The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Croatian National Bank hosted the "Financing Growth and Innovation for Competitiveness" conference.

The conference explored Croatia’s investment needs and financing landscape amid global uncertainty, rising trade barriers, tight financial conditions, and limited fiscal space. At the same time, transformative investments remain essential to enhancing competitiveness and achieving decarbonisation.

Discussions covered the functioning of the common market, access to alternative financing, the role of financial support for innovation and green transition, and strategic investments for Croatia’s future. The conference brought together economists, financial institutions, and business leaders.

Following opening remarks by Boris Vujčić, Governor of the Croatian National Bank, Teresa Czerwińska, Vice-President of the EIB, and Marko Primorac, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Debora Revoltella, EIB Chief Economist, presented key insights from the EIB Investment Survey 2024 for Croatia. The presentation offered a closer look at Croatian companies through the EIB Investment Survey (EIBIS) lens, analysing their performance, transformation, business outlook, challenges, and growth enablers.

  View the presentation

This was followed by a high-level panel discussion on alternative funding for businesses at all growth stages. Panellists included representatives from the EIB Group, local financial institutions, the business community, and Croatian public institutions.

  View the conference programme here.