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A blueprint presents drawings, dimensions and notes. This report draws vivid pictures of the beneficiaries of European Investment Bank projects in 2023. It includes data on the dimensions of our massive overall investment and the importance of our loans to each of our beneficiaries during the year. It notes the EU policies and expertise that lead us to make each of our investments.

A blueprint presents drawings, dimensions and notes. This report draws vivid pictures of the beneficiaries of European Investment Bank projects in 2023. It includes data on the dimensions of our massive overall investment and the importance of our loans to each of our beneficiaries during the year. It notes the EU policies and expertise that lead us to make each of our investments.

The European economy is under pressure. Growth is slowing and competitive challenges are rising, all while EU firms navigate the demands of the green transition. Coordinated support from national governments and EU institutions proved critical after the COVID-19 pandemic, helping Europe to bolster its resilience to future shocks and spurring the investment needed to transform and modernise the economy. As a result, progress was made in digitalisation, energy efficiency, decarbonisation and reinforcing supply chains.The pace of change needs to accelerate, however, even as investment becomes harder to sustain. To remain competitive, the European Union and its members need to improve productivity, encourage innovation, address skill gaps, develop new technologies and supporting young, dynamic firms. The report, which is based on the EIB Group’s annual Investment Survey, provides insights on how EU firms are dealing with these pressures, and whether they are taking the necessary steps to transform their businesses.The report’s Key Findings are available here.Contents Part I Sustaining investment in challenging times 1. The macroeconomic environment 2. Government investment 3. Corporate investment Part II Accelerating transformation for competitiveness 4. Innovation in the global context 5. Investing in green transformation Data annex Glossary of terms and acronyms

Summary: All athletes experience setbacks. But to have your limbs - the very tools you use to practice your sport - taken away by an illness at a young age is a setback that many would never overcome. Bebe Vio never gave up her dream of becoming a fencer, despite having her arms and legs amputated when she was eleven years old after suffering from fulminant meningitis. Instead of abandoning her dream of going to the Olympics, she began training for the Paralympics from a wheelchair. Her unwavering determination to win, despite her physical challenges, made her a world champion fencer. She also established her own association, art4sport, to encourage other people to pursue the beauty of life through sport. This is the eighth essay in the Big Ideas series created by the European Investment Bank. The EIB has invited international thought leaders to write about the most important issues of the day. These essays are a reminder that we need new thinking to protect the environment, promote equality and improve people's lives around the globe.

Summary: During the COVID-19 crisis, the European corporate ecosystem avoided major disruptions, and corporate bankruptcy rates even declined. This outcome mostly resulted from the strength of support from monetary, financial supervisory and fiscal policies. Using the 2021 vintage of the EIB Investment Survey (EIBIS) matched with balance sheet data on firms' profits and losses, this paper investigates what has driven the allocation of fiscal policy support and the impact of this support during the investment recovery. It finds that support was largely directed towards firms that were most affected by the crisis in terms of lost sales, and was not tilted firms already weak before the crisis. It also shows that the firms that benefitted from this support tend to be more optimistic in their investment plans, especially with regard to digital technologies.

The use of advanced digital technologies such as 3D printing, advanced robotics, drones, big data analytics and artificial intelligence is spreading. These technologies have uncertain implications for labour demand. Affected workers may need to re-train to adapt to changing tasks or new jobs. At the same time, it is unclear whether or not advanced digital technologies encourage firms to invest in workforce re-training. Using firm-level data covering the 27 EU countries, the UK and the US, this paper shows that employers tend to reduce investment in training per employee, after adopting