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CEB supports inclusive entrepreneurship in Romania with €25 million loan to BCR Social Finance
25 September 2025
Paris – The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and BCR Social Finance (BCRSF) –a non-bank financial institution– today signed a €25 million loan agreement to strengthen financial inclusion and support the growth of micro-enterprises, farmers, and social economy entities across Romania.
The CEB loan will finance lending activities targeting underserved communities, with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs, young people and rural households. In total, more than 3 260 micro-enterprises and farms, as well as around 125 social economy entities, are expected to benefit from improved access to finance. By addressing structural barriers in the Romanian financial ecosystem, the loan will foster job creation, social cohesion and community resilience.
In addition to the loan, the CEB is providing two complementary grants funded by the European Union (EU) through the Invest EU programme, which are designed to maximise the social impact of this financing.
A first grant to BCRSF of nearly €1.3 million funded under the InvestEU Fund and the European Social Fund (ESF+) programme will support the promotion of youth entrepreneurship in rural Romania. Delivered in partnership with the Farmer’s Club Romania, the programme will provide 240 young agribusiness entrepreneurs (under 35 years old) with training, mentoring and coaching. At least 80 participants will also receive subsidised microloans to support their businesses, enabling them to create jobs, strengthen food security for local communities, and reduce migration from rural areas.
A second grant of €190 000, provided by the CEB and funded under the Invest EU Advisory Hub, will support technical assistance to strengthen BCRF’s digital and data capabilities by supporting the development of a centralised data warehouse and a business intelligence platform. It will also help the institution establish a robust framework for measuring and reporting the social impact of its lending activities. These improvements will enable BCRSF to make better use of data, enhance transparency, and embed impact-driven decision-making across its operations.
Ștefan Buciuc, BCR SF CEO, said:
“Our partnership with CEB strengthens financial inclusion for entrepreneurs in vulnerable communities. At BCR Social Finance, we support women and young entrepreneurs in rural areas through tailored financing and hands-on education. Together with Farmers Club Romania, we empower 240 young agribusiness entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses and contribute to resilient local economies.”
Tomáš Boček, CEB Vice-Governor, said:
“By combining financing with targeted grants and technical assistance, this partnership with BCRSF will directly support the creation of opportunities for vulnerable groups, especially women and young entrepreneurs in rural communities, while also strengthening a local non-banking financial institution with a leading role in Romania’s microfinance. The programme reflects the CEB’s commitment to promoting social inclusion and reducing inequalities by fostering entrepreneurship, strengthening local economies and building long-term resilience in Romania.”
BCRSF is a non-banking financial institution jointly owned by Erste Social Finance Holding (51%) and Banca Comercială Română (49%). With a strong social mission, it plays a leading role in Romania’s microfinance sector by providing tailored financial products and business education to underserved groups, reinvesting its profits to maximise social returns. These new funding agreements with the CEB build on an already strong partnership forged within the context of the project Housing and empowerment for Roma (HERO), where the BCRSF worked with the CEB to finance microloans and financial education for participating communities in Romania.
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) is a multilateral development bank with an exclusively social mandate from its 43 member countries. The CEB finances investment and provides technical assistance in social sectors such as education, health and affordable housing, while focusing on the needs of vulnerable people, as well as on the social dimensions of climate change and the environment. Borrowers include governments, local and regional authorities, public and private banks, non-profit organisations and others. The CEB, which has a triple-A credit rating, funds itself through international capital markets. In addition, the CEB receives funds from donors to complement its activities.