Press Release: Energy: Commission unveils list of 250 infrastructure projects that may qualify for €5,85 billion of funding

On 14 October 2013, the European Commission adopted a list of some 250 key energy infrastructure projects. These 'projects of common interest' (PCI) will benefit from accelerated licensing procedures and improved regulatory conditions and may have access to financial support from the Connecting Europe Facility, under which a €5.85 billion budget has been allocated to trans-European energy infrastructure for the period 2014-20. This will help them get implemented faster and make them more attractive to investors.

Once completed, the projects will help Member States to integrate their energy markets, enable them to diversify their energy sources and help bring an end to the energy isolation of some Member States. They will also enable the grid to uptake increasing amounts of renewables, and consequently help reduce CO2 emissions.

Apart from numerous projects in the fields of electricity, the adopted list also contains projects in the fields of transmission, storage and liquefying of natural gas, smart grid projects and oil projects.

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: Memo, MEMO/13/880: Questions and Answers: projects of common interest in energy http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-880_en.pdf

EurActiv, 15.10.13: EU delivers damp squib for smart grids http://www.euractiv.com/energy/eu-announces-damp-squib-smart-gr-news-531071

EUObserver, 14.10.13: EU lists 'key' energy projects amid criticism http://euobserver.com/environment/121779

Spiegel Online International, 14.10.13: Expanding the Grid: A Vision for Fueling Europe on Renewables www.spiegel.de/international/europe/commissioner-oettinger-presents-200-renewable-energy-projects-to-eu-a-927718.html

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