The next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) negotiations take place in a context of constrained public spending – how can the EU budget be better utilised to maximise value for money in infrastructure investment?
Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz: The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is the perfect example of how to maximise value for money, as it is already one of the most successful Union funding programmes, allowing us to accelerate integration and invest in projects with high Union added value, such as the Baltic Synchronisation. In the next MFF, its budget has more than doubled confirming the vital role of CEF in supporting strategic infrastructure investments across the Union. The particular thing about CEF is that it de-risks strategic projects that are essential but not immediately commercially viable. By using relatively limited EU funding to unlock national and private capital, it delivers a strong multiplier effect. In a context of constrained public spending, this is exactly the kind of approach the EU budget should prioritise: projects with clear European added value and long-term strategic relevance.
Roberts Zīle: The Council has already started work under the Cypriot Presidency. Under the Treaties the Council has more rights on the MFF than Parliament, so we understand our role. In the Parliament, the vote has been delayed because groups are not yet ready to agree on the numbers and political priorities.
On infrastructure, however, there is broad alignment: the Connecting Europe Facility and military mobility are essential and should be kept at least at the same level. In the Council some Member States always want to reduce. I hope we will not repeat what happened in 2020, when the European Council reduced military mobility from almost €6 billion to €1.7 billion, which is peanuts. It was tendered out very quickly and the money was gone in 2022 and 2023, while the MFF runs to 2027. The Parliament should take a strong position to support CEF and military mobility.
Bernardo Matos: The new MFF faces a hard reality: Europe’s priorities keep multiplying – industrial decarbonisation, defence, digital leadership, agriculture – while demands on EU infrastructure grow under geopolitical uncertainty, climate pressure, and global competition.
In this context, added value isn’t just about spending more, but spending smarter. Every euro must deliver greater efficiency, resilience, and long‑term impact.
Our experience supporting European infrastructure projects shows that digitalisation is one of the strongest levers to achieve this. Tools like digital twins and AI help anticipate vulnerabilities, cut delivery risks, and strengthen oversight of EU funds allocated to major projects.
The CEF is the perfect example of how to maximise value for money, as it is already one of the most successful Union funding programmes - MEP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz
Ultimately, it’s about doing more with less – using innovation to de‑risk investments and generate stronger economic and societal returns.
How should the next Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) evolve to better integrate resilience in large-scale infrastructure projects, as the EU’s key investment programme for transport and energy?
KGP: CEF already helps finance excellent projects with huge European added value. But we must remember that, just as important as building new infrastructure, is protecting what already exists. The next CEF must therefore be designed for the world we actually live in. Kyiv. Minus eighteen degrees Celsius. Russia is systematically destroying thermal power plants- 5500 apartment blocks without heating. A cardiac hospital is installing solar panels just to keep operating during blackouts. Energy infrastructure is a matter of life and death. But this is not Ukraine’s problem alone.
It is a playbook that Russia can apply anywhere. Blackouts in Moldova. Disruptions in Valencia. Sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic. Incidents in Poland targeting operators’ systems. The list is getting longer. That is why CEF must evolve to help us protect critical infrastructure before crises hit, not only repair damage afterwards. On the energy side, I have made it a priority to support projects that strengthen the resilience of both new and existing infrastructure, while also turning lessons from the ground into concreate funding priorities.
The increase in military mobility funding is a step in the right direction. In energy, the budget has also increased, but the scale of needs remains very large. When we add the security-related dimension to the equation, those needs grow even further.
RZ: CEF has been a very successful instrument since it was established. Under the next MFF this would be the third CEF. It is a crucial fund for large-scale cross-border projects, mainly in transport, but also for energy transmission projects, electricity and gas pipelines.
Given the geopolitical situation, we need resources to finalise core network projects, especially dual-use infrastructure in the rail sector. Rail Baltica, for example, is delayed for different reasons, including lack of money. Many cross-border projects are delaying and becoming more expensive because of the war in Ukraine and wider instability. We will not create resilient dual-use infrastructure for civilian cargo and passengers, and for military mobility, without adequate funding.
BM: Large infrastructure projects face well‑known risks – cost overruns, delays, and asset failures – often because planning is fragmented, data isn’t integrated, or challenges like geology aren’t anticipated early enough. Building resilience isn’t only about stronger physical assets; it’s about improving how projects are designed, built, and maintained, so they perform better over their decades-long lifespan.
Given the geopolitical situation, we need resources to finalise core network projects, especially dual-use infrastructure in the rail sector - MEP Roberts Zīle
This is where the CEF can step up. Its role shouldn’t be limited to funding infrastructure, but to driving smarter ways of delivering it. That means promoting digital and data‑driven approaches across the entire project lifecycle. When these are embedded from the start, projects are far better positioned to support EU priorities such as energy security, resilience, and climate adaptation.
And to be clear: this isn’t about making the CEF more rigid or demanding. It’s about creating the right incentives to deliver EU policy objectives at scale. The EU should reward projects that show upfront how they are integrating smart methods to improve execution, boost resilience, and accelerate decarbonisation.
How can the EU incentivise the deployment and uptake of digital technologies across critical sectors to foster more sustainable, resilient, and smarter infrastructure?
KGP: The draft report on CEF, which has now been finalised and sent to translation, includes a clear reference to the need of investing more in the area of smart grids. The previous CEF had three parts- transport, energy and digital. For the next MFF, the digital part has been moved to the ECF, while CEF is focusing more on transport, military mobility and energy infrastructure. Nevertheless, digital elements remain vital for these types of infrastructure.
I have made it a priority to also make investment in protection against cyberattacks and other digital risks for critical infrastructure. This step is now reflected in the specific objectives of the Programme. Through targeted investment for key digital technologies such as smart grids and cybersecurity infrastructure, CEF can help ensure that our trans-European transport and energy networks are not only smarter and more sustainable, but also better protected against emerging threats.
RZ: Resilience is absolutely crucial for existing infrastructure, and the digital side of resilience is also important. Look at airports: at Zaventem, a few drones were enough to close the airport. In Vilnius, meteorological balloons flying from Belarus can disrupt aviation. This creates serious cost issues for airports and airlines.
The same applies to rail and to the military mobility corridors approved by the Council. They should be resilient, and that means money. We need much more than €17 billion; the Transport Commissioner estimated around €100 billion. If you build something that is vulnerable, you immediately add costs for resilience. The resilience of infrastructure is a crucial task for the European Union, and we are not yet where we should be.
The EU should reward projects that show upfront how they are integrating smart methods to improve execution, boost resilience, and accelerate decarbonisation - Bernardo Matos
BM: The EU needs to align public funding, horizontal regulation, and sector‑specific policies if it wants to deliver on its key policy objectives – and this is especially true for infrastructure.
First, EU funding programmes should reward infrastructure projects that integrate smart approaches – such as digital and data‑driven solutions – across their entire lifecycle. This could include more favourable co‑financing rates or pre‑financing terms for projects that adopt such a forward‑looking approach.
Second, EU public procurement rules need to evolve. The 2014 Directives were meant to move us beyond a “lowest cost” mindset, but that shift hasn’t materialised. We need to prioritise quality and value over the full lifecycle, and actively encourage the uptake of building information modelling (BIM), digital twins, and other technologies.
Third, sector‑specific policies in energy, transport, and water must become genuinely “digital‑ready.” That means enabling cross-border data sharing, real interoperability, and robust cybersecurity – in other words, the foundations of a modern, integrated infrastructure system.
If policymakers align these levers – and stay focused on outcomes – the EU will be able to build infrastructure that is smarter, more sustainable, and better prepared for the many challenges ahead.
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