Finnish operators apply for more than EUR 80 million of EU funding for transport projects

The State of Finland and private Finnish operators are applying for around EUR 80 million in financial support from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport. Projects of the state infrastructure network account for around EUR 37 million and private projects for around EUR 43 million of the total amount. The Ministerial Finance Committee endorsed the applications on 24 September 2026.

The operators are seeking funding under the 2026 Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport calls for proposals, which is the last call in this funding period (2021–2027). The Finnish operators are seeking funding for projects under the standard CEF calls and the military mobility calls, which are making available EUR 720 million and EUR 130 million respectively.

The funding will promote investment in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), combining railways, inland waterways, roads, sea routes and air routes into a single transport network. The European Commission requires Member States to cover 50–70 per cent of total project costs with national funding.

Finnish State is applying for funding for military mobility projects and rail projects

The State of Finland is applying for a total of EUR 37 million in CEF funding for four projects: two military mobility projects together with Sweden and two projects for the planning of rail infrastructure improvements.

Finland and Sweden are submitting a joint application for CEF funding for the Rail Nordica project which is drawing up plans to extend the European standard rail gauge network from Sweden to Northern Finland. The application is for approximately EUR 25 million, Finland’s share being EUR 22 million. CEF support is also applied for the general planning, environmental impact assessment process and track planning of the Tornio–Kemi–Ajos rail section and for the technical surveys of the rail sections Laurila–Rovaniemi and Kemi–Oulu.

2. Planning of E8 border bridges between Finland and Sweden