European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union's financing institution. Its shareholders are the 27 Member States of the Union, which have jointly subscribed its capital. The EIB's Board of Governors is composed of the Finance Ministers of these States. The EIB's role is to provide long-term finance in support of investment projects.

Inside the European Union the EIB supports the EU's policy objectives in the following areas:

• small and medium-sized enterprises: stimulating investment by small businesses.

•  cohesion and convergence: addressing economic and social imbalances in disadvantaged regions.

•  the fight against climate change: mitigating and adapting to the effects of global warming.

• environmental protection and sustainable communities: investing in a cleaner natural and urban environment.

• sustainable, competitive and secure energy: producing alternative energy and reducing dependence on imports.

• the knowledge economy: promoting an economy that stimulates knowledge and creativity through investment in information and communication technologies, and human and social capital.

• trans-European networks: constructing cross-border networks in transport, energy and communications.