CONNECTING EUROPE & ASIA

THE EU STRATEGY
SUSTAINABLE, COMPREHENSIVE AND RULES-BASED CONNECTIVITY
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENHANCED PROSPERITY, SAFETY AND
RESILIENCE OF PEOPLE AND SOCIETIES IN EUROPE AND ASIA

WHAT IS CONNECTIVITY?

TRANSPORT ENERGY DIGITAL HUMAN DIMENSION

Diversified trade and travel More interconnected Increased access to digital Advanced cooperation
routes linking existing and regional energy platforms, services while maintaining in education, research,
future transport networks, modern energy systems and a high level of protection innovation, culture and
shorter transit times environmentally friendly of consumer and personal tourism.
and simplified customs solutions. data.
procedures.

WHY DO WE NEED BETTER CONNECTIVITY FOR EUROPE & ASIA?

€1.5 TRILLION IN ANNUAL TRADE WE HAVE A JOINT RESPONSIBILITY TO

BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

CROSS-BORDER RULES AND

EUROPE AND ASIA ACCOUNT FOR OVER REGULATIONS MEAN FAIR
60% OF THE WORLD’S GDP COMPETITION FOR BUSINESSES
SINCE 2015, OVER 18,000 STUDENTS
FISCAL AND FINANCIALLY STABILITY
AND ACADEMIC STAFF HAVE TRAVELLED
REQUIRES LONG-TERM PLANNING
BETWEEN OUR TWO REGIONS

HOW WILL THE EU ENHANCE CONNECTIVITY?

1 CONTRIBUTING TO EFFICIENT CROSS-BORDER CONNECTIONS AND TRANSPORT, ENERGY,

DIGITAL AND HUMAN NETWORKS

2 STRENGTHENING BILATERAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS BASED ON

COMMONLY AGREED RULES AND STANDARDS

3 LEVERAGING SUSTAINABLE FINANCING FOR INVESTMENTS

The EU has a strong track record of financing connectivity internally and externally through combining
innovative financing initiatives and creating opportunities for private sector participation.

INSIDE THE EU OUTSIDE THE EU

European Structural and Investment Investment Facility for Central Asia,
Funds (ESIF), and The European Fund for Asian Investment Facility and the
Strategic Investments (EFSI) support European Fund for Sustainable
integrated investment programmes. Development (EFSD) provide financing
Connecting Europe Facility mobilises to catalyse additional public and private
investments in cross-border infrastructures capital.
for transport, energy and digital networks.

WHAT IS THE EU DOING TO CONNECT EUROPE & ASIA?

CONSTRUCTION OF
INFRASTRUCTURE DATA
TRANSFERS

The EU has invested

€35 million in the The EU and Japan
construction of the agreed to adopt a
Žeželj Bridge in Novi mutual data adequacy
Sad, Serbia as part decision before the
of the extension of end of 2018 creating
the Trans-European the world’s largest
Transport Network area of safe data
(TEN-T). transfers based on a
high level of protection

5 EXAMPLES
of personal data,
laying the ground for
OF CONNECTIVITY innovative commercial
applications and new
PROJECTS business models.

COMMUNITY
INTEGRATION

The EU has agreed

€85 million of
support, aiming at the
ELECTRICITY consolidation of ASEAN
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Community, including
fostering single
market, trade
facilitation and
The EIB is contributing €70 million reducing non-tariff
to enable Central Asian countries barriers to trade.
to sell their electricity surplus
during summer months to deficient
countries in South Asia, improving
the electricity access and expand
markets in a sustainable way.

STUDENT EXCHANGES &

STAFF MOBILITY

5,300 Indian students received Erasmus

Scholarships and 1,800 Indian researches
have been granted Marie Skłodowska-
Curie Scolarship since 2004.