Trust funds and initiatives

The Bank tailors its cooperation to the needs of beneficiaries and the funding priorities of donors. CEB member countries contribute to the Bank's thematic trust funds while the EU provides grant funding for specific projects of common interest.

Financed by member states and supplemented by the CEB's earnings, trust funds enable the CEB to provide swift and flexible support such as grants and technical assistance to highly social projects. The Bank uses this targeted support either to complement its lending or on a stand-alone basis, depending on the needs of its implementing partners.

The CEB collaborates with the EU on projects targeting vulnerable groups in EU and neighbouring countries. Migrants, refugees and displaced persons are a particular focus, in line with the Bank's priority mission. The projects are partly of fully funded by the EU and managed by the CEB.

Trust funds financed by CEB member countries

The following CEB trust funds are financed by member countries and the Bank:

• The Disaster Prevention and Recovery Fund assists CEB member countries in preparing for and responding to natural and environmental disasters. The Fund can finance investments and operating costs of projects, goods as well as technical assistance. The CEB allocated €3 million to the Fund as seed financing. Support approved from the Fund amounts to €2.3 million.
• The Green Social Investment Fund (GSIF) helps the Bank's member countries accelerate their transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies. The Fund can finance technical assistance and investment costs of projects. It has received €5 million in seed funding from the CEB and nearly €80 000 from the Czech Republic. The Bank has approved €3.9 million in support from the Fund.
• The Italian Fund for Innovative Projects (IFIP) fosters innovative social projects in the Bank's most disadvantaged member countries. It finances technical assistance for projects in ODA-eligible countries of the Western Balkans, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Italian authorities have approved €0.9 million in support from the IFIP, which is endowed with €1 million.
• The Migrant and Refugee Fund (MRF) supports CEB member countries in hosting and integrating migrants and refugees. The Fund can finance investment or operating costs of projects, technical assistance, interest subsidies and loan guarantees. It has received €39 million in contributions from 22 CEB member countries, including Germany, France and Italy, as well as from the CEB and the European Investment Bank. The CEB has approved €37 million in support from the MRF.
• The Slovak Inclusive Growth Account was established by the Slovak authorities to support, through technical assistance, inclusive growth and environmental sustainability. The Slovak authorities have approved €2.7 million in support from the SIGA, to which they have contributed €4 million.
• The Social Impact Account (SIA) supports the Bank's most social projects. Until now, it has funded by allocations from the Bank's earnings, which amount to €144 million, but is open to contributions from member countries. To date, the SIA has financed €16 million in grants and €5 million in technical assistance. It has also subsidised €2.1 billion in CEB lending and guaranteed €85 million in Bank loans.
• The Spanish Social Cohesion Account (SCA) finances technical assistance for CEB projects with a high social content. Spain has approved €2.9 million in grants from the SCA, which it has endowed with €4 million.
• The CEB established the Ukraine Solidarity Fund (USF) to assist displaced people in Ukraine and support the country's reconstruction. The Fund can finance investment or operating costs of projects, technical assistance, interest subsidies and loan guarantees. It has received €15 million in contributions from Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic and the CEB. Approvals from the Fund amount to €1.2 million.

Project support from the European Union

Projects funded partly or fully by the EU and managed by the CEB account for €263 million in EU funding. The largest is a €140 million healthcare project in Türkiye named Strengthening Health Care Infrastructure For all (SHIFA) , which aims to improve health infrastructure in provinces with a high density of Syrian refugees. The project is financed by the EU Facility for Refugees in Türkiye and the EU's response to the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye.

The Bank also recently completed the implementation of two joint projects targeting vulnerable groups. The Partnerships and Financing for Migrant Inclusion (PAFMI) project supported the integration of migrants in the EU through innovative partnerships and financial support, thanks to a €3.5 million contribution from the EU. Housing and Empowerment for Roma (HERO) was a €2.8 million EU-funded pilot project to improve access to housing and employment for vulnerable Roma in Bulgaria, Romania and the Slovak Republic.

The EU also supports CEB projects through several bilateral facilities or multi-donor facilities where it is the largest donor.

Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership

The Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) is a €462 million multi-donor fund designed to encourage municipal investments in energy efficiency and environmental projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The E5P blends financial contributions from the European Union, its largest donor, and a group of 24 nations. The E5P has provided €17 million in funding to CEB projects.

InvestEU Advisory Hub

The InvestEU Advisory Hub is part of InvestEU, an EU facility that supports sustainable investment, innovation and job creation in Europe. In 2024, the EU allocated an additional €5 million to support CEB projects under this facility, bringing its total contribution to €13 million. CEB activities approved from the InvestEU Advisory Hub amount to €6.0 million.

Neighbourhood Investment Platform

The Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) is an EU regional blending facility that aims to boost economic development and improve living standards in the countries covered by the EU's European neighbourhood policy. It mobilises funding to finance capital-intensive infrastructure projects and also supports private sector development, in particular through support for small businesses. The NIP has provided €3 million in support of CEB projects.

Western Balkans Investment Framework

The Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) is a financial platform that coordinates and harmonises investments for socio-economic development in the region. Since its launch in 2008, the WBIF has awarded €4.2 billion in contributions for public sector blending for an estimated total investment of €34.3 billion. Grants approved by the WBIF and channelled through the CEB amount to €91 million. In addition, the WBIF has provided €21 million of technical assistance directly to CEB projects.

Data at June 2025