Oleksandr Kubrakov: For the first time, Ukraine will have an opportunity to apply for infrastructure projects under the CEF programme on a par with EU members
The Ukrainian delegation headed by Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine, Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, together with representatives of the State Agency for Restoration of Ukraine, met with Adina Vălean, EU Commissioner for Transport, in Brussels.
The key result of the meeting is that for the first time Ukraine will have the opportunity to apply for funding for infrastructure projects under the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme within the framework of the Solidarity Lanes initiative.
Previously, Ukraine could only submit projects for selection in cooperation with at least one other EU country. Instead, EU member states could do it independently.
During the meeting, Adina Vălean announced the launch of a new selection of projects for 2024 under the CEF programme.
"One of the sectors we are focusing on in the recovery process is transport and export logistics, in particular the ports of the Danube Region. Over the past year and a half, the ports of Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaisk have tripled their cargo turnover. Our goal is to reach a capacity of 30 million tonnes per annum and ensure that the ports of the Danube cluster can call on larger vessels. Therefore, we prioritise these projects when preparing applications to the CEF programme. At the same time, our cooperation under this programme will be key to improving transport links with the European Union through the development of the TEN-T network," said Olexander Kubrakov at the meeting.
Measures aimed at increasing cargo handling capacities and increasing the draft of ships on certain sections of the Danube Sea Route include:
- Construction of transshipment complexes
- Development of the Danube-Black Sea shipping route
- Overhaul of berths
- Purchasing of special multifunctional equipment
- Dredging of port areas and approach channels.
As a reminder, in May 2022, the European Commission announced a set of measures under the Solidarity Lanes initiative, including the equipment of checkpoints and the updating of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) maps. "Solidarity Lanes is a mechanism for ensuring the export of Ukrainian goods, primarily grain, which was the EU's response to the naval blockade of Ukrainian ports by russia.
Background
In June 2023, Ukraine and the EU signed an agreement on Ukraine's participation in the EU's Connecting Europe programme, which opens up the possibility of financing projects to develop Ukrainian infrastructure and transport links within trans-European networks. In 2023, the European Commission approved all six applications for the development of border infrastructure under the CEF programme.