Electricity, Gas, Smart Grids, Hydrogen and CO₂ networks - Studies

Call CEF-E-2026 funds preparatory studies for Projects of Common Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest under the CEF Energy programme with an indicative budget of €600,000,000 shared between studies and works. Eligible activities include preparatory, mapping, feasibility, testing and validation studies that directly support PCIs or PMIs listed in the Second Union list and fall under TEN-E categories. Grants reimburse eligible costs up to 50 percent co-financing, with up to 75 percent in exceptional cases, and applicants must be legal entities established in eligible countries or, where indispensable, entities from third countries. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding and Tenders Portal by 30 September 2026 17:00 Brussels time and include Part A and Part B, a detailed budget per work package and mandatory annexes such as TEN-E and environmental compliance files.

What it funds

Grants for studies that prepare implementation of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) in electricity, gas, smart grids, hydrogen and CO2 networks. Eligible study activities include preparatory, mapping, feasibility, evaluation, testing, validation (including software), site/route identification, financial package preparation and other technical support to move a PCI/PMI towards implementation.

Scope restriction:Only actions directly contributing to PCIs or PMIs listed in the Second Union list of PCIs/PMIs and falling under TEN-E infrastructure categories are eligible ¹.

Who can apply

Applicants:legal entities established in eligible countries (EU Member States and third countries associated to CEF) such as project promoters, transmission system operators, public or private undertakings, regional/local authorities or international organisations. Multi‑applicant/joint applications and affiliated entities are allowed; Member State agreement/letter of support is required where specified.

How much and co-funding

Indicative call budget:€600,000,000 (2026). Grants for studies: maximum co-financing rate up to 50% of eligible costs (higher rates may apply in specific cases for works under other topics; this topic funds studies only). The grant is budget-based and reimburses eligible costs actually incurred.

Key deadlines and submission

Selection and documents

Proposals are evaluated on priority/urgency, maturity, quality, impact and catalytic effect (max 25 points, thresholds apply). Mandatory application elements include Application Form Part A and Part B, detailed budget table per WP, timetable/Gantt chart, environmental compliance file, TEN‑E compliance form and Member State letter of support where required.

1. 1Typical studies funded: feasibility, FEED, testing/validation, mapping, software/tools, financing package preparation
2. 2Applicants must demonstrate operational/financial capacity (exemptions apply e.g. certified TSOs and public bodies)
3. 3Only PCIs/PMIs from the official Second Union list are eligible

Apply and find full call documentation, templates and the submission button on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: EU Funding & Tenders Portal - CEF-E-2026-PCI-PMI-STUDIES.

Footnotes

1. 1TEN-E eligibility and PCI/PMI list requirements are set out in the TEN-E Regulation and the call document; only studies directly linked to PCIs/PMIs on the Second Union list may receive CEF grants.

Call and administrative overview

Call title:CEF 2 Energy - Projects of Common and Mutual Interest 2026. Topic identifier: CEF-E-2026. Type of action: CEF Project Grants (CEF-PJG), implemented under a CEF Action Grant Budget-Based (CEF-AG) Model Grant Agreement. Opening date: 30 April 2026. Deadline: 30 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Submission model: single-stage, electronic submission only via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Call budget (indicative for this pair of topics studies and works): €600,000,000 allocated to the CEF-E-2026 and CEF-E-2026-PCI-PMI-WORKS calls within the 2026 budget year. Managing authority: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) acting for DG ENER.

Purpose, scope and policy context

Objective:to support preparatory studies that contribute to the implementation of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) listed in the Second Union list of PCIs and PMIs, in line with the TEN-E Regulation and the CEF Regulation. Scope: studies include preparatory, mapping, feasibility, evaluation, testing and validation studies (including software), site/route identification, preparation of a financing package, FEED-level studies where appropriate, environmental and permitting preparatory work, stakeholder engagement, pilot-tests and any technical support measures needed to prepare implementation of PCIs/PMIs. Only studies contributing to PCIs/PMIs on the Second Union list are eligible for grant funding under this topic. Studies may cover electricity, gas, smart grids, hydrogen, electrolysers, CO2 transport and related components where they form part of the PCI/PMI scope.

