Regional development and cohesion

About one-third of EIB cohesion lending supports small businesses and mid-caps through intermediated loans. The Bank also offers loans directly to large corporates in a range of sectors. Find out the benefits of EIB loans.

The EIF supports SMEs through private and public financial intermediaries. By offering banks and other debt financial institutions guarantees and securitisation, the EIF enables its intermediaries to take on a greater risk and to provide better financing conditions. The EIF also enables equity financing for European companies throughout their life cycle through investment in venture capital/private equity funds and consequently supporting ecosystems and crowding in private capital. These efforts increase the supply of finance for small firms and infrastructure projects in cohesion regions, helping each region realise its full potential through economic growth. Read more about EIF financing.

Local governments face major challenges such as climate change, affordable housing and quality education. The EIB Municipalities Survey explores how they are responding and the obstacles they encounter.

The EIB offers a wide range of financing instruments for the public sector, from investment loans for large-scale projects to framework loans for smaller multi-sector initiatives. EU Member States and regions can delegate to the EIB Group the implementation of financial instruments (e.g. loans, guarantees and equity).  These instruments help ensure efficient use of public resources, attract private investment, and maximise the impact of public policies. Find out the benefits of EIB loans.

For more than 15 years, the EIB has provided fund design, management, co-financing, and advisory services, focusing on cohesion regions and key sectors: energy efficiency, renewables, research and innovation, urban development, agriculture, mobility and ICT, human capital and skills development. Currently, the EIB manages nearly €11 billion under EU shared management funds, resulting in over 8,500 financed projects in Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Lithuania, and Romania. More about EU shared management funds and financial instruments.

The EIF helps each region achieve its full economic growth potential by supporting Europe’s SMEs through its financial intermediaries. By offering them guarantees, securitisation and equity investments, the EIF takes risks to encourage lending, crowd in investments into private assets and help new market players get off the ground, increasing the supply of finance for SMEs and infrastructure projects in cohesion regions. Read more about the EIF’s financing.