Since the partnership between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Belfius to promote the development of “Smart Cities” in Belgium was announced, over EUR 1bn in investment in no less than 121 projects has already been financed on favorable terms by the two institutions. Buoyed by this success, Belfius and the EIB have signed a new agreement to provide an additional EUR 400m with a view to supporting even more projects helping to develop smart cities, the circular economy and the fight against global warming.
This new programme – Smart Cities, Climate Action & Circular Economy II – aims to help local authorities, inter-municipal groupings, and non-commercial organizations in the social and education sectors in Belgium to implement their smart and sustainable projects by granting finance on favorable terms. The scope of the programme covers not only energy, mobility, and urban development, but also water (distribution networks, sewers, drainage, treatment), waste (selective collection, sorting, biological treatment and sludge treatment, energy production) and e-government (particularly open data). In addition to an integrated, innovative and sustainable approach, the circular economy and climate action are key focal points of project appraisal and evaluation.
121 projects representing an investment of more than EUR 1bn have already been financed thanks to the partnership between Belfius and the EIB. These projects, which have an impact on the daily lives of more than two million people across the country, come from local authorities, CPAS (Public Social Action Centres), inter-municipal groupings, provincial institutions, and non-commercial, social and education sector organizations.
Smart Cities projects: Hainaut: 13, Liège: 12, Walloon Brabant: 11, Namur: 11, Luxembourg: 7, Antwerp: 12, West Flanders: 22, East Flanders: 16, Limburg: 7, Flemish Brabant: 10
Local authorities can play a major role in combating global warming and developing the circular economy by setting an example and thereby encouraging companies, individuals and other organizations to implement environmentally-friendly initiatives of their own. A number of Belgian cities and municipalities have already signed the Covenant of Mayors, undertaking to promote climate protection and voluntarily cut CO2 emissions in their area. With this new joint programme – Smart Cities, Climate Action & Circular Economy II – Belfius and the EIB intend to continue to provide the best support and assistance for these efforts.
Original source: EIB
Published on 4 December 2018
