European Commission Grants Austria Another 109 Million Euros for Transport Projects

Funds from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Transport) for Sustainable and Cross-border Transport Projects

To improve, modernize, and make the transport sector more climate-friendly at the European level, the European Union supports Member States through co-financing for the implementation of cross-border transport and mobility projects as well as certain national projects of common interest. In this context, the European Commission has granted Austria funding of 109.3 million euros under the "Connecting Europe Facility-Transport" (CEF-T).

In the field of rail infrastructure, not only the planning of the northern access route to the Brenner Base Tunnel will benefit from EU funding. For the first time, the cross-border southern section of the rail connection between Graz and Maribor will also be planned with EU support, allowing for a faster implementation of the double-track expansion. The Werndorf freight terminal will also receive EU funds. These two projects are part of an environmentally friendly hinterland connection of the Port of Koper in Slovenia and the Port of Rijeka in Croatia. This also sets the course for the new Western Balkan Corridor, which is now part of the TEN-T core network and thus a top priority for the EU in the Alpe-Adria region.

Minister for Climate Protection Leonore Gewessler: "Cross-border rail connections are wonderful symbols of European cooperation. As important corridors between the north and south of our continent, not only the Brenner Base Tunnel and its access routes but also the Graz – Maribor route are of enormous importance. The financial support from the EU is a good signal from the European Commission and underscores the significance of these projects within the European transport infrastructure, clearly showing the appreciation at the European level. These EU funds are an important step forward and will help us to continue advancing the construction and making the future of European mobility – fast, rail-based, and climate-friendly – a reality. This benefits the people in our country and in the neighboring states, makes rail competitive, strengthens Europe's economy, and is also good for our climate."

The "Connecting Europe Facility-Transport" plays an important role in the implementation of EU transport and environmental policies in the transport sector and contributes to strengthening trans-European transport connections and mobility. The main goals of this EU funding program are to improve cross-border and intermodal connections within Europe and to promote the sustainability and efficiency of the entire transport sector.