BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16. The European
Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have
approved a combined 9.1 billion euros in new operations aimed at
enhancing Europe’s security, technological leadership, and key
infrastructure, Trend reports.
The EIF Board gave the green light to invest in the first
European private credit fund focused on the security and defence
sector. Supported by the InvestEU Defence Equity facility, the fund
will provide tailored debt financing to SMEs and small Mid-Caps in
the sector’s supply chain.
Under the European Tech Champions Initiative, the EIF also
approved its 13th investment, targeting scale-up funding for deep
tech and green tech companies across Europe. Additional backing was
granted to an Italian acquisition entrepreneurship fund that links
new entrepreneurial talent with SMEs undergoing ownership
transitions, supporting job retention and business continuity.
The EIB Group is also finalising its TechEU initiative, which
aims to become the EU’s largest financing programme for innovation
and technology leadership.
In the transport sector, the EIB approved 2.6 billion euros for
projects including new passenger trains in Germany, a rail link
from Prague to the airport, and the expansion of the port of Malaga
in Spain.
Energy-related investments, amounting to 2 billion euros,
include large-scale solar projects in Spain, a wind farm in Greece,
and network upgrades in France and Germany to integrate renewable
energy.
Further support was allocated for research and development in
Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Spain, as well as SME financing in
Cyprus and Poland under the InvestEU programme.
Outside the EU, the EIB Board endorsed funding for
reconstruction efforts in Armenia, electricity integration in
Central America, and business support in Uganda, Guinea, and Sierra
Leone.