Policy alignment and expected impact:actions must contribute to TEN-E and CEF energy policy objectives including internal market integration, cross-border and cross-sector interoperability, decarbonisation, energy efficiency and security of supply. Projects should align with the European Green Deal, the Paris Agreement and 2030 climate and energy targets. Climate and biodiversity mainstreaming targets established in the CEF work programme apply, including the requirement that 60% of CEF expenditure contributes to climate objectives and 100% climate-coefficient for newly introduced categories (smart gas grids, hydrogen infrastructure, electrolysers) where applicable.

Eligibility and applicants

Eligible applicants and consortium arrangements are defined by Article 11 of the CEF Regulation and the call document. Only proposals submitted by one or more EU Member States or, with the agreement of the Member States concerned, by international organisations, joint undertakings, or public or private undertakings or bodies, including regional or local authorities, are eligible. Member States may indicate in a work programme that certain proposals can be submitted without formal Member State agreement; the call will state if this applies.

Eligible Applicant Types:Member States, international organisations, joint undertakings, public bodies, private undertakings, regional and local authorities, transmission system operators (TSOs). Project promoters, public or private companies (including SMEs and large corporates), research organisations and universities may participate provided national/Member State agreement requirements are met and the PCI/PMI promoter involvement rules in the call are satisfied.

Eligible Countries / Beneficiary Scope:EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories where relevant) and third countries associated to CEF. Entities from third countries not associated may participate only where indispensable to achieve a given PCI/PMI objective; they may not normally receive EU grant funding except where indispensable. Participation by entities from EU candidate or potential candidate countries is possible if an association arrangement is in place before grant signature. The call document and call annexes list eligible countries and conditions.

Consortium Requirement:Single-applicant proposals are allowed where applicable; proposals may also be multi-beneficiary (consortium). For cross-border PCIs/PMIs where multiple project promoters are involved, the call strongly recommends joint/multi-applicant submissions. The call permits single-beneficiary or multi-beneficiary applications depending on project structure and promoter responsibilities.

Funding, co-financing and eligible costs

Funding modality:grants for studies (budget-based grant reimbursing eligible costs actually incurred; grants may include unit costs, flat-rates and other simplified forms where allowed by the call). Maximum co-financing rates for studies: up to 50% of eligible costs (Article 15 of the CEF Regulation). For works the co-financing rates differ (works topic reference for context only) and higher rates may be possible where exceptional socio-economic benefits are demonstrated. Grant form: budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs with unit cost and flat-rate elements permitted as described in the Model Grant Agreement). VAT is not eligible.

Funding Type:Grant (budget-based action grant).

Funding Amount / Call Budget:Call-level indicative budget: €600,000,000 for the combined PCI/PMI 2026 studies and works topics in the 2026 budget year. Individual project grant amounts: no fixed maximum — projects of any budget admitted. Grants will be determined case-by-case during evaluation and grant preparation. Typical funding rate for studies: up to 50% of eligible costs; higher rates up to 75% may be considered where the project demonstrates very strong regional/Union-wide security of supply, solidarity or high innovation (TEN-E conditions). The Commission reserves the right not to award all available funds.

The indicative budget and multiannual envelope are provided in the Work Programme and the Commission Implementing Decision (Multi‑annual Work Programme) and will be applied in accordance with the call documentation CEF Work Programme and Call Documents. ¹

Eligible activities and cost categories

Permitted activities for this Studies topic:preparatory and technical studies required to prepare project implementation for PCIs/PMIs, including mapping, feasibility studies, FEED where appropriate, testing and validation studies, software development for design/validation, permitting preparation, environmental compliance files, TEN‑E compliance forms, route/site identification, financial package preparation, cost‑benefit analyses, stakeholder engagement, pilot tests and procurement preparation. Studies are expected to feed directly into the subsequent works or investment decisions for the PCI/PMI.

