The EIB in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

Overview

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the EU’s third-largest trading partner, consists of four members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

We have been active in the EFTA countries since the 70s, mainly supporting technology, renewable energy and green transport projects that reduce the carbon footprint. For example, In Norway, we financed the NordLink interconnector for a more climate friendly and integrated energy system; in Iceland, among others, we invested in a new geothermal power station and in Switzerland, we invested in world leading research infrastructures such as the large hadron collider.

Our activity in 2024

EIB provided €441.5 million of financing for projects in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland mainly focusing on climate action and innovation.

Country overview

Find an overview of our impact by country. Additional country pages will follow.

Our stories in the region

We support projects that improve lives all over the world. Watch our videos and read our stories on how our work improves the quality of life in the region.

2 August 2024

A digital companion for abuse survivors

Start-up Spring ACT creates chatbot named Sophia to help fight the rise in domestic violence

Technology Switzerland United Kingdom EFTA countries Digitalisation and technological innovation
18 January 2024

Smart rolling

Munevo replaces traditional wheelchair joystick with gesture-controlled smart system to facilitate mobility of people with severe muscle diseases

Mobility Transport United States Austria Germany Finland The Netherlands Switzerland France European Union EFTA countries North America Digitalisation and technological innovation Social infrastructure
19 January 2023

Untangling the polycrisis

As the World Economic Forum in Davos focuses on the ‘polycrisis’, the solution is to see this as a time of ‘polyopportunity’ for investment, writes EIB President

Institutional Economics Management committee Ukraine Switzerland Eastern Neighbourhood EFTA countries EU enlargement countries Climate and environment
16 November 2022

The answer is green

Russia’s aggression in Ukraine has pushed Europe into an energy crisis. The need for action is urgent. Europe must build up its energy resilience and accelerate its green transition to a low-carbon economy.

Energy efficiency Norway Sweden Iceland Finland Denmark European Union EFTA countries Climate and environment Energy
30 September 2021

Groceries without the waste

Czech company MIWA redesigns the supply chain to reduce single-use paper and plastic

SMEs Digital and telecoms Technology Austria Switzerland Czechia European Union EFTA countries Digitalisation and technological innovation
6 January 2021

A rolling steam factory for safer farming

Farmer brings back technology from the 1800s to improve yields

SMEs United States Norway EFTA countries North America Digitalisation and technological innovation Agriculture and bioeconomy
29 November 2019

Climate solutions: Road to Utopia

With better urban transport, carbon emissions will drop and our air will be healthier. Here’s how we can head further down the road to the cities — and the climate — of the future.

Infrastructure Transport Norway The Netherlands European Union EFTA countries Climate Infrastructure Climate and environment Social infrastructure
10 November 2017

3 ways volcanos help cool the planet

Iceland uses its volcanos to produce energy and fight climate change.

Climate change Climate Investor relations Renewable energy Infographic Green bonds Iceland EFTA countries Climate Climate and environment Energy
24 March 2017

Big science: a decade of innovation

In the first decade of the new millennium, the large hadron collider took European innovation into a new dimension

Institutional Science History in 6 projects Switzerland EFTA countries Innovation Digitalisation and technological innovation
12 November 2024

Climate action must rise above politics

In a year of elections, COP29 in Baku must refocus leaders on the urgent need to combat climate change and accelerate the green transition in both rich and poor nations.

Interviews Institutional COP29 Partners Climate Climate action Management committee United Nations Nadia Calviño Sustainability Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Cuba Kyrgyzstan Zambia Vietnam Solomon Islands Vanuatu Brazil Papua New Guinea Maldives South Sandwich Islands Costa Rica Slovakia St. Maarten Faeroe Islands Dominican Republic Wallis and Futuna Islands Trinidad and Tobago Iran (Islamic Republic of) Tonga Nigeria Paraguay Yemen Cayman Islands Madagascar Iraq Gabon Suriname Taiwan Italy Ethiopia United States Malawi Belarus Croatia Norway Turks and Caicos Islands Saint Kitts and Nevis Qatar Argentina Samoa Afghanistan San Marino Azerbaijan Austria Aruba Gibraltar Benin Spain Panama Romania New Caledonia Ecuador Ireland Guinea-Bissau New Zealand Côte d'Ivoire Tajikistan Somalia Germany Sweden Antigua and Barbuda Mongolia Montenegro Japan Slovenia Lithuania Pakistan Nauru São Tomé e Principe Bahamas Congo Palau Israel Lao People's Democratic Rep. Bulgaria Iceland Ukraine Peru Botswana Liberia Senegal Albania Malta Malaysia India Sri Lanka Cape Verde Jordan Finland Regional - Pacific Burundi Georgia Cambodia Burkina Faso Comoros Bermuda Canada China Ghana Seychelles Eritrea Andorra Korea, Republic of Timor-Leste Macau Guatemala Niger British Indian Ocean Territory Türkiye Nicaragua Myanmar Mozambique Russia Angola Chile Togo Armenia Cameroon Barbados Sudan Channel Islands Tunisia Kuwait Dominica Brunei Darussalam North Macedonia Uruguay Bangladesh Saint Lucia Bahrain St. Helena Lebanon Pitcairn Guinea Belgium Morocco Libyan Arab Jamahiriya El Salvador Hungary Jamaica Egypt Greece The Gambia Virgin Islands (British) Holy See (Vatican City State) The Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte Venezuela Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Denmark Honduras Bhutan Australia Luxembourg Liechtenstein Fiji Cyprus Virgin Islands, U.S. The Netherlands South Africa Curaçao Cook Islands Equatorial Guinea Greenland Anguilla Mauritania Saint Vincent and Grenadines Mauritius Portugal Korea, Democrat. People's Rep. St. Pierre and Miquelon Syrian Arab Republic Sierra Leone Kiribati Haiti Poland Mexico Palestine* Indonesia Nepal Switzerland France Zimbabwe Serbia Isle of Man Algeria Micronesia Kazakhstan Montserrat Singapore Puerto Rico Djibouti Latvia Bolivia Moldova Falkland Islands Chad Kenya Lesotho Grenada Tuvalu Congo (Democratic Republic) Thailand Mali Monaco Uganda United Kingdom Philippines Netherlands Antilles Tanzania Rwanda Czechia French Polynesia Saudi Arabia Oman Bosnia and Herzegovina Kosovo* Kingdom of Eswatini Colombia Guyana United Arab Emirates Namibia Belize Estonia Asia and the Pacific Eastern Neighbourhood Latin America and the Caribbean European Union EFTA countries Former EU Member States North America Overseas Countries and Territories Southern Neighbourhood Sub-Saharan Africa EU enlargement countries Western Balkans Climate and environment