EIB Group Forum: President Calviño Unveils Bold Security and Innovation Investment Strategy

EIB Group Forum: President Calviño Unveils Bold Security and Innovation Investment Strategy

(IN BRIEF) The EIB Group Forum in Luxembourg gathered senior policymakers, business leaders, academics, and civil society representatives to discuss strategies for ensuring Europe’s prosperity, security, and global cooperation. President Nadia Calviño highlighted that every euro invested by the EIB Group strengthens collective security by supporting key sectors such as defence, energy grids, and green transition. She announced plans to expand the Group’s security and defence financing criteria and unveiled the flagship EIB Group Investment Report, which calls for enhanced EU market integration and increased investment in innovation. The event underscored the importance of a coordinated approach among institutions to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving global landscape.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 6-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The third edition of the EIB Group Forum, held in Luxembourg from March 5-7, has once again demonstrated its role as a vital meeting point for senior policymakers, business leaders, academics, and civil society representatives committed to fostering Europe’s prosperity, security, and global cooperation. At the opening ceremony, President Nadia Calviño emphasized that every euro invested by the EIB Group reinforces collective security by strengthening industries, defence, energy grids, green transition, social infrastructure, and global partnerships. She stressed, “In such turbulent times, it’s back to basics – we must safeguard security,” outlining that security encompasses freedom, peace, stability, and opportunities for growth.

Calviño announced that, following extensive market testing, the EIB is poised to propose an expansion of its security and defence financing criteria, aiming to more precisely define and limit excluded activities. This strategic move is intended to bolster the bank’s ability to meet financing needs while protecting its operational and financial integrity. She added that coordinated efforts among institutions will be crucial for providing targeted value, reflecting the EIB Group’s readiness to adapt in a rapidly changing global landscape.

In tandem with these initiatives, the Forum also saw the launch of the flagship EIB Group Investment Report, which calls for enhanced EU market integration, simplification, and further investment in innovation, echoing the latest European Commission initiatives. The EIB Group further intends to integrate its existing eight billion euros programme into a new, permanent public policy goal that spans across sectors.

For those interested in further details, President Calviño’s speech and the full Forum agenda are available online, along with a complete recording on EBS / Europe by Satellite.

Background information

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

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.

High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

Media Contacts:

Fabian Breuer
f.breuer@eib.org
+352 4379 – 82200

Shirin Wheeler
s.wheeler@eib.org
+32 474 242494

Monica Faro
m.faro@eib.org
+352 4379-71105

Nikos Chrysoloras
n.chrysoloras@eib.org
+352 4379-83078

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank