Cohesion Fund (CF)

Environment and Transport Infrastructure

The Cohesion Fund is one of the four funds that implement the EU’s overall cohesion policy – known as the EU’s main investment policy. Cohesion Policy targets all regions and cities in the EU in order to support job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development, and improve citizens’ quality of life.

The Cohesion Fund provides support to Member States with a gross national income (GNI) per capita below 90% EU-27 average to strengthen the economic, social and territorial cohesion of the EU.

The Cohesion Fund supports investments in the field of environment and trans-European networks in the area if transport infrastructure (TEN-T).

For the 2021-2027 period, the Cohesion Fund concerns Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

37% of the overall financial allocation of the Cohesion Fund are expected to contribute to climate objectives.

The Cohesion Fund supports the following specific objectives:

1. a greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility;
    
2. a more connected Europe by enhancing mobility by developing a climate resilient, intelligent, secure, sustainable and intermodal TEN-T and developing and enhancing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility.

The Cohesion Fund shall support the following:

• investments in the environment, including investments related to sustainable development and energy presenting environmental benefits, with a particular focus on renewable energy;
   
• investments in TEN-T infrastructure;
   
• technical assistance;
   
• information, communication, and studies.

Depending on the specific call, organisations that can benefit from cohesion funding are regional, local, urban and other public authorities, civil society, economic and social partners and, where appropriate, research organisations and universities.