The EIB is the lending arm of the European Union, owned by its 27 Member states. The mission of the bank is to support investment in the public and the private sector through the provision of long-term financing as well as advisory services for project preparation, financial structuring and project implementation.
The bank operates both inside and outside EU. Its financial offer comprises direct loans, project finance/PPP financing, intermediated lending and venture debt products. Guarantees and equity investments are also available through financial intermediaries and are mainly provided by the European Investment Fund, a subsidiary of the EIB focusing on SMEs.
EIB activities target the following priority areas: climate and environment, development, innovation and skills, small and medium-sized businesses, infrastructure and cohesion. A major focus is currently on climate finance that will represent at least 50% of its financing by 2025. In that context dedicated advisory as well as targeted products such as green loans and green bonds are being developed. The EIB also supports cohesion notably through the implementation of the Just Transition Mechanism.
In line with its commitment to support sustainable infrastructure development and to ensure the delivery of quality projects – including under the form of PPP – the EIB sees ARI as a natural partner in the Czech Republic and has been a member of the association since 2020.
In the field of infrastructure, one of EIB’s strength is its ability to provide long tenors in line with the economic life of the projects financed. The bank also has a strong expertise in Project Finance and notably PPP financing. The role of the EIB goes beyond the provision of financing for such project: it also provides specialized PPP advisory to project promoters thanks to EPEC, its team of PPP experts. EPEC’s mission is to support the public sector across Europe in providing better public-private partnerships. This is done through three pillars: supporting the preparation of PPP projects, supporting the development of PPP methodologies and sharing best practices.”
