The EU bank

Support geared to local needs

The EIB is a policy driven institution, adapting its activity to European Union external development aid and cooperation objectives. While remaining in line with its mandates, it tailors its activities to the region's priorities and needs. Regional offices established in a number of beneficiary countries enable regular dialogue and constructive partnerships with local authorities, promoters, regional development banks, the European Commission delegations and the civil society.

Promoting synergies

The EIB also seeks to reinforce partnerships and cooperation with the European Commission and peer institutions, whether EU bilateral agencies, the European Development Finance Institutions, the African Development Bank, and other donor agencies and multilaterals.

Target sectors

The EIB concentrates on infrastructure and financial sector development in order to achieve its main targets in the regions: sustained growth and private sector development.

Through its commitment to supporting activities that generate positive social and economic impacts, the Bank provides assistance to microfinance institutions throughout the ACPs in collaboration with key industry stakeholders such as the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), the European Microfinance Platform (EMP) and the European Commission microfinance steering group.

Specific initiatives such as the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund, the EIB Water Project Preparation Facility, regional integration, renewable energy and climate change- notably via the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund- are a key focus for the Bank.

Overview of EIB’s lending activity (from 2003 to 31/12/2010) signed portfolio for the ACP and OCT Investment Facility and under the Bank’s own resources***

** Includes financial services (equity investments in funds, agency agreements) and tourism (hotels).
* Includes mining

Beneficiaries

Local and/or foreign investors operating in the ACP/OCT regions, namely:

• private entrepreneurs and commercially-run public sector entities;
• investment funds and other financial intermediaries;
• large, medium, small and micro-enterprises, directly or through credit lines extended to financial intermediaries and investments in private equity funds.

Added value has always been a cornerstone of EIB lending policy. The REsults Measurement framework (REM) formalises the process of identifying, from the outset, the value added of projects.

Throughout the project cycle, the EIB aims to transfer to its beneficiaries the economic and technical know-how it has gained from operations across the world.