The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has signed two new deals under the Juncker Plan’s European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), providing €750 million in financing to small businesses in the EU.
The first is a €250 million agreement with Caixa Bank in Spain which will focus on supporting innovative projects led by female entrepreneurs. The second is an agreement with UniCredit to finance SMEs in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania; as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia (not backed by EFSI). Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, said: “The geographical reach of the European Fund for Strategic Investments is of paramount importance and under today’s agreement with UniCredit, six Central EU countries will benefit. SMEs in those Member States – as well as in two neighbouring countries – can now apply to UniCredit for loans with the EU budget guarantee to start up and scale up their businesses. I’m also glad that with the EFSI support more female entrepreneurs can get financing for their innovative projects.”
