Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways - Works

Expected Impact:

The expected impact of the supported project include:

• significantly improved security and resilience of the EU backbone networks;

• strengthened quality of connectivity within the Union as well as with third countries;

• capacity, security and resilience of the overall backbone network infrastructure benefit all EU end-users;

• benefits surpass those directly related to the individual supported projects and contribute to bridging the digital divide and ensuring widespread access to the Gigabit networks for all EU end-users and businesses.

Key performance indicators for this topic will include: i) the total length of the backbone, and ii) the additional (significant) transmission capacity created as a result of the projects supported by CEF. For submarine cables the number of fibre pairs, the current capacity per fibre pair, as well as the technology chosen and whether the system is repeated or unrepeated should be mentioned in the proposal, too.

Objective:

The objective of this call is to support the deployment or significant upgrade of backbone networks – in particular submarine cables but also terrestrial backbone networks and satellite infrastructure – that address risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies in the EU backbone infrastructure.

Scope:

Proposals must meet one of the following conditions:

• connect at least two Member States. In the case of terrestrial backbones, only cross-border segments necessary to interconnect national backbones will be funded;

• connect a Member State with one or several of its islands, outermost regions, or overseas countries and territories;

• connect one or several Member States and third countries, including accession and neighbourhood countries, directly, or indirectly via other cable infrastructures linked to the Union.

Proposals must concern the deployment or significant upgrade of a backbone network that addresses a market failure6 in at least one of the following scenarios:

a) The project concerns a route where there is a lack of redundancy; and/or

b) The project concerns a route where existing backbone infrastructures cannot satisfy current or expected demand; and/or

c) The project concerns a route subject to regulation because it is not considered competitive by the competent national regulatory authority. This scenario only applies to projects where the infrastructure will contribute to increase competition in the concerned route and will offer wholesale access to third parties under fair and non-discriminatory conditions.

For the purpose of assessing scenarios a) and b), only EU-controlled infrastructures are taken into account.

In the case of submarine cables, proposals should specify whether they contribute to the resilience and security of submarine cables connectivity in CPEI Areas 1-13 (except Areas 8 and 10), and in particular Areas 1-7 from the CPEI list published in February 2026, as projects contributing to such areas will be scored positively under the evaluation criterion “Priority and Urgency”.

The proposed project should be self-standing by providing connectivity to users. Projects that will require the deployment of an additional segment to meet this requirement could only be taken into account if the proposal includes a commitment to complete the deployment and a sound financing plan for the entire network (including the above-mentioned additional segment). The evaluation of a project will take into account, as a positive element, its contribution to a wider objective (e.g. completing a cable ring or system can bring additional benefits to those intrinsically associated to the project).

Applicants may choose the technological solution that they consider more suitable, which may include submarine cables systems, terrestrial backbone networks and satellite infrastructure. Applicants should justify their technological choice and should also explain how they will ensure the supply chain security, as regards availability of components, technologies, systems and knowhow required in the planning, acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance and repair of the backbone infrastructure.

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