The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), officially established on 15 February 2021, has started its activities on 1 April 2021 in order to implement parts of certain EU programmes.
CINEA plays a key role in supporting the EU Green Deal through the efficient and effective implementation of its delegated programmes.
It is a dynamic and innovative working place, where professional and experienced staff feel empowered and committed to achieve the organisation’s mission and strategic objectives.
The Agency fosters an efficient knowledge sharing and synergies between its different programmes and establishes strong partnerships with its stakeholders.
Mission
Supporting stakeholders in delivering the European Green Deal through high-quality programme management that helps to implement projects contributing to decarbonisation and sustainable growth.
Director
Paloma Aba Garrote is the Director of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), established by the European Commission to implement EU funding programmes boosting green growth and clean industry in Europe.
Paloma’s career spans more than 20 years in the European Commission and has included work on EU budget related to several EU policies. Before assuming the role of Director in July 2023, she was Head of Department for Programme Support and Resources at CINEA. Her career started at Directorate-General for Enlargement and advanced through leadership roles at the Directorates-General for Energy and for Mobility and Transport. Prior to joining the European Commission, she worked in export and project finance, and in corporate banking in Spain.
Paloma holds a Master of Business Administration from IESE Business School, University of Navarra.
Paloma is strongly committed to sustainability and to advancing climate and infrastructure initiatives for a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.
Structure
The agency is structured in four departments, three of which deal with the implementation of EU programmes and one which is responsible for horizontal issues.
This department covers overall coordination, communication, legal affairs, external audits, administrative and operational finance, HR, IT, business intelligence and logistics.
This department covers the CEF Transport and CEF Energy programmes plus the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) and Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism (REFM).
This department covers the cluster on Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5) from the Horizon Europe Programme, including three EU Missions and the Innovation Fund programmes.
This department covers the LIFE, sustainable Blue Economy and European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) programmes.
The CEF is a key EU instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment at European level. It is divided into 3 sectors (Transport, Energy and Digital), only 2 of which are competence of CINEA:
The EMFAF supports the EU Green Deal and a sustainable blue economy by implementing actions in the field of the Union’s Maritime Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU international ocean governance agenda.
Horizon Europe is the largest transnational programme ever supporting research and innovation and will be implemented by the EU. The new EU research and innovation programme will have a budget of around €95.5 billion for 2021-2027 (current prices). This includes €5.4 billion (current prices) from NextGenerationEU to boost our recovery and make the EU more resilient for the future, as well as an additional reinforcement of €4.5 billion (current prices). CINEA will manage the Horizon Europe work programmes of cluster 5, which includes climate, energy and transport areas.
In total, it is expected that CINEA just for Horizon Europe will manage a budget of up to €15 billion for Horizon Europe under the 2021-2027 Financial Framework.
The Innovation Fund contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by focusing on:
- Innovative low-carbon technologies and processes in energy intensive industries (steel, cement, glass, chemicals, paper, etc.), including products substituting carbon intensive ones
- Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU)
- Construction and operation of carbon capture and storage (CCS)
- Innovative renewable energy generation
- Energy storage
The Just Transition Mechanism addresses the social and economic effects of the transition, focusing on the regions, industries and workers who will face the greatest challenges, and mobilising at least €150 billion, through three pillars:
- A new Just Transition Fund
- InvestEU "Just Transition Scheme"
- European Investment Bank public sector loan facility
CINEA strongly supports the Commission's climate priority and European Green Deal. The European Green Deal Investment Plan will mobilise EU funding and create an enabling framework to facilitate and stimulate the public and private investments needed for the transition to a climate-neutral, green, competitive and inclusive economy.
Launched in 1992, the LIFE Programme is one of the spearheads of EU environmental and climate funding. The new LIFE programme (2021-2027) contains two main fields of action, environment and climate action, and four sub-programmes:
- nature and biodiversity - €2.15 billion
- circular economy and quality of life - €1.350 billion
- climate change mitigation and adaptation - €0.95 billion
- clean energy transition - €1 billion
The Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism is the new EU financing mechanism to support renewable energy projects, operational as from January 2021, by:
- bringing together investors and project developers;
- improving the efficiency of investment, pooling resources and finding the right mix between public and private finance;
- making it easier for EU countries to work together.
Legal framework
Operations of European Executive Agencies are governed by certain basic legislative acts.
Council Regulation (EC) 58/2003 of 19 December 2002 laying down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community programmes.
Commission Decision C(2021) 953 of 12 February 2021 establishing the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.
Commission Decision C(2021) 947 of 12 February 2021 delegating powers to the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency