A coalition formed by 45 European transport organizations has sent an open letter to the Member States of the European Union requesting a substantial increase in community funding allocated to transport infrastructure. The request, dated February 19, 2026, coincides with a new round of negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period 2028-2034, which is addressed in the Council of General Affairs held on February 24.
The document, signed by entities representing all modes of transport—maritime, rail, air, road, and inland navigation—raises as a central demand that the future Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) instrument has a minimum budget of 100 billion euros. The signing organizations argue that a solid and updated European transport network is essential for the Union to achieve its strategic objectives regarding resilience, military preparedness, industrial competitiveness, and supply chain sovereignty.
Among the signatories are leading organizations such as the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the Federation of Private Port Operators and Terminals (FEPORT), and the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO), among others. The breadth of the coalition, which ranges from car manufacturers to inland navigation operators, evidences the cross-sector consensus on the need to increase European public investment in infrastructure.
The open letter points out that the current geopolitical and geoeconomic context, marked by growing tensions and the effects of climate change, demands immediate action to modernize and complete the trans-European transport network. The signatories warn that EU transport infrastructure is not adequately adapted to the needs of dual civilian-military use, as highlighted by the recent proposed Military Mobility Regulation from the European Commission. In addition, there is a need to prepare networks for contingency scenarios that go beyond just-in-time supply strategies, incorporating redundancy and reserve capacity.
The signatories remind that transport constitutes the backbone and engine of the EU single market. If Europe aims to improve its industrial competitiveness and lead the transition to a net zero emissions economy, it needs an efficient transport network that connects production centers with their markets. The letter references the reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, which emphasize how a well-integrated European transport network is essential for economic growth, job creation, and social and territorial cohesion.
One of the central points of the document is the denunciation of the chronic underfunding suffered by the sector. Organizations note that transport projects with high social added value do not always generate the necessary financial returns to cover investments, making European subsidies indispensable. The CEF, which has proven to be an effective instrument to prioritize high European value investments, has been weakened by significant structural oversubscription of its calls, a direct consequence of budgetary insufficiency.
Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General of ESPO, has stated that the European transport sector continues to raise the alarm. According to Ryckbost, Europe needs more and better transport infrastructure, more resilient and better connected, to ensure its competitiveness and security. The head of the European port organization has urged national governments to agree on a solid budget for the transport sector in the upcoming financial framework, arguing that the EU will only be able to achieve its strategic objectives if it has a strong transport sector that serves as the foundation for the internal market.
Ryckbost added that European ports, as gateways to global trade and pillars of the economic, geopolitical, and climate resilience of the continent, are prepared to take their share of responsibility and commit, but they need Europe to support their investments. In her opinion, Member States now have the opportunity to reverse the trend and secure the necessary support for the sector.
The coalition of 45 organizations encompasses practically the entire ecosystem of European transport, from associations of maritime and inland ports to road transport federations, through entities from the railway sector, aviation, logistics, and urban public transport. This joint mobilization constitutes one of the broadest pressure actions from the transport sector before European institutions in the context of upcoming multiannual financial negotiations.