Boosting small – and medium – sized businesses
New agreements with the European Investment Fund (EIF) are helping us to boost investment made by small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Worth €370 million, EIF guarantees will enable us to provide loans on favourable conditions to 2,500 SMEs and small mid-caps and mobilise investment of around €1 billion into the real economy. The resources will primarily go towards to investments that contribute to the twin green and digital transition, but also to support the cultural, educational and social sectors. As part of our green lending strategy, loans will be provided to housing associations and individuals for their own renewable energy and energy efficiency investments in residential buildings, as well as to promote the development of sustainable mobility.
The agreements with the EIF are backed by InvestEU, the European Union's long-term funding programme to support sustainable investment, innovation and job creation in Europe. InvestEU aims to mobilise at least €372 billion in investments for EU policy priorities by 2027.
The excellent relationship between the EIB Group and UniCredit Group is key to reaching as many small businesses as possible across Central and Eastern Europe, ensuring they have the resources needed to invest in a brighter, more sustainable, and innovative future."
Chair of the EIF
Providing sustainable finance to fuel social investments and innovation is a critical aspect of our pledge to improve the social aspect of environmental, social and governance in any way we can.”
Group Chief Executive Officer and Head of Italy
The new INVEST EU guarantee will allow to boost innovations and digitalization for SMEs, support the micro and social enterprises in the region, and also to promote cultural and creative sector development. Considering ESG values are embedded in everything we do, more than half of our new portfolio with Invest EU guarantee will be dedicated to sustainability purpose.”
Group Head of Central Europe and Eastern Europe UniCredit during the signing ceremony held in Milan