Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Facility: Road & Air Transport - works

This Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) call CEF-T-2026 funds deployment of alternative fuels supply infrastructure for heavy-duty road transport and airport ground operations along the TEN-T network. The indicative call budget is €130,000,000 with a maximum EU contribution per grant of €10,000,000, funding rates up to 30% for works (70% in outermost regions) and synergetic elements capped at 20% of eligible costs. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or countries associated to CEF and projects must be supported by financing from a public or private financial institution covering at least 10% of total project cost. Applications must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal by 06 October 2026 17:00 CET, comply with AFIR and TEN-T rules, include an Environmental Compliance File and a Financing Approval Letter, and beneficiaries must operate and maintain the infrastructure for at least five years after the grant end.

Call reference and deadlines

CEF-T-2026-AFIFGEN-COSTS — single-stage

Deadline for submission:06 October 2026 (17:00 CET). Call opening: 18 June 2026. Total indicative budget: €130 000 000. Maximum EU contribution per grant: €10 000 000; applicants are encouraged to request at least €1 000 000.

What the call funds:Deployment of alternative fuels supply infrastructure along the TEN-T network focused on: publicly accessible heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) recharging pools (Megawatt Charging System MCS 1 MW points and optional CCS 350 kW points subject to limits), electrification of airport ground operations (fixed or zero-tailpipe mobile power and pre-conditioned air, supply for ground vehicles and electric/hybrid aircraft), and related on-site electricity infrastructure and storage. Synergetic elements (on-site renewables, grid connection) allowed up to 20% of eligible costs.

1. 1Eligible infrastructure must comply with AFIR and TEN-T rules and be located on TEN-T roads/airports or within 3 km of a TEN-T road exit or in certified SSPAs or TEN-T urban nodes.
2. 2HDV charging pools must be 24/7 publicly accessible, dedicated to HDV (ring-fenced power, dynamic energy management, 24/7 phone assistance) and meet AFIR requirements.
3. 3Beneficiaries must operate and maintain funded infrastructure for at least 5 years after the grant end date.

Who can apply

Legal persons (public or private) established in EU Member States and countries associated to CEF; international organisations are eligible. Applicants must be registered in the Participant Register and demonstrate operational and financial capacity. Each project must be supported by financing from a public or private financial institution covering at least 10% of total project investment (approval by the financier's governing body required).

What is not eligible

Typical ineligible costs include vehicles, land acquisition, DSO/TSO-owned grid connection equipment, administrative and in-house staff costs, studies/design/supervision/commissioning/project management, OPEX (consumables, energy), upgrades of existing charging infrastructure, recharging pools in elevated/underground parking or premises for specific user groups, and VAT.

Funding rules and limits

The grant is budget-based (actual eligible costs). Funding rates:maximum 30% for works (up to 70% for works in outermost regions). Grants must not generate profit; costs must be incurred and verifiable. Prefinancing, interim and final payments follow the Model Grant Agreement.

Application essentials

1. 1Submit electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline; use the specific application templates and annexes (Part A, Part B, detailed budget per WP, environmental compliance file, Member State letter of support/financing approval letter).
2. 2Proposals limited to 120 pages (Part B). Environmental Compliance File mandatory. Financing approval letter must be provided during grant preparation (within 30 days after selection if not available at submission).
3. 3Evaluation against award criteria: Priority and urgency, Maturity, Quality, Impact and Catalytic effect (individual thresholds apply). Successful proposals invited to grant preparation; award is subject to legal and financial checks.

For full call documentation and submission access see the topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Call topic page ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Topic page and call documents (call fiche, call document, templates and submission entry point) are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Opportunity summary and purpose

This is a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport programme (Call: CEF 2 Transport - Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility - General envelope) to support deployment of alternative fuels supply infrastructure for road transport (heavy-duty vehicles) and airport ground operations on the TEN-T network. The actions supported are works (physical deployment) and associated synergetic elements, subject to AFIR and revised TEN-T rules. The call is open from 18 June 2026 to 6 October 2026 and the available indicative budget is €130,000,000. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Successful proposals will be managed through budget-based Action Grants (CEF-AG). More details are available in the call documentation and topic page CEF Topic page ¹.

