CEB approves over € 1.2 billion in new loans to support social policies

PARIS – The Administrative Council of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) approved twelve new loans totalling more than € 1.2 billion in a wide range of social areas, from energy efficiency and urban development to education, social housing and MSME financing.  

Finland: a € 10 million loan to Tampere Region Student Housing Municipal company (Pirkan Opiskelija-asunnot - POAS) to increase the student housing stock in Tampere and thus make reasonably-priced apartments available to students and facilitate their access to university areas. The funds will benefit a large number of students and young specialists in Tampere. Also, a € 50 million loan to the City of Kuopio to finance investments in municipal infrastructure, including the construction of new facilities as well as the renovation or extension of existing buildings, which will have significant benefits for the living conditions of the city’s inhabitants.

France: a € 200 million loan to Département de la Seine-Saint-Denis to finance the construction of new preschool units and the renovation of existing ones. This CEB-funded project will benefit the Seine-Saint-Denis community, particularly families with young children.

Germany: a € 42 million loan to Leipziger Wohnungs- und Baugesellschaft mbH to boost the supply of rental housing in the City of Leipzig through the construction of new units. The funds provided by the CEB will contribute to the City of Leipzig’s objectives of promoting a balanced housing policy and ensuring social diversification.

Hungary: a € 150 million loan to the Government to support the expansion and modernisation of education facilities throughout the country. The end beneficiaries will be primary and secondary school pupils and teachers.

Italy: a € 100 million loan to Istituto per il Credito Sportivo to promote sports in the country through supporting local investments in sports facilities. Local communities and in particular young people will draw benefits from the CEB-financed investments.

Poland: a € 150 million loan to Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy to contribute to the creation of new permanent and seasonal jobs through channelling financing to, and thus strengthening the competitiveness of, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Romania: a € 47 million loan to Sector 6 of the Municipality of Bucharest to finance environmental and social investments, including measures to improve energy efficiency in residential units and public buildings in the education sector. The CEB funds will have a positive impact on the population of this area of the Romanian capital.

Serbia: a € 30 million loan to Erste Bank a.d. Novi Sad to provide a credit line to Serbian MSMEs, with a view to boosting economic growth and promoting job creation and preservation.

Slovak Republic: a € 300 million loan to the Government for social investments in various areas to boost inclusive growth and support environmental protection, including energy efficiency measures, flood protection infrastructure and wastewater treatment works. The loan will make a significant contribution to improving the living conditions of a large number of people throughout the country.  Also,  a € 80 million loan to Slovenská sporiteľňa to support job creation through the financing of the productive investments of MSMEs. Part of the funds will be used for the revitalisation of urban and rural public infrastructure to improve the living conditions of local communities.

Spain: a € 47 million loan to Transports de Barcelona SA to support the metropolitan area of Barcelona in its efforts to provide more environmentally friendly public transport. The CEB-financed project will improve the connectivity of the less wealthy suburbs with the central and economic areas of the city, which will have major benefits for over 200 million transport users.