GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

CEF Digital will support the deployment or upgrade of backbone networks, particularly submarine cable infrastructures, that meet any of the following conditions:

CEF Digital will not support projects that concern routes already served by at least two present or credibly planned submarine cables capable to deliver performances matching the current and foreseeable demand and compliant to EU security standards, in particular regarding ownership and high risk suppliers as described in section 8 of the CEF Digital Work Programme. Only in projects concerning territories (e.g. small islands, hard to reach mountainous regions or territories with limited population density) where backbone connectivity needs can be served using satellite infrastructure, will this technology be taken into account when assessing the lack of redundancy.

The proposed project should be self-standing by providing connectivity according to the objectives of the call, even if the action is part of or will contribute to a wider objective (e.g. a section of a longer cable). The proposal will be evaluated on the basis of its specific objectives as well as its potential contribution to the wider system (existing or credibly planned).

Τhe total project costs required to construct and deliver the described networking solution for the foreseen system lifetime, from end to end, including cable landing stations and the connectivity towards them are covered by the scope of this call. In the case of satellite backbone solutions, only the costs linked to the construction of satellite ground stations and their interconnection with local networks are within the scope of the call. Furthermore, the proposal should justify the planned satellite constellation infrastructure on which the ground station will rely upon so that the sustainability, security and resilience of the end-to-end connectivity is also evaluated.

The proposal must describe in section 0 of the application form the technical specifications of the planned infrastructure along with the detailed price breakdown, to justify its cost-effectiveness. Any costs for operating the infrastructure during its lifetime and extra components at the landing sites not required for the basic end-toend connectivity such as data centres, hosting facilities and other services will be excluded under the call. Exceptionally, costs covering construction of the local access network can be eligible in order to take advantage of the reinforced backbone infrastructure, in areas where there is no access network capable of supporting gigabit connectivity and when such infrastructure is unlikely to be developed in the near future.

Project costs may include ancillary costs required to construct the local access network if these solutions address the identified market failure and provide a sufficient step change. In such a case, costs related to the deployment or significant improvement of the access network must not exceed 5% of the entire project costs.