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.
EIB support can cover
Support can be provided for transport sector studies, infrastructure investment programming, as well as project identification and prioritisation.
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 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 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).
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
Country: Republic of Moldova
Status: Completed
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.
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.
Country: Azerbaijan
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Digital Development and Transport through the “Azerbaijan Railways” CJSC
The Baku – Boyuk Kesik railway is part of the core TEN-T network in Azerbaijan and the key East-West rail connection in the country, with a length of some 500 km. It links the capital city and port of Baku with the railway network of Georgia, continuing to the Black Sea. The Baku – Boyuk Kesik railway is also an important link in the “Middle Corridor” concept. The enhancement of this line through resolving remaining issues of signalling, telecommunications and electrification is a priority project listed in the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan of 2018. Improvements on the existing 76 level crossings and at locations of uncontrolled livestock and pedestrian crossing along this double-track main rail line is a necessity to be addressed in the context of enhancing its level of service, for the purpose of overall transport safety and the reliability of railway operations.
In a first step towards the preparation and implementation of this project, EPIC is providing advisory support for the collection of relevant data, intervention prioritisation and the preparation of Terms of Reference for undertaking the necessary feasibility and preliminary design studies. In detail, the scope of this advisory support includes:
- Support to structure the collection of data, which will allow the selection and prioritisation for safety improvements of rail level crossings and hazardous locations in terms of uncontrolled livestock and pedestrian crossings along the rail line
- Methodological support for the prioritisation of crossings for potential interventions;
- Based on the above, support for preliminary decisions on the potentially most appropriate solution for each crossing to be used for scoping the ToR for the feasibility and preliminary design study;
- Support for the definition of the steps of the project development and implementation process;
- Support for the preparation of the ToR for the feasibility and preliminary design study for the project;
- Ad-hoc advice on matters that may arise.
Country: Ukraine
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance
In December 2023, Ukraine adopted its roadmap for the establishment of the Public Investment Management (PIM) system. Under this roadmap, the country has embarked on the establishment of a methodological framework for investment prioritisation by means of Single Sector Project Pipelines (SSPP) and a Single Project Pipeline (SPP).
Drawing from experience with EU funding under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and in the EU, EPIC supports the Ukrainian authorities in implementing this roadmap, focussing on the transport sector whilst also addressing the wider SPP framework to ensure coherence across various levels of the PIM. In further detail, support offered includes advice on:
- the project approval process for the SPP,
- the national strategic framework for transport,
- a common approach for the preparation of public investment projects for the SPP,
- the methodological framework for investment prioritisation for the SPP,
- the matching of projects with funding sources, and
- training on selected aspects.
Country: Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova
In 2024, Moldova has adopted its Mobility Strategy 2030, developed with JASPERS' support under a prior EPIC assignment. The strategy outlines the main objectives and priorities for the country’s mobility sector, including integrating Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) across the country. Tasks ahead are the transposition of EU legislation, the establishment of a strategic framework to deploy ITS, the development of an ITS technical specification, and implementation of ITS projects.
In this context, the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat (TCPS) has received EU grant funding for technical assistance to elaborate the strategic framework for ITS for Moldova, with the aim to enhance the efficiency and safety of the transport network, promoting sustainable mobility solutions.
Under the present assignment, the JASPERS/EPIC Advisory Team will assist the TCPS in scoping the externally procured technical assistance and supervising its delivery, with the aim to deliver a high-quality strategic framework for ITS.
Country: Armenia
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia
The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia is considering the implementation of electronic toll collection (ETC) and weight in motion (WIM) systems in its road sector in order to implement the user- and polluter-pays principle and to align the approach for roads financing with the practices in the EU. It is expected that such systems will enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the use of Armenia’s road infrastructure.
To support Armenia in this endeavour, DG NEAR is envisaging support from the Global Gateway Support Mechanism (GGSM) to fund and procure technical assistance to elaborate feasibility studies for the introduction of the above-mentioned systems in the country.
Under the present assignment, the JASPERS/EPIC Advisory Team will assist the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure in scoping the externally procured technical assistance and supervising its delivery, with the aim to produce high-quality feasibility studies.
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.
Country: Armenia
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Road Department Fund (RDF) under the auspices of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure (MTAI)
Stretching over 550 kilometres, the North-South Road Corridor is one of Armenia’s most strategic elements of transport infrastructure and part of the indicative extend TEN-T network. Developed to modern standards, it is expected to drive Armenia’s economic growth and integration with the world. The corridor crosses the entire country, from the border with Iran at Meghri to the border with Georgia at Bavra, crossing many important towns, including the capital Yerevan and the second biggest town of Armenia, Gyumri, which is one of the main touristic destinations included as such in the national Tourism Strategy 2020-2030. The Gyumri bypass road section is defined as a high priority investment by the Government and included in the country’s Five-Year Action Program 2021-2026. It is planned to be constructed by 2026.
