European Commission mobilises €1.1 billion for transport infrastructure projects

The Reflow call is the CEF Transport’s final funding opportunity under the 2021–2027 budget cycle

June 22, 2026
European project funding

At a glance: the essentials of this article

The European Commission launched on 18th June a special call under the CEF Transport programme worth approximately €1.1 billion, drawing on unspent funds from previous calls. The initiative, known as Reflow, will close on 6th October 2026, making it the final funding opportunity under this programme within the current EU budget framework (2021–2027). The call supports both studies and implementation projects in areas such as railways, ports, airports, military mobility and automated driving.

Available budget. The call mobilises €1.11 billion for transport infrastructure projects.

Final opportunity. It is the last CEF Transport call of the 2021–2027 budget period.

Eligible areas. Funding covers rail, port, airport, road, inland waterway and military mobility projects.

Grant amounts. Projects will receive between €10 million and €100 million, depending on the selected priority and participating countries.

National endorsement. Proposals require support from the relevant ministries through the designated national contact points.

The European Commission has officially launched the special CEF Transport call, known as Reflow, with a budget of €1.11 billion sourced from unspent funds to support transport infrastructure projects. The call, published on 18th June, will remain open for the submission of proposals until 6th October 2026. It is expected to represent the final opportunity to secure funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for transport infrastructure within the 2021–2027 Multiannual Financial Framework.

For this reason, “interested organisations should already be assessing how their project ideas fit the call requirements and what national support will be needed in order to apply,” warns Asier Pérez, European projects consultant and CEF Transport expert at Zabala Innovation. “The call offers a new opportunity for projects that narrowly missed funding in previous rounds, as well as for initiatives that have matured in recent years and are now ready to move into implementation,” he explains.

While highlighting the more than 30 proposals supported by Zabala Innovation and selected by the European Commission under CEF Transport, the expert also believes that Reflow “could represent an opportunity for project promoters looking to accelerate their investment plans ahead of 2030”.

The call forms part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU programme through which the European Commission finances investments in transport, energy and digital connectivity. CEF Transport supports projects aimed at improving connections between Member States, removing bottlenecks in European networks, strengthening infrastructure interoperability and facilitating the transition towards lower-emission forms of mobility.

Eligible areas under the CEF Transport Reflow call

Among the priorities of the Reflow call are the development of high-speed rail lines, cross-border connections, missing links within the European transport network, and multimodal hubs connected to ports and inland waterways. Projects involving the construction or upgrading of inland waterway infrastructure, such as locks, bridges, dams and weirs, are also eligible for funding.

The call also provides support for energy recharging and storage infrastructure aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of road freight transport. Another priority area focuses on automated driving. The call supports control centres for real-world testing, as well as roadside equipment designed to enable the automated exchange of data between vehicles and infrastructure.

In terms of sustainability, projects involving ports and airports also feature prominently. The electrification of airport ground operations is among the areas supported, alongside investments in maritime and inland ports to facilitate shore-side electricity supply for vessels (OPS) and the adaptation of vessels to the use of alternative fuels, including electric propulsion.

Finally, in the field of security, the European Commission plans measures to improve road and rail border crossings and is also prioritising dual-use projects, serving both civilian and military purposes, involving the participation of several Member States.

Funding levels under the CEF Transport Reflow call

“The breadth of the priorities reflects some of the key transformation trends shaping the transport sector in Europe,” says Pérez, who notes that “the call is aimed at mature projects that are ready for immediate implementation”.

Funding is available for both preparatory studies and infrastructure implementation works, with grants ranging from €10 million to €100 million per project, depending on the priority area selected and the number of participating Member States.

What is a Reflow call?

Reflow calls follow a specific logic within European funding programmes. The resources allocated to them typically originate from funds released by previously approved projects that ultimately require less funding than initially anticipated or that are cancelled before completion. These amounts are subsequently redistributed through new calls for proposals.

As is standard practice under CEF Transport, projects submitted to the Reflow call will also need to secure support from the relevant ministries through the national contact points designated by each country. Projects focused on preparatory studies would be required to be completed by the end of 2029, while infrastructure implementation projects would need to be finalised before the end of 2030.