• The EIB financing will support CIIP’s investment plan for 2023-2027 totalling €208 million, helping to improve integrated water service.
  • Italy was the biggest beneficiary of EIB resources for the water sector from 2016 to 2022, receiving €2.9 billion.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided €50 million to CIIP, the single utility company offering integrated water services in the provinces of Ascoli Piceno and Fermo. The main goal is to improve the efficiency, supply security and climate resilience of water and wastewater services in Marche, benefiting over 414 000 people.

In concrete terms, the EIB financing will support CIIP’s investment plan for 2023-2027, with the aim of further improving integrated water service in the 59 municipalities served in the Marche region, as well as climate resilience to future extreme weather events, in line with the Water Framework Directive and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

The EIB is the EU climate bank and one of the world's largest lenders to the water sector, with over 1 600 projects and around €80 billion in funding granted since 1958. Italy was the biggest beneficiary of EIB resources for the water sector from 2016 to 2022. The EIB financed 40 operations in the country during this period, providing a total of €2.9 billion and helping to unlock €8.9 billion in investment. This is CIIP’s second EIB loan in the last ten years, and comes in addition to those recently signed with CAP Group, Tea Spa, Alfa S.r.l, Veritas, SMAT and Iren Group.

“Water is not only the source of life, but also the resource most affected by climate change. This new operation with CIIP will help make integrated water service in the Italian provinces of Ascoli Piceno and Fermo more efficient, sustainable and resilient to future extreme weather events,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti.

“CIIP spa is honoured by the trust placed in it by the EIB. This latest financing will enable CIIP to strengthen the quality of integrated water service infrastructure, benefiting regional growth and the population served, with a view to promoting the circular economy, the preservation of water resources and keeping prices stable in the short term,” said CIIP spa President Giacinto Alati.

Background information

European Investment Bank (EIB)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) finances projects in four priority areas: infrastructure, innovation, climate and environment, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Between 2019 and 2021, the EIB Group provided €45 billion in financing for projects in Italy.

CIIP spa — Cicli Integrati Impianti Primari (CIIP)

CIIP is a publicly owned company held by its 59 member municipalities in the Italian provinces of Ascoli Piceno and Fermo, and is responsible for integrated water service until 2047 under an in-house providing arrangement as single operator for the no. 5 Marche Sud service area.

Between 2010 and 2022, CIIP made €256 million of infrastructure investment.