EIB Boosts Investment in Innovation, Energy, and Infrastructure with €2.4 Billion Financing
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced €2.4 billion of new financing to support business innovation, low-carbon energy grids, strategic flood protection initiatives, and upgraded transport networks in Europe and beyond.
This commitment underscores the EIB’s focus on driving sustainable development, boosting competitiveness, and reinforcing energy security in line with its overarching strategy as the “EU’s climate bank.”
Key Outcomes from the EIB Board Meeting
- €2.4 billion in total approved financing: The funds will be directed towards clean energy, telecommunications, flood protection, and further modernization of Europe’s transport systems.
- Focus on hydrogen infrastructure: Expansion of hydrogen production and the development of new refueling stations for cars and trucks throughout Europe.
- Support for Ukraine’s heating infrastructure: €100 million earmarked to repair war-damaged municipal heating systems, continuing the EIB’s critical role in aiding Ukraine.
- Panama’s electricity distribution upgrade: Financing agreed to bolster grids, increase renewable energy usage, and provide power to unserved communities.
- High-impact flood resilience in Poland: Enhanced defenses to safeguard communities against escalating climate threats.
- Colombia’s Metro Bogota 2025 project: €418 million allocated to construct and acquire trains for the first metro line in Bogotá, with a target of serving over 1 million daily passengers.
- Next-generation connectivity in Italy: €350 million approved for mobile phone network expansion and modernization.
In parallel, the EIB Board discussed the strategic orientation of EIB Global, the Bank’s vehicle for financing projects outside the European Union. The aim: continue to align its external investments with evolving EU policy priorities, reinforcing Europe’s strategic influence in a more stable and sustainable global landscape.
Aligning with the EIB’s 2024 Annual Results
This latest round of approvals follows the EIB Group 2024 Annual Results, presented by EIB Group President Nadia Calviño in Brussels on 30 January 2025. During her presentation, she highlighted the institution’s performance through three “Rs”: Record, Ready, and Relevant.
- Record Investment: In 2024, the EIB Group invested €89 billion, with nearly 60% of all EIB Group operations dedicated to climate action, resilience, adaptation, and energy security. A notable €100 billion in additional investment was mobilized for the energy sector, advancing power grids, interconnectors, renewables, and innovative technologies such as green hydrogen.
- Ready for the Future: The EIB undertook ambitious internal reforms to streamline procedures and elevate its impact, reducing red tape so that 40% of all projects now undergo a simplified approval process. With updated governance structures and a robust triple-A rating, the Bank remains well-positioned to support Europe’s future priorities.
- Relevant Role: EIB financing stood at the heart of Europe’s response to key challenges, from energy independence to security and defense. In 2024, the EIB doubled its investment in dual-use technologies such as border protection, cyberdefense, and demining, reaching €1 billion. This commitment is expected to double again in 2025, pushing the annual security and defense portfolio to €2 billion. The EIB Group also hit a record €8 billion in higher-risk operations, funneling significant resources through the European Tech Champions Initiative to bolster promising startups and innovators.
Advancing Energy Grids and RePowerEU Goals
A major emphasis from the 5 February 2025 Board meeting is the further support for European electricity networks. Already in 2024, the EIB financed a record €8.5 billion in electricity grids to help achieve RePowerEU objectives, accelerate the green transition, and ensure cheaper and more secure energy for EU businesses and households.
“We are ahead of the investment targets of the RePowerEU programme to bring cheaper and greener energy to European households and businesses. Last year the EIB marked a record in investments in energy grids and interconnectors, strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and security,”
— Nadia Calviño, EIB Group President
Flood Resilience and Climate Adaptation
The newly approved financing includes flood-defense projects in Poland. This builds on the EIB’s commitment to climate adaptation, recognizing that every euro spent on prevention and resilience can save up to fivefold in reconstruction costs. By systematically integrating climate considerations and risk mitigation into project planning, the EIB is helping member states protect infrastructure and local communities against extreme weather events.
Boosting Innovation and Business Investment
Beyond infrastructure, the EIB’s latest commitments of €879 million target “green innovation,” aiming to foster energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and research-driven progress. Examples include:
- Automotive-component research and development across 15 European manufacturing sites.
- Low-carbon glass production in France and Spain to reduce industrial emissions.
- A new securitization scheme in the Netherlands to incentivize private investment into climate action and environmental protection.
These moves align closely with the EIB’s climate bank roadmap and overall EU ambitions to remain a global leader in sustainable innovation, advanced manufacturing, and industrial capacity.
Strategic Transport Projects in Europe and Overseas
With €768 million in approved transport and telecom financing, the EIB reinforces Europe’s connectivity and supports strategic mobility abroad:
- Metro Line 1 in Bogotá, Colombia: A €418 million package for the new Colombian capital metro line, projected to create a public transport service carrying over 1 million passengers daily.
- Italy’s Mobile Network Upgrade: €350 million to expand mobile coverage, bridging digital divides and enhancing business competitiveness.
Strengthening Global Partnerships
The EIB’s scope extends far beyond the EU’s borders, reflecting the principle that global challenges require global solutions. At its first Board meeting of 2025, the Bank agreed to new investments in Panama’s electricity distribution and reaffirmed its commitment to repairing essential heating infrastructure in Ukraine. These operations also coincide with EIB Global’s ongoing mission to align investment decisions outside the EU with Europe’s strategic objectives, from climate action to vital humanitarian support.
Looking Ahead: A Proactive and Ambitious Agenda
Building on record figures from 2024, the EIB aims to ramp up support in 2025 with an expected €95 billion investment target, dedicated to:
- Green Projects: Achieving at least 60% climate finance in annual operations, reinforcing energy security, climate adaptation, and environmental sustainability.
- Advanced Technologies: Strengthening clean-tech, artificial intelligence, chips, high-performance computing, health sciences, and other industrial capacities.
- Security and Defense: Doubling annual investment to €2 billion in 2025, covering cyberdefense, border control, military mobility, and more.
- Critical Raw Materials: Supporting EU-based projects to lessen dependency on imports, fostering a stable and secure supply chain for vital components.
- Capital Markets Union: Developing a harmonized European framework to facilitate the listing and scaling of innovative companies, further catalyzing investment in strategic sectors.
- Social and Regional Cohesion: Continuing to disperse nearly half of all financing within cohesion regions, including agriculture, social housing, affordable infrastructure, and SMEs’ growth capital.
President Calviño underscored that the EIB stands ready to adapt and simplify processes, ensuring rapid deployment of projects that make a real difference for both EU citizens and global partners. With strategic dialogues ongoing and synergy with the new European Commission’s priorities, the Bank maintains a pivotal role in shaping Europe’s sustainable and competitive future.