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Members: the 15 Member States /
Address: Luxembourg
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union´s financing institution, provides long-term loans for capital investment promoting the Union´s balanced economic development and integration. The EIB is a flexible and cost-effective source of finance whose ECU 20 billion volume of annual lending makes it the largest of the international financing institutions in the world.
In the European Union, EIB loans go to projects which fulfil one or mire of the following objectives:
. strengthening economic progress in the less favoured regions;
. improving trans-European networks in transport, telecommunications and energy transfer;
. enhancing industry´s international competitiveness and its integration at a European level and supporting small and medium- sized enterprises;
. protecting the environment and quality of life, promoting urban development and safeguarding the EU´s architectural heritage;
. achieving secure energy supplies.
The Bank carries out a rigorous appraisal of each investment project, not only assessing its consistency with EU policies but also vetting its economic and environmental justification as well as its financial and technical viability.
Lending outside the Union:
While the EU is the main focus of its activities, the EIB also helps to execute the financial aspects of the Union's cooperation policies with non-Member States. Currently, the Bank is operating in more than 100 of these countries.
Sources of Funds:
Projects supported by EIB loans carry the lightest possible interest rate burden. The Bank obtains the bulk of its resources on the capital markets where its top (AAA) credit rating enables it to borrow on the best terms available and to pass on the benefit to project promoters.
As a major presence on the capital markets - raising over ECU 12.4 billion in 16 currencies in 1995.
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