Deadline:06 October 2026, 17:00 CET

Available budget:€130,000,000 (indicative for the topic)

Scope, eligible activities and locations

Primary scope:deployment (works) of alternative fuels supply infrastructure, with specific sub-scope areas defined in the call: publicly accessible high-power recharging pools dedicated to Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) and electrification of airport ground operations. All infrastructure must comply with Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR) and Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 (TEN-T guidelines) and the call-specific requirements below.

1. 1Publicly accessible HDV recharging pools: pools must include at least 4 Megawatt Charging System (MCS) points (each minimum 1 MW), or a combination of at least 4 MCS (1 MW each) plus CCS points (350 kW each) where the number of 350 kW points cannot exceed the number of 1 MW points. Eligible costs strictly relate to deployment inside the recharging pool area: chargers, power cabinets, canopies, safety and security devices, parking, circulation, cabling, substations, batteries, on-site dynamic energy management devices and similar electricity infrastructure.
2. 2Locations for HDV pools: on the TEN-T road network or within 3 km driving distance from a TEN-T exit; in Safe and Secure Parking Areas (SSPA) certified Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum per Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1012 and located on or within 3 km of TEN-T; or in TEN-T urban nodes (including port and airport areas) where horizontal requirements are fulfilled.
3. 3Electrification of airport ground operations: electricity and pre-conditioned air supply to stationary aircraft via fixed or zero-tailpipe mobile equipment; electricity supply for ground operation vehicles; electricity supply facilities for electric or hybrid aircraft/airships; electricity storage and related infrastructure located in TEN-T airports.
4. 4Horizontal requirements: beneficiaries must operate and maintain supported infrastructure for a minimum of 5 years from the grant end date (with transfer/operation by successor contract holder accepted for PSO expiries). HDV recharging pools must be publicly accessible 24/7, comply with AFIR, have energy management for dynamic power allocation, be exclusively dedicated to HDV use (exclusive measures such as signage, physical segregation or digital identification), have ring-fenced HDV power (separate metering/load management), and provide 24/7 phone assistance.
5. 5Synergetic elements: on-site renewable electricity generation and electricity grid connection are eligible but their total cost must not exceed 20% of total eligible costs and must be in a dedicated work package.
6. 6Non-eligible costs: vehicles; land acquisition, rent/lease; grid equipment owned by DSO/TSO; administrative costs (travel, indirect costs); applicant staff costs (even in-house); studies, design, supervision, commissioning, project management and communication costs; OPEX including energy; upgrade of existing recharging infrastructure; EV pools in elevated/underground parking or dealer premises typically for specific user groups; and in SSPAs only chargers and electricity infrastructure costs are eligible (not surfacing, lighting, canopies, buildings, etc.).

Who can apply and geographic scope

Eligibility is limited to legal entities (public or private bodies) established in eligible countries: EU Member States (including OCTs) and countries associated to the CEF Programme. International organisations may participate. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders where legal personality is that of the natural person. Entities must be registered in the Participant Register (PIC) and validated. Exceptional participation of entities from other countries may be allowed if essential for project implementation. Entities subject to EU restrictive or conditionality measures are ineligible.

Geographic implementation:Activities must take place in eligible countries and infrastructure locations must meet TEN-T location rules (TEN-T road network, within 3 km of TEN-T exits, TEN-T urban nodes, TEN-T airports).

Eligible applicant types (detailed)

Eligible applicant types (examples and specifics extracted from the call):public bodies (local, regional, national authorities), private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), transport operators, infrastructure managers, airports, port authorities, research organisations and universities where relevant, international organisations, non-profit organisations, and financial institutions acting as non-implementing partners. Natural persons are generally not eligible (except registered self-employed where relevant). Associated partners, subcontractors and in-kind contributors can participate in non-beneficiary roles. EU bodies (except JRC) cannot be beneficiaries.

