Introduction

Accessing European funding is often perceived as a purely administrative or financial exercise. In practice, however, EU funding is primarily about strategic clarity, institutional alignment and project maturity.

Over the years, working with public institutions, infrastructure managers and private companies, I have repeatedly observed that successful EU-funded projects are not those that simply “fit a call”, but those that are built on a solid strategic foundation long before the application phase begins.

This article reflects on common challenges faced by organisations seeking European funding and highlights key lessons drawn from hands-on experience in EU-funded transport and infrastructure initiatives.

EU Funding Is Not About Money — It Is About Readiness

One of the most frequent misconceptions around EU funding is that success depends mainly on writing a strong application or identifying the right funding programme.

In reality, EU funding acts as a mirror: it reveals whether a project is mature, coherent and aligned with broader European priorities.

Projects that struggle to secure funding often show one or more of the following weaknesses:

• unclear strategic objectives,
• weak institutional ownership,
• limited stakeholder alignment,
• insufficient project maturity at technical or governance level.

EU programmes such as CEF, Horizon Europe or TEN-T do not finance ideas — they finance credible, structured and impactful initiatives.

From Project Idea to Fundable Initiative

Transforming an idea into a fundable EU project requires a structured approach.

1. Strategic Alignment

Projects must clearly demonstrate how they contribute to:

• EU policy priorities,
• sectoral strategies (transport, logistics, energy, digital),
• long-term institutional or corporate objectives.

Without this alignment, funding becomes an artificial objective rather than a strategic enabler.

2. Governance and Institutional Capacity

European funding bodies look closely at:

• decision-making structures,
• roles and responsibilities,
• coordination mechanisms among partners.

A technically sound project can fail if governance is weak or fragmented.

3. Partnership Quality

Strong consortia are not built by accumulating partners, but by ensuring:

• complementary expertise,
• clear value contribution,
• shared strategic vision.

Partnership design is often the decisive factor between a credible proposal and a fragile one.

Why Many Projects Fail Before the Evaluation Stage

In many cases, difficulties arise well before the formal evaluation process.

Common pitfalls include:

• rushing into a call without sufficient preparation,
• adapting the project narrative to the call instead of designing the project around real needs,
• underestimating the time required for coordination and internal alignment.

EU funding rewards preparation, not improvisation.

From Experience to Advisory Insight

These observations stem from direct involvement in EU-funded projects, cross-border cooperation initiatives and institutional programmes in the transport and infrastructure sectors.

Experience shows that organisations that succeed in EU funding:

• treat funding as part of a broader strategy,
• invest time in project structuring,
• involve decision-makers early,

• build internal capacity, not just external proposals.

This experience directly informs the advisory approach applied today at JBS International Advisory, where EU funding is addressed as a strategic development tool, not an isolated objective.