Romania: Investment Plan for Europe: European Investment Advisory Hub to provide advisory services to support the development of key projects in the health sector

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed an Advisory Services Agreement worth EUR 1.5m with the Ministry of Health of Romania to facilitate project preparation for the construction of three regional hospitals in Iasi, Cluj-Napoca and Craiova.

The construction of the proposed new hospitals is included in the Romanian Health Strategy and Regional Operational Programme for the period 2014 – 2020. They form part of a strategic network of eight regional hospitals providing comprehensive national coverage with integrated medical services and high quality care for patients who require prompt intervention and are in a critical condition.

“EIB experts will advise Romania on how to improve medical services in the country. We are interested in helping to provide state-of-the-art facilities, the kind of healthcare that citizens in a 21^st century EU deserve,” said EIB Vice President Vazil Hudák, responsible for Advisory Services, adding that Romania will benefit from the assistance of the European Investment Advisory Hub, part of the Investment Plan for Europe launched in 2014.

European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said: “We are committed to ensuring that the Investment Plan benefits all 28 Member States. Today’s agreement between the Advisory Hub and the Romanian government will provide the local, targeted technical assistance needed to prepare for the construction of three new hospitals in Romania. This is a concrete example of the objective of enhancing geographical coverage of the Investment Plan in the future, particularly in cohesion countries.”

“The success of any investment project depends directly on the way we prepare it. The European Investment Bank through the European Investment Advisory Hub is the partner we need to properly prepare the most important three investment projects in the Romanian healthcare sector: the regional hospitals in Cluj, Iasi and Craiova. Targeted technical expertise, offered through the Hub with the financial support of the European Commission will tremendously contribute to removing obstacles in the development of essential infrastructure, and the successful deployment of the Investment Plan for Europe at Europe's eastern borders." said Vlad Voiculescu, the Romanian Minister of Health.

No new major hospitals have been built in Romania in the past 35 years. The three planned new facilities will be strategically located to cover a large catchment area.

The European Investment Advisory Hub is a joint initiative by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank under the Investment Plan for Europe.

The Hub provides access to a number of advisory and technical assistance programmes and initiatives, also through its network of partner institutions. Project promoters, public authorities and private companies can receive technical support to help get their projects off the ground, make them investment-ready, gain advice on suitable funding sources, and access a unique range of technical and financial expertise.

In order to enhance the Investment Plan, the Commission has proposed to strengthen local provision of support through the Advisory Hub and to provide targeted local assistance across the EU.