Funding type, grant parameters and co-financing

This call funds budget-based Action Grants (CEF Action Grant Budget-Based - CEF-AG). Grants reimburse actual eligible costs according to the Grant Agreement rules and funding rates fixed at grant signature. The grant is budget-based (actual costs) and may not create profit. Specific funding rules for works projects under this call: maximum funding rate for costs of works is 30% (general) and up to 70% for works located in outermost regions. Maximum EU contribution per grant: €10,000,000. Applicants are encouraged to request projects with an EU contribution of no less than €1,000,000 where possible. Blending operations with InvestEU and combination with other funding sources are foreseen; blending using General envelope is limited to a maximum of half of the funds dedicated to road and airport sectors in the work programme. A financing partner (public or private financial institution) providing financing for at least 10% of the total project investment cost is required for eligibility; a financing approval letter is mandatory within 30 days after notification of selection if not submitted at application stage.

Consortium rules, application procedure and documents

The call accepts applications from single applicants or consortia of legal entities. There is no mandatory minimum consortium composition specific to the topic, however projects must be implemented by legal entities established in eligible countries. Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register and be validated. Applications are submitted via a single-stage electronic procedure on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Paper submissions are not accepted. Submission uses the Portal Application Form (Part A online; Part B PDF upload) and mandatory annexes (detailed budget table per WP, timetable/Gantt, environmental compliance file, financing approval letter, letters of support/Member State agreement where relevant, list of previous projects, activity reports, and other annexes where requested).

Submission procedure and templates:Use the Submission System entry point on the Funding & Tenders Portal for CEF-T-2026. Upload Part B using the call-specific template in the Portal. Mandatory annex templates include the detailed budget table per WP (Excel), Letter of Support / Member State Agreement (Word), Environmental Compliance File (Word), Financing Approval Letter (Word), and any other templates highlighted in the call. The Portal Online Manual, Call Document and Model Grant Agreement must be consulted for formatting and page limits (Part B max 120 pages).

1. 1Application Form Part A: complete online screens (administrative data, summary budget).
2. 2Application Form Part B: technical description (download template from Portal, fill in, convert to PDF and upload).
3. 3Annex: Detailed budget table per work package (Excel), mandatory.
4. 4Annex: Timetable/Gantt chart (mandatory).
5. 5Annex: Environmental Compliance File (mandatory for all applications).
6. 6Annex: Financing Approval Letter submitted within 30 days after selection if not included at application time.
7. 7Annex: Member State Letter of Support / Agreement where applicable.
8. 8Other annexes: activity reports, list of previous projects, CVs, permits and authorisations as available.

Evaluation, award criteria and process

Applications are subject to admissibility and eligibility checks and then evaluated by an evaluation committee. Evaluation is single-stage and involves individual evaluation, a consensus phase and a panel review. Selected projects are invited to grant preparation. Invitation to grant preparation does not equal formal award; legal entity validation, financial capacity checks and other checks are performed during grant preparation. The call timeframe indicates evaluation October–March 2027, results notified April 2027 and grant signature planned May/June 2027.

1. 1Evaluation stages: admissibility/eligibility check, operational/financial capacity checks, technical evaluation (individual, consensus, panel), ranking and selection, invitation to grant preparation, grant preparation (legal checks), grant signature.
2. 2Award criteria and scoring (total 25 points): Priority and urgency (5), Maturity (5), Quality (5), Impact (5), Catalytic effect (5). Individual criterion thresholds: minimum 3/5 each. Overall pass score: 15/25.
3. 3Tie-break order: Priority and urgency, then Maturity, Catalytic effect, Impact, Quality, and finally lowest recommended EU contribution.

