The finance ministers of the European Union (EU) have approved a record financing cap of 100 billion euros from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for this year, allocating 3.5% to European security and defense.
“The shareholders of the European Investment Bank Group, the EU member states, have approved a record financing cap of 100 billion euros for this year and new programs to enhance Europe’s competitiveness, technological leadership, and security,” the institution stated in a communiqué.
Meeting in Luxembourg for their regular monthly session, the EU finance ministers who comprise the EIB Board of Governors, confirmed the approval of the EIB’s Board of Directors and the European Investment Fund for this funding increase, which targets security and defense, energy networks, and a new program to boost Europe’s technological leadership.
In the communiqué, EIB Group President Nadia Calviño emphasized the “unanimous support from shareholders, the 27 member states, for record financing proposals in defense, energy security, and technological leadership.”
The Spanish official added that this “demonstrates the crucial role of the EIB Group in supporting Europe’s strategic priorities.”
The new EIB Group financing ceiling for 2025 results from an interim review of the institution’s operational plan and includes 3.5% of total financing allocated to European security and defense, a record funding of over 11 billion euros for electricity networks and storage in Europe, and enhanced support for EU’s technological and industrial innovation.
Additionally, it was approved that Czech Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura will assume the presidency of the Board of Governors for one year, with the new chair of the Audit Committee being Katja Pluto, succeeding Portuguese Nuno Gracias Fernandes.
The EIB is the EU’s long-term lending institution, owned by its member states.
As the EU bank, it finances investments in key priorities such as climate action, digitalization, security and defense, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, Capital Markets Union, and strengthening Europe’s role.
In 2024, the EIB Group signed nearly 89 billion euros in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects, mobilizing more than 100 billion euros in investment for Europe’s energy security and around 110 billion euros in growth capital for startups and innovative companies.
