EIB and BRED Banque Populaire Join Forces to Unlock €800 Million in Financing for SMEs and Sustainable Growth in France’s Overseas Territories

EIB and BRED Banque Populaire Join Forces to Unlock €800 Million in Financing for SMEs and Sustainable Growth in France’s Overseas Territories

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank and BRED Banque Populaire have launched their first joint financing program to support SMEs and mid-cap companies in France’s overseas territories, mobilizing a total of €800 million. Backed by an EIB loan of €400 million, the initiative will boost access to credit, support Mayotte’s economic recovery, and fund sustainable projects across the territories. At least 20% of the funding will go to environmentally positive investments, reinforcing shared commitments to climate resilience and green transition.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 13-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) and BRED Banque Populaire have signed a landmark financing agreement aimed at mobilizing €800 million to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-cap companies in France’s overseas territories. This initiative, underpinned by an EIB loan of €400 million — with an initial tranche of €100 million already disbursed — marks the first collaboration between the two institutions dedicated to strengthening economic resilience and sustainability across the French overseas regions.

The agreement’s goals include facilitating access to credit for overseas businesses, stimulating local employment, and promoting sustainable growth through projects that advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate adaptation. A minimum of 20% of the total financing will be directed toward projects with a measurable environmental impact, reinforcing the EIB’s and BRED’s shared commitment to climate action and territorial resilience.

A key focus of this partnership is accelerating the economic recovery of Mayotte, one of the regions most affected by recent economic challenges, by financing infrastructure reconstruction and providing capital to local enterprises. The broader initiative will also empower businesses across all overseas territories to invest in innovation, productivity, and environmental transformation.

Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, commented: “The EIB and BRED Banque Populaire are long-standing partners, and today we are proud to extend our collaboration to the overseas territories. This partnership not only strengthens access to finance for local businesses but also places a strong emphasis on climate action — supporting projects in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and adaptation to climate change.”

Echoing this commitment, Jean-Paul Julia, Chief Executive Officer of BRED Banque Populaire, added: “We are particularly proud to sign this first agreement with the EIB dedicated to overseas development. It reflects our ambition to actively contribute to the growth and sustainability of overseas economies, empowering companies that are shaping the future of these territories.”

By combining the EIB’s development financing expertise with BRED’s deep regional presence, the partnership aims to foster inclusive economic growth, boost investment capacity among local businesses, and strengthen the long-term resilience of overseas territories in line with Europe’s sustainable development objectives.

Background information

About the European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The EIB finances investments in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world and Europe’s 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. In France, the EIB Group signed more than 100 agreements in 2024, totalling €12.6 billion. Almost 60% of annual EIB Group financing supports projects that contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and a healthier environment.

About BRED Banque Populaire

BRED Banque Populaire is a cooperative popular bank, a member of the BPCE Group, with more than 200,000 cooperative shareholders, €7.1 billion in equity, and 7,300 employees – 40% of whom are outside France and in the overseas territories. It operates in Île-de-France, Normandy, and the overseas territories, as well as through its commercial banking subsidiaries in Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Africa, and Switzerland. A locally committed bank, it deploys a network of 481 branches in France and internationally. It maintains long-term relationships with 1.6 million clients. BRED Banque Populaire brings together diversified activities – retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, private banking, international banking, trading room, asset management company, insurance company, and international trade finance bank. In 2024, BRED Banque Populaire achieved consolidated net banking income of €1.47 billion and net income of €391 million.

Media contact:
Andrea Morawski
a.morawski@eib.org
+352 4379 – 83427

Press Office
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SOURCE: European Investment Bank