Press conference and communication on EU Common Gateway ( in analogy or as a response to China Belt & Road/ Global Development Initiative, and USA Build Back Better). 1 December 2021

1. European Commission - Questions and answers
Questions and Answers on Global Gateway
Brussels, 1 December 2021
Why is this Communication proposed now?
The COVID-19 pandemic has harshly exposed the impact of today's incomplete, incompatible or
disconnected global infrastructure. The lack of digital connections, the disruption to supply chains
and the scarcity of medical goods has tremendous human and economic consequences.
Furthermore, the increasingly complex global landscape has highlighted the EU's vital interest to
ensure that global connections and networks develop in line with democratic values and high
standards, ensuring a level playing field, while at the same time supporting sustainable development
in our partner countries, fully in line with the UN's 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Global
Gateway takes an ethical approach so that infrastructure projects do not create unsustainable debt.
According to G20 estimates, the global infrastructure investment deficit will reach €13 trillion by
2040. Bridging the world's infrastructure gap and achieving the infrastructure-related Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) in partner countries, while staying on track to limit climate change and
environmental degradation will require an estimated investment of €1.3 trillion per year.
In this context, the Foreign Affairs Council of 12th July 2021 requested the Commission and the High
Representative to prepare an EU global connectivity strategy.
With Global Gateway, the EU, in a Team Europe approach, will offer its partners a response to the
urgent needs to develop sustainable and high quality digital, climate and energy and transport
infrastructures and strengthen health, education and research systems across the world, taking into
account their needs and the EU's own interests.
We will invest in projects that can be delivered with high standards, good governance, transparency,
while ensuring financial sustainability at the same time.
What is new in this Communication and how does it relate to previous initiatives in
Connectivity?
Global Gateway is global in scope, adapting to the needs and strategic interests of different regions.
It builds on the achievements of the 2018 EU-Asia Connectivity Strategy, the recently concluded
Connectivity Partnerships with Japan and India, as well as the Economic and Investment Plans for
the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, and the Southern Neighbourhood, but paying also
particular attention to Africa, Central Asia and Latin America.
Global Gateway will be implemented in a Team Europe approach, that brings together funding by the
EU, its Member States and European financial institutions, ensuring that investments can be targeted
and more effective, strengthening existing initiatives and fostering new ones.
Global Gateway is values driven and based on the Union's high social, environmental, fiscal and
labour standards. It will focus on physical infrastructure – such as fibre optic cables, transport
corridors, clean power transmission lines - to strengthen digital, transport and energy networks. It
will also provide an enabling environment to make sure projects deliver, by offering attractive
investment and business-friendly trading conditions, regulatory convergence, standardisation, supply
chain integration and financial services. The EU has put in place financial and other tools to address
the investment needs in sustainable infrastructure development across the world.
In terms of new financial tools, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation
Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe), adopted in June 2021, has an overall budget of €79 billion, and a
number of tools to enable the EU to leverage our investments, in particular the European Fund for
Sustainable Development plus (EFSD+). In addition, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance
(IPA) III (with an overall budget of over €14 billion) , as well as Interreg, InvestEU and the EU
research and innovation programme Horizon Europe, will allow the EU to leverage public and private
investments in priority areas, including connectivity.

2. Is Global Gateway a response to the Chinese Belt and Road initiative and how does it relate
to others?
We are living a key moment in our history. The challenges of the post-Covid recovery need to be
addressed in the context of the post-COP26 consensus on sustainability.
Low and middle-income countries face a significant infrastructure-financing gap – the World Bank
estimated it at over USD 2.7 trillion in 2019, and the Covid-19 crisis has worsened since. More and
better development finance from all donors is crucial for advancing the implementation of SDGs in
partner countries.
By offering an innovative choice for global infrastructure development, based on the needs of our
partners, Global Gateway will be an investment in international stability and cooperation. Global
Gateway can demonstrate how democratic values provide certainty and transparency for investors,
sustainability for partners and long-term benefits for people around the world.
The EU will offer its financing under fair and favourable terms in order to limit the risk of debt
distress.
We want to deliver mutual benefits through quality infrastructure, based on our values and
principles, that work for people and planet, whilst also defending our interests and strengthening the
rules-based world.
With Global Gateway, Europe will play its full part in narrowing the global investment gap. But
meeting this objective will require the concerted effort of like-minded partners and support work
started within the G7.
Initiatives such as the Build Back Better World and Global Gateway will mutually reinforce each
other. This commitment to working together was reaffirmed at COP26, the 2021 United Nations
Climate Change Conference, where the EU and the United States brought together like-minded
partners to express their shared commitment to addressing climate crisis through the development
of infrastructure that is clean, resilient, and consistent with a net-zero future.
What is Global Gateway's approach and how will it support Human Rights in the world?
The EU's external action contributes to the promotion of its values and principles and is rooted in the
respect for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the rule of law.
Global Gateway will channel EU spending on global infrastructure development in accordance with
the following key principles:
Democratic values and high standards
Global Gateway will offer a values-based option for partner countries to choose from when deciding
how to meet their infrastructure development needs. This means adhering to the rule of law,
upholding high standards of human, social, and workers' rights and respecting norms from
international rules to intellectual property and open public procurement. It means selecting
investments that are sustainable – for local people, local environment and local economies. It means
taking an ethical approach so that infrastructure projects do not create unsustainable debt or
unwanted dependencies.
Good Governance and Transparency
Delivering projects that work for people will require transparency, accountability and financial
sustainability. It will need open access to public procurement and a level playing field for potential
investors and a clear set of agreed deliverables to ensure that Global Gateway projects say what they
will deliver - and deliver what they promise. Those most affected by potential projects – local
communities, businesses and partners – must have their full say through proper public consultations
and civil society involvement. Projects should ensure affordable and equal access to the services and
benefits they will deliver, notably for women and girls and those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion.
Equal partnerships
Global Gateway projects will be designed, developed and implemented in close cooperation and
consultation with partner countries. Infrastructure projects will be based on the needs and
opportunities that they identify for their local economies and local communities, as well as the EU's
own strategic interests. This means developing partnerships with countries at eyes-level and
ensuring that project planning takes into account the capacity of host countries to manage and

