EIB institutional background

As the financing institution of the European Union (EU), the EIB is an EU body and thus bound by EU policies and legislation. It provides loans to EU countries, about 140 partner countries and to private or public companies.

The EIB's mission includes

• contributing to the development of less developed regions in the EU,
• financing innovation and modernisation of the internal market as well as
• financing projects of common interest to Member States.

Outside of the EU, the EIB’s lending is guided by a variety of documents, but ultimately has to support the EU’s external policy objectives clarified in the Lisbon Treaty – in particular the EU’s primary development objective to reduce and eradicate poverty.