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.