Social infrastructure

EIB Advisory helps public authorities, institutions and housing providers plan, prepare and implement investments in health, education and affordable housing. Around 4% of advisory assignments contribute to social infrastructure projects that improve access, quality and sustainability, particularly in EU cohesion regions.

In health and education, advisory teams help public sector promoters develop infrastructure programmes and plan investments efficiently. Market assessments, thematic events and sector analyses also guide project design and innovation, including in tertiary education and public research infrastructure funding.

More on EIB Advisory support to the EIB strategic priorities

EIB Advisory support in 2025

In response to housing shortages across Europe, EIB Advisory helped public sector clients develop new financial instruments and investment approaches, adapted to the maturity of national housing systems. This included combining EU grant funding with EIB Group and private financing – for example, via green bonds or public-private partnerships – as well as policy and regulatory support where frameworks are still evolving.
Health infrastructure projects supported by EIB Advisory improved access to quality healthcare for millions of people in Europe. Projects included the modernisation of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Włocławek, Poland, benefiting over 350 000 residents; the new regional hospital in Tulcea, Romania, expected to serve more than 200 000 people; and the merger and upgrade of Klaipėda University Hospital in Lithuania, which will provide advanced care for a catchment area of around 700 000 people.
Advisory work also strengthened housing finance across Europe by helping clients better understand funding models and unlock investment. Support focuses on building the skills of smaller or new housing providers and local authorities, and on helping national promotional banks scale up their role in the sector.
In mid-2025, the EIB approved its action plan for affordable and sustainable housing, aimed at increasing lending and advisory support across all Member States. EIB Advisory is supporting several countries, including Croatia, where it is advising on social and affordable housing reforms and investments in the country’s five largest cities.

Bringing finance to the margins

In many parts of the European Union, finance is still out of reach for businesses led by women, owned by refugees or based in less developed regions.

Microfinance and socially inclusive finance help build resilient communities. Through the InvestEU-funded Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance (SIFTA) programme, EIB Advisory works with microfinance institutions and social enterprise finance providers to expand access to finance for vulnerable groups.

Affordable homes in Portugal

In the heart of Lisbon, the former Miguel Bombarda Hospital has stood empty since it closed in 2012. Once a convent and later a psychiatric hospital, the building is part of Portugal’s national heritage. The building and grounds have great potential, and will be converted for housing, social services, and welcoming shared spaces for community life and social interaction.

Better medical care in Romania

Romania is building major public hospitals for the first time in over 50 years. The country’s healthcare outcomes remain among the lowest in the European Union, with one of the highest rates of treatable mortality.

EU grants of €226 million and three EIB loans of €923 million support three new regional emergency hospitals in Cluj, Iași and Craiova. A PASSA (Project Advisory Support Service Agreement) team of eight specialists is helping Romanian authorities plan healthcare services, procurement, digital systems and governance.

A city’s plan for climate neutrality

Mission Marseille 2030 – Objectif Climat is Marseille’s city-wide programme to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. It coordinates building renovations, clean energy projects and low-carbon heating and cooling systems into a single, coherent plan.

Through the InvestEU ELENA facility and under the EU Cities Mission, EIB Advisory is helping the city prepare and structure this programme. The work focuses on schools, municipal buildings, and developing district heating and cooling networks.

Saving a vital hospital in Poland

In Włocławek, a major hospital redevelopment faced a perfect storm of pandemic delays and geopolitical instability. To meet modern standards, a €50 million expansion, co-financed by the European Investment Bank, is currently underway. The goal is clear: faster, more efficient care for patients. Here is how EIB Advisory support helped keep the project on track to deliver modern care for thousands.

Featured publication

Promoting gender equality and diversity in urban transport in Barcelona

Public transport networks worldwide hold immense potential to better serve the diverse needs and travel patterns of women, girls, gender non-conforming, and LGBTIQ people. These groups, while varied, often rely heavily on public transport due to caregiving responsibilities, socioeconomic factors, and unique mobility challenges.

This report highlights innovative solutions and valuable lessons from an EIB-supported technical assistance project with Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), offering practical strategies to create safer, more inclusive bus and metro services. Funded by the European Investment Advisory Hub, this initiative showcases how inclusive mobility can foster greater equity and accessibility for all.

Read the report

Get inspired

5 March 2025

Neues EU-Programm für Banken verbessert Kreditangebot für Unternehmerinnen in Europa

Die Europäische Investitionsbank (EIB) und die Europäische Kommission haben heute ein neuartiges Beratungsprogramm für Banken in der EU vorgestellt. Das Ziel: ein besserer Kreditzugang für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (KMU), die Frauen gehören oder von Frauen geführt werden.

Tulcea County Hospital: Investing in a healthier tomorrow

In Romania, Tulcea County stretches across a remarkable landscape of channels and lagoons. The Danube Delta covers about one-third of the county and contributes to the sparse population, with most residents scattered across rural areas

Modernisation of Fundeni Clinical Institute

The Fundeni Clinical Institute, founded in 1959 in Bucharest, is one of Romania’s leading medical institutions