Project maturity, duration and permissible start/end dates

Projects must demonstrate maturity (readiness of permits, procurement status, financial close or credible financing plan). Maximum project duration for works is up to 31 December 2030. The starting date will be fixed in the Grant Agreement and is normally after grant signature; retroactive starts are possible only in exceptional justified circumstances but not earlier than the proposal submission date. Beneficiaries must commit to operate and maintain the supported infrastructure for at least 5 years from the end date of the grant.

Eligible and ineligible costs

Eligible costs:actual costs strictly related to the physical deployment inside the recharging pool area and airport electrification works (construction costs, chargers, power cabinets, canopies, safety/security devices, parking/circulation within pool area, cabling, electricity substations, batteries, on-site dynamic energy management). Synergetic elements (renewable generation, grid connection) eligible up to 20% of total eligible costs in a dedicated work package. Equipment full cost eligible; land purchase, VAT, costs owned by DSO/TSO for grid assets, in-house applicant staff costs, studies and project management costs are explicitly ineligible under this call. Indirect cost flat rate: 0%.

Financial capacity, guarantees and reporting

Financial capacity checks will be applied except for public bodies, Member State organisations and international organisations or if the individual requested grant amount is <= €60,000. Prefinancing (25–50%) is normally paid after grant entry into force; prefinancing guarantees may be requested (bank/financial institution guarantees). Interim payments require detailed cost reporting. Final payment will reconcile actual eligible costs and any overpayments will be recovered. Beneficiaries should keep full records and the Grant Agreement contains liability/recovery rules; joint and several liability regimes may be applied depending on financial assessments.

Application stages, type and assessment of selection chances

Application type:open single-stage call for proposals submitted via the Portal. Application stages in practice: 1) Preparation and submission (single-stage), 2) Evaluation (individual, consensus, panel review), 3) Invitation to grant preparation with legal and financial checks, 4) Grant signature and project implementation. For categorisation purposes, this represents a 4-stage process from submission to signature. The call is competitive; no official success rate is provided in the call documentation. Selection is constrained by the available budget (€130,000,000) and the ranking of proposals by score and funding needs.

Application stages (concise):1. Submission (single-stage) 2. Evaluation (admissibility, eligibility, technical scoring) 3. Invitation to grant preparation and legal/financial due diligence 4. Grant signature and start of project implementation.

Co-funding, leverage and catalytic role

Co-funding is required:at proposal stage applicants must demonstrate financial maturity and the project must be supported by financing from a public or private financial institution of at least 10% of total project investment cost. The EU grant is intended to have a catalytic effect by addressing financing gaps (high upfront costs, limited commercial viability) and to leverage public/private investments and blending where appropriate. The call specifically allows blending with InvestEU within limits described in the work programme.

Target sectors and project maturity

Target sectors:transport (road heavy-duty decarbonisation and airport ground operations electrification), energy (grid connection, renewable on-site generation as synergetic element), and related infrastructure sectors (electricity storage, high-power charging systems). Expected project maturity: deployment and construction of infrastructure; projects should be in an advanced development stage with permits, procurement plans and financing arrangements at least well-progressed to score highly under the Maturity criterion.

Success factors, risks and evaluation priorities

Key success factors in evaluation:alignment with AFIR and TEN-T rules; clear TEN-T location and network added-value; maturity of permits, procurements and financing; robust technical design and energy management solutions; exclusivity and ring-fencing of HDV power; sound operation and maintenance plan (5-year minimum); demonstrable catalytic effect and leverage of private/public financing; and strong cost-effectiveness and impact evidence (CBA where applicable). Major risks: inability to secure required financing, delay in permits/procurement, insufficient technical integration with grid, inability to meet AFIR/SSPA or TEN-T requirements, and ineligible cost claims.

