- The financing will boost key investment under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) programmes.
- The loan will go to projects in sectors such as education, healthcare and research, development and innovation.
- The operation contributes to the EIB’s cross-cutting goal of fostering social and economic cohesion.
On Friday 10 November, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €225 million framework loan with the Spanish autonomous community of Extremadura to co-finance investment in the region included in the operational programmes of EU cohesion policy funds, particularly the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
The EIB financing will go to projects in various priority areas including research, development and innovation, education and training, healthcare, integrated regional development, sustainable transport, water and waste management, and assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region.
The operation contributes to the EIB’s cross-cutting goal of fostering social and economic cohesion, as all of the projects will be in Extremadura. This Spanish autonomous community is among the regions considered less developed by the European Union (where gross domestic product per capita is less than 75% of the EU average).
This loan is aligned with the EIB’s four public policy priorities: sustainable cities and regions; sustainable energy and natural resources, small and medium-sized businesses; and innovation, digital and human capital.
The EIB framework loan also supports EU priorities such as the green and digital transitions, research, development and innovation, healthcare, regional and urban development, more sustainable use of natural resources, and the competitiveness of EU industry.
The European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group), consisting of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), reported total financing signatures of over €9.9 billion for Spain in 2022, including record financing for climate action and environmental sustainability projects.