Facility for Eastern Partnership Investment in Connectivity

Calls for application

The present call for applications for technical assistance support is open.

Submission deadline: 30 September 2023

The EPIC support application form is available here

For more information on EPIC and the application process, please find detailed guidelines here.

The Facility for Eastern Partnership Investment in Connectivity (EPIC) offers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine free advisory support and technical assistance to improve transport connections.

Road, rail, air, maritime and intermodal transport projects are time and cost-intensive investments, which have an impact on economies and peoples’ lives for decades. Therefore, it is in everyone’s interest that project promotors plan thoroughly, according to current requirements and best international practices.

EPIC is an initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and managed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank.

Our support

We offer two types of support:

Advisory Support
Guidance and coaching provided directly by the EPIC Advisory Team, mainly drawing on the experience of the Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions (JASPERS).
Technical Assistance
Services provided by consultancy companies.

These two types of support are highly complementary and lead to the best results when combined.

The EPIC Advisory Team usually works as follows:

Identify
Help beneficiaries identify promising projects.
Assess and scope
Help beneficiaries assess gaps in project preparation and scope the technical assistance needed to fill these gaps.
Assign and monitor
Assign consultants to provide the technical assistance and help beneficiaries monitor the consultant’s work to ensure high-quality outputs.

EPIC support can cover

Strategic orientation

Support can be provided for transport sector studies, infrastructure investment programming, as well as project identification and prioritisation.

Support for project preparation

Advisory support and technical assistance can be provided to promoters related to the preparation of transport infrastructure projects, including for instance pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, preliminary designs, Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs), Environmental (and Social) Impact Assessments (EIAs/ESIAs), Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Assessments (CCVRA), safety audits.

Methodological guidance

Methodological guidance is available, for example, for the preparation of cost-benefit analyses, environmental and social impact assessments, multi-criteria analyses, climate proofing of infrastructure, etc.

Support for project implementation

Support to project implementation is available through on the job advice at arm’s length on selected issues, such as procurement strategies and processes, the preparation of tender documents and the establishment of Project Implementation Units (PIUs).

Capacity strengthening and knowledge transfer

The hands-on approach of the EPIC Advisory Team in its work with EaP promoters will strengthen institutional capacity in the countries concerned. Knowledge transfer will further be facilitated through dedicated training events, workshops and thematic working papers.

What is eligible

EPIC supports projects in the Eastern Neighbourhood, which are of national priority and included and prioritised under the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership, the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan for the region.

We want to generate investments in concrete viable connectivity infrastructure projects in the road, rail, air, waterborne and intermodal transport sectors, with a positive impact for citizens and businesses. Typically, projects will:

Reduce travel time and cost
Eliminate bottlenecks
Improve road safety
Adapt transport infrastructure to climate change
Have socio-economic and environmental benefits

Projects proposed for EPIC support should be in line with the investment priorities of the national government and have broad institutional support. A mandated sub-sector entity should promote, prepare, implement and operate the project. Eligible projects should also be backed by at least one international financial institution involved in EPIC.

Projects developed with EPIC support should comply with the requirements of the EU and related international financial institutions, and be able to access long-term financing more easily.

Who is eligible

EPIC can provide advisory support and technical assistance to public or private bodies in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Typically, these may be:

Sub-sector authorities (e.g. roads authorities)
Public companies (e.g. railway companies)
Programme Management Units (PMUs) or similar
Private sector entities (e.g. intermodal transport centres owners/operators)

EPIC’s central points of contact are typically the ministries of transport and infrastructure, or equivalent, responsible to select priority projects.

How to apply

Calls for applications will be published on this website and shared with the ministries of transport and infrastructure, or equivalent, in the Eastern Neighbourhood countries.
The ministries of transport and infrastructure, or equivalent, will be in charge of the coordination and submission of EPIC support applications.
The EPIC Advisory Team is available to assist national authorities in the process of pre-selecting projects for EPIC support and the preparation of EPIC support applications.
Decisions about EPIC support applications are taken by the EPIC Coordination Committee, ensuring alignment with EU policies, transparency and good governance.

For more information on EPIC and the application process, please find detailed guidelines here.

The present call for applications for technical assistance support is now open.

Assignments supported by EPIC

NATIONAL MOBILITY STRATEGY 2023-2030 FOR MOLDOVA

Country: Republic of Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova intends to prepare a National Mobility Strategy for the country for the period 2023-2030. The Ministry has requested the support of the Delegation of the European Union (EUD) to the Republic of Moldova. The EUD is procuring a study for the preparation of the strategy, and draft Terms of Reference for the preparation of an Investment Programme and Action Plan to implement the strategy.

EPIC advisory support to the Ministry and the EUD is provided for:

the preparation of the Terms of Reference for the study procured by the EUD, and
ensuring the quality of the deliverables of the consultants.

INLAND FREIGHT TERMINAL CHISINAU – ADVISORY SUPPORT TO DEFINE THE INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP FOR PROJECT PREPARATION & IMPLEMENTATION

Country: Republic of Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Moldova (MoF) through its Customs Service

Increasing logistics and inland freight terminal (IFT) capacity in Moldova has been recognised essential for the development of trade relationships between Moldova and the EU. The Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan of 2018 mentions the development of a logistics centre in Chisinau as a Quick Win project, and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership lists the project Boosting EU-Moldova trade — construction of an inland freight terminal in Chisinau as Flagship Project #2.

In a first step towards the development of the Chisinau IFT, EPIC is providing advisory support for setting up and formalising an adequate institutional structure for project preparation and implementation.

The scope of the advisory support includes:

support to define and establish a Steering Committee, a Working Group and a Project Implementation Unit for the project,
support to the definition of the project development and implementation process,
support to the preparation of Terms of Reference for the feasibility study for the project, and
ad-hoc advice on matters that may arise.

Chisinau ring road - Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for sections 4, 5 & 6

Country: Republic of Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: State Enterprise State Road Administration (SRA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MIRD)

Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, with more than 650 000 inhabitants, is an important urban node where numerous transport flows and important roads intersect. Currently, a large share of the transit traffic crosses the city, instead of bypassing it. This creates a multitude of issues, related to the health and safety of the population and the road users, the exposure of the population to noise and pollution, as well as low levels of service. It is expected that the completion of the Chisinau ring road (part of the TEN-T) will substantially improve the situation and is considered of highest priority for the country.

EPIC assistance to the MIRD/SRA for the completion of the Chisinau ring road includes both advisory support provided by the EPIC Advisory Team and Technical Assistance provided by consultants. The advisory support includes:

scoping of the Technical Assistance (TA) services necessary to take the project towards financing and implementation, including the preparation of the Terms of Reference for the studies, the procurement and contracting of the consultant,
ensuring the quality of the deliverables of the consultants, and
any ad-hoc advice that may become necessary in the project development process.

Technical Assistance offered through EPIC includes pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, covering all relevant aspects, including traffic demand analysis, definition of alternatives, technical studies, environmental and social impact assessment, climate risk assessment, road safety assessment, as well as economic assessment.

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Publications

Guide to the facility for EPIC

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