The European Investment Bank and the European Commission have been working together for decades to develop innovative funding solutions. From traditional areas such as infrastructure, to emerging topics like research and innovation or projects to tackle climate change - our successful mandates and partnerships across Europe provide a solid foundation of finance opportunities. To discover more about some of these past initiatives, please see the list below.
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) was a programme from the European Union to support the development of high performing, sustainable and efficiently interconnected trans-European networks in the fields of transport, energy and digital services.
The EIB managed the Debt Instrument under CEF, a risk-sharing facility building on the successful pilot phase of the Project Bond Initiative as well as of the Loan Guarantee Instrument for TEN-T Projects.
The financial arm of the Investment Plan for Europe, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), tackled three pressing issues – economic, environmental and non-financial barriers to investment, capacity constraints and subdued investment activity. The plan was designed by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank in 2014 and launched for a five-year period in the summer of 2015.
EFSI over-delivered on its target to support €500 billion in investment, notably by mobilising capital from private sources. It also helped mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Europe’s economy.
InnovFin – EU Finance for Innovators was an initiative launched by the EIB Group in cooperation with the European Commission under Horizon 2020, the EU Research and Innovation programme for the budgetary period 2014-2020.
InnovFin supported projects, which by their nature are riskier and harder to assess than traditional investments, and therefore often face difficulties accessing finance. The EU and the EIB Group joined forces to provide finance to support research and innovation of small and early-stage enterprises – from small tech start-ups to large research facilities and circular economy companies.
The Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF) offered funding and technical assistance to projects that promote the conservation, restoration, management and enhancement of natural capital for biodiversity and adaptation benefits, including ecosystem-based solutions to challenges related to land, soil, forestry, agriculture, water and waste inside the European Union.
NCFF combined funding from the EIB and the LIFE Programme, the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action.
NCFF - Financed projects as of June 2024
NCFF - Technical operations as of June 2024
Investing in nature: financing conservation and nature-based solutions
Private Finance for Energy Efficiency (PF4EE) addressed the limited access to adequate and affordable commercial financing for energy efficiency investments.
The instrument targeted projects that support the implementation of National Energy Efficiency Action Plans or other energy efficiency programmes of EU Member States.
PF4EE, managed by the EIB and funded by the LIFE Programme, provided:
- a portfolio-based credit risk protection provided by means of cash-collateral (Risk Sharing Facility),
- long-term financing from the EIB (EIB Loan for Energy Efficiency), and
- expert support services for the Financial Intermediaries (Expert Support Facility).
PF4EE - Final recipients for 2024
PF4EE - Financial intermediaries and final recipients for 2024
The EIB Group also partnered with 22 Member States to launch the European Guarantee Fund. The fund was designed to help businesses recover from the economic shock of COVID-19. The programme focused on small and medium-sized companies, receiving more than 65% of the mobilised investment.