Infrastructure & Environment

The EU has been leading on international efforts to combat climate change. Fostering innovation in environmental, transport and energy spheres and dissemntating this is essential in order to make real progress on these issues. It has become evident that individual States must continue to work together in order to achieve wider EU goals and create physical and technological networks across Member States. As a result a number of European Funds have been established to support EU energy, environment and transport goals over the 2007-2013 period.

Intelligent Energy Europe II
Trans European Energy Networks
LIFE+
MARCO POLO II
Trans European Networks - Transport

Energy

Intelligent Energy Europe II

The Intelligent Energy - Europe programme is the EU's tool for funding action to improve these conditions and move us towards a more energy intelligent Europe.

Projects should be designed to contribute to enabling policies, market transformation, behavioural change, access to capital and training. This new funding area focuses either on local areas or on subjects considered of particular interest, such as bio-businesses, co-generation or energy services.

There are four strands of funding:

SAVE – Energy Efficiency and Rational use of Energy

Activities funded under SAVE aim to tap this large potential for energy savings by improving energy efficiency and rational use of energy resources, in particular in buildings, industry and energy efficient products.

ALTENER – New and Renewable Resources

Actions supported under ALTENER should build on existing EU policies and legislation and help to increase the use of renewable energy in the EU.
Key actions supported include;

• Electricity from renewable sources
• Renewable energy heating/cooling
• Domestic and other small-scale renewable energy applications
• Biofuels
  

STEER – Energy in Transport

STEER will give priority to projects which promote, build on and/or implement the existing EU policy and legislative frameworks for energy efficiency and renewable or alternative fuels in transport, taking into account the suggestions made in the Energy Efficiency Action Plan. Projects should build on well-tested strategies and technologies and remove the market barriers to wider application thereof.
Actions to promote energy efficiency may include;

• Supporting initiatives relating to all energy aspects of transport and diversification of fuels
• Promoting renewable and alternative fuels and energy efficiency in transport
• Supporting preparation and application of legislative measures.

Within these actions key areas of intervention may include;

• Alternative fuels and clean vehicles
• Energy efficient transport
• Capacity building in transport for agencies.
  

Integrated Initiatives

Action combining several of the specific fields (SAVE, ALTENER and STEER) or relating to certain Community priorities may include:
(a) integrating energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in several sectors of the economy;
(b) combining various instruments, tools and players within the same action or project.

For further information on IIE II please see:
The IEE II website

 

TEN-E – Trans European Energy Networks

The interconnection and development of trans-European networks for transporting electricity and gas are essential for the effective operation of the internal energy market in particular and the internal market in general. Users should have access to higher-quality services and a wider choice as a result of the diversification of energy sources, at more competitive prices.
Closer links should therefore be established between national markets and the EU as a whole. With that in mind, the new Member States are now fully incorporated into the Community TEN-E guidelines.

TEN-E also play a crucial role in ensuring the security and diversification of supply. Access to TEN-E also helps to reduce the isolation of the less-favoured, island, landlocked or remote regions, thus strengthening territorial cohesion in the European Union (EU). The interconnection of TEN-E also promotes sustainable development, in particular by improving the links between renewable energy production installations and using more efficient technologies, thus reducing losses and the environmental risks associated with the transportation and transmission of energy.

For further information on TEN-E please see:
The TEN-E website

Environment

LIFE+

LIFE+, the Financial Instrument for the Environment, is one of the spearheads of the European Union's environmental policy. It co-finances projects in three areas:

• LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity focuses on the implementation of the EU directives on the conservation of habitats and of wild birds, as well as further strengthening the knowledge required for developing, assessing, monitoring and evaluating EU nature and biodiversity policy and legislation.
• LIFE+ Environment Policy and Guidance addresses the other 6 EAP priorities besides nature and biodiversity, as well as strategic approaches to policy development, implementation and enforcement.
• LIFE+ Information and Communication focuses on environmental issues.

The overall budget foreseen for LIFE+ is just under €2.143 billion for the period 2007-2013. At least 50% of this has been reserved for spending on the "nature and biodiversity" part of the Programme. Funding and programmes under Life+ must complement existing works but not duplicate it.

Public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions may receive financing through Life+. NGOs, which are primarily active in protecting and enhancing the environment at European level, may also benefit from that part of the budget which falls under central direct management (Commission) for operational activities.

For further information on LIFE+ please see:
The LIFE+ website

 

Transport

MARCO POLO II

The Marco Polo Programme was established to:

1. Reduce road congestion
2. Improve the environmental performance of freight transport systems within the Community
3. Enhance intermodality

Through these objectives Marco Polo II will contribute to an efficient and sustainable transport system.
There are three types of action within Marco Polo under which funding can be sought:

1. Modal Shift Actions:
2. Catalyst Actions:
3. Common Learning Actions:

For further information on MARCO POLO please see:
The MARCO POLO website

 

TEN-T – Trans European Networks - Transport

Implementation of the trans European transport networks requires substantial amounts of funding. The entire trans European network will cost €600 billion. In order to meet the 2020 deadline, €160 billion of investment will be needed to finance the priority projects alone during the 2007-2013 financial programming period.

For further information on TEN-T please see:
The TEN-T website