- A EUR 50 million loan to finance the research and development activities of the Breton group in the field of animal and plant nutrition
- The centres of Saint-Malo and Dinard are at heart of this investment project
- This is the first EIB loan under the Agriculture and Bioeconomy Programme Loan launched by the Bank on a European level and backed by the Juncker Plan
A Breton company is the first beneficiary of the new financing programme provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the agriculture and bioeconomy sector. The Bank has granted a EUR 50 million loan to the Roullier Group, which specialises in plant and animal nutrition, to finance its research and development programme aimed at improving its product portfolio, exploring new areas of application tailored to the nutrition requirements of plants and animals, and adapting production facilities.
During their meeting today at the Roullier Group’s headquarters in Saint-Malo, Chairman of the Breton group’s management board Sébastien Chauffaut and EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, responsible for EIB operations in France, welcomed the signing of the finance agreement. The choice of location is also explained by the fact that the research activities covered by the agreement will be carried out mainly in the Roullier Global Innovation Centre (Centre Mondial de l’Innovation Roullier – CMI) based in Saint-Malo and the Centre for Studies and Applied Research (Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche Appliquées – CERA) based in Dinard.
"The EIB, and through it the EU, is pleased to be able to support a group like Roullier with the development of its innovation strategy and to help it develop environmentally-friendly animal and plant nutrition," commented EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “With this operation, financed thanks to the Juncker Plan, under which France is one of the main beneficiaries, the EIB is showcasing the pioneering role played by France in the European financing of the bioeconomy".
“We are proud to be the first company to benefit from this EIB financing facility; this is genuine recognition of our investment in innovation for nearly 60 years", stated Chairman of the Roullier Group’s management board Sébastien Chauffaut. "This funding will enable us to implement and accelerate our research projects for new innovative products and processes, always with a view to promoting sustainable agriculture.”
European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan said: “Having announced the new EUR 1 billion agriculture and bioeconomy loan programme under the Juncker plan with the EIB in April, I am delighted that we have already signed the first concrete agreement for the agricultural sector in France. Facilitating access to funding for the Roullier Group's research and development activities is an example of how the EU can play an important role in supporting Europe's rural economy.”
Supporting information:
This financing operation is part of the new Agriculture and Bioeconomy Programme Loan, launched by the Bank in April 2018 to assist private cooperatives and companies in Europe. This programme with EUR 400 million of EIB financing is expected to unlock EUR 1 billion throughout Europe. It was made possible by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), which is a central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe, implemented by the European Commission at the instigation of President Juncker. Under the plan’s new rules which came into force at the beginning of 2018, EFSI’s area of application was expanded to include sustainable agriculture and the bioeconomy in general. This includes complete food production and processing value chains, materials and energy using renewable on-shore and off-shore biological resources.
For additional information, please consult:
http://www.eib.org/infocentre/publications/all/agriculture-and-bioeconomy-programme-loan.htm
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