The European Investment Bank (EIB) committed €822 million last year to support sustainable connectivity and climate action in the Western Balkans, as the organization reported in a statement. Of that total, €664 million came in loans and guarantees, alongside €6.5 million in investment grants under the EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative. An additional €151.1 million in EU grants was signed through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, highlighting the role of Team Europe in mobilizing resources to support economic growth in the region as countries pursue EU accession.
Sustainable transport took the biggest share at 58 percent of total investment, followed by healthcare at 20 percent, renewable energy at 13 percent, and education at 4 percent. Overall, the financing is expected to mobilize nearly €1.5 billion in new investments. About 58 percent of the EIB Group’s support will directly contribute to climate action and environmental sustainability, aligned with the Bank’s goal of backing at least €1 trillion in green investments worldwide by 2030.
“In 2025, we saw notable progress on EU accession and market integration under the European Union’s Growth Plan,” said EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot. “Our investments go hand in hand with these efforts by enhancing transport connectivity, strengthening energy security through decarbonization and diversification, developing skills, and supporting climate resilience.”
The Bank also opened a new representative office in Montenegro to reinforce support for the country’s accession path.
The EIB secured major financing packages for strategic rail upgrades, including €90.5 million for Albania’s Durrës–Rrogozhina line, €134 million for Serbia’s Niš–Dimitrovgrad route, and €175 million for Montenegro’s Bar–Golubovci section. As part of the extended TEN-T Core Network, these projects will benefit from €207 million in EU grants. A €150 million EIB loan will support modernizing 540 km of regional roads in Serbia, improving safety and climate resilience.
Strengthening energy security remained a priority. The EIB signed a €103 million loan for the 132 MW Poklečani wind farm in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once operational, the project will generate 437 GWh of electricity annually, enough to supply around 72,700 households and reduce CO₂ emissions by 446,900 tonnes per year. These initiatives will strengthen the region’s energy capacity, enhance system efficiency, and improve long-term energy security.
In Serbia, the EU for Green Agenda initiative introduced an innovative financing model combining donor grants with low-interest loans. Implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the EIB, the initiative has supported 94 green innovations worth €52 million since 2022. The EIB also launched the Innovation and Green Transformation Facility to provide €187 million in loans and EU grants for SME investments in digitalization, sustainable agriculture, and climate-resilient technologies. The European Investment Fund signed €7.9 million in guarantees in 2025, expected to mobilize €105 million in SME financing and sustain 5,750 jobs.
