Vice-President Costa drew attention to the large volume of loans that the EIB has provided for investment in Catalonia - EUR 12.2 billion since 1986, representing more than 13% of the EIB's total financing in Spain. He also pointed to the large number of new operations in different sectors and areas of the region now in the Bank's pipeline. Both the lending figures and the number of projects under appraisal are a clear indication of the Catalonia region's acknowledged dynamism.
The following loans were signed today:
- EUR 150 million in two credit lines for Institut Català de Finances (ICF) for financing the small and medium-scale projects of SMEs and public authorities and larger-scale industrial projects in the R&D, energy and environment sectors.
- EUR 200 million for Infraestructures Ferroviàries de Catalunya (IFERCAT) for financing the construction of line 9 of the Barcelona metro, a project which has already attracted previous loans totalling EUR 1.6 billion.
- Two loans for financing investments carried out by Gestió d'Infraestructures SA (GISA): EUR 35 million for small-scale public transport projects in the Barcelona metropolitan area; and EUR 110 million for four roads projects in the Catalonia region.
The Generalitat de Catalunya is the borrower for the GISA loans and is guaranteeing the other three ICF and IFERCAT loans.
The EIB closed its two-day annual forum in Barcelona today, at which some 600 participants discussed the subject "Connecting Europe: financing mobility and sustainable cities".
The European Investment Bank is the EU's long-term financing institution promoting European objectives. Founded in 1957, it operates in the 27 EU Member States and more than 130 other countries worldwide.