What is Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU’s contribution to narrowing the global investment gap. Over the period 2021-2024, €307 billion of investments have already been mobilised worldwide for sustainable and high-quality projects in the digital, climate, energy, health, transport and education sectors, taking into account the needs of partner countries and ensuring lasting benefits for local communities.
Global Gateway is implemented following a Team Europe approach, which brings together the EU and EU Member States (including their development finance institutions), as well as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Partner countries and the private sector are also key partners for Global Gateway implementation. The private sector has an essential role in bringing in investments and knowledge and in developing skills in partner countries.
Find general information about Global Gateway here.
Global Gateway in the EU’s Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood regions
In the EU’s Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood regions, Global Gateway investments contribute to
- connecting people and economies in the regions and with the EU.
- boosting growth potential and develop win-win supply chains
- bridging the convergence gap and preparing the ground for future integration
These investments contribute to the reinforcement of our common prosperity, stability and security in the Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood regions.
Several strategies support the implementation of Global Gateway in the Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood regions:
Financing Global Gateway
Financing tools such as the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) and its regional Investment Platforms, the Western Balkans Investment Framework and the Ukraine Investment Framework, all contribute to the implementation of Global Gateway.
Thanks to €13.23 billion provided by the EU budget from 2021 until May 2026, a total of €47.6 billion in investments are expected to be mobilised for the enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood regions. Funding from other Team Europe Members comes on top of these amounts.
This leverage is achieved with EU support provided in the form of budgetary guarantees, blending grants and also traditional grants to fund enabling projects. In blending operations, EU grant funding is combined (“blended”) with loans from international financial institutions to make priority projects viable or to align a project with European standards. By reducing the risk for investors, budgetary guarantees, on the other hand, help to reduce the cost of financing for public and private investments.
ENEST Global Gateway Investment Hub
The ENEST Global Gateway Investment Hub aims to support and accelerate investments in in partner countries in the Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood Regions. It is coordinated by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood.
The Investment Hub connects European companies, EU Member States and financial institutions, and can involve partner country companies and authorities, to mobilise financial and non-financial support under the Global Gateway strategy.
As part of the ENEST Global Gateway Investment Hub, the European Commission regularly opens calls for expressions of interest for private investments in specific enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood countries.
Selected ongoing projects
Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor
Installation of overhead transmission lines, building of new substations and upgrading of existing ones in the 488 km Trans-Balkan Power Corridor which connects the electricity transmission systems in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina with the systems in Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Italy.
WiFi for Western Balkans
Providing total funding for free high-speed Wi-Fi connection to public buildings, urban public spaces and rural areas in up to 500 municipalities in the Western Balkans, bringing connectivity closer to citizens and allowing them to benefit from the opportunities of digitalisation.
Education infrastructure improvement in Montenegro
Construction and renovation of kindergartens, primary, secondary and vocational schools as well as providing IT equipment for educational facilities in Podgorica and nine other municipalities in Montenegro.
Railway line Uzhhorod-Chop in Ukraine
Within the EU’s Solidarity Lanes initiative, this project built a railway line with the standard EU track width of a 1,435 mm gauge to connect the cities of Uzhhorod and Chop and onwards to the EU.
Bălți regional hospital in Moldova
Constructing and equipping a regional tertiary care hospital with a capacity of 340 hospital beds and 78 beds in the ambulatory services, on a built surface of 38,000 m2, in the Northern part of Moldova.
EU4Business in the Eastern Neighbourhood
Support to private sector development by improving access to finance for SMEs, promoting better business regulations facilitating access to business development services and helping SMEs take advantage of present and future trade opportunities.