1. 1Personnel costs (actual personnel costs, allowable unit costing methods under usual cost accounting practices; SME owner/natural person unit cost rules may apply).
2. 2Subcontracting costs (must follow best value / local procurement rules and may be restricted to eligible countries per the call).
3. 3Purchases: travel, equipment and other goods, works and services (actual costs with eligibility rules set in Annex 2).
4. 4Other costs: technical assistance documentation, TEN-E compliance forms, environmental compliance files and other mandatory annexes.
5. 5Indirect costs: typically handled via flat-rate or 0% depending on the call and budget categories (the call states no indirect cost flat-rate for this topic in some templates).

Ineligible costs:VAT (normally ineligible), land purchase (not eligible except where explicitly allowed under transferred Cohesion Fund rules for transport works), costs already funded by other EU grants (double funding), return on capital, debt service charges and other exclusions noted in the call document and Model Grant Agreement.

Application and evaluation

Application method:one-stage electronic call via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants prepare Part A (online administrative forms) and Part B (technical description) and attach mandatory annexes including detailed budget table per work package (Excel template), environmental compliance file, TEN‑E compliance form, Letter of Support / Member State Agreement, timetable/Gantt chart, structured proposal reference and other templates. The Submission System hosts the official application templates. The call is single-stage (no prior concept note).

Application Type:Open call; single-stage. Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal only.

Application forms and required templates:Applicants must use the Application Form Part A (online) and Part B (downloadable template to be completed and re-uploaded). Mandatory annexes provided via the Submission System include: detailed budget table per WP (Excel), TEN‑E compliance form, Environmental Compliance File (EIA/Habitat/Water), Letter of Support/Member State Agreement (template provided), timetable/Gantt chart, list of previous projects, DB table per WP, and other documents listed in the call document and the Portal. Model Grant Agreement (CEF MGA) and annotated AGA are available as reference.

Admissibility and completeness:proposals must be fully uploaded before the deadline and comply with page limits (Part B limited to 120 pages) and formatting rules. Supporting documents must be attached in the Submission System; late or externally sent supporting documents are not accepted.

Evaluation and award criteria:Proposals that pass admissibility and eligibility checks are evaluated by independent experts and a Commission evaluation committee. Award criteria (total 25 points): Priority and urgency of the action (5 pts), Maturity (5), Quality (5), Impact (5), Catalytic effect of Union assistance (5). Individual thresholds apply (minimum 3 points per criterion) and an overall pass score of 15/25 is required. Additional sector-specific eligibility evidence (e.g. project-specific CBA, cross-border cost allocation decision for works) is required for works proposals while studies have their specific documentary requirements.

Evaluation process:individual expert assessment, consensus phase, panel review and ranking. Reserve lists may be used. Invitation to grant preparation is not a formal commitment to fund until final checks (legal entity validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks, audits) are completed and the Grant Agreement is signed.

Selection, timeline and contracting

Indicative timetable:Call opening 30 April 2026; submission deadline 30 September 2026; evaluation September 2026 – January 2027; information to applicants January–February 2027; grant preparation and signature January–July 2027 (indicative). Exact timeline and award dates depend on call updates and the final work programme. Grant start date normally after signature; retroactive starts require justification and may not be earlier than the proposal submission date except in specific limited circumstances set out in the Financial Regulation and the call.

Application Stages:One-stage submission followed by evaluation and panel review and then grant preparation including validation checks. Practically applicants pass through: 1) submission/admissibility check; 2) eligibility and operational/financial capacity checks; 3) technical evaluation (individual + consensus + panel); 4) grant preparation (legal and financial validation); 5) signature. This corresponds to 3–5 administrative stages depending on definition.

