EIB Global and Erste Bank Serbia Join Forces to Boost Inclusive Growth and Employment Opportunities

EIB Global and Erste Bank Serbia Join Forces to Boost Inclusive Growth and Employment Opportunities

(IN BRIEF) EIB Global has signed a €10 million loan and a €1.3 million grant with Erste Bank Serbia to support small businesses and promote inclusive employment opportunities across the country. The initiative uses an innovative impact-based financing model, rewarding companies that commit to gender equality, youth employment, and career development for underrepresented groups. Backed by the EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative, the project combines financial incentives and technical support to strengthen social inclusion, SME competitiveness, and Serbia’s economic resilience.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 4-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) Global has strengthened its commitment to inclusive economic development in Serbia with the signing of a €10 million loan and a €1.3 million grant agreement with Erste Bank a.d. Novi Sad. The collaboration aims to expand access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-cap companies while promoting fair employment opportunities and sustainable social growth across the country.

The agreements, signed in Belgrade, feature an innovative impact incentive structure designed to encourage businesses to create permanent jobs, offer career development paths, and advance leadership roles for women, young people, and persons with disabilities. Companies meeting these social inclusion targets will be eligible for financial rewards through the grant, which is funded by the EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI).

Beyond financial support, EIB Global will also provide technical assistance to help Serbian enterprises integrate socially responsible practices into their operations. This will include guidance on implementing measurable inclusion strategies that ensure long-term positive effects on communities and the labour market.

“This new partnership with Erste Bank demonstrates our shared and growing commitment to social inclusion,” said EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot, responsible for operations in the Western Balkans. “By linking incentive grants to clear, measurable goals, we are encouraging gender equality, youth employment, and entrepreneurial growth. These initiatives help SMEs become more competitive while building a more resilient and inclusive economy.”

Jasna Terzić, CEO of Erste Bank Serbia, echoed this sentiment, stating: “At Erste Bank, we believe that growth must be inclusive to be sustainable. This partnership with the European Investment Bank represents a significant step forward in helping companies that value social impact and equality. By supporting businesses that invest in people—particularly those who face challenges entering the workforce—we’re strengthening both human capital and the broader Serbian economy.”

This agreement marks EIB Global’s third impact incentive loan in the Western Balkans and continues its mission to combine financial innovation with social impact. The Bank’s pioneering approach to sustainable SME financing has already been recognised internationally, earning an Uxolo Award in 2023 for advancing projects that leave a long-term social footprint in the region.

Background information

About EIB Global

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 — around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

About Erste Bank Serbia

Erste Bank a.d. Novi Sad was created almost two decades ago by the acquisition of Novosadska banka, the oldest financial institution in the country, founded in 1864 as Novosadska štedionica. It is a member of Erste Group, a leading financial services company in Central and Eastern Europe. Erste Bank in Serbia has 88 branches, four commercial centres and over 1 350 employees serving almost half a million clients. The Bank focuses on doing business with individuals, local communities, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as large corporate clients. It is the market leader in the financing of renewable energy projects, in line with its strategic commitment to contribute to a sustainable future for its clients, employees and the community.

About the Economic Resilience Initiative Fund

The Economic Resilience Initiative Fund, which backs this grant, was established by the EIB in 2017 to channel donors’ resources to impactful projects in the Southern Neighbourhood and Western Balkans to help meet the challenges posed by forced displacement and migration. The fund donors are Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland and the United Kingdom.

About EIB Global in Serbia and the Western Balkans

The EIB has been active in Serbia since 1977, providing finance to support key infrastructure projects as well as SMEs, industry, services and local authorities. Since the start of its activities in the country, it has enabled over €7.8 billion of investment in SMEs and the revitalisation of transportation, education, healthcare and utility infrastructure. The EIB is one of the leading international financiers in the Western Balkans.

Media contact:
Gordana Kovacevic
g.kovacevic@ext.eib.org
+352437970356

Press Office
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SOURCE: European Investment Bank