European Investment Bank Group Strengthens Czech Economic Competitiveness with €1.93 Billion Investment Across Rail, Energy and SME Sectors

European Investment Bank Group Strengthens Czech Economic Competitiveness with €1.93 Billion Investment Across Rail, Energy and SME Sectors

(IN BRIEF) In 2025, the European Investment Bank Group provided €1.93 billion in financing to Czechia, supporting projects in transport, clean energy, SME financing and affordable housing. Nearly half of the funding was directed toward railway upgrades and the Prague Ring Road, enhancing safety, connectivity and sustainability. Significant investments were also made in electricity grid reinforcement through loans to ČEZ and ČEPS, enabling greater renewable energy integration. The EIB facilitated expanded access to finance for Mid-Caps via guarantees to UniCredit and supported SMEs and innovative companies through the European Investment Fund. Urban development in Brno and a landmark affordable housing initiative in Prague further strengthened regional growth. Advisory services complemented the financial support, assisting with rail PPP structuring, urban mobility planning and energy-efficiency programmes. Over five years, total EIB Group financing in Czechia has reached €9.32 billion, reinforcing the country’s green transition and economic resilience.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 13-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank Group delivered €1.93 billion in new financing in Czechia in 2025, channeling nearly CZK 47 billion into projects aimed at modernising transport, reinforcing clean energy systems, expanding access to finance for businesses and increasing the supply of affordable housing. The funding supported the country’s green transition while strengthening competitiveness and regional development.

Transport projects accounted for almost half of the total financing. The largest commitments included close to €680 million for railway upgrades along the core Trans-European Transport Network and approximately €205 million for a strategic section of the Prague Ring Road. These investments are intended to accelerate travel times, enhance safety and reduce environmental impact.

Additional major operations included around €500 million for electricity grid reinforcement, €200 million dedicated to Mid-Cap companies, €121 million for priority urban investments in Brno and up to €60 million to expand affordable housing capacity in Prague.

EIB Vice-President Marek Mora highlighted the importance of reliable infrastructure and modern energy systems as foundations for economic growth and quality of life, reaffirming the institution’s role as a long-term partner to both public and private stakeholders in the Czech Republic.

Over the past five years, total EIB Group financing in Czechia has reached €9.32 billion, averaging €1.86 billion annually. In 2025 alone, support corresponded to roughly 0.6% of the country’s GDP.

Rail and road development

Rail investments included a CZK 12 billion loan to the Czech government to enhance technological standards and design on cross-border routes connecting countries such as Austria and Poland. A separate loan exceeding €200 million supported upgrades and maintenance on regional and TEN-T rail lines, including the deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System and safety improvements at level crossings.

In the road sector, a €205 million loan helped co-finance a 12.6-kilometre segment of the Prague Ring Road located southeast of the capital. As part of the TEN-T network, the project aims to reduce congestion, optimise traffic flows and improve both domestic and international connectivity.

Strengthening the energy network

Within the energy sector, the EIB extended a €400 million loan to ČEZ to reinforce and digitalise electricity distribution grids, enabling the integration of up to 5.5 GW of renewable energy capacity.

An additional €100 million loan supported ČEPS in refurbishing and expanding more than 500 kilometres of high-voltage transmission lines. The investment is designed to enhance flexibility, increase cross-border capacity and facilitate the country’s shift toward a lower-carbon energy mix.

Financing for companies

To expand credit access for Mid-Cap businesses, the EIB issued a €200 million guarantee to a subsidiary of UniCredit SpA. This mechanism enables UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia to mobilise up to €400 million in favourable lending for growth-oriented companies.

The European Investment Fund, part of the EIB Group, supported €172 million in investments through equity commitments and portfolio guarantees. These measures reinforced the financing ecosystem for SMEs and innovative enterprises, including support under the InvestEU programme.

Urban development and housing

In Brno, the EIB approved a €121 million municipal framework loan under the Brno Urban Infrastructure Development programme, providing long-term, flexible financing to implement integrated urban strategies.

In Prague, the EIB partnered with Česká spořitelna on a housing initiative aimed at delivering over 700 affordable apartments across four city districts. The EIB provided up to €60 million in financing, covering nearly one-third of the total €187.5 million project cost.

Advisory support

Beyond direct financing, the EIB Group contributed advisory expertise. Through the InvestEU Advisory Hub, specialists supported the structuring and procurement of major rail projects as public-private partnerships, including the rail link to Prague’s Václav Havel Airport and high-speed corridors in Moravia.

Further advisory assistance was delivered via the Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions programme to Brno for urban mobility planning and through the European Local Energy Assistance initiative to support energy-efficiency projects in Ústí nad Labem, helping authorities accelerate implementation and optimise public investment impact.

The EIB Group 

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the long-term financing institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing 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, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. All projects financed by the EIB Group are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement.

High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.

Media contact:

Katarina Karmazinova
k.karmazinova@ext.eib.org
+352 4379 – 70217

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank