>@EIB/To be defined

On Monday Pierre Moscovici, the Minister for the Economy and Finance, and Geneviève Fioraso, the Minister for Higher Education and Research, signed the Campus Plans Programme in Lille with European Investment Bank Vice-President Philippe de Fontaine Vive.

A total of EUR 1.3bn is to be mobilised to finance 13 scientific and university campuses in France. This financing operation has been made possible by a change in the law which means that universities can now borrow directly from the EIB for their investments.

This major programme will speed up implementation of the campus operations and the construction of campuses for the future, which will be sustainable living communities, nurturing creativity and innovation. It demonstrates a concrete commitment to encourage the development of international centres of academic and scientific excellence in France, which will be capable of attracting and training students from within the country itself, from other parts of Europe and from all over the world.

The signing of the protocol marks the start of the European Union's mobilisation of resources for the implementation of specific growth-oriented projects in France. With its EUR 10bn capital increase under the European Compact for Growth and Jobs, the EIB is now more than ever the EU's lending arm for investment in Europe. In 2013 it was involved in financing more than 60 projects totalling EUR 7.8bn in France, an increase of more than 80% compared with 2012.

The signing of this agreement is also a mark of the confidence shown by a major international financial institution in higher education and research in France. It demonstrates that we can work together to help young people succeed and to promote progress, growth and competitiveness.

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PlanCampus