The Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a total of EUR 3.4 billion of new financing that will strengthen research and innovation and enable companies to expand and improve access to water, transport, and education. This will support new projects in 17 countries.
“Europe must build on its technological and scientific strengths and remain competitive for future generations. The EU Bank backed new investment that will allow world-class companies to expand, scientists to improve medicine and healthcare, and ensure that research can flourish,” said Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank.
Highlights of the EIB Board of Directors meeting include:
Accelerating research and innovation
The EIB agreed EUR 820 million of new financing to support innovation and combat climate change.
New projects will strengthen fundamental research in Poland and Germany, enhance neuroscience and back development of battery technology by Northvolt at their gigafactory in Sweden.
Supporting business and jobs
The EIB approved more than EUR 2 billion of financing to support new investment by small and medium-sized companies.
This will include dedicated credit lines to ensure that companies in vulnerable sectors can grow, and financing reaches programmes that target the specific investment challenges faced by female entrepreneurs, farmers, firms involved in the circular economy.
Reducing flood risk and improving wastewater treatment
The EIB approved nearly 500 million of new support for water and river management investment
Thousands of people living in communities vulnerable to flooding will benefit from new EIB investment to reduce the risk of flooding of the Waal River in the Netherlands and the Rio Salado in northern Argentina.
Financing for five projects approved by the EIB board will be guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI). This is expected to support overall investment totalling more than EUR 2.8 billion
Original source: EIB
Published on 16 May 2019
