Investing in people and enhancing human capital 2025

In 2025, the Bank approved 17 loans for health and social care and education as well as to support cultural heritage in 13 countries, totalling almost €1.2 billion. Two loan projects in France and the Republic of Moldova are highlighted below.

Protecting vulnerable groups in France

Across Europe, the ageing population faces a major shortage of suitable health and social care facilities, including adapted housing. France is no exception. While the number of people over 75 is expected to rise by 1.3% by 2070, the number of beds available in care homes is projected to remain stagnant and unevenly distributed across France.2 Young people, including those supported by child protection authorities, also face barriers to access suitable housing, as high demand and limited supply continue to drive up costs.

To address these gaps, a €200 million CEB loan to France’s Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) will ﬁnance the construction of health and social care facilities for the elderly and people with disabilities. The loan will also support the construction and renovation of social housing and accommodation for young workers, students, children under protection and people facing extreme precarity. This operation builds on three previous loans, bringing total CEB ﬁnancing to €450 million over nine years. It forms part of a broader strategic partnership under the “European Alliance for sustainable and inclusive social housing”, through which the CEB has committed €850 million out of the €2.5 billion mobilised by the CDC to support social housing organisations.

Modernising schools in the Republic of Moldova

The Republic of Moldova has an extensive school network that must adapt to demographic changes, especially in rural areas. The Ministry of Education and Research has made the consolidation of the school network a policy priority, launching the Model School Reform concept to strengthen the education sector, accelerate the development of skills and human capital, and foster a knowledge-based society.

A €30 million loan from the CEB to the ministry will help modernise 15 primary and secondary schools across the country and is planned to beneﬁt approximately 12 800 students. This project will include the complete renovation of selected buildings, landscaping 28 hectares of adjacent land, the implementation of energy efficiency measures, and the installation of renewable energy sources. Focus will be given to adapting the infrastructure to ensure accessibility for people with reduced mobility. The CEB’s loan will be complemented by a €5 million grant from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P), a multi-donor facility for which the EU is the largest donor, to enhance the energy performance of the schools.

(These projects contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goals: see Annual Report 2025 pdf for details)