©Mercedes Landete/EIB

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Bankinter are expanding their partnership to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access credit. To this end, the EU bank granted a EUR 300m loan to Bankinter, which will itself provide a further EUR 300m to this credit line to bring the total financing available to SMEs to EUR 600m. The EIB's support means that this financing will enable companies to benefit from more favourable maturity and interest rate conditions to develop their projects.

The contract was signed in Madrid by EIB Vice-President Román Escolano and Bankinter's CEO, Maria Dolores Dancausa. This loan is the fifth of its kind agreed by the two institutions, and is specifically aimed at financing the innovation and equipment modernisation investments of SMEs in the industrial and commerce sectors.

The last contract between the EIB and Bankinter was signed in 2016 and made it possible to finance 1 500 companies primarily in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail commerce, and motor vehicle sectors. Most of the businesses that applied for a loan under Bankinter's previous EIB credit line are in the Valencia Region, Catalonia, Andalusia, Castilla y León and the Basque Country, with the average loan granted standing at EUR 200 000.

To be eligible for the EIB and Bankinter finance plan, investment project costs must be under EUR 12.5m for small businesses and under EUR 25m for midcaps (up to 3 000 employees).

At the signing ceremony in Madrid, EIB Vice-President Román Escolano said: “The contract signed shows the EIB's determination to ensure that the advantages of our financing benefit not only large projects and infrastructure, but also small and medium-sized enterprises, which are vital for creating wealth and jobs for the Spanish economy. The EIB is working to guarantee that SMEs have the financing they need to invest in innovation, thereby securing their competitiveness.”

Bankinter's CEO said: “With this new contract, we aim to highlight our bank's commitment to the economic development of small and medium-sized enterprises. Businesses are at the heart of Bankinter's strategic approach, providing 30% of our gross margin. This is why we are working to finance their commercial projects with the best conditions on the market as well as to provide them with the most innovative management tools available.”