Click on the map for more project examples
Albania
In the framework of Global Gateway, the EU’s investments aim to support a green and digital transition and bring the Western Balkans region closer to the EU’s single market. Since 2021 the EU has already mobilised an expected €1.5 billion in investments thanks to €588 million in EU and Bilateral Donor grants. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
Floating Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant in Vau i Dejës lake
Rail interconnection Vorë-Hani i Hotit section
Belshi solar photovoltaic power plant
Establishment of smart labs - network of ICT labs in the pre-university education system
Bosnia and Herzegovina
In the framework of Global Gateway, the EU’s investments aim to support a green and digital transition and bring the Western Balkans region closer to the EU’s single market. For projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, since 2021 the EU has mobilised €2.7 billion in investments thanks to €1.1 billion in EU and Bilateral Donor grants. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
Reconstruction and modernisation of Brčko river port
Regional sanitary landfill for Živnice, Banovici and Kladanj
Čapljina pump storage hydropower plant
Sarajevo Water project: reconstruction of water supply network
Kosovo
In the framework of Global Gateway, the EU has identified investment priorities to spur long-term growth, accelerate the green and digital transition, and foster regional cooperation. For projects in Kosovo, since 2021, the EU has already mobilised €774 million in investments thanks to €240 million in EU funding. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
Solar for Kosovo - photovoltaic power plant
Montenegro
In the framework of Global Gateway, the EU’s investments aim to support a green and digital transition and bring the Western Balkans region closer to the EU’s single market. For projects in Montenegro, since 2021 the EU has mobilised €1.3 billion in investments thanks to €429 million in EU and Bilateral Donor grants. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
Rail Route 4 - Bar-Vrbnica railway line section
Podgorica wastewater treatment plant
North Macedonia
In the framework of Global Gateway, the EU’s investments aim to support a green and digital transition and bring the Western Balkans region closer to the EU’s single market. For projects in North Macedonia, since 2021 the EU has mobilised €1.9 billion in investments thanks to €676 million in EU and Bilateral Donor grants. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
Rail interconnection North Macedonia-Bulgaria
Serbia
In the framework of Global Gateway, the EU’s investments aim to support a green and digital transition and bring the Western Balkans region closer to the EU’s single market. For projects in Serbia, since 2021 the EU has mobilised €8.1 billion in investments thanks to €1.8 billion in EU and Bilateral Donor grants. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
University Children's Hospital Tiršova 2
Rhine-Danube Corridor- facilitating navigation in the Prahovo sector
Regional programmes in the Western Balkans
Regional programmes across the Western Balkan region support key investments in transport, energy, digital connections and human capital development. Since 2021 the EU has mobilised €4.3 billion in investments thanks to €1.3 billion in EU funding. Funds are raised through tools such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Project examples
Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor
Regional Energy Efficiency Programme
Türkiye
The Turkey Investment Platform is the main vehicle to channel EU investments in Türkiye. The Platform supports investment proposals by the EU and European and international financial institutions in the areas of decarbonisation, digitalisation, access to finance, innovation, and green investments, through a wide range of budgetary guarantee mechanisms for public and private investments. Under EFSD+ Private Sector Investment guarantees (Open Architecture), a total of 14 guarantees have Türkiye as an eligible country. Since the establishment of the Turkey Investment Platform in 2022, the EU has mobilised € 2.1 billion in investments thanks to almost €70 million from EU funding.
Project examples
Construction of Çerkezköy-Kapıkule railway section
Armenia
Through Global Gateway the EU has been supporting access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses, energy efficiency solutions, the rehabilitation of education infrastructure and improved water management, among other sectors. Expected mobilised investments since 2021 now exceed €2.7 billion, thanks to €185 million in EU funding.
Project examples
Resilient Syunik Team Europe Initiative
Syunik Customs and Logistics Centre
Azerbaijan
Under the Global Gateway strategy, expected mobilised investments now exceed €130 million, fostering the country’s economic diversification, accelerating the green and digital transition, and promoting smarter and greener cities.
Project examples
Ganja water and wastewater networks
Moldova
Global Gateway supports investments and mobilises the private sector and international financing institutions, towards more resilient economies. It delivers concrete benefits for people in areas such as transport, energy, environment and climate, water and sanitation and digital development. Since 2021 the EU has already mobilised an expected €2.8 billion in investments thanks to €541 million in EU and Bilateral Donor grants.
Project examples
Energy efficiency in healthcare and educational institutions
Moldova roads rehabilitation V
Termoelectrica - Chisinau district heating
Ukraine
Global Gateway supports investments and mobilises the private sector and international financing institutions towards more resilient economies. It delivers concrete benefits for people in areas such as transport, energy, environment and climate, water and sanitation and digital development. Since 2021 the EU has already mobilised an expected €12.3 billion in investments thanks to €4.1billion in EU and Bilateral Donor grants.
Project examples
Regional programmes in the Eastern Neighbourhood
Regional programmes across the Eastern Neighbourhood region support key investments in energy, digital connections, transport, environment and human capital development. Since 2021 the EU has mobilised €1.4 billion in investments thanks to €338 million in EU funding.
Project examples
Global Gateway Flagship Projects
Global Gateway flagship projects are priority projects jointly identified by Team Europe actors and partners. An overview of flagship projects can be found here
Global Gateway flagship projects in the Western Balkans and Türkiye
Global Gateway flagship projects in the Eastern Neighbourhood
Photo gallery
RailwayRailway 
Ena BilalovicEna Bilalovic 
R4 rail Bar VrbnicaR4 rail Bar Vrbnica 
Rail interconnection MKARail interconnection MKA 
Corridor X constructionCorridor X construction 
Port of Baku projectPort of Baku project 
REEP Dormitories BIHREEP Dormitories BIH 
Gas interconnectorGas interconnector 
EU4BusinessEU4Business 
EU4BusinessEU4Business 
Resilient SyunikResilient Syunik 
REEPREEP 
Rail Uzhhorod-ChopRail Uzhhorod-Chop 
Rail corridor VIIIRail corridor VIII 
Go digitalGo digital 
EU4EnvironmentEU4Environment 
Trans-Balkan electricity corridorTrans-Balkan electricity corridor 
EU4DigitalEU4Digital