Success Rates:Official success rates vary by call and year and are determined by the number and quality of proposals and available budget. The call page will publish post-closure statistics. Historically for major CEF calls success rates can range from low (single‑digit percentages) to mid‑teens depending on topic competitiveness and available budget. No guaranteed rate; applicants should assume competitive selection.

Checks, compliance and obligations

Selection and award are followed by pre-award checks:legal entity validation (PIC), LEAR appointment, financial capacity assessment (exceptions apply for public bodies and certified TSOs), operational capacity review and exclusion checks. Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents for at least five years after final payment (three years for low-value grants where applicable). Environmental compliance and TEN‑E compliance files are mandatory even for studies without physical interventions. State aid rules may apply and must be declared in the application where relevant.

The Model Grant Agreement (CEF MGA) applies; key features include:budget-based funding; reimbursement of eligible costs; pre-financing (typically 25–50% range determined individually at signature); interim and final payments; possible requirement for prefinancing guarantees; joint and several liability rules that can be adjusted depending on assessed financial risks; audit, checks and recoveries in case of ineligible costs or breaches; IPR and results ownership provisions; communication/visibility obligations and reporting via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Co-funding, revenues and no-double funding

Co-funding requirement:yes — applicants must demonstrate financial capacity and provide co-financing sources (own funds, other public or private financing, income generated by the project). The maximum EU co-financing rate for studies is 50% but actual award rates will be determined case-by-case based on the catalytic effect and gap analysis. Grants may be combined with other finance instruments (blending) in accordance with Article 17 of the CEF Regulation but strict no-double-funding rules apply: the same cost item cannot be charged twice to EU funds.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes — beneficiaries must provide their share of eligible costs and demonstrate financial commitments or sources; evidence of co-financing is assessed under Catalytic Effect and Financial Maturity criteria.

Templates, documents and application structure

Mandatory templates and documents are available via the Portal Submission System and must be used: Standard Application Form (Part A online and Part B PDF), Detailed budget table per Work Package (Excel DB table per WP template), TEN‑E compliance form (template), Environmental compliance file (template with mandatory declarations from competent national authorities when required), Letter of Support / Member State Agreement (template), Timetable (Gantt) template, Structured proposal reference guidance and GIS submission via the portal GIS editor (interactive map tool and GIS upload templates supported). The call document lists all required annexes and explains where to download the templates from the Submission System. Failure to upload mandatory annexes or to use the official templates will render the proposal inadmissible.

Application form structure (Part B key sections):Project description and objectives; Priority and urgency (EU added value, climate/energy targets, market integration, synergies); Maturity (technical, permits, procurement status); Quality (implementation plan, governance, risk management, work packages); Impact (environmental and climate, cross-border dimension, revenues); Catalytic effect (financial gap, leverage); Work plan and WPs, deliverables and milestones; Annexes: DB table per WP, Gantt, TEN-E and Environmental compliance files, Member State letter of support, list of previous projects, CVs of key personnel where requested.

Technical and GIS requirements

GIS submission:applicants must provide project location data via the Funding & Tenders Portal GIS interactive editor. The portal supports drawing points, lines, polygons or uploading Shapefile/CSV/KML/GPX. The call requires TEN‑E compliance forms and GIS data consistent with the PCI/PMI coordinates. The GIS User Guide and templates are provided and must be used. Correct geospatial representation improves clarity and reviewer understanding.

Assessment expectations and evaluation evidence

Key evidence that evaluators expect to find in a strong studies proposal:clear link to a listed PCI/PMI code; Project-specific objectives and outcomes; robust technical scope and justification for study tasks; clear feasibility and permitting strategy; realistic Gantt and deliverables; cost‑benefit evidence or justification of socio-economic benefits; clarity on next investment steps and funding plan; evidence of cross-border cooperation where relevant; TEN‑E and environmental compliance documentation (even for studies with no physical intervention); detailed DB table per WP consistent with online Part A. For studies, a clear explanation of how the study outcomes will unlock the investment phase and reduce risk for investors is critical to demonstrate catalytic effect.

