On Friday 26 June 2015, on the occasion of the 11th Congress of French Regions held in Rouen, Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, and Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, President of the Haute Normandie Region, signed a EUR 50 million loan for financing 12 schemes to build, restructure or refurbish state secondary schools in Upper Normandy.
In the belief that creating the optimum study environment is the best means of integrating young people into society and ensuring their success, the European Union's bank is supporting the Haute-Normandie Region's school construction and refurbishment programme. Facilities in 11 of the region's state schools will be upgraded to make both educational and environmental improvements. The refurbished buildings will meet stringent energy efficiency and sustainable development standards and provide students with the best learning conditions in renovated schools with quality teaching facilities. Particular attention will be paid to reducing energy bills.
"This project is important for the young people of Normandy. It will provide them with appropriate quality training that will ultimately improve their chances of success and give them a start in their professions. This is how the European Union's bank works in the heart of the regions: above all by helping young people succeed and boosting growth and competitiveness!", said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle.
"The Haute-Normandie Region is investing massively in the secondary schools for which it is responsible in order to provide students, technical staff and teachers with the best environment" said Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol. "This loan agreement will enable us to meet the medium-term financing needs of our secondary schools while paying constant attention to the careful use of taxpayer's money.”
Thanks to its top AAA credit rating, the EIB is able to provide the Haute-Normandie Region with a long-term loan on attractive financial terms that will enable it to optimise the overall finance plan for its investment programme. And this financing operation also chimes with the EIB's support for projects bringing growth and employment, to which it dedicated nearly EUR 7.5 billion of new investment in 2014. This mobilisation of resources is continuing in 2015, especially under the Investment Plan for Europe designed to stimulate growth, boost employment and restore confidence in Europe's economy.
Photographer: EIB ©To be defined
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