Smooth transport links are needed to give life to Europe’s single market of 500 million consumers.   

At the heart of European policy, the expansion of the Trans-European Transport and Energy Networks (TENs) remains one of our key objectives.  Trans-European transport links increase the potential to generate trade, foster economic growth and boost competitiveness.

The EU’s Trans-European Networks  policy links regional and national infrastructure to create coherent European systems. This includes both interconnection and interoperability, mainly for transport and energy, but also Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Eligible countries

Whilst the EU is our main focus, TENs policy extends to the EU neighbours:

• Enlargement countries,
• the European Free Trade Association,
• the Western Balkans,
• the Mediterranean Partner Countries and
• the EU Eastern neighbours.

Approach

The promotion of clean transport and energy infrastructure also contributes to the EIB’s long-term corporate objectives of sustainable, competitive and secure energy, as well as environmental protection and improvement.  

We promote high-quality infrastructure:

• supporting the links between the 27 EU Member States and connecting the EU and the countries of the European Neighbourhood area,
• further enhancing interconnection and interoperability of existing national networks and access to the basic networks,
• ensuring that the benefits of the Trans-European Networks permeate over the whole EU territory.

EIB value added

The EIB contributes real value added to TENs energy and transport infrastructure projects, relying on its ability to:

• mobilise on competitive terms the large amounts necessary to co-finance the building of this infrastructure;
• offer maturities tailored to the long construction and operating periods of the schemes concerned;
• provide structured finance as a complement to commercial bank and capital market funding.