The EU bank

The EIB promotes the creation of the knowledge economy as a generator of economic growth, employment and social cohesion. It supports investment in Research & Development and innovation promoted by public and private entities such as:

• academic and public research institutes
• foundations
• national or regional initiatives to support R&D and innovation
• industrial R&D and innovation, including the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises

The EIB finances capital investments, including recurrent "intangible" expenditures like researchers' salaries and research consumables, acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights and technology licenses, aimed at:

• Developing EU research networks, platforms and programmes:

Collaborative actions initiated at European level, e.g. European R&D Infrastructures (ESFRI) or European Technology Platforms.

• Supporting new environmental technologies:

Reflecting the importance of energy efficiency and climate change in transport, manufacturing and process industries, power generation and renewables such as hydrogen, solar, wind and second-generation biofuels

• Increasing human resources in science and technology:

Investment initiatives to increase employment in science and technology areas. This also encompasses the development of poles, knowledge networks, or centres of excellence in R&D, in areas like new materials, life sciences, etc.

• Regional and local endowment for R&D and innovation:

Investments that support a region's innovation capacity, such as public and private research centres, science and technology parks, incubator centres and technopoles, research driven clusters, etc.

• Public and private sector investments in R&D and innovation:

The creation, diffusion and adoption of innovative products, processes and services, including prototypes, pilot plants and first stage industrial and commercial applications

The Bank proposes a variety of loan instruments to cater for the broad range of R&D investments. The EIB-European Commission Risk Sharing Finance Facility is particularly suitable for higher risk and reward research, development and innovation.