EIB Signs First €50 Million Tranche With CrediaBank to Boost Greek Security and Defence Investment

EIB Signs First €50 Million Tranche With CrediaBank to Boost Greek Security and Defence Investment

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank and CrediaBank have launched a new financing partnership to support investment in Greece’s security and defence ecosystem. The agreement is part of a €100 million approval, with the EIB signing an initial €50 million tranche. The financing will be channelled through CrediaBank to Greek SMEs and mid-cap companies, especially those active in or investing in the security and defence sector. With expected leverage, the operation could mobilise up to €200 million for eligible businesses. CrediaBank becomes the first non-systemic bank in Europe and the second bank in Greece to join the EIB’s dedicated Security & Defence programme. Greece also becomes the first country with multiple financial intermediaries under the programme. The partnership also expands into leasing finance and may support companies promoting youth employment under the EIB’s Jobs for Youth initiative.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 20-Jul-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank and CrediaBank have signed a new financing agreement aimed at strengthening investment in Greece’s security and defence ecosystem.

The agreement forms part of a wider €100 million approval for financing with CrediaBank. The EIB has signed an initial €50 million tranche, marking the first operation between the two institutions.

With expected leverage, the financing is projected to mobilise up to €200 million for targeted final beneficiaries.

CrediaBank becomes the first non-systemic bank in Europe and the second bank in Greece to join the EIB’s dedicated Security & Defence programme. Greece also becomes the first country with more than one financial intermediary participating in the programme.

The financing will be channelled through CrediaBank to small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-cap companies across Greece, with a particular focus on businesses active in, or investing in, the security and defence sector under the EIB’s eligibility criteria.

The operation is designed to improve access to long-term finance for productive investment and working capital. It aims to help Greek businesses strengthen competitiveness, innovation capacity and resilience, while supporting strategic investment and sustainable economic development across the country.

The EIB said SMEs and mid-cap companies operating in the security and defence ecosystem often face structural barriers to accessing finance. These can include sector-specific characteristics, dual-use activities and a limited availability of dedicated financial products.

By improving financing conditions, the agreement is expected to support investment and working capital needs among eligible companies. It is also intended to strengthen market confidence and encourage additional investment in a sector that is increasingly important for Europe’s security, technological leadership and industrial resilience.

The agreement expands the EIB’s Pan-European Security & Defence Lending Envelope in Greece. Through this programme, the Bank supports investment and working capital for SMEs and mid-cap companies operating across European security and defence supply chains.

With CrediaBank joining the initiative, the EIB’s network of participating financial institutions continues to grow, following similar operations in Germany, France and Spain.

The partnership also opens cooperation between the EIB and CrediaBank in leasing finance, enabling businesses to access a wider range of financing solutions for equipment and other productive investments.

Part of the financing may also support companies promoting youth employment under the EIB’s Jobs for Youth initiative, reflecting the Bank’s broader commitment to quality employment opportunities for young people and sustainable economic growth.

Yannis Tsakiris, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, said Greece is playing an increasingly important role in strengthening Europe’s security and defence industrial ecosystem.

“Our partnership with CrediaBank expands the reach of the EIB’s dedicated financing programme, helping innovative Greek businesses invest, grow and contribute to Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy,” said Tsakiris.

Eleni Vrettou, Chief Executive Officer of CrediaBank, said the agreement reflects the bank’s focus on supporting investment that strengthens the resilience and long-term competitiveness of the Greek economy.

“By expanding financing opportunities for SMEs and mid-cap companies active in the security and defence ecosystem, we are helping unlock investment in innovation, advanced technologies and productive growth,” said Vrettou.

She added that CrediaBank is committed to directing capital toward areas that create lasting value for businesses, the economy and society, while contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy and industrial resilience.

About the EIB Group   

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investments union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees, securitisation and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

With the support of all 27 EU governments, the EIF has joined forces with institutional investors in a pan-European alliance to mobilise up to €80 billion for investment into innovative companies scaling up to become global leaders. The joint effort will expand the size and scope of the highly successful European Tech Champions Initiative, which has helped create 15 European mega-funds and scale 45 companies, including 12 unicorns, since being established three years ago.

About CrediaBank 

CrediaBank was formed through the merger of Attica Bank and the former Pancreta Bank and is the fifth-largest bank in Greece in terms of assets. It is a modern banking institution with a network of 65 branches and 5 business centers throughout Greece, serving approximately 350,000 individuals and businesses with a broad portfolio of deposit, investment, and insurance products, mutual funds, loans, and securities trading services. Customer service is a priority for CrediaBank, which is why it is the only bank that welcomes customers with or without an appointment, with cashiers open all day and extended operating hours through CrediaConnect service. CrediaBank operates as a credit institution supervised by the Bank of Greece, strictly adhering to the European and national regulatory framework governing the operation of banks.

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Zitouniati
e.zitouniati@ext.eib.org
+352 4379 – 71692

Press Office

+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank