2020 CEF Energy

Deadline: May 27, 2020  
CALL EXPIRED

1. SUBJECT

Adequate, well integrated and reliable energy networks are a prerequisite for a secure, sustainable and competitive internal energy market. The aim of the Connecting Europe Facility1 is to accelerate investment in the field of trans-European networks and to leverage funding from public and private sectors. While the bulk of the investment needed in the energy sector should be delivered by the market and its costs recovered through tariffs, EU financing may be needed for specific projects with wider regional and European benefits which are unable to attract market- based financing.

In this context and on the basis of the Multi-annual Work Programme adopted on 13 March 2020,2 a call for proposals is launched to support projects of common interest as defined in the TEN-E Regulation3 last amended by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/389 of 31 October 2019 4.

2. OBJECTIVES

As indicated in section 3 of the Annex to the Multi-annual Work Programme, this call for proposals aims to enable projects of common interest to be prepared and implemented within the framework of the trans-European networks policy in the energy sector. In particular, the call shall contribute to supporting energy infrastructure projects of common interest that have significant societal benefits and that ensure greater solidarity among Member States, but which do not receive adequate financing from the market. Special focus shall be placed on the efficient use of public investment.

3. RESULTS EXPECTED FROM THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

As indicated in section 5 of the Annex to the Multi-annual Work Programme, it is expected that the financial assistance contributes to the further development and implementation of projects of common interest in electricity (including smart grids), gas and cross-border carbon dioxide networks helping to achieve the broader energy policy objectives of:

•   increasing competitiveness by promoting the further integration of the internal energy market and the interoperability of electricity and gas networks across borders;

•   enhancing the Union security of energy supply, and

•   contributing to sustainable development and protection of the environment, inter alia by the integration of energy from renewable sources into the transmission network and by the development of smart energy networks and carbon dioxide networks.

In accordance with recital 8 of the CEF Regulation5 and in line with the Multi-annual Work Programme, this call for proposals aims at financing actions contributing to the EU's mid-term and long-term objectives in terms of decarbonisation. Considering that the Green Deal Communication6 has further emphasized the key enabling role of energy infrastructure, including cross-border carbon dioxide networks, in the transition to a climate neutral economy, financial assistance provided under this call for proposals should maximise its added value towards decarbonisation.

Furthermore, in accordance with recital 57 of the CEF Regulation and in line with the Multi- annual Work Programme, this call for proposals aims at directing the major part of the financial assistance to electricity projects, including network projects and electricity storage projects to support in particular the deployment of renewable energy, subject to market uptake, the quality and maturity of Actions proposed and their financing requirements.

4. BUDGET

The indicative amount to be allocated on the basis of this call for proposals to projects of common interest in the field of trans-European energy infrastructure is € 979.6 million.

5. TIMETABLE

Date of publication of call for proposals

13 March 2020

Deadline for the submission of proposals

27 May 2020 (17:00.00 Brussels time)

Evaluation of proposals

June – September 2020 (indicative)

Consultation of CEF Coordination Committee/ Information of European Parliament

October 2020 (indicative)

Adoption of the Selection Decision

October 2020 (indicative)

Signature of individual Grant Agreements

As from November 2020 (indicative)

6. ADMISSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

In order to be admissible, proposals must be:

•   Submitted electronically in the TENtec Information System eSubmission module.7 In this respect, proposals or part(s) of proposals submitted by e-mail or hard copy will not be admissible.

•   Submitted by the submission deadline (see sections 5 on Timetable and 13.2 on the Procedure for the submission of proposals).

•   Complete, i.e. all parts of the application forms (A, B, C or D) are included.

•   Submitted using only the application forms (A, B, C and D) provided on the call webpage

  or (for application form part A) generated by the TENtec eSubmission module.

•   Duly signed by the applicant(s).

  Failure to comply with any of these requirements will lead to the rejection of the application. The use of the application form (parts A, B, C and D) templates provided on the call webpage or (for application form part A) generated by the TENtec eSubmission module is compulsory.

7. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

7.1 Eligible applicants

In accordance with section 6.1 of the Multi-annual Work Programme and pursuant to Article 9 of the CEF Regulation, only those proposals submitted by one of the following types of applicants are eligible:

•   One or more Member States;

•   With the agreement of the Member States concerned, international organisations, Joint Undertakings,8 or public or private undertakings or bodies established in Member States.

   

For UK applicants: Please be aware that following the entry into force of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement* on 1 February 2020 and in particular Articles 127(6), 137 and 138, the references to natural or legal persons residing or established in a Member State of the European Union are to be understood as including natural or legal persons residing or established in the United Kingdom. UK applicants are therefore eligible to participate under this call.

* Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community.

Consortium composition

There are no specific consortium requirements for this call.

Third countries and third country entities

Where necessary to achieve the objectives of a given project of common interest and where duly motivated, third countries and entities established in third countries may participate in Actions contributing to the projects of common interest. They may not receive funding except where it is indispensable to achieve the objectives of a given project of common interest.

Applications presented by third countries and entities established in third countries must contain the agreement of the Member State concerned by the proposed Action and a declaration on why the participation of the applicant is indispensable. Applicants that are entities established in a third country9 must also provide proof of the support of the third country authorities concerned by the Action.

Applicants without legal personality

Proposals may be submitted by entities which do not have legal personality under the applicable national law, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf and offer guarantee for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.

Natural persons

Proposals submitted by natural persons are not eligible.

Affiliated entities

Applicants may designate affiliated entities within the meaning of Article 187 of the Financial Regulation,10 for the purpose of supporting the implementation of the Action submitted for funding. Such affiliated entities must comply with the eligibility criteria for applicants.

Member State agreement

Any applicant that cannot provide the agreement of the EU Member State concerned will not be eligible.