1. 1Prepare Part A (administrative data) in the Portal and ensure all partners have PICs and LEARs.
2. 2Download Part B template from the Submission System, complete with the 120-page limit and annex references.
3. 3Complete and upload the Detailed Budget Table per WP (Excel). Ensure consistency between the Part A summary budget and the DB table.
4. 4Prepare and upload TEN‑E compliance form, Environmental compliance file, Letter of Support/Member State Agreement, Gantt chart and GIS data via the Portal editor.
5. 5Submit the application well before the deadline and keep copies of all uploaded files; expect requests for additional documents during grant preparation.

Practical tips for applicants

Start preparation early; ensure Member State(s) engagement and sign the required Letter of Support or confirm conditions for submission; ensure the PCI/PMI promoter is listed where required; ensure consistent and validated cost figures across DB table and Part A; plan for timeline and permit uncertainties and include mitigation measures; provide high-quality environmental and TEN‑E compliance material even for purely preparatory studies; use the Portal GIS editor and verify the PCI/PMI code in the structured proposal reference format indicated in the call.

Project maturity and stage

Project stage targeted:studies are targeted at early-to-intermediate maturity: definition, feasibility, FEED-level work where appropriate, permitting and site/route identification, financial packaging and procurement preparation. Applicants should demonstrate study maturity (clear work packages, realistic deliverables and milestones, procurement planning and stakeholder engagement) and how study results will advance the PCI/PMI to investment readiness.

Risk and compliance highlights

Environmental compliance file and TEN‑E compliance form are mandatory even for studies without physical intervention. State aid requirements apply and must be declared where relevant. Double funding is strictly prohibited. Beneficiaries may be required to provide prefinancing guarantees and be subject to financial capacity checks; certified TSOs and public bodies are exempt from some checks. Applicants must ensure full compliance with EU and national law and are required to cooperate with checks, audits, OLAF and the Court of Auditors.

Final summary — what is this opportunity about and how to approach it

The CEF-E-2026 call is a targeted funding opportunity to finance studies that prepare implementation of Projects of Common Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest in the energy sector (electricity, gas, smart grids, hydrogen, electrolysers and CO2 networks). The call aims to accelerate the development and implementation of cross-border, high-value energy infrastructure that advance EU policy goals including internal market integration, decarbonisation and security of supply. Grants reimburse eligible study costs (typically up to 50% co-financing) and require strong technical, environmental and TEN‑E compliance documentation and evidence of EU added value. Applicants must apply via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the official templates, submit detailed budgets and GIS data, secure Member State support or promoter endorsement where applicable, and be ready for pre-award validation checks. Projects that clearly demonstrate maturity, feasibility, measurable socio‑economic and climate benefits, cross-border coordination and a credible financing plan to move from study to investment will score highest in the award criteria. Prepare early, use the official DB table and GIS templates, and ensure consistency between all application elements and annexes.

1. 1Contact point: CINEA-CEF-ENERGY-CALLS@ec.europa.eu for call-specific questions.
2. 2Prepare and upload Part A and Part B, DB table per WP, TEN‑E form and Environmental compliance file via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
3. 3Use the Portal GIS editor and the GIS User Guide to provide accurate location data for the PCI/PMI.
4. 4Allow time for Member State agreement(s), legal entity validation (PIC), and possible financial capacity checks during grant preparation.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call budget and multiannual work programme information are published in the CEF 2024-2027 Work Programme and in the call documents on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The European Commission, through the Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), has launched a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Energy programme to support preparatory studies for Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) in the energy sector. This call is specifically for studies activities that contribute to the preparation and implementation of cross-border energy infrastructure projects aligned with the European Green Deal and the EU's 2030 climate and energy targets.

Call Reference:CEF-E-2026

Call Opening and Deadline:The call opened on 30 April 2026 and will close on 30 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. This is a single-stage submission process with one deadline.

