European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (EuropeAid HQ)

5G Coverage Along Transport Corridors - Works

Last update: Jan 11, 2024 Last update: 11 Jan, 2024

Details

Location:EU 27EU 27
Contracting Authority Type:Development Institution
Status:Awarded
Budget:EUR 25,000,000
Award ceiling:EUR 10,000,000
Award floor:N/A
Sector:Telecommunications, Transport
Languages:English
Eligible applicants:Unrestricted / Unspecified
Eligible nationalities:EU 27, Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, ... See moreEU 27, Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean Netherlands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, French Polynesia, French Southern Territory, Greenland, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Turks and Caicos, Wallis and Futuna
Date posted:12 Oct, 2022

Attachments 2

Description

Call Updates

Nov 7, 2023 10:51:38 AM

The Commission has now completed the evaluation of the proposals submitted to the above-mentioned call.

The results of the evaluation per topic are as follows:

Topic CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS-WORKS

Number of proposals submitted: 4

Number of inadmissible proposals: 0

Number of ineligible proposals: 0

Number of above-threshold proposals: 3

Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals: EUR 10,629,646

 

We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.

It is expected that the first grant agreements will be signed by November 2023.

Please note that the number of proposals that can finally be funded will depend on the finally available budget and the formal selection by the Commission.


 

Oct 19, 2023 11:36:16 AM

The Commission has now completed the evaluation of the proposals submitted to the above-mentioned call.

The results of the evaluation per topic are as follows:

Topic CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS-WORKS

Number of proposals submitted: 4

Number of inadmissible proposals: 0

Number of ineligible proposals: 0

Number of above-threshold proposals: 3

Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals: EUR 10,629,646

We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.

It is expected that the first grant agreements will be signed by November 2023.

Please note that the number of proposals that can finally be funded will depend on the finally available budget and the formal selection by the Commission.


 

Mar 23, 2023 9:33:58 PM

A total of 8 proposals were submitted in response to this call. The number of proposals for each topic is shown below:

CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS-WORKS: 4


Jan 30, 2023 11:36:56 AM

The submission session is now available for: CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS-WORKS(CEF-INFRA)


Oct 12, 2022 12:00:37 PM

The submission session is now available for: CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS-WORKS(CEF-INFRA)


5G coverage along transport corridors - Works

TOPIC ID: CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS-WORKS

Programme: Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)
Call: 5G coverage along transport corridors (CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS)
Type of action: CEF-INFRA CEF Infrastructure Projects
Type of MGA: CEF Action Grant Budget-Based [CEF-AG]
Deadline model: single-stage
Planned opening date: 12 October 2022
Deadline date: 23 February 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time

Topic description
 
Objective:

This topic aims to complement the early wave of deployment actions for 5G systems deployment along transport paths for connected and automated mobility (CAM) including safety and non-safety services. These may encompass roads, rail, and inland waterways, and if appropriate in combination with other modes of transport based on early preparatory work that already started before the submission of the proposal. Unlike for the calls in 2023 and beyond, applicants will not be able to rely on prior CEF-funded inception studies. If available, results of preparatory works/studies providing a basis for deployment plans should be included in the proposal, building on other types of studies or on the basis of results generated by on-going R&I 5G cross-border corridor trial projects conducted across the EU under Horizon 2020.

The goal is to start leveraging the needed private investment in order to establish a full pan-European road and railway network of 5G corridors by the end of the CEF programme (2027).

Scope:

This topic targets actions that support investments in challenging areas, where market forces alone will not deliver 5G services with the needed quality of service. The focus is on providing such connectivity along key European transport paths including, but not limited to, the indicative list of 5G corridors in part V of the Annex to the CEF Regulation. The priority of this call will be to support investment in cross-border sections involving two or more Member States, with a co-funding rate of 50%.

In case of co-funding by national funds (i.e., Cohesion Funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility - RRF), State aid rules within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU apply (see section 10 of the Work Programme for details).

Applicants may apply for grants for works, including studies, related to project costs covering the following categories:

  • Deployment of passive network elements including civil works, e.g. ducts, dark fibre, 5G radio stations, masts and pylons.
  • Deployment and installation of active network elements, e.g. antennae, storage and computing capabilities such as network controllers, routers, switches, exchanges, edge MEC/node etc.
  • Deployment and installation of specific track side devices (e.g. road, rail) for CAM use cases, such as sensors, cameras etc. for traffic monitoring purposes, including connected road-side units.
  • Preparatory works, including network planning.

The 5G connectivity infrastructure deployment proposed for funding under this call may encompass both passive and active network elements along transport paths that cross at least one border between two Member States.

The corridor length foreseen for deployment or study on both/all sides of the border may vary, depending on national circumstances including the length of TEN-T comprehensive networks in the relevant Member State, means of transport, geographic situation, and maximum size of the project/EU funding.

Proposals must include cross-border sections of 5G corridors with other Member States representing no more than 15% of the total length of all the TEN-T comprehensive corridors of the same category (road, rail or waterways) in the Member State concerned by the proposal and other projects funded by the CEF Digital programme.

In the presence of a demonstrated market failure, longer cross-border sections (i.e. beyond the above mentioned 15% threshold), as well as additional sections located inside of a Member State territory, could be considered. This possibility may be particularly relevant in the case of Member States where the length of TEN-T comprehensive corridors is limited. The need to justify the presence of a market failure - when exceeding the 15% threshold - does not apply to proposals designed as market-conform interventions.

5G corridor deployment projects crossing the border of a third country, or terminating at a port with maritime connections to other EU Member States, are also within the scope of this call. In such cases a strong cross-border dimension needs to be demonstrated and CEF co-funding will be limited to the corridor sections located in the eligible country/countries.

Infrastructures deployed under this call can also be used, under certain conditions where market failure is demonstrated, for services beyond the transport paths, e.g. in areas surrounding the corridor, including populated areas or where socio-economic drivers are located.

Please consult the Call document for more information on the scope, including digital security requirements.

Expected Impact:

CEF Digital funding is expected to move forward and accelerate large-scale deployment of 5G corridors to support the adoption of CAM, including driving with higher levels of automation and the digitalisation of rail operations as well as other relevant modes of transport. Funding may also support the deployment of Future Rail Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) and trackside and associated on-board equipment related to critical automatic train control systems and applications (ETCS and/or ATO).

By closing the deployment gaps, removing capacity bottlenecks and technical barriers, and ensuring service continuity across the border, the deployment of 5G corridors would contribute to strengthening the social, economic, and territorial cohesion in the EU.

 
 
Want to unlock full information?
Member-only information. Become a member to access this information. Procurement notices from over 112+ donors and banks are available here
Learn more about our membership benefits