European Investment Bank and EIF Expand Support for Croatian Economy with Major Investments in SMEs, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development

European Investment Bank and EIF Expand Support for Croatian Economy with Major Investments in SMEs, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank Group provided €547 million in financing to Croatia in 2025 to support business growth, innovation, green transition projects and infrastructure development. The funding included €325 million from the EIB and €211 million from the European Investment Fund, with additional support coming from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. More than half of the financing targeted SMEs, Mid-Caps and public entities working on digital and sustainability initiatives. Key projects included urban development in Split, loans to Croatian financial institutions supporting business investment and guarantees helping companies reduce their carbon footprint. The EIF also strengthened Croatia’s startup ecosystem through venture capital investments and financing programmes. Alongside financial investments, the EIB Group provided advisory support for housing development and urban planning in several Croatian cities. Over the past five years, total EIB Group financing in Croatia has reached €3.2 billion, reinforcing the institution’s role in supporting economic growth, infrastructure development and innovation across the country.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 12-Mar-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) significantly expanded its financial support for Croatia in 2025, providing a total of €547 million to support economic development, business innovation, green transition projects and infrastructure upgrades. The financing reflects continued cooperation between European institutions and Croatian public and private sector partners to strengthen the country’s economy and support sustainable growth.

The funding package included €325 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and €211 million from the European Investment Fund (EIF), the branch of the EIB Group focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the EIB directed €11 million from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) toward Croatia. The RRF is a major EU programme created to stimulate economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than half of the total financing was allocated to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Mid-Caps and public entities, enabling them to pursue green transition, digital transformation and innovation-driven projects. The initiatives are designed to strengthen the competitiveness of Croatian companies while contributing to broader European climate and technology goals.

Among the most significant projects supported during the year was a €22 million EIB loan dedicated to development initiatives in the city of Split, including improvements to social infrastructure and upgrades to the well-known Žnjan beach area. The EIB also supported Croatian financial institutions that provide financing to businesses, including a €150 million loan to the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and €50 million to Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ).

Another key initiative involved a €100 million guarantee provided to Erste & Steiermärkische Bank, aimed at helping SMEs, Mid-Caps and public organizations increase their competitiveness while reducing their carbon footprint through environmentally sustainable investments.

According to Teresa Czerwińska, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, Croatia demonstrates how close collaboration between European financial institutions and national partners can translate European priorities into tangible benefits for local communities. The projects supported during the year extend across regions ranging from Dalmatia to Slavonia, contributing to business growth, infrastructure improvements and new opportunities for citizens and enterprises.

Over the past five years, the EIB Group has provided €3.2 billion in financing in Croatia, highlighting the depth of the partnership. The €547 million invested in 2025 represented roughly 0.5% of the country’s gross domestic product, underlining the scale of the Group’s contribution to the Croatian economy.

Tomislav Ćorić, Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, emphasized that the EIB remains one of the country’s most important financial partners in advancing projects related to innovation, sustainability and infrastructure development. The investments, he noted, support business expansion, help accelerate the green transition and improve public services and infrastructure across the country.

In the area of sustainable transport, the EIB also supported the development of electric vehicle infrastructure. A €35 million loan was provided to Eleport, an electric vehicle charging network operator expanding across several Central and Eastern European countries. Approximately €3 million of this financing was allocated specifically for the installation of EV charging stations in Croatia.

EIF initiatives supporting Croatian enterprises

During 2025, the European Investment Fund expanded its activity in Croatia by providing guarantees to financial intermediaries and investing in venture capital and growth funds. These initiatives are designed to strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem and increase access to financing for innovative businesses.

One notable example is the EIF’s role as anchor investor in NVision Ventures, a Croatian venture capital fund. NVision Ventures is part of the Croatian Venture Capital Initiative 2 (CVCi2), a programme aimed at strengthening the country’s startup and innovation ecosystem. As the third fund created under CVCi2, NVision Ventures helps expand funding opportunities for early-stage startups and companies seeking to scale their operations.

The EIF also reinforced support for Croatian companies by backing the country’s participation in the Three Seas Initiative Innovation Fund, a regional investment initiative in which Croatia participates through HBOR. Croatian SMEs and Mid-Caps benefit from this participation by gaining access to financing from PCP SEE Fund II, which also receives EIF support.

In addition, the EIF channelled more than €138 million through established Croatian financial intermediaries to expand funding opportunities for businesses undertaking innovation, energy efficiency and green transition projects. This included €85 million for Zagrebačka banka, €33.4 million for Erste Bank, and €20 million for Hrvatska Poštanska Banka (HPB).

Another investment involved the Invera Private Equity Fund II, which provides equity financing to support Croatian companies seeking to grow, consolidate their operations and expand internationally. These initiatives highlight the EIF’s role in strengthening Croatia’s private sector by providing risk capital and financing tools for SMEs.

Advisory support for housing and urban development

Beyond financial investments, the EIB Group also delivered advisory services across Croatia during 2025. These services focused particularly on supporting urban development and housing projects in major cities including Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Osijek and Varaždin.

The advisory support aims to help these cities develop modern social and affordable housing solutions, particularly for young families, young professionals and vulnerable or low-income residents.

The EIB also worked with HBOR to strengthen its capacity to assist smaller and mid-sized Croatian cities in long-term urban planning and development strategies.

Additional advisory activities focused on key sectors such as clean transport infrastructure, waste management, sustainable finance and fintech, helping Croatia advance its environmental and technological transition while supporting long-term economic growth.

Background information

EIB Group 

The European Investment Bank (ElB) 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 of new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects in 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 avings and investment union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructures, 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 and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium size businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilizes private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

In 2023, the EIF together with six member states (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands) launched the European Tech Champions Initiative, a fund of funds to scale-up innovative startups. This initiative has already enabled the creation of 13 European venture capital mega-funds and scaled up 38 companies, including 11 unicorns (with more than €1 billion in capital).

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SOURCE: European Investment Bank