What is a cross-border project in the field of renewable energy?
To meet the EU decarbonisation objectives, the EU Member States committed to collectively achieving a share of renewable energy in the EU’s final energy consumption by 2030. This share is a 42.5% binding target, with an additional 2.5% aspirational target, under the Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001 (RED). The EU reported a 25%.2 share of renewable energy across the Union in 2024, and further scale-up of renewable energy generation capacity is crucial to meet both the decarbonisation objectives and the phase-out of dependency on Russian fossil fuels. To do so, in addition to purely domestic actions, each Member State may choose to cooperate with other countries within the EU or beyond. Such cooperation mechanisms, as set out in the RED, can take the form of statistical transfers (article 8), joint projects (articles 9 and 11), or joint support schemes (article 13). The RED further introduces an obligation for Member States to endeavour to agree on establishing at least two joint projects by 31 December 2030.
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme provides an enabling framework for financial support to foster this cooperation and introduces the concept of cross-border projects in renewable energy (CB RES projects).
In order for a project based on cooperation between Member States to become a CB RES project and to benefit from the enabling framework of CEF, it should fulfil the criteria set out in Part IV of the Annex to the Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 (CEF Regulation). These criteria refer to the existence of a cooperation arrangement, as well as cost savings and potential overall net benefits that the project would provide.
The Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/342 further specifies the selection criteria and selection process. The related Commission Staff Working SWD (2021) 429 provides the methodology for assessing the contribution of a given CB RES project and also the general criteria to elaborate the CB RES Cost-Benefit Analysis.
What type of projects are expected?
A CB RES project shall have three fundamental characteristics:
1. It must be based on a Cooperation mechanism as per Articles 8, 9, 11 and 13 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001.
2. It must provide higher socio-economic net benefits compared to a national project, which is confirmed through a cost-benefit analysis.
3. Its main component must be a renewable energy generation installation.
Each element is further developed below.
Cooperation mechanism
A CB RES project shall be based on a Cooperation mechanism signed by two or more Member States (MS) or by Member State(s) and a third Country(ies). When submitting the application, projects should submit either the signed Cooperation Agreement or the signed declarations from the participating MS expressing their support for the project and their willingness to sign a Cooperation Agreement.
There is no mandatory template for the Cooperation Agreement.
As for the expected content to be included in the Cooperation Agreement, the Commission Staff Working SWD (2021) 429 contains some elements under paragraph 3 page 8. Not all those elements have to be included in the agreement/declarations, as it depends on the level of maturity of the project.
If a cooperation agreement is not signed at the moment of application, applicants may provide a letter of support instead. There is no mandatory form; however, applicants are free to use a template provided in the call documents.
It is important that the letter of support contains clear information (1) that Member States support the application of that specific project for CB RES status; (2) that Member States are willing to engage in a cooperation agreement in future.
As one of the cooperation mechanisms under the Renewable Energy Directive is statistical transfer, a virtual transfer of renewable energy statistics, it is worth noting that CB RES projects do not necessarily entail a physical link between the cooperating Member States or any other physical transaction, such as the transfer of electricity.
In the case of joint projects, the CB RES project can be located on the territory of one or more of the Member States involved if it complies with the general criteria of Part IV of the Annex to the CEF regulation. Note that specific conditions apply to joint projects with third countries under articles 11 and 12 of the Renewable Energy Directive.
What is the CB RES status?
Any project meeting the regulatory criteria explained above may obtain the status of a cross-border renewable energy project (CB RES status) and therefore enter a list of projects eligible for CEF funding (CB RES list).
Having the official CB RES status is required to be eligible for financial support under the CEF Programme and could provide additional benefits, such as higher visibility, increased investor certainty, and stronger support from Member States.
As specified in the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/342, the CEF window complements other EU renewable energy funding opportunities, focusing specifically on cross-border cooperation to optimise national efforts for the deployment of renewable energy.
All projects with the CB RES status are on the list of eligible projects (the CB RES list) and may therefore apply to dedicated CEF grant calls for technical studies and works.
Being selected in the CB RES list does not guarantee CEF funding. Note that this call will be the last CB RES status call in the framework of the current 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Projects selected in this call will have the opportunity to apply to the final CEF CB RES funding call for works and studies under this MFF, to be launched in 2027.
For more information on how a CEF technical studies and works call would look in case your project is selected for the CB RES list, please see the previous CEF CB RES studies and works call. An example of a past call is available on the EU Funding & Tender Portal.
How to apply and by when?
The 6th call for projects looking to obtain the CB RES status closes on 6 October 2026 at 5 pm CET (Brussels time).
CB RES platform
Promoters of candidate projects for the CB RES status can participate in the call by submitting an application via the dedicated CB RES submission platform.
Promoters need to fill in the online application and submit the following mandatory annexes to the CB RES platform:
- ANNEX 1 CB RES CBA TOOL
- ANNEX 2 CB RES AF annex and CBA report
- ANNEX 3 Written declaration of the participating countries (in case of absence of a signed Cooperation Agreement or in case the latter does not make explicit reference to the CB RES project) OR Signed Cooperation Agreement (no specific template)
- ANNEX 4 Sustainability and DNSH compliance file
Projects that have benefitted from funding under CB RES preparatory studies are welcome to attach relevant deliverables as optional annexes under “additional annexes”.
Project promoters should ensure that they have an EU LOGIN account in order to apply via the platform.
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