European Investment Bank

Owned by the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB) uses its special expertise and resources to make a difference to the future of Europe and its partners by supporting sound investments which further EU policy goals.

As a public policy bank, its main priority is to promote European economic development and integration. Around 90 percent of its activity is within the EU, with a focus on six areas : supporting disadvantaged regions, small and medium-sized enterprises, innovation and human capital and projects in the environmental, transport and energy sectors. It also lends to EU partner countries around the world in support of EU development policy and economic partnership agreements. New loan signatures amounted to EUR 72 billion in 2010, of which EUR 63 billion was within the EU.

EIB lending activity is mainly funded via bond issuance in the international capital markets. Its annual funding programme for 2011 is EUR 70-75 billion. EIB debt products are purchased by both institutional and retail investors internationally.

Thanks to the EIB’s ownership by all EU sovereigns, EIB bonds offer top quality diversified sovereign class exposure. EIB bonds have always been considered of the highest credit quality with a AAA-rating and a 0% risk weighting under Basle II (standardized approach).

The strategy of the EIB is kept constantly under review by its shareholders. Each year, the EIB Board of Directors, made up of representatives of EU Member States, updates the bank’s goals and objectives for the following three years. This Operational Strategy (OS) is published on the EIB website.

At a glance
President : Philippe Maystadt
Sherpa : Dominique de Crayencour
Location : Luxembourg
Global Assets (2009) : €362bn
Website : www.eib.org