The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has approved its 2026–2028 Operational Plan, maintaining a record-high financing target of €100 billion for 2026. This includes €4.5 billion dedicated to security and defence projects within the European Union, representing 5% of the total financing. The investments will follow the eight priorities outlined in the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap, focusing on green finance, technological innovation, security and defence, and support for Ukraine, aligning closely with EU policy objectives. EIB Group President Nadia Calviño emphasized the role of the bank in reinforcing Europe’s competitiveness and stability amid geopolitical challenges.
The European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the EIB Group, will contribute €15.3 billion through equity investments, guarantee instruments, and securitisation to enhance European businesses. The EIB Group has also expanded its flagship European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI) to ETCI 2.0, supporting tech scale-ups and mid-sized funds across Europe. ETCI 2.0 aims to mobilise capital from EU countries and institutional investors such as pension funds, banks, and insurers, strengthening innovation and competitiveness. Since its launch in 2023, ETCI has already helped nine European tech companies reach unicorn status, valued at over $1 billion.
In addition to supporting technological innovation, the EIB Group approved €7.5 billion in new project financing for 2026 to strengthen social infrastructure, climate action, and global partnerships. This financing will support hospital upgrades and healthcare innovation in France, Germany, and Sweden, new schools in Finland, France, and Slovakia, sustainable agriculture in Lithuania and Poland, and green and digital infrastructure projects in Spain and Italy. Projects beyond the EU include business financing in Ukraine, vaccine production in Colombia and South Africa, electricity-grid improvements in Ethiopia, water infrastructure upgrades in Gambia and the Solomon Islands, and climate adaptation initiatives in Pakistan.
The EIB, the EU’s long-term lending institution owned by its Member States, focuses on eight core priorities including climate action, technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, social infrastructure, agriculture and bioeconomy, a stronger Europe globally, and capital markets development. In 2024, the EIB Group signed nearly €89 billion in financing for over 900 high-impact projects, with around half of the funding targeting lower-income EU regions and nearly 60% supporting climate and environmental initiatives. These efforts aim to boost Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable development.
