EIB Group and CaixaBank to provide SMEs with access to €900m of new financing

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €450m risk-sharing guarantee agreement with CaixaBank. This agreement will enable CaixaBank reduce its risks and capital requirements for ofering new loans totalling €900m to Spanish small and medium companies (SMEs) and mid-caps.

The new financing aims to meet these companies’ working capital and liquidity needs, as well as encouraging them to invest in areas including the green and digital transition, competitiveness and innovation. A total of €180m of new financing will go to SME and mid-cap projects in the agricultural sector. This specific allocation for agricultural projects will back the modernisation of the sector, rural development and cohesion between regions.

This operation once again shows the major role that the EIB plays in promoting financial instruments making it possible to share risk with financial intermediaries and expand the financing available to Spanish SMEs and mid-caps to foster innovation and contribute to the competitiveness of this strategic economic sector.

The agreement with CaixaBank contributes to the eight strategic priorities of the EIB Group set out in its Strategic Roadmap for 2024-2027, specifically supporting the agricultural and bioeconomy sectors and promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion.

About EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89bn in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60 per cent of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.

In Spain, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.3bn for over 100 high-impact projects in 2024, contributing to the country’s green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for its people.

About CaixaBank
CaixaBank is the leading bank in Spain, with assets of more than €630bn, 20.3 million customers and the largest network of branches and ATMs in the country. CaixaBank also has a strong presence in Portugal, where it controls 100% of BPI.

The bank develops a socially responsible universal banking model with a long-term vision, based on quality, proximity and specialisation. Its positioning as a leading bank enables it to play a key role in contributing to sustainable economic growth and the financial inclusion of vulnerable groups and rural areas.

The bank’s value proposition is based on products and services adapted to each customer segment, with a strong innovation component that enables it to offer the best tools and expert advice on decision-making for financial wellbeing.

Source: EIB