Funding Budget and Amounts

The total indicative budget available for this call is €600,000,000. This budget is shared between two topics: CEF-E-2026 (studies) and CEF-E-2026-PCI-PMI-WORKS (works). The Commission reserves the right not to award all available funds depending on the quality and number of proposals received and the results of the evaluation.

Funding Rate:The maximum co-financing rate for studies is 50% of total eligible costs. Applicants may request a higher funding rate of up to 75% if the project provides a high degree of regional or EU-wide security of supply, strengthens EU solidarity, or comprises highly innovative solutions as defined in the TEN-E Regulation.

What Can Be Funded

Studies eligible under this call include activities needed to prepare project implementation for PCIs and PMIs. These encompass preparatory studies, mapping studies, feasibility studies, evaluation activities, testing and validation studies (including software), and any other technical support measures. Eligible activities also include prior actions to define and develop a project, decide on its financing, identify sites or routes, and prepare the financial package.

Only projects contributing to PCIs and PMIs as identified in the Second Union list of PCIs and PMIs are eligible for support. Pursuant to Article 18 of the TEN-E Regulation, PCIs or PMIs falling under energy infrastructure categories set out in Article 24 and Annex II of the TEN-E Regulation are eligible for EU financial assistance in the form of grants for studies. These include electricity infrastructure, smart electricity grids, smart gas grids, hydrogen projects, carbon dioxide networks, and electrolysers.

Who Can Apply

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in one of the eligible countries. This includes EU Member States and overseas countries and territories (OCTs), as well as non-EU countries associated to the CEF Programme or countries in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.

Legal entities established in third countries not associated to CEF may exceptionally be eligible to receive EU financial support if their participation is indispensable for achieving the objectives of a given PCI or PMI. Natural persons are not eligible, except for self-employed persons (sole traders) where the company does not have legal personality separate from the natural person. International organisations are eligible and the rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.

Consortium Requirements

A consortium must be composed of at least one entity established in at least one different EU Member State or associated country to the programme. For cross-border PCIs and PMIs, it is strongly recommended that applicants from all Member States involved submit joint applications with different work packages allocated to each partner. The coordinating applicant must have the mandate to act for all applicants in the consortium.

Financial and Operational Capacity

Applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient financial resources to successfully implement the project and contribute their share. The financial capacity check will be carried out during grant preparation based on documents such as profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, business plans, and audit reports. However, the check is normally not required for public bodies, international organisations, transmission system operators certified under relevant EU Directives, or if the individual requested grant amount does not exceed €60,000.

Applicants must also have the know-how, qualifications, and resources to successfully implement the project, including sufficient experience in projects of comparable size and nature. This capacity will be assessed together with the Quality award criterion based on the competence and experience of applicants and their project teams. Public bodies, Member State organisations, transmission system operators, and international organisations are exempted from the operational capacity check.

Eligibility Conditions and Requirements

Project Eligibility

Projects must relate to activities taking place in eligible countries. Projects must comply with EU law and be in line with relevant EU policies, particularly those relating to competition, protection of the environment, state aid, and public procurement. Consideration will be given to the implementation of relevant EU energy market rules including Directive 2019/944, Directive 2024/1788, Regulation 2019/943, and Regulation 2024/1789 for the Member States involved.

Projects must take into account the results of projects supported by other EU funding programmes, and complementarities must be described in the proposal. Financial support to third parties is not allowed under this call.

Exclusion Criteria

Applicants subject to EU exclusion decisions or in exclusion situations cannot participate. These situations include bankruptcy or winding up, breach of social security or tax obligations, guilty of grave professional misconduct, committed fraud or corruption, shown significant deficiencies in complying with main obligations under EU contracts, guilty of irregularities, or created under a different jurisdiction with intent to circumvent legal obligations. Applicants subject to EU restrictive measures or EU conditionality measures are also not eligible.