3. maintain the infrastructure in a sustainable way after it has been completed.
Green and clean
The Global Gateway is a climate-neutral strategy to speed up sustainable development and recovery,
create inclusive growth and jobs and transition to a cleaner and more circular global economy. It will
invest in developing infrastructures that are clean, climate-resilient and aligned with pathways
towards net zero emissions. Projects will live up to the European Green Deal oath to ‘do no harm' and
ensure the use of environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments.
Security-focused
Secure infrastructure underpins the resilience of global economy and supply chains– be it on digital,
health, transport or energy. Global Gateway projects will invest in infrastructure to plug
vulnerabilities, provide trusted connectivity and build capacity in the face of natural or man-made
challenges, physical, cyber or hybrid threats, and economic coercion for geopolitical aims. They will
ensure that citizens are shielded from unwarranted surveillance by public authorities or private
companies.
Catalysing private sector investment
Europe's world-leading industry, private sector knowledge and investment capacity gives us a unique
competitive advantage around the world and Global Gateway must make full use of it in order to be a
viable and attractive alternative for partner countries. The Global Gateway will combine and leverage
resources from the EU, its Member States, financial institutions and Multilateral Public Finance, and
use these public resources to crowd-in private capital.
What are the key sector for investments priorities under Global Gateway?
Global Gateway will strengthen the people-to-people connections between Europe and its partners
and will channel its investments where infrastructure gaps have been exposed or exacerbated in
recent years in digital, climate and energy, transport, health and education and research.
A digital transition in line with European values and standards
The EU will work with partner countries to deploy digital networks and infrastructures such
as submarine and terrestrial fibre-optic cables, space-based secure communication systems as well
as cloud and data infrastructures, which together provide a basis for exchanges of data, cooperation
in high performance computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and earth observation. We will prioritise
underserved regions, countries and populations, with the aim of tackling the global digital divide and
strengthening secure digital connections within them and between Europe and the world. The EU will
minimize the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure, by promoting green data centres and
deploying underwater cables equipped with ocean monitoring sensors.
Energy connectivity in support of the green transition
EU will invest in infrastructure and supporting regulation to pave the way for the clean
energy transition in partner countries. Together they provide a unique opportunity to transform
economies, create employment and strengthen energy security. We will cooperate with partner
countries to enable their just energy transition and to diversify our clean energy supply at the same
time. The EU will support regional energy integration, promote energy efficiency, renewable energy
(including smart grids) and just transition. We will work with partner countries that have the
potential to develop their renewable hydrogen production, and promote the creation of competitive
markets to enable such hydrogen produced outside the EU to be traded internationally without
export restrictions or price distortions. The EU will also work with partner countries to invest in
infrastructure for developing sustainable and resilient raw materials value chains.
Sustainable, smart, resilient, inclusive and safe transport networks
Global Gateway will promote worldwide infrastructure investments that create sustainable, smart,
resilient, inclusive, and safe transport networks in all modes of transport, including rail, road,
ports, airports, as well as logistics, and border-crossing points, in a multimodal system. We will
implement transport infrastructure projects that foster the sustainable development of partner
countries and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as enable the diversification of their supply
chains. We will also seek to build on our position as the world's transportation hub.
Health
Global Gateway will prioritise the security of supply chains and the development of local
manufacturing. As regards the security of supply chains, the EU will be working with partner

