A blueprint presents drawings, dimensions and notes. Our annual activity report, A Blueprint for Sustainable Living, draws vivid pictures of the beneficiaries of European Investment Bank projects. It includes data on the dimensions of our massive overall investment and the importance of our loans to each of our beneficiaries. It notes the EU policies and expertise that lead us to make each of our investments.

The European Investment Bank’s blueprint for Europe is based on a vision of an innovative future, a green future, a future of equality – and a future that does not end at the borders of the European Union. This report highlights the detailed analysis of technical developments in artificial intelligence, healthcare and biotechnology that lies behind our investments in revolutionary new technologies. It presents our commitment to building a green economy and to backing the new ideas for clean technology that are so desperately needed if we are to contain climate change, worldwide. It illustrates the importance of investment in the infrastructure that moves us from place to place, where our children are educated, and where everyone is safe from harassment. It displays the impact of our work beyond the European Union through in-depth stories of our projects on the ground in partner countries in Africa and elsewhere. And it presents the culmination of twelve years of leadership from Werner Hoyer, whose second term as president ended at the close of 2023. I am proud to be his successor.

From this blueprint, we are already constructing Europe’s future. You can see the evidence in the data on our lending and borrowing. You can look ahead to the massive commitment represented by our Group Operational Plan for the period 2024 to 2026. Everything here illustrates our ambition – to shape this future for the benefit of everybody in Europe, for our neighbours, and for our partners everywhere.

This report illustrates that the European Investment Bank is more crucial to Europe and the world than ever before. I am delighted to become part of this great project as I take on the role of president and enthusiastic about the prospects for the years ahead.

Nadia Calviño

"The investment community more and more looks at the Bank as a potential lead investor. This is exactly the catalyst role that we aim at in a segment with an important market gap."

Yu Zhang, head of Industry 4.0 and life sciences, EIB

"This is how cities become more resilient to the challenges they face – population flows linked to the war in Ukraine, natural disasters, social conflicts, environmental phenomena, climate change, and the current effects of the financial and economic crises."

Leonor Berriochoa, lead engineer, urban development, EIB

"Education and training are fundamental to the strengthening of the European Union’s innovative potential, its competitiveness and social cohesion. That’s why the Bank fosters investment in quality education and training – to prepare our people and our schools for future challenges."

Patricia Castellarnau, head of education and public research, EIB

"We scale up impactful projects to a level that would not be achievable otherwise, by ensuring compliance with environmental, social and governance best practices, and promoting sustainable and responsible development."

Milena Messori, acting director, corporate finance and global activities, EIB Global

• Green transition and Ukraine recovery
• More partnerships around the world
• Research and development in technology and energy
• Increased focus on skills and training
• More digitalisation to modernise banking practices
• Estimated maximum financing levels: €95 billion in 2024, €93 billion in 2025, and €85 billion in 2026

Within the European Union, our priorities from 2024 to 2026 will be the green and digital transitions, cohesion regions, and countries most affected by the invasion of Ukraine, including the millions of Ukrainians forced to live in other countries during the war.

Outside the European Union, EIB Global will step up activity to help Ukraine repair war damage using the EU4Ukraine fund, accompanied by €100 million in technical assistance. EIB Global will pursue more partnerships around the world to increase impact and will invest in digital technology, climate action, energy, transport, research, healthcare and education.

With the rising importance of economic security and strategic independence, we will push heavily into research and development in technology and energy efficiency. The European Investment Bank will take on more risk to ensure support for innovative sectors and projects that have a high value. We expect to invest €45 billion from 2023 to 2027 to help REPowerEU projects. This investment programme is designed to make Europe independent of Russian oil and gas.

The European Investment Fund, which offers finance to small and medium-sized companies and infrastructure activities, will support the green and digital transition, with an increasing focus on skills and training.

Advisory services, which nurture the market for emerging technologies and improve our pipeline of projects, will become more aligned to the financing activity, helping the Bank find more business.

The EIB Group’s high levels of finance activity will help stabilise and grow the balance sheet. The Bank’s net surplus is expected to gradually increase starting in 2024, lifted by high interest rates.

The Bank is working to become more efficient and reduce the time it takes to complete financing for clients. Ways to become faster and more effective are being explored. Digitalisation will be an important part of this process.

The EIB Group expects maximum financing in 2024 to be €95 billion, with about €93 billion in 2025 and €85 billion in 2026. These high levels of investment will enable us to strengthen the EU economy and meet rising global challenges related to climate change.

Read the full Operational Plan for 2024-2026

The European Investment Bank is an EU body, accountable to the Member States, and a bank following applicable best banking practice in decision-making, management and controls.

The Board of Governors is made up of government ministers from each of the 27 Member States, usually ministers of finance. The governors set out the Bank’s credit policy guidelines and once a year approve the annual accounts. They decide on capital increases and the Bank’s participation in financing operations outside the European Union. They also appoint the Board of Directors, the Management Committee and the Audit Committee.

The Board of Directors takes decisions on loans, borrowing programmes and other financing matters. It meets, in principle, ten times a year to ensure that the Bank runs in accordance with EU treaties, the Bank’s own Statute, and general directives laid down by the Board of Governors. There are 28 directors, one nominated by each member state and one by the European Commission. There are also 31 alternate directors. To broaden the professional expertise of the Board of Directors, six experts may be co-opted to participate in board meetings as non-voting advisers. Decisions are taken by a majority representing at least 50% of the capital subscribed by the member states and one-third of board members entitled to vote, unless otherwise provided for in the Statute. The board is chaired by the president, in a non-voting capacity.

The Management Committee is the Bank’s resident decision-making body. It oversees the day-to-day running of the Bank, prepares decisions for the Board of Directors and ensures that these are implemented. It meets once a week. The Management Committee works under the authority of the president and the supervision of the Board of Directors. The other eight members are the EIB’s vice-presidents. Members are appointed for a renewable period of up to six years and are responsible solely to the Bank.

The Bank has an independent Audit Committee answerable directly to the Board of Governors. It is responsible for the audit of the EIB and the EIB Group’s accounts, for annual verification that EIB operations are conducted — and its books kept — in a proper manner, and for verifying that the activities of the Bank conform to best banking practice. The annual report of the Audit Committee for the financial year is submitted to the Board of Governors with the Management Committee response. The Audit Committee is composed of six members appointed for a non-renewable term of six consecutive financial years. In addition, three observers may be appointed by the Board of Governors to support the committee with specific tasks.