Templates and application structure

Applicants must use the templates and forms provided in the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. The main structure and annexes required for submission are:

1. 1Application Form Part A (online administrative forms) — includes participants, summary budget, declarations and abstract.
2. 2Application Form Part B (technical description) — call-specific PDF template downloaded from the Submission System (max 120 pages).
3. 3Detailed budget table per work package (Excel) — mandatory and must match Part A summary budget.
4. 4Timetable (Gantt chart) — mandatory annex showing milestones and deliverables.
5. 5Environmental Compliance File (Word/PDF) — mandatory; includes EIA/SEA/Habitats/Water Framework declarations and competent authority statements where applicable.
6. 6Letter of Support / Member State Agreement (Word template) — to be signed by Member State(s) benefitting from the project where applicable.
7. 7Financing Approval Letter (Non-Implementing Partner Financial Approval Letter) — proof that the financing partner's governing bodies have approved financing and a project summary sheet (must be submitted no later than 30 days after selection notification if not available at application).
8. 8Other annexes: activity reports, list of previous projects (last 4 years), CVs, permits/decisions, maps, and any other requested supporting documents.

Structured answers to categorisation questions

Below are the extracted and structured answers to the specific categorisation questions based on the call text.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Legal entities (public or private bodies) established in eligible countries including public bodies, transport infrastructure managers, airports, port authorities, private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), research organisations and universities, non-profit organisations, international organisations; associated partners and affiliated entities may participate. Natural persons are generally not eligible except self-employed sole traders where there is no separate legal personality. Entities under EU restrictive or conditionality measures are ineligible.
2. 2Funding Type: Grant — budget-based Action Grant (CEF Action Grant Budget-Based - CEF-AG) reimbursing actual eligible costs (works).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: The call allows single applicants or consortia; a consortium is not mandatory but multi-beneficiary projects are common for cross-border or complex works. Consortium composition must meet eligibility (legal entities from eligible countries). The call document indicates "Not applicable" for a fixed consortium composition but requires registration and validation of beneficiaries/affiliated entities.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Applicants must be established in eligible countries — EU Member States (including OCTs) and countries associated to the CEF Programme. Activities must be implemented in eligible countries and at TEN-T locations as specified (TEN-T roads/within 3 km of exits, TEN-T urban nodes, TEN-T airports).
5. 5Target Sector: Transport (road heavy-duty electrification, airport ground operations); associated energy sector aspects (electricity storage, grid connection, on-site renewable generation as synergetic elements); infrastructure deployment and construction sector for high-power charging and airport electrification. Primary themes: alternative fuels infrastructure, electrification, decarbonisation of transport, TEN-T network development.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: The call text does not list individual countries by name; it references EU Member States and countries associated to CEF Programme (i.e. the EU and associated countries). The geographic references are: EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), and CEF-associated countries. Specific TEN-T location constraints are mentioned instead of particular countries.
7. 7Project Stage: Deployment/works — projects expected at advanced maturity for construction and deployment (development to demonstration/implementation). Maturity scoring favors readiness to start, permits, procurement status and confirmed financing.
8. 8Funding Amount: Indicative call budget €130,000,000. Maximum EU contribution per grant €10,000,000. Applicants are encouraged to request at least €1,000,000 where feasible. Funding rates: up to 30% of works costs (70% for outermost regions). Synergetic elements capped at 20% of total eligible costs.
9. 9Application Type: Open call, single-stage electronic submission via Funding & Tenders Portal (standard open call for proposals).
10. 10Nature of Support: Monetary — direct grant funding reimbursing eligible actual costs under the Grant Agreement. Non-monetary: technical rules, templates and Portal support are provided but core support is financial.
11. 11Application Stages: Four practical stages — 1) Submission; 2) Evaluation (admissibility, eligibility, technical scoring); 3) Invitation to grant preparation and legal/financial checks; 4) Grant signature and implementation. Evaluation consists of individual evaluation, consensus and panel review.
12. 12Success Rates: Not provided in the call documentation. Selection is competitive and constrained by the €130,000,000 budget and ranking by scores. No historical success rate is given; outcomes depend on number and quality of proposals.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: Yes. Projects must be supported by financing from a public or private financial institution of at least 10% of the total project investment cost (evidence via Financing Approval Letter). The grant finances a portion of eligible costs; applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient resources for the remaining costs.
14. 14Templates: Application forms and templates are provided in the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. Key templates and structure: the Portal Application Form Part A (online), Part B technical description template (PDF upload), Detailed Budget Table per Work Package (Excel), Timetable/Gantt chart template, Environmental Compliance File template, Letter of Support / Member State Agreement template, Non-Implementing Partner Financing Approval Letter template, and other annex templates. Applicants must use Portal templates and respect page limits and formatting (Part B max 120 pages, Arial 9 minimum font).

