EU Finance Ministers back EIB Group strategy for a stronger, more secure Europe in a more stable world

• Member States endorse EIB Group strategy to use its full potential and scale up investment and risk-taking, with a special focus on energy autonomy, technological leadership, security and defence, resilient infrastructure and strong global partnerships.
• EIB Group on track to meet 2026 target of 5% of total financing in EU for security and defence.
• EIB Group is delivering on its strategic roadmap, including record energy investment this year.

The Board of Governors of the European Investment Bank (EIB), comprised of European Union Finance Ministers, endorsed the Bank's strategy to deliver on shared policy priorities, with increased financing and risk appetite, deploying its full potential to mobilise investments for energy autonomy, technological leadership and security and defence.

The EIB Group is on track to maintain overall record financing of €100 billion this year and reach the 5% target in security and defence.

Strong support by the Governors underscores the EIB Group's pivotal role in rolling out pan-European instruments to advance the Savings and Investment Union, scaling up investment to strengthen Europe's capabilities in security and defence and technological innovation, fast-tracking the energy transition and relentlessly supporting Ukraine.

As the EU prepares a new Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2028-2034 period, the Board of Governors highlighted the EIB Group's strong track record in supporting European policy priorities and maximising investment impact while reducing red tape and becoming faster and more efficient.

At their annual meeting, the ministers were presented with a Mid-Term Report of the EIB Group's Strategic Roadmap, which details substantial advances over the past two years to mobilise crucial public and private investments for eight priority areas.

"EIB Group financing is delivering economic security for Europe," said EIB Group President Nadia Calviño. "That means energy autonomy, technological leadership, resilient infrastructure and trusted partnerships. The endorsement of our strategy by Member States sends a strong signal of unity and determination to make full use of the EIB's firepower as Europe's investment engine."

In 2025, the EIB Group, which includes the Bank and the European Investment Fund (EIF), delivered €100 billion in financing and mobilised record investments in energy grids, water, transport and housing as well as financing for Ukraine, with increased risk-taking through the TechEU initiative. The Group's strategic focus beyond the EU supports Ukraine, enlargement and the Global Gateway agenda while forging strategic partnerships worldwide.

Energy autonomy

The EIB Group has consolidated its role as the Climate Bank. As the main financier of the energy transition in Europe, the Group finances around half of Europe's energy grid investment and supports one in five solar plants, one in three onshore wind projects and most offshore wind projects.

Flagship programmes, including the Energy Efficiency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) initiative, are on course to exceed targets, supporting 350,000 businesses to decarbonise, reduce costs and strengthen resilience.

Boosting technological innovation

In addition, the EIB Group is accelerating Europe's technological leadership through TechEU, the EU's largest-ever financing programme to support high-impact investments in deep tech, clean tech, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

In 2025, the Group committed over €22 billion for TechEU projects. These investments help build and retain critical manufacturing capacity in Europe, diversify sourcing, scale up markets and reinforce Europe's position as an attractive location for innovative projects while drawing in talent and investment.

Since its launch in 2023, the European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI) led by the EIF has become a key catalyst in strengthening Europe's scale-up financing capacity, supporting 15 new EU mega funds (with a target size of at least €1 billion) and 12 European unicorns to date. As a result, ETCI is making an important contribution to Europe's Savings and Investment Union.

The EIB Group is set to expand ETCI, aiming to mobilise €15 billion by attracting contributions from more Member States and opening it to private investors. In parallel, the EIB Group will increase funding for European scaleups by rolling out measures including convertible instruments, acquisition finance and support for companies listing on European markets.

Security and defence

The policy shift in the area of security and defence has been a game changer. The EIB Group has made extraordinary progress increasing its role by expanding eligibilities for its finance to pure military projects and to companies and investment funds with activities in all areas of security and defence.

The Group quadrupled financing in 2025 to more than €4 billion and is on track to reach the 2026 5% target of its annual business in the EU. There is a robust pipeline of around 25 flagship projects in 20 Member States in five areas: critical infrastructure and military facilities, industrial capabilities, research and development, small and medium-sized companies in the supply chain of Europe's large contractors and dedicated private investment funds.

Together with Member States and the European Commission, the EIB Group is expanding its Defence Equity Facility, a pioneering fund of funds nurturing the development of a venture capital system that invests in pioneering firms across the security and defence supply chain.

Global Partnerships

Outside the EU, the EIB Group continues to consolidate its role as a key implementation partner for Europe's external policy priorities.

Ukraine remains the top priority. In 2025, the EIB committed a record amount to Ukraine for projects and initiatives that reinforce the country's resilience, supporting essential services and the functioning of the economy. This places the EIB as the leading European financial institution in terms of loans disbursed for investment projects in Ukraine.

This is complemented by strong support for candidate countries' progress on their EU accession paths as well as continued engagement in the EU neighbourhood and priority partner countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia under the Global Gateway and Team Europe frameworks.

In 2027, the EIB Group will chair the heads of multilateral development banks, supporting a rules-based order and global financial stability.

Board of Governors and Audit Committee appointments

The EIB Board of Governors also welcomed new Chairs of two statutory bodies.

Danish Minister for Taxation and Economic Growth Jakob Engel-Schmidt is assuming the Chair of the Board of Governors for a one-year term and said: "The EIB Group plays a central role in financing a competitive and resilient Europe. As Chair, I will support its efforts to scale up investment in the clean transition, security and innovation, delivering results for citizens and businesses across the EU."

He succeeds Czech Finance Minister Alena Schillerová, who said: "Over the past year, the EIB Group has demonstrated its ability to deliver in a challenging global economic and security environment. I am confident it will continue to build on this strong momentum."

On the EIB Audit Committee, Tereza Rogić Lugarić is taking over from Katja Pluto as the new Chair. In addition, the Committee presented its annual report.

Statements around the EIB Board of Governors will be available on EBS.

Read President Calviño's speech here.

Background information

EIB Group

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investments union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe's markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees, securitisation and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

In 2023, the EIF together with six Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands) launched the European Tech Champions Initiative, a fund-of-funds to scale up innovative startups. To date, this initiative has already enabled the creation of 15 European venture capital mega-funds and scaled up 45 companies, including 12 unicorns (with more than €1 billion in capital).

Photos of the EIB Group's representatives and headquarters, logo files and video B-roll for media use are available here.