Spain and EIF Launch €500 Million ‘Climate and Infrastructure’ Instrument to Boost Green and Digital Transition

Photo caption from left to right: Christian López-Baillo (EIF), Alison Burney (EIF), Gabriele Todesca (EIF), María Romano (EIB Group), María Palanca (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise of Spain) , Jose Cabrita (EIF), David González (EIF), Ignacio Carrión (EIF).

(IN BRIEF) Spain and the European Investment Fund have introduced a new €500 million “Climate and Infrastructure” financing instrument aimed at supporting SME, mid-cap, and infrastructure equity investments across sustainability and digital sectors. Funded through Spain’s Regional Resilience Fund and part of the country’s Recovery and Resilience Plan under NextGenerationEU, this initiative will target areas such as renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and sustainable transport to accelerate climate action and digital growth. It complements previous EIF initiatives that offer alternative financing mechanisms for SMEs and mid-caps while responding to increased demand from equity funds for sustainability-focused capital. By bridging these financing gaps, the new instrument aims to stimulate regional investments and contribute to Spain’s economic transformation.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 18-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, in partnership with the European Investment Fund (EIF), has unveiled a new €500 million financing instrument called “Climate and Infrastructure,” aimed at supporting equity investments across climate-focused and digital infrastructure funds. Targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-caps, and essential infrastructure projects, this initiative seeks to accelerate Spain’s transition to a greener and more digital economy while addressing a growing demand for equity financing across the investment fund sector.

Presented during an event in Madrid attended by the Ministry, EIF representatives, equity fund managers, and SpainCap, this financing vehicle is financed through the Regional Resilience Fund, which channels resources from Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan under the broader NextGenerationEU framework. The new funding will be strategically directed toward infrastructure funds that back key sectors including renewable energy, energy storage, sustainable transport, digital infrastructure, smart food services, and energy efficiency investments.

By enabling equity-based support rather than traditional loans, Climate and Infrastructure will expand financing options for SMEs and mid-caps, fostering innovation across sectors tied to both environmental sustainability and digital growth. This instrument builds on the EIF’s prior successful deployment of other NextGenerationEU-backed facilities, such as the Alternative Lending for Sustainable Development instrument and the InvestEU Member State compartment, both of which have bolstered Spain’s business financing landscape.

Additionally, the Climate and Infrastructure initiative is designed to strengthen regional investment across Spain’s autonomous communities, aligning with national and EU priorities for sustainability and digital advancement while contributing to a resilient economic future.

Background information

About the European Investment Fund

The EIF is part of the EIB Group. Its central mission is to support Europe’s microenterprises and SMEs by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments that specifically target this market segment. In this role, it contributes to the achievement of key EU policy goals such as competitiveness and growth, innovation and digitalisation, social impact, skills and human capital, climate action and environmental sustainability.

Regional Resilience Fund

The Regional Resilience Fund (FRA) was created to facilitate access to NextGenerationEU loans from the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan for the autonomous communities, with the aim of boosting investments and developing projects in eight priority areas: social and affordable housing; urban renewal; transport and sustainable tourism; the energy transition; water and waste management; the care economy; research, development and innovation; and the competitiveness of industry and SMEs.

The fund is led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, which takes input from the autonomous communities and cities for investment decision-making and looks to the EIB Group as a strategic management partner.

In June 2024, the EIB Group and the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise signed the agreement to launch the Regional Resilience Fund, including:

• a direct financing mechanism, to co-finance EIB-supported operations in sectors like renewable energy, clean transport and sustainable infrastructure;
• an intermediated mechanism managed by financial intermediaries selected by the EIB, to support projects in urban development and sustainable tourism;
• two intermediated instruments and a guarantee programme managed by the European Investment Fund that will facilitate SME financing for innovation, sustainability and competitiveness.

Press contacts

EIF

Maite Cordero: m.corderomunoz@eib.org | Tel. +34 606 66 82 62

Website: www.eif.org – Press Office: +352 4379 21000 – press@eib.org

X: @eif_eu

Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise

Daniel Yebra: Tel.:+ 34 91 603 79 18 | prensa@economia.gob.es

SOURCE: European Investment Fund