EIB reports 2024 financing for Romanian economy, as Vice-President Tsakiris visits Bucharest

• Romania received €2.49 billion in EIB Group financing in 2024, which led to a total of €5.27 billion investment supported.
• EIB Group affirms strong commitment to Romania's sustainable energy and natural resources in 2024, with over €780 million in financing
• The EIB Group financed sustainable cities and regions in Romania with over €673 million, and small businesses with over €623 million
• Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris meets with Romanian officials and stakeholders to discuss further strategic investments.
• The first signatures in 2025 include financing railway lines and support for municipalities, including advisory services for bankable projects 

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, which comprises the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), supported climate action, infrastructure, energy transition, and small businesses, while also focusing on urban sustainability and innovation. The EIB Group reaffirmed its strong commitment to Romania in 2024, with new financing of €2.49 billion to foster the country’s sustainable economic development. This financing unlocked a total of around €5.27 billion in investments through the leveraging effect, equivalent to a 1.5 % of the country’s GDP. (The EIB Group usually finances only a portion of a project, crowding in additional investors. “Investment supported” refers to the total amount invested in projects that receive EIB Group financing.)

The Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, Ioannis Tsakiris, met Romania’s political leadership in finance, European funds and energy to discuss priorities for future financing and growth-enhancing investment goals. The discussions build on the eight strategic priorities, 2024 results and upcoming priorities.

In 2024, the EIB and EIF operations in Romania covered six core strategic priorities of the EIB Group: a modern cohesion policy (108 operations worth €2.062 billion), climate action and environmental sustainability (28 operations worth €968 million), digitalisation and technological innovation (13 operations worth €320 million), capital markets union (4 operations worth €115 million), agriculture and bioeconomy (one operation worth €49 million) and social infrastructure (one operation worth €25.2 million).

“Our investments in Romania are about and for the people: making homes more energy-efficient, industries more competitive and cities greener and better connected,” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. “From cutting-edge semiconductors to cleaner transport to stronger energy networks, and vital support businesses, universities, and infrastructure, the EIB Group is is shaping a more sustainable and competitive future. We remain committed to empowering communities, fostering job creation, and ensuring that Romania and Europe continue to lead in innovation and sustainable growth.”

The latest annual results bring EIB Group funding in Romania over the past five years to €9.3 billion (with an average financing in the past five years of €1.8 billion per year). Romania was a top beneficiary of EIB Group financing in 2023, with total financial commitments reaching a record high of €4.1 billion.

Romanian Minister of Finance Tánczos Barna said: "Romania acknowledges the excellent cooperation with the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund to accelerate investment in key sectors for sustainable growth. The financial and advisory support provided by the EIB Group help enhance Romania’s economic resilience and competitiveness. Moving forward, we will continue our strategic partnership to unlock new opportunities in the short, medium and long-term for the benefit of citizens, businesses and communities across the country."

Improved rail connectivity for Romanians

Two contracts worth €600 million were signed with the EIB, for the modernization of the Caransebes - Timisoara - Arad railway line and the electrification and rehabilitation of the Cluj Napoca - Oradea - Episcopia Bihor railway line. These investments in modernising the railway infrastructure reduce travel times, improve safety, lower transport costs and connect Romania’s regions and European markets. The 330 km of railway lines are part of the core trans-European transport network and are co-financed by Romania and EIB within the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Updated Bucharest’s infrastructure

The EIB has signed a €34 million loan with the Municipality of Bucharest to enhance district heating by replacing over 100 km of hot water pipelines. The project improves energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability, and energy losses. Further support was provided by EIB’s JASPERS programme (technical advice) to plan the district heating upgrades.

EIB Group 2024 activity in Romania

In total, the EIB has committed more than €21.17 billion in financing for 212 projects in Romania since the start of its operations in the country in 1991. More than two thirds of this historic financing went to the top five sectors: transport, credit lines, energy, health, and industry.

Highlights from last year’s results include over €780 million worth of agreements to support sustainable energy and natural resources, over €673 million for sustainable cities and regions in Romania, and €623 million to facilitate access to finance for Romanian SMEs and mid-caps, including in agriculture, as highlighted in her opening speech at the EIB Group Forum by President Nadia Calviño.

Romania got EIB’s support for the world’s first zero-emissions tyre factory with a loan of €150 million to Nokian Tyres in the city of Oradea. The EIB is supporting a swift and just transition to green energy, modernising grids to ensure Romania and Europe’s energy independence and interconnectivity. From new wind capacity, to smart and efficient electricity networks the EIB Group is making sure that Romania will be a leader in the green transition.

In 2024, EIB Advisory in Romania provided comprehensive support to public and private project promoters, aiding in the preparation, development, and implementation of EIB and EU investment projects. EIB services included financial and technical advice, as well as capacity building tailored to client needs. Key sectors supported included transport, higher education, health, climate action, water, waste, energy, and digitalisation. Notably, EIB assisted Antibiotice with growth opportunities for generic drugs and Electrica Group with financial modelling and capacity building. For the public sector, EIB focused on structuring university investment plans, supporting the creation of the National Promotional Bank, assessing market demand for just transition projects, and supporting major infrastructure projects in health, transport, environment, and energy.

A full breakdown of the EIB’s lending activity in Romania, including project examples and impact stories, can be found on the dedicated page of the Bank’s website.

In 2024, EIF committed to the country over €820 million in equity, guarantee and inclusive finance operations. EIF also continued to work together with the Government of Romania by launching the Innovation Romania programme targeting early-stage innovative companies via new technology transfer and equity funds. 

Background information  

EIB 

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.  

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.  

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.  

Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB's financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

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