rec_42

(42) Projects of common interest in the fields of electricity, gas and carbon dioxide should be eligible to receive Union financial assistance for studies and, under certain conditions, for works as soon as such funding becomes available under the relevant Regulation on a Connecting Europe Facility in the form of grants or in the form of innovative financial instruments. This will ensure that tailor-made support can be provided to those projects of common interest which are not viable under the existing regulatory framework and market conditions. It is important to avoid any distortion of competition, in particular between projects contributing to the achievement of the same Union priority corridor. Such financial assistance should ensure the necessary synergies with the Structural Funds, which will finance smart energy distribution networks of local or regional importance. A three-step logic applies to investments in projects of common interest. First, the market should have the priority to invest. Second, if investments are not made by the market, regulatory solutions should be explored, if necessary the relevant regulatory framework should be adjusted, and the correct application of the relevant regulatory framework should be ensured. Third, where the first two steps are not sufficient to deliver the necessary investments in projects of common interest, Union financial assistance could be granted if the project of common interest fulfils the applicable eligibility criteria.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-30 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.