4. countries to diversify their pharmaceutical supply chains. The Health and Emergency Preparedness
and Response Authority (HERA) will also contribute to addressing international supply chain
bottlenecks and establish close collaboration with global partners to prevent future health
emergencies and strengthen global surveillance.
Education and research
The EU will invest in quality education, including digital education and work with partner countries to
strengthen cooperation on research and innovation.
Through education, training, youth and sport exchange programmes, the EU facilitates mobility of
students and staff and strengthens higher education institutions and peer learning. The Erasmus+
strengthens societal links and promotes the EU's soft power and the attractiveness of its model of
society. Talent Partnerships will facilitate the mobility of partner countries' young professionals and
trainees to Europe for employment or training. The EU also seeks to reinforce global co-operation in
the field of research and innovation. As reflected in the EU's Strategy on international cooperation on
research and innovation ‘the ‘Global Approach'[1], the EU is a major catalyst to increase scientific
excellence and addressing global challenges while enhancing economic growth and job creation. The
Horizon Europe Programme includes opportunities for collaborative research and for mobility of
researchers at international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary level. Horizon Europe also now offers
the possibility to associate countries located anywhere in the world, which share fundamental values
and with a strong science, technology and innovation profile. The EU will also continue investing in
cultural cooperation between Europeans and citizens in partner countries.
How will Global Gateway be financed?
Global Gateway will be implemented through a Team Europe approach to scale up resources from the
EU Institutions, Member States with their financial and development institutions, the European
Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). It will
actively seek to mobilise private sector finance and expertise and support access to sustainable
finance.
Using all of the financial and development tools at the EU's disposal and supported by the strong
commitment from EU Member States, Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to €300 billion
between 2021 and 2027.
Under NDICI-Global Europe, with an overall budget of €79 billion, investments in building
connections are expected to rise significantly. It has a 35% spending target for climate actions and
an additional 10% approximately of the total funding will be dedicated to digital actions.
NDICI-Global Europe establishes the new European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+)
as its financial arm, backed by the Union's External Action Guarantee (EAG),of €40billion (out of a
total of €53.4 billion) to de-risk investments and leverage private investments, working together
with the EIB and other European financial institutions, as well as EU. Member States' institutions
(development banks, national promotional banks, export credit agencies) and capital from the
private sector.
The EU can also leverage private investments by means of its Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance (IPA) III, Interreg, InvestEU and the EU research and innovation programme Horizon
Europe.
The EFSD+ will make available up to €135 billion in investments guaranteed by the External Action
Guarantee for Global Gateway projects, in addition to up to €18 billion in grants and a further
planned €145 billion in investment volumes by European financial and development financial
institutions. Financing will rely on systematic mechanisms to filter out abnormally low tenders, and
foreign subsidies that undermine the level playing field.
The EU is also exploring the possibility of establishing a European Export Credit Facility to
complement the existing export credit arrangements at Member State level and increase the EU's
overall firepower in this area. The Facility would help ensure a more level playing field for EU
businesses in third country markets, where they increasingly have to compete with foreign
competitors that receive large support from their governments, and thus facilitate their participation
in infrastructure projects.
How will the European Fund for Sustainable Development+ (EFSD+) be used concretely?
In partnership with the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU will provide a total €26.7 billion
guarantee to cover investments in several sectors such as clean energy, green infrastructure and
health The risk coverage provided will allow the EIB to offer loans to partner countries to make

5. sustainable investments in connectivity and other priority sectors.
As one of the sectoral windows of the EFSD+ that is open to all development financial institutions
under the Open Architecture concept (€13 billion), the Commission will propose a specific Global
Gateway y window, which will, together with other thematic windows such as the Sustainable
Finance window, focus on sectors such as sustainable energy, clean transport and digital. A
dedicated sub-window will be created for digital connectivity with a country level approach to
reinforce convergence with the EU's digital economy packages.
Where projects have a public added value, which is not monetarised and that guarantees cannot
address, the EU will use the EFSD+ blending facilities. These facilities offer grants to financial
institutions to give loans to EU partner countries for affordable investment projects, while enhancing
their sustainability, climate-proofing and development impact.
Who will decide the projects selected and when can we expect that the first projects take
off?
The proposal for Global Gateway is underpinned by the start of implementation of the EU multi-
annual financial framework 2021-2027 and the use of its new financial tools.
The projects under Global Gateway will continue to be decided in line with the respective governance
mechanisms of their respective financing instruments, while a Steering Board to give strategic
guidance will be established focused on its implementation, including the development of Team
Europe Initiatives. The EU's Delegations around the world will play a key role to identify and
coordinate Global Gateway projects in partner countries.
How will you work with the private sector and civil society?
Global Gateway projects will be developed and delivered through Team Europe Initiatives. The EU
institutions, Member States, and European financial institutions will work together with European
businesses as well as governments, civil society and the private sector in partner countries.
The Commission will set up a Business Advisory Group on the Global Gateway to discuss the
implementation of the Global Gateway strategy, ensuring private sector involvement.
A dialogue will also be set up with civil society to ensure a fully inclusive approach is taken.
How much money did the EU invest in the last period in connectivity
In the years between 2014 and 2020, the EU invested 14% of its external budget – €9.62 billion –
on connectivity projects. Under the 2021-2027 budget cycle, this sum will likely increase
significantly, thanks to a larger external budget and increased spending in the priority areas digital,
energy and climate, transport, health and education and research.
[1] Communication ‘Global Approach to Research and Innovation', COM(2021) 252 final
QANDA/21/6434
Press contacts:
Ana PISONERO-HERNANDEZ (+32 2 295 43 20)
Nabila MASSRALI (+32 2 298 80 93)
Gesine KNOLLE (+32 2 295 43 23)
Xavier CIFRE QUATRESOLS (+32 2 297 35 82)
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