Dario Scannapieco, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, met the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli in Brussels on Wednesday 4th December. The EP President and the EIB VP discussed the state of Europe’s economy and the role of the EIB in boosting growth and jobs, touching upon the EU Bank’s activity in accession and potential candidate countries. In particular, discussion highlighted the EIB’s commitment to mitigating the impact of the migration crisis and the social benefits of the Bank’s Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI), an extraordinary investment plan adding a fresh €15 billion into financing in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans. Read more about the ERI here.
North Macedonia advances climate finance under the GFS programme
Under the Greening Financial Systems (GFS) programme, a market study surveyed over 300 medium and large enterprises across key industries in North Macedonia to assess sustainability practices, climate risk exposure and green finance uptake. The survey revealed insufficient levels of awareness about the green economy: only 7% identified as experts, while 30% were entirely unfamiliar with the concept. Despite this gap, over a quarter of respondents saw competitive advantage and revenue growth as key benefits of transitioning to greener practices. Insights from interviews and focus groups are informing the development of a climate risk disclosure framework for banks, expected to be finalised later in 2025.