European Investment Bank
Board of Governors: EIB attaches high importance to small and medium-sized enterprises
The EIB attaches the highest importance to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in order to promote growth and jobs in Europe. The President of the EIB, Werner Hoyer, stated during the annual meeting of the EIB’s Board of Governors in Brussels: “The EIB sees its support for small and medium-sized businesses in the current economic climate as its number one priority.” Following the EIB’s paid-in capital increase of EUR 10 billion last year, the EU bank will lend an additional EUR 15 billion to SMEs during 2013 to 2015.
Finance for all
EIB President Werner Hoyer joined Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, to deliver a keynote speech on financial inclusion on the occasion of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor’s (CGAP) council of governor’s annual meeting in Amsterdam on 15 May.
Providing finance to smaller businesses
It is vital that small and medium-sized businesses are able to invest, even during a downturn. The EIB Group (EIB and EIF) is increasing its support to SMEs for the period 2013 to 2015 thanks to the EIB’s capital increase agreed in 2012. Last year already, we provided EUR 13bn to help finance more than 200 000 SMEs across Europe.
Supporting SMEs and power generation investment in Portugal
In Portugal, the EIB is supporting the country’s economic recovery through a EUR 200 million loan for SMEs with Millenium bcp. Most of the projects eligible for financing will be located in convergence areas in Portugal, contributing also to economic and social cohesion. The first part of a EUR 72,5 million loanhas also been made available to increase power generation from renewable energy sources in the Azores.
- Support for aerospace innovation
- EIB Management Committee meets in Dublin
- Europe is responding
- Backing higher education across Europe
- Backing for major North African solar project
- EIB Caribbean office set to move to the Dominican Republic
- Support for the Stockholm metro
- Annual Press Conference: EIB to increase lending for growth ⋯
- European Council calls for enhanced EIB advisory role
- EIB Group: sustainable growth and jobs
- EIB appoints Ben Knapen as Brussels Representative
