The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat have signed their first-ever partnership to promote sustainable global trade and investment. The Memorandum of Understanding aims to remove barriers to trade and investment, expand opportunities for partner countries, and create new markets for European businesses. This agreement will combine EIB financial support with WTO-led regulatory reforms, creating an integrated approach to foster investment and commerce-related capacity building worldwide.
Signed at the EIB Group Forum in Luxembourg, the partnership introduces the “EIB-WTO Trade and Investment Facilitation Initiative,” which will initially focus on selected partner countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative aims to mobilize capital, improve investment regulation, and strengthen trade between the European Union and partner countries, aligning with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Priority sectors include the green and digital transition, health, education, sustainable growth, and job creation.
EIB Group President Nadia Calviño emphasized that the partnership will turn trade policy dialogue into tangible investments, helping partner countries attract high-quality investment while creating new trading opportunities for EU businesses. The collaboration will also include analytical and research activities to exchange insights on global trade and investment trends and strengthen regulatory frameworks in partner countries. The initiative supports the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement, which provides the first global rules to facilitate foreign direct investment by improving regulatory frameworks and reducing red tape.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala noted that the partnership aligns policy reform efforts with catalytic financing, unlocking private investment in strategic sectors such as critical minerals, digital technologies, and the bioeconomy. The initial pilot phase in Africa will focus on regulatory reforms, investment planning, and project preparation, with EIB advisory services supporting countries in developing operational action plans and preparing priority investments for financing. Blended finance and EIB funding could then be deployed to attract additional private capital and ensure long-term sustainable development.
Beyond this initiative, the EIB continues to promote EU exports and investments globally, leveraging its advisory services, loans, and innovative finance instruments. EIB Global, the Bank’s specialized arm for international partnerships, plays a central role in implementing these efforts, bringing development finance closer to people, companies, and institutions worldwide and supporting the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.
The EIB Group, owned by the 27 EU member states, is one of the world’s largest multilateral development banks. In 2025, it signed €100 billion in financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects spanning climate action, digital innovation, security, social infrastructure, and global partnerships. Its subsidiary, the European Investment Fund, supports small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe, mobilizing private investment through venture capital and guarantees. Initiatives like the European Tech Champions Initiative have already scaled up dozens of companies, including several unicorns, demonstrating the Group’s commitment to fostering innovation and economic growth.