Key operational contacts and help:For call-specific questions contact CINEA-CEF-TRANSPORT-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. For IT submission problems contact the IT Helpdesk via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Consult the Portal Online Manual, the Call Document and the Model Grant Agreement for full submission instructions and legal/financial conditions.

Footnote and references

Full official call document, templates and reference material are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and reference documents section. The call document contains the complete legal, procedural and technical requirements referenced above ¹.

What this opportunity is about and how to explain it:This CEF Transport call finances construction and deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure focused on two priority areas: very high-power publicly accessible charging pools dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles along the TEN-T road network (or within 3 km of exits, or in TEN-T urban nodes and certified SSPAs) and electrification of airport ground operations in TEN-T airports. The call is governed by AFIR and revised TEN-T guidelines and includes strict technical and operational requirements (HDV-dedicated pools, energy management, ring-fencing of HDV power, 24/7 availability and assistance, 5-year operation/maintenance). Applicants must be legal entities in eligible countries, provide evidence of co-financing (including a financing partner providing at least 10% of the total investment) and use the Portal templates. Grants are budget-based reimbursements with maximum caps per grant and defined funding rates. Projects are evaluated on Priority and urgency, Maturity, Quality, Impact and Catalytic effect. The opportunity is aimed at implementers ready to deploy infrastructure that will accelerate the transition to zero-emission heavy road transport and electrified airport operations across the TEN-T network.

Footnotes

1. 1Call topic page and full call documentation: Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Facility: Road & Air Transport - works CEF-T-2026 available at ec.europa.eu

Funding Opportunity Overview

This Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) call supports the deployment of alternative fuels supply infrastructure for road transport and airport ground operations to decarbonize transport along the TEN-T network. The total call budget is €130,000,000, with a maximum EU contribution per grant agreement capped at €10,000,000 ¹.

Key Eligibility and Deadlines

Submission Deadline:Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal by 06 October 2026 at 17:00 CET (Brussels time) ².

Eligible Applicants:Legal entities (public or private bodies) established in EU Member States or countries associated with the CEF Programme (e.g., Moldova, Ukraine). Consortiums are not required, but projects must be supported by financing from a public or private financial institution of at least 10% of the total project cost ³.

Scope of Funded Activities

1. 1Publicly accessible charging pools for Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) equipped with at least 4 Megawatt Charging System (MCS) points (min 1MW each) or a combination of MCS and CCS points (min 350kW).
2. 2Electrification of airport ground operations, including electricity and preconditioned air supply to stationary aircraft, electricity for ground operation vehicles, and facilities for electric/hybrid aircraft.
3. 3Synergetic elements such as on-site renewable electricity generation and electricity grid connection (limited to 20% of total eligible costs).

Location and Operational Requirements

Projects must comply with Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR Regulation) and Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 (TEN-T Regulation). An Environmental Compliance File and a Financing Approval Letter are mandatory annexes ⁴.

Footnotes

1. 1Call budget and cap details confirmed in the official Call Fiche for CEF-T-2026.
2. 2Deadline date and time specified in the Call Document (Section 4: Timetable and deadlines).
3. 3Eligibility criteria and 10% financing requirement detailed in Section 6 (Eligibility) of the Call Document.
4. 4Mandatory documents including Environmental Compliance File and Financing Approval Letter listed in Section 5 (Admissibility and documents).