New funding will support sustainable infrastructure, green economy, digitalisation, SMEs, innovation and research
By Volker Ahlemeyer
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) are scaling up investment in sustainable infrastructure, the green economy, digitalisation, SMEs, innovation and research across the EU economies where the Bank operates.
At the EBRD 2026 Annual Meeting and Business Forum in Riga, the two partner institutions announced their plans to top up InvestEU guarantees by up to €478.4 million((US$551.8million), alongside €11.4 million for InvestEU advisory activities. This announcement follows the adoption of the “Omnibus II” regulation by the European Parliament and Council in December 2025, which reinforced the Union’s flagship investment initiative.
The funds will allow the Bank to finance higher-risk projects that would otherwise struggle to attract commercial funding. Furthermore, advisory activities will help prepare and deliver eligible investments, including through technical and legal support.
The EBRD is one of the largest InvestEU partners. The Bank has already deployed over €470 million of InvestEU guarantees, supporting projects with a combined value of more than €5 billion, with strong coverage in sectors such as energy, transport, municipal infrastructure, real estate, natural resources, manufacturing and agribusiness across the EU countries where it operates.
President of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso said: “We are delighted to further expand our cooperation with the European Union – a key partner and donor – in our EU countries of operation, especially as we meet in Riga for our Annual Meeting. This is yet another very concrete example of our fruitful partnership, which mobilises investment in innovative ways and helps businesses to access vital finance.”
European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, and Implementation and Simplification, Valdis Dombrovskis said: “Today’s agreement with the EBRD is a concrete example of how the European Union can use its budget more effectively to unlock investment in our strategic priorities. By reinforcing EBRD with up to €478.4 million in additional guarantees and €11.4 million in advisory support, we will help finance higher-risk projects in sustainable infrastructure, the green economy, digitalisation, innovation, research and support for SMEs across the EU economies where the EBRD operates. This is also a testament to our ever-growing cooperation with the Bank. This also shows the value of our simplification agenda: following the reforms facilitated by our Omnibus package on investments, InvestEU is becoming more efficient, flexible, and easier to use, while continuing to deliver on Europe’s long-term competitiveness, resilience and clean transition.”
