Attention, please make an appointment to go to any of our offices.

European Investment Bank (EIB)

European Investment Bank (EIB)

The EIB holds a capital in the amount of 242.39 billion Euros and has European mandates as well as mandates outside the European Union. The Belgian participation stands at 4.48%.

For 2013, the commitments amounted to 64 billion Euros, the Belgian share of which stood at 1.475 billion Euros.

The European mandates are the following:

  • promoting European integration through investments in European regions where the per capita income is lower than the European average;

  • contributing to the foundation of trans-European networks and the knowledge society;

  • promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research, development and innovation, and investments in human capital.  

The external mandates are the following:

  • financing projects in African, Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean countries (ACP) and in Central and Eastern Europe;

  • financing projects of mutual interest to the European Union and partner countries in the Mediterranean region, in Latin America, and in Asia;

  • preparing the accession of new Member States.

Website: www.eib.org

European Investment Fund (EIF)

The EIF, the capital of which amounts to 4.5 billion Euros, was set up in 1994 in order to help small businesses. Its majority shareholder is the European Investment Bank (EIB, with which it forms the EIB Group.

The EIF provides venture capital for SMEs, particularly new firms and technology-oriented businesses. It also provides guarantees to financial institutions (such as banks) to cover their loans to SMEs.

The EIF is not a lending institution; it does not grant loans or subsidies to businesses, nor does it invest directly in any firms. Instead, it works through banks and other financial intermediaries. It uses either its own funds or those entrusted to it by the EIB or the EU. According to its Articles of Agreement, the Funds is active in EU member states, in candidate countries and in potential candidate countries.

Website: www.eif.org

Role of the Administration of International and European Financial Affairs (IEFA Administration)

The IEFA administration is the official channel of communication between the EIB and the Belgian authorities. It assists the Executive director representing Belgium in ensuring the follow-up of the Bank's policy and strategies, prepares files which the Minister of Finance submits to the Board of Governors, takes an active part in the preparation of Governors' annual meetings and meetings on ad hoc subjects, such as initiatives in developing linkages between the EU budget and the Bank's resources. It also participates in the meetings of specialized committees which were founded by the Bank and its Member States, participates in all meetings which concern the organization and handle questions having a potential impact on the organization's activities (European Union's neighbourhood policy and the external mandates of the Bank). In 2013, the IEFA Administrator has been appointed as member of the Board of Directors of the EIF.