The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and BCR Social Finance (BCRSF), a non-bank financial institution, have signed a €25 million loan agreement to enhance financial inclusion and support micro-enterprises, farmers, and social economy entities across Romania. The funding will target underserved communities, with a special focus on women entrepreneurs, young people, and rural households. Over 3,260 micro-enterprises and farms, as well as approximately 125 social economy entities, are expected to benefit from improved access to finance. The initiative aims to address structural barriers in Romania’s financial ecosystem while fostering job creation, social cohesion, and community resilience.
In addition to the loan, CEB is providing two complementary grants funded by the European Union through the InvestEU programme to maximize the social impact of the financing. The first grant, totaling nearly €1.3 million under the InvestEU Fund and European Social Fund (ESF+) programme, will support youth entrepreneurship in rural areas. Delivered in partnership with Farmer’s Club Romania, it will provide 240 young agribusiness entrepreneurs under 35 with training, mentoring, and coaching. At least 80 participants will also receive subsidized microloans, enabling them to build sustainable businesses, strengthen local food security, create jobs, and help reduce rural outmigration.
The second grant, worth €190,000 and funded through the InvestEU Advisory Hub, will provide technical assistance to strengthen BCRSF’s digital and data capabilities. This includes developing a centralized data warehouse and business intelligence platform, as well as establishing a robust framework for measuring and reporting the social impact of lending activities. These upgrades will improve data use, enhance transparency, and embed impact-driven decision-making throughout BCRSF’s operations.
Ștefan Buciuc, CEO of BCRSF, highlighted that the partnership with CEB strengthens financial inclusion for vulnerable communities, especially women and young rural entrepreneurs, while providing tailored financing and educational support. Tomáš Boček, CEB Vice-Governor, emphasized that combining financing with targeted grants and technical assistance creates opportunities for vulnerable groups, supports local economies, and reinforces the role of BCRSF in Romania’s microfinance sector.
BCRSF, jointly owned by Erste Social Finance Holding and Banca Comercială Română, has a strong social mission, providing tailored financial products and business education to underserved groups while reinvesting profits to maximize social returns. The new funding builds on an existing partnership between CEB and BCRSF, including the Housing and Empowerment for Roma (HERO) project, which financed microloans and financial education for Romanian communities.
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