In 2012 the EIB concluded financing operations totalling EUR 6.8 billion in Italy. Like the previous year, a sizeable chunk of funding went to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) thanks to the EIB’s partnership with the Italian banking sector and the framework agreement with ABI and Confindustria. The policy of supporting the energy sector, which made up over a quarter of total lending, was continued and intensified, as was the Bank’s commitment to the major networks and the post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in Emilia. Since 2007 the EIB has signed financing operations in Italy totalling over EUR 48 billion.