ABN AMRO has secured €250 million in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and intends to use these funds for loans and leases to Dutch businesses. ABN AMRO will match the EIB’s amount, making a total of €500 million in new loans being made available to the market. This is the fifth time that the EIB and ABN AMRO have partnered to create opportunities for Dutch businesses to raise finance at competitive interest rates.
The financing will be used for new investments that meet the EIB criteria. Thanks to this facility, ABN AMRO will be able to provide finance for sustainable investments and businesses, and businesses will have an incentive to contribute to the transition towards a sustainable society.
Fred Bos, ABN AMRO Bank’s Head of Commercial Clients, said:“We are delighted once again to be in a position to offer EIB financing to our clients.The EIB offers more favourable conditions and, in this way, helps to accelerate the transition to sustainability.”
The more favourable EIB financing can be obtained, subject to certain conditions, for up to a maximum of €12.5 million per investment project. The bank’s lending policy remains unchanged. Apart from the broader positive impact on the volume of credit available to Dutch SMEs, the added value of this EIB financing for the ultimate beneficiaries includes a direct discount on the headline interest rate.
“We have been partnering with ABN AMRO for many years to help ensure that Dutch small and medium-sized businesses have access to the finance they need,” said EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters. “These days, we consider it essential that investments meet sustainability requirements, but we also appreciate that the green transition does not make finance any easier, especially for small and medium businesses.This requires extra support and attention, and we are therefore pleased to be able to rely on our cooperation with local partners like ABN AMRO.”
The European Investment Bank is the lending arm of the 27 Member States of the European Union, including the Netherlands. Support for SMEs is a central theme of the EIB’s lending policy.
