External Borders: studies, works or mixed

Yes, this topic may also concern the enhancement of an existing terminal if the applicants demonstrate that the project would facilitate traffic flows at the EU external border control area.

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.

No, projects covering the upgrading/modernisation of railway tracks with a gauge different from the European standard nominal track gauge (1435 mm) are not eligible for funding, unless they support traffic flow optimisation at border control areas where severe capacity gaps have been identified.

Applicants must submit (upload) the Environmental Compliance File for all applications. For works applications and study applications with physical intervention, the ECF must be completed with (i) the environmental compliance questionnaire duly filled in, along with the requested information being applicable i.e. non-technical summary, and (ii) the declarations signed by the competent authority (i) for monitoring Natura 2000 sites and (ii) under the water framework directive 2000/60/EC.

Regarding study projects without physical intervention, and works projects that do not affect significantly the environment, the ECF must be uploaded by ticking the box of ‘project type’, and including in the comments boxes for each question ‘not applicable’. For these applications, no declarations signed by the competent authority are needed.

The works projects that do not affect significantly the environment concern applications for Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), VTMIS, RIS, telematics application systems, actions exclusively related to implementation of electric vehicles charging stations in existing build-up areas, solutions to improve accessibility for persons with reduced mobility, and vessels and rail rolling stock retrofitting.

Yes, projects submitted under the EXTBORDER topic are required to comply with the same technical requirements as projects submitted under the Rail topic, in particular with regards to compliance with Directive (EU) 2016/797 and with the related Technical Specifications for Interoperability.

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.

No. The deployment of electronic interlockings, Class B signalling systems and / or track side train protection equipment are not supported.

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, EXTBORDER topic, a project proposal can be supported only for road‑ and rail‑related measures facilitating traffic flows at border control areas at the Union land external borders.

In the rail sector, funding can be provided to projects that improve traffic flows at TEN‑T Border Crossing Points (BCPs), including measures that enhance interoperability. In the road sector, funding can be provided for the upgrade of truck parking areas, the improvement of waiting zones and the increase of road‑lane capacity between these parking areas and the border‑control points, provided that such upgrades contribute to smoother traffic flows at road BCPs at the Union’s external border.

Yes, the upgrading of parking areas for trucks and commercial vehicles can be supported, including measures in line with EU requirements on safe and secure parking areas and certified in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1012. However, the application should justify the utility of the upgraded safe and secure parking area for the border crossing point and the way it facilitates traffic flows at the Union external border.