EPIC assistance to the MTAI/RDF for the preparation of the Gyumri bypass project includes both advisory support provided by the EPIC Advisory Team and Technical Assistance provided by consultants.
The advisory support includes:
- scoping and procuring of the preparatory studies needed to take the project forward,
- ensuring the quality of the preparatory studies, and
- any ad-hoc advice that may become necessary in the project development process.
The Technical Assistance offered through EPIC concerns the update of the existing, but outdated feasibility study for the project, covering all relevant aspects, including notably the necessary adaptation of the detailed design, cost assessment, traffic demand analysis, environmental and social impact assessment, road safety audits, as well as the economic assessment.
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)
The Ungheni – Chisinau – Odesa road corridor, which is part of the extended core TEN-T, crosses the territory of the Republic of Moldova in east-southwest direction. It connects Romania, Moldova and Ukraine and is a key route for the movement of people and goods. The existing roads along the corridor have various issues. Most importantly they often pass through populated areas, thus creating health and safety risks, and, furthermore, they have inappropriate design parameters and capacity constraints in several locations. Considering the existing situation, improvements of the corridor should focus on (i) improving the level of service for local and transit traffic, and (ii) reducing accident rates and the exposure of the population to noise and pollution by moving transit flows outside populated areas.
The Technical Assistance offered through EPIC consists of studies at corridor level to advance towards project implementation. More specifically:
- appropriately sized sections will be devised along the corridor to facilitate staged implementation;
- technical solutions to improve each section will be identified and compared to select the best ones;
- the economic feasibility of the preferred solutions for all sections will be examined to identify priority investments.
Country: Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova
In 2024, Moldova has adopted its National Mobility Strategy for 2023-2030, developed with JASPERS' support under a prior EPIC assignment.This strategy outlines the main objectives and priorities for the country’s mobility sector.
To implement the strategy, a multiannual transport investment programme and an action plan are developed, supported by enhanced transport data and modelling. Whereas the investment programme prioritises transport projects for financing and implementation, the action plan devises complementary other measures to achieve the objectives set.
Under the present assignment, technical assistance for data collection, modelling, and the preparation of the investment programme and action plan are financed through the EIB’s EU4U Advisory Programme. The scoping of the technical assistance and the supervision of its delivery are undertaken by the JASPERS/EPIC Advisory Team.
Country: Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova
The development of logistics and inland freight terminal (IFT) capacity in Moldova has been recognised as of high importance for the development of trade relationships between Moldova and the EU. The Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan mentions the development of a logistics centre near Chisinau as a quick-win project. Further, the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership considers the construction of an IFT in Chisinau a Flagship Project.
Based on prior advice under EPIC, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development has set up a project Steering Committee for the IFT Chisinau, including other relevant ministries, the Municipality of Chisinau, the Moldovan Railways, as well as relevant private sector representation. Further, the EPIC Advisory Team has been drafting the terms of reference for the next stage of the project development process, namely a feasibility study.
Key elements of this feasibility study are (i) an analysis of the current situation and future potential, (ii) the definition of specific objectives, (iii) the definition of the IFT’s functionality, location, size and layout, (iv) an analysis of the regulatory framework and proposal for an organisational and financial structure, (v) a preliminary design, (vi) an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, and (vii) a tender dossier for implementation.
The EPIC Advisory Team is taking care of the procurement and supervision of the service provider elaborating the feasibility study, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development and other stakeholders.
Country: Moldova
Status: Ongoing
Promoter: Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova
In July 2023, the EU Commission published its strategy for integrating the Ukrainian and Moldovan rail systems into the EU network. Prepared by JASPERS under its mandate from the European Commission’s DG MOVE, this strategy promotes the development of EU-gauge rail lines in Ukraine and Moldova. For Moldova, the strategy prioritises deploying EU track gauge in the corridor from Chișinău to Ungheni to improve Moldova’s connections with Romania and the EU.
The Chișinău-Ungheni corridor is part of the Core TEN-T network, as outlined in the 2023 TEN-T revision. In Romania, it would connect to Core TEN-T rail lines towards the west (i.e. Cluj / Western Europe) and south (i.e. Bucharest / port of Constanța), for which modernisation projects are under preparation with JASPERS advisory support. The next steps involve an analysis of the options to develop such an electrified EU rail-gauge link in this corridor under a preliminary feasibility study, including a conceptual design.
Under the present assignment, technical assistance for preparing the study is financed through the EIB’s EU4U Advisory Programme. The scoping of the technical assistance and the supervision of its delivery are undertaken by the JASPERS/EPIC Advisory Team, in close cooperation with key stakeholders, including the Moldovan Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development and the railway company CFM, as well as the European Commission (DG MOVE and DG NEAR).