- The European Investment Bank Group made more than €4.1 billion available for projects in the Netherlands in the 2025 financial year.
- This financing supported innovative businesses and infrastructure projects, and helped strengthen Europe’s security and resilience.
- With more than €1.5 billion in guarantees, fund commitments and equity investments, the Netherlands was the EIF’s third-largest market.
The European Investment Bank Group, made up of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), delivered a strong performance in the Netherlands last year, providing more than €4.1 billion in financing for Dutch businesses and the public sector. These investments aim to bolster economic resilience and competitiveness, while consolidating the Netherlands’ position as a leader in innovation, technology and green growth.
Of the total investment in the Netherlands in 2025, €3.2 billion came from the EIB. This included venture debt for defence technology and agricultural innovation, guarantees to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, and loans for the grid operator and water utilities. It was a standout year for the EIF, with more than €1.5 billion in guarantees and equity investments[1], placing the Netherlands just behind Italy and France in terms of transaction volume.
Overall, the EIB Group recorded a global financing volume of almost €100 billion for the first time, with one-third supporting the energy transition. In total, €57 billion of the EIB Group’s annual financing went to climate and green growth projects, and €4 billion was invested in security and defence.
“In matters such as security, energy and technology, Europe will need to stand more firmly on its own feet – and it can. In the Netherlands, we are putting the EIB Group’s financial firepower to work to make that happen, with a strong focus on the energy transition, green growth and innovation,” said EIB Group Vice-President Robert de Groot. “Our core mission as a public institution is to finance projects that make the Netherlands stronger and support people and businesses. We will continue to do so in 2026.”
More than half of all EIB Group investments in the Netherlands last year aimed to improve financing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. Alongside various EIF fund transactions, the major securitisation deal with ABN AMRO played a pivotal role, unlocking €1.2 billion in new financing for Dutch entrepreneurs.
As in previous years, the EIB Group – backed by the European Commission’s InvestEU programme – placed strong emphasis on financing innovation in emerging companies. For example, the EIB provided venture debt to Xeltis to scale up production of bioabsorbable artificial blood vessels, and the EIF made its first-ever investment in a fund dedicated specifically to defence and security technology, managed by Keen Venture Partners.
Essential public services received strong backing too, in support of the green transition and sustainable mobility. This included loans to future‑proof drinking water supplies through Evides and Vitens, and to increase Stedin’s grid capacity. In 2026, the EIB will continue to support projects aligned with the policy goals of the Netherlands and the European Union, delivering tangible benefits for people and businesses.
Background
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. The Netherlands owns a 5.2% share of the European Investment Bank. Over the past ten years, the EIB has provided more than €27 billion in financing for projects in the Netherlands across a range of sectors, including research and development, transport, drinking water, healthcare and small and medium-sized enterprises.
[1] A joint EIB-EIF operation financed an ABN AMRO loan portfolio of €1.2 billion for Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises. To avoid double counting, the total EIB Group investment in the Netherlands is calculated at €4.107 billion.