EU Cohesion Policy invests over €1.4 billion in green projects in 7 Member States

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

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Today the European Commission has approved an investment package worth more than €1.4 billion of EU funds in 14 large infrastructure projects in 7 Member States, namely Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. The projects cover several key areas such as environment, health, transport and energy for a smarter, low-carbon Europe. They represent a massive investment to boost the economy, protect the environment and improve citizens’ quality of life and social well-being. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “In such difficult times for our continent, it is crucial that Cohesion policy continues to play its role in supporting the economy for the benefit of our citizens. Today’s major project adoptions show that EU funding, and Cohesion policy in particular, delivers concrete results, helping regions and cities becoming a safer, cleaner and more comfortable place for people and business. Many of the approved projects also help delivering on the goals of the European Green Deal. When the European Commission, Member States and regions join forces, we can achieve a lot.” Improving Croatia’s rail network Over €119 million from the Cohesion Fund will finance the purchase of 21 new electric trains to boost service quality, reduce delays and encourage more people to use a sustainable transport type. This project will contribute to modernise the country’s rolling stock and to improve connectivity and mobility with positive economic consequences. Travel times, noise, vibrations and operating costs will be reduced while safety will increase. More reliable and efficient energy supply in Czechia Thanks to an investment of almost €37 million from the European Regional Development Fund, a new efficient and reliable double-circuit power line will be built between Přeštice and Vítkov in the Plzeň and Karlovy Vary regions of Czechia. On top of being a key infrastructure linking the energy systems of different EU countries, this project will increase energy security and renewable energy generation. Regional blackouts and grid failure will also decrease. Increasing flood safety & improving sustainable water management in Hungary More than €49 million from the Cohesion Fund will increase flood safety for the people and the economy in the valley of the Tisza river, especially as a response to the extreme floods over the past decades. In addition, nearly €96 million from the Cohesion Fund will also protect over 132,000 inhabitants from flood risk in the Upper-Tisza. This project also includes improving sustainable water management, thus supporting water-based economy. Clean energy and better transport services in Poland A power transmission line and power substations in Northern and North-Western Poland will be built thanks to an EU investment of over €54 million from the Cohesion Fund. Covering an area of almost 380km, the project will support the generation and distribution of clean and safe energy, cutting greenhouse emissions and air pollution. Moreover, almost €85 million from the European Regional Development Fund will improve public transport in Olsztyn by extending the existing tram and bus routes and installing an intelligent transportation system. This way, more people will be encouraged to use public transport and congestion will be reduced with positive urban environmental consequences. Then, the Cohesion Fund will invest more than €38 million to modernise the tram network in Bydgoszcz, in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region. Thanks to this project, around 350,000 inhabitants will profit from increased comfort and accessibility for people with reduced mobility as well as reduced traffic and greenhouse emissions. Additionally, with an investment of over €76 million from the European Regional Development Fund, Poland will modernise four railway lines for a total length of almost 52km in the Śląskie region. This will reduce travel time and air pollution while ensuring smoother rail interoperability and safety. Upgrading public transport in Portugal The Cohesion Fund will invest €107 million to upgrade Porto’s metro line system. This will make the city’s public transport more appealing, reduce traffic and pollution and guarantee safer, faster and more comfortable journeys for passengers. Ensuring access to clean water and better healthcare in Romania €486.6 million from the Cohesion Fund will ensure access to improved drinking water and proper wastewater treatment for over 400,000 people in South-West Romania and prevent contamination of groundwater in the North-East’s Suceava county for 220,000 inhabitants. Then, the EU will invest €47 million from the European Regional Development Fund to improve the quality and efficiency of medical services in the North East region. Thanks to this investment, which will benefit 90,000 inhabitants, patients will receive high quality treatment and the number of deaths and long-term disabilities will be reduced. Improving rail connection in the Atlantic corridor The European Regional Development Fund will invest €265 million to improve over 178km of the rail connection in the 715km Madrid-Lisbon high-speed line, and especially in the Extremadura area. This will benefit long distance good and passengers’ transport with positive economic and environmental benefits. This project is part of the TEN-T network’s Atlantic Corridor connecting South West Europe to the rest of the EU. Background Major projects are cohesion policy’s large-scale investments with a value of more than €50 million each. Given the EU’s high financial contribution to these projects, via the European Regional Development Fund or the Cohesion Fund, they are subject to a specific assessment procedure and a final decision by the European Commission. In 2014-2020 EU’s programming period, 310 major projects have already received the support from cohesion policy. JASPERS (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions), the pool of independent experts helping local, regional and national governments prepare large infrastructure projects financed by EU funds, played an important role in each of these projects, either through advising Member States and beneficiaries during the project development or during the appraisal of the application for grant financing.