Application Requirements and Documents

Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding and Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System before the call deadline. Paper submissions are not accepted. Proposals must be complete and contain all requested information and required annexes and supporting documents.

Mandatory Application Documents

• Application Form Part A - administrative information about participants and summarised budget (filled in directly online)
• Application Form Part B - technical description of the project (maximum 120 pages, downloaded from Portal, completed and re-uploaded)
• Detailed budget table per work package (Excel template)
• Timetable/Gantt chart
• Letter of support/Member State agreement signed by the concerned Member State(s)
• Environmental compliance file
• TEN-E compliance form
• Annual activity reports (demonstrating operational capacity)
• List of previous projects (key projects for the last 4 years)

All supporting documents must be uploaded in the Portal Submission System as part of the application. Documents should be in English or, if in national languages, should be accompanied by translations. The application must be readable, accessible, and printable. Part B is limited to a maximum of 120 pages, and evaluators will not consider any additional pages.

Evaluation and Award Procedure

Proposals will follow a standard one-stage submission and one-step evaluation procedure. An evaluation committee assisted by independent external experts will assess all applications. Proposals will first be checked for formal requirements (admissibility and eligibility). Proposals found admissible and eligible will be evaluated against operational capacity and award criteria through three phases: individual evaluation, consensus phase, and panel review. Proposals will then be ranked according to their scores.

Award Criteria and Scoring

Each proposal will be assessed against five award criteria, each scored on a scale from 0 (insufficient) to 5 (excellent). The maximum total score is 25 points. Individual thresholds per criterion are 3/5 points, and the overall threshold is 15 points. Proposals must pass both individual thresholds and the overall threshold to be considered for funding.

1. 1Priority and urgency of the action (5 points) - evaluating correspondence with sectoral policy targets, objectives and priorities, contribution to EU 2030 climate and energy targets, market integration, and possible synergies with other sectors
2. 2Maturity (5 points) - assessing the maturity of the action in project development, readiness to start by proposed date, completion by proposed end date, and status of contracting procedures and necessary permits
3. 3Quality (5 points) - evaluating the soundness of the implementation plan from technical and financial perspectives, architecture and design approach, organisational structures, risk analysis, and control procedures
4. 4Impact (5 points) - assessing economic, social and environmental impact including climate impact, relevant externalities such as security of supply and system flexibility, and the proposal's cross-border dimension
5. 5Catalytic effect of Union assistance (5 points) - evaluating the financial gap, capacity to mobilise differentiated investment sources, capacity to trigger important overall investments with limited EU support, and extent to which externalities justify CEF financial assistance

For proposals with the same score, a priority order will be determined according to the following approach: Priority and urgency score, then Maturity score, then Catalytic effect score, then Impact score, and finally Quality score.

Timeline and Key Dates

Grant Agreement and Project Implementation

Project Duration and Starting Date

The project starting date and duration will be fixed in the Grant Agreement. Normally the starting date will be after grant signature. A retroactive starting date can be granted exceptionally for duly justified reasons but never earlier than the proposal submission date. The end date set in the Grant Agreement will not be later than 31 December 2032. During implementation, if duly justified, extensions may be granted through an amendment to the Grant Agreement.

Budget Categories and Eligible Costs

The grant will be a budget-based mixed actual cost grant that reimburses only certain types of eligible costs actually incurred for the project. Eligible cost categories include personnel costs (employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners), subcontracting costs, purchase costs (travel and subsistence, equipment, other goods and services), and synergetic elements.

Project management costs should not exceed 10% of total costs for the project. Costs exceeding this limit will be rejected during grant agreement preparation. VAT is not eligible. In-kind contributions for free are allowed but are cost-neutral and cannot be declared as costs. Subcontracted work must be performed in eligible countries or target countries. Land purchases are not eligible.

Payment Arrangements

After grant agreement signature, beneficiaries will normally receive a prefinancing payment to start working on the project. The amount will be established based on the grant type or estimated project duration and will vary between 25% and 50%. The prefinancing will be paid 30 days from entry into force or financial guarantee (if required), whichever is the latest. There may be one or more interim payments with detailed cost reporting. At the end of the project, the final grant amount will be calculated, and if the total of earlier payments is higher than the final grant amount, the coordinator will be asked to pay back the difference.

Prefinancing Guarantees

If a prefinancing guarantee is required, it will be fixed in the Grant Agreement. The amount will be set during grant preparation and will normally be equal to or lower than the prefinancing for the grant. The guarantee should be in euro and issued by an approved bank or financial institution established in an EU Member State. Amounts blocked in bank accounts will not be accepted as financial guarantees.

Strategic Context and Priorities

This call is aligned with the European Green Deal, the Paris Agreement, and the EU's 2030 climate and energy targets. It supports the REPowerEU plan to increase the resilience of the EU-wide energy system and security of energy supply. The call prioritises technologies and PCIs that contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy, reflects the expected increase in consumption of biogas, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, and synthetic gaseous fuels, and emphasises the need to intensify investments in offshore electricity grids to achieve at least 300 GW of offshore wind power production.

Particular consideration is given to PCIs and related actions aimed at further integrating the internal market for energy, ending energy isolation, and eliminating electricity interconnection bottlenecks, with emphasis on projects contributing to the achievement of the interconnection target of at least 15% by 2030 and projects contributing to synchronisation of electricity systems with EU networks.

Important Considerations for Applicants

Applicants should note that invitation to grant preparation does not constitute a formal commitment for funding. The Commission will still need to make various legal checks before grant award, including legal entity validation, financial capacity assessment, and exclusion checks. Grant agreement preparation will involve dialogue to fine-tune technical or financial aspects of the project and may require additional information from applicants. Compliance will be a pre-condition for signing the grant agreement.

Applicants should be aware that payments will be automatically lowered if one of the consortium members has outstanding debts towards the EU. Such debts will be offset by the Commission in line with conditions set out in the Grant Agreement. Beneficiaries are responsible for keeping records on all work done and costs declared.

If applicants believe that the evaluation procedure was flawed, they can submit a complaint following the deadlines and procedures set out in the evaluation result letter. Notifications which have not been opened within 10 days after sending are considered to have been accessed, and deadlines will be counted from opening or access.

Support and Further Information

For help related to this call, applicants should contact CINEA-CEF-ENERGY-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. Additional support is available through the Funding and Tenders Portal FAQ on submission of proposals, the IT Helpdesk for technical questions, and the Online Manual which provides step-by-step guidance through Portal processes. The EU Grants AGA - Annotated Grant Agreement contains detailed annotations on all provisions in the Grant Agreement.

A CEF Energy info day will be held virtually on 18 May 2026 in the morning to present the call, explain its policy context, and inform about the application and evaluation process. Registration is already open. Applicants are encouraged to consult the list of projects previously funded under CEF for reference.

The call documentation, including the Call Document, Model Grant Agreement, Application Form templates, and all mandatory annexes, are available in the Funding and Tenders Portal. All documents should be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, not from the Topic page, as the Topic page documents are for information only.

Footnotes

1. 1The Second Union list of PCIs and PMIs was published in the Official Journal of the European Union and formally replaces the 1st Union List of PCIs and PMIs. Only projects included in this list are eligible for funding under this call. The list identifies 235 selected cross-border energy infrastructure projects across the EU.
2. 2The TEN-E Regulation (EU) 2022/869 establishes guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure and defines the eligibility criteria for PCIs and PMIs. It sets out specific requirements for different energy infrastructure categories including electricity, gas, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide networks.
3. 3The CEF Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 establishes the Connecting Europe Facility and provides the legal framework for EU funding of energy, transport, and digital infrastructure. The total CEF budget for 2021-2027 is €42.3 billion, with €8.7 billion allocated to energy infrastructure.