The EIB in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

Overview

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the EU’s third-largest trading partner, consists of four members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

We have been active in the EFTA countries since the 70s, mainly supporting technology, renewable energy and green transport projects that reduce the carbon footprint. For example, In Norway, we financed the NordLink interconnector for a more climate friendly and integrated energy system; in Iceland, among others, we invested in a new geothermal power station and in Switzerland, we invested in world leading research infrastructures such as the large hadron collider.

Country overview

Find an overview of our impact by country. Additional country pages will follow.

Our stories in the region

We support projects that improve lives all over the world. Watch our videos and read our stories on how our work improves the quality of life in the region.

2 August 2024

A digital companion for abuse survivors

Start-up creates chatbot to empower people to act and help eliminate global social injustices like domestic violence

Technology Switzerland United Kingdom EFTA countries European Union United Kingdom Research, innovation and technology
18 January 2024

Smart rolling

Company develops a smart wheelchair system which users control with head gestures giving those with severe muscle diseases more mobility and independence

Mobility United States Austria Germany Finland The Netherlands Switzerland France EFTA countries European Union Research, innovation and technology Transport
19 January 2023

Untangling the polycrisis

As the World Economic Forum in Davos focuses on the ‘polycrisis’, the solution is to see this as a time of ‘polyopportunity’ for investment

Management committee Ukraine Switzerland EFTA countries Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus Climate action and environment Institutional Economics
16 November 2022

The answer is green

While we all know that energy efficiency and renewable energy are the keys to fighting climate change in the long term, they are also a vital part of the solution to the current energy crisis.

Energy efficiency Norway Sweden Iceland Finland Denmark EFTA countries European Union Climate action and environment Energy
30 September 2021

Groceries without the waste

Czech company’s food recycling app and smart cups let stores dispense products to customers without using packaging

Technology Austria Switzerland Czechia EFTA countries European Union Research, innovation and technology SMEs Digital and telecoms
6 January 2021

A rolling steam factory for safer farming

Company dusts off organic farming technology from the 1800s to improve yields

United States Norway EFTA countries Research, innovation and technology Agriculture SMEs
29 November 2019

Climate solutions: Road to Utopia

With better urban transport carbon emissions will drop and our air will be healthier. Here’s how we can head further down the road to the cities — and the climate — of the future.

Infrastructure Norway The Netherlands EFTA countries European Union Climate Infrastructure Transport Climate action and environment
10 November 2017

3 ways volcanos help cool the planet

Iceland uses its volcanos to produce energy and fight climate change

Climate change Climate Renewable energy Infographic Green bonds Iceland EFTA countries Climate Climate action and environment Energy Capital markets
24 March 2017

Big science: a decade of innovation

In the first decade of the new millennium, the large hadron collider took European innovation into a new dimension

InnovFin Science History in 6 projects Switzerland EFTA countries Innovation Research, innovation and technology Institutional
12 November 2024

Climate action must rise above politics

This year’s many elections, not least the heated US presidential race, have drawn attention away from the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku. But global leaders must continue to focus on combating the climate crisis and accelerating the green transition both in developed and developing economies.

Interviews COP29 Partners Climate Climate action Management committee United Nations Nadia Calviño Sustainability Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Cuba Kyrgyzstan Zambia Vietnam Solomon Islands Vanuatu Brazil Papua New Guinea Maldives South Sandwich Islands Costa Rica Slovakia St. Maarten Faeroe Islands Dominican Republic Wallis and Futuna Islands Trinidad and Tobago Iran (Islamic Republic of) Tonga Nigeria Paraguay Yemen Cayman Islands Madagascar Iraq Gabon Suriname Taiwan Italy Ethiopia United States Malawi Belarus Croatia Norway Turks and Caicos Islands Saint Kitts and Nevis Qatar Argentina Samoa Afghanistan San Marino Azerbaijan Austria Aruba Gibraltar Benin Spain Panama Romania New Caledonia Ecuador Ireland Guinea-Bissau New Zealand Côte d'Ivoire Tajikistan Somalia Germany Sweden Antigua and Barbuda Mongolia Montenegro Japan Slovenia Lithuania Pakistan Nauru São Tomé e Principe Bahamas Congo Palau Israel Lao People's Democratic Rep. Bulgaria Iceland Ukraine Peru Botswana Liberia Senegal Albania Malta Malaysia India Sri Lanka Cape Verde Jordan Finland Regional - Pacific Burundi Georgia Cambodia Burkina Faso Comoros Bermuda Canada China Ghana Seychelles Eritrea Andorra Korea, Republic of Timor-Leste Macau Guatemala Niger British Indian Ocean Territory Türkiye Nicaragua Myanmar Mozambique Russia Angola Chile Togo Armenia Cameroon Barbados Sudan Channel Islands Tunisia Kuwait Dominica Brunei Darussalam North Macedonia Uruguay Bangladesh Saint Lucia Bahrain St. Helena Lebanon Pitcairn Guinea Belgium Morocco Libyan Arab Jamahiriya El Salvador Hungary Jamaica Egypt Greece The Gambia Virgin Islands (British) Holy See (Vatican City State) The Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte Venezuela Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Denmark Honduras Bhutan Australia Luxembourg Liechtenstein Fiji Cyprus Virgin Islands, U.S. The Netherlands South Africa Curaçao Cook Islands Equatorial Guinea Greenland Anguilla Mauritania Saint Vincent and Grenadines Mauritius Portugal Korea, Democrat. People's Rep. St. Pierre and Miquelon Syrian Arab Republic Sierra Leone Kiribati Haiti Poland Mexico Palestine* Indonesia Nepal Switzerland France Zimbabwe Serbia Isle of Man Algeria Micronesia Kazakhstan Montserrat Singapore Puerto Rico Djibouti Latvia Bolivia Moldova Falkland Islands Chad Kenya Lesotho Grenada Tuvalu Congo (Democratic Republic) Thailand Mali Monaco Uganda United Kingdom Philippines Netherlands Antilles Tanzania Rwanda Czechia French Polynesia Saudi Arabia Oman Bosnia and Herzegovina Kosovo* Kingdom of Eswatini Colombia Guyana United Arab Emirates Namibia Belize Estonia Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries + OCT EFTA countries Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus Mediterranean countries America Carribean Sub Saharan Africa Enlargement Countries South Africa European Union United Kingdom Asia and Latin America Climate action and environment Institutional Corporate