

Yes, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, the basic maritime port infrastructure is relevant for funding. Project proposals should address applicable dual-use infrastructure requirements defined in COM Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328.

No, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, if the value of the future technical parameter of the (re)constructed infrastructure is lower than the value defined for the relevant dual-use requirements, such (re)construction is not supported for funding.

Yes, under CEF Transport Military Mobility Call, sidings connected to the railway lines located both on the TEN-T and EU military mobility networks are considered relevant for funding. The scope of the project proposal should comply with the dual-use requirement no. 15 “Siding spurs” defined in the Table 3 ("Railways") of the ANNEX to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 .

No. If a project relates to the upgrade of a berth, it must comply with all dual-use requirements applicable to port berths, including 'berth draught', and 'berth length'.

The scope of the project may include the construction/upgrade of at least one berth. However, the port must have 3 berths overall after the completion of the project (Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1328, Table 2, seaports dual-use requirement no.2).

Each berth must have a length of minimum 310m and up to 340m per vessel (Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1328, Table 2, seaports dual-use requirement no.6). This does not require a quay in the port with a length of 930 m.

The construction of a quay with a total length of less than 930 m is eligible under the Military Mobility call as long as the dual-use requirements no.2 and no.6 mentioned above are met.

The EU military transport network, including the 4 EU Priority Mobility Corridors, is identified by the Council in the Military Requirements for Military Mobility within and beyond the EU approved on 20 November 2018 and last updated in March 2025. Applicants are encouraged to contact their national CEF Contact Points to verify whether their project proposal is located on the EU military transport network/the 4 EU Priority Mobility Corridors. As part of the application, the applicant(s) must upload a declaration confirming that the project is located on the EU military mobility network, signed by the competent Member State authority (usually by the Ministry of Defence).

Civilian-defence dual-use projects should adapt parts of the TEN-T core, extended core or comprehensive network for the dual use of the transport infrastructure with a view to improving both civilian (passenger or freight) and military mobility

Yes, the runway should be constructed/extended as specified in the Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1328 (remark to the dual-use requirement “Runway Length”, table 1 “Airports and air traffic management”). The construction/extension of the runway should be suitable for Aircraft Category Strategic Transportation as well as A330/A400M/ IL76/B747/An225/C5/C17 aircrafts.

No, to be eligible under the Military Mobility Call, the project does not need to address all dual-use requirements defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328. The proposal should address selected dual-use requirement(s) applicable to the work packages and tasks defined in the scope of the project.

No. Proposals concerning air transport infrastructure components can be supported under the Military Mobility call only if they address both civilian and defence needs. If the objective of the proposal is only civilian and does not address the adaptation of the infrastructure for civilian-military dual-use, it cannot be supported under the Military Mobility call.

No, all dual-use requirements defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1328 are of equal priority. The dual-use requirements to be met by a project must correspond to the identified needs and the project's overall and specific objectives.

The military aspects of a study, works or mixed proposal are assessed against the same two criteria: i) to what extent the proposed project contributes to enhanced strategic deployment of military forces in the EU for missions, operations and routine activities; and ii) to what extent the project eliminates identified gaps on the Member State's infrastructure network, including bottlenecks currently undermining military movements.

Please consult FAQ no. 17445 for more detailed information on the content of the above two criteria.

Yes, these two aspects are assessed and scored jointly under the “priority and urgency” criterion.