News
CEB approves financing for new social projects
17 March 2017
PARIS - At its meeting held in Paris today, the Administrative Council of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) approved seven new loans worth a total of € 537 million. This brings the total amount approved in loans so far this year to almost € 1.5 billion.
Czech Republic: a € 100 million loan to SG Equipment Finance Czech Republic to finance the productive investments of MSMEs and also investments in the areas of public transport, water processing, and waste management. The programme should strengthen job creation and improve living conditions in rural and urban areas.
Germany: a € 100 million loan to Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), a public development bank active primarily in the social housing sector. The CEB will support the IBB with a multi-sectoral loan programme aimed at the construction and renovation of social housing units. This loan will provide urgently needed accommodation, including for migrants and refugees.
Poland: a € 50 million loan to Bank Ochrony Srodowiska to support the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector. The programme financed by the CEB aims to boost sustainable economic development and improve the living conditions of the population. In addition, a € 100 million loan to BZ WBK Leasing will contribute to the financing of MSMEs, drivers of growth and job creation. The programme funded by the CEB will support the development of Polish MSMEs through leasing operations.
France: a € 75 million loan to Crédit Agricole to partially finance public infrastructure projects through its subsidiary leasing company Auxifip. The funds provided by the CEB will be used for projects in the areas of land development and environmental protection, and are expected to improve the living conditions of local populations.
Slovak Republic: a € 12 million loan to Trnava self-governing region, which contributes approximately 11% of the country’s GDP. The programme financed by the CEB will play an important role in the promotion of inclusive growth and will help to improve the living conditions of the region’s 560 000 inhabitants.
Spain: a € 100 million loan to Banco Santander in order to finance the investments of MSMEs and promote job creation and sustainable economic development. This loan complements a € 100 million loan previously provided to Banco Santander for a programme that has been successfully completed, against the background of a strong demand from the MSME sector.Set up in 1956, the CEB (Council of Europe Development Bank) has 41 member states. Twenty-two Central, Eastern and South Eastern European countries, forming the Bank's target countries, are listed among the member states. As a major instrument of the policy of solidarity in Europe, the Bank finances social projects by making available resources raised in conditions reflecting the quality of its rating (Aa1 with Moody's, outlook stable, AA+ with Standard & Poor's, outlook stable and AA+ with Fitch Ratings, outlook stable). It thus grants loans to its member states, and to financial institutions and local authorities in its member states for the financing of projects in the social sector, in accordance with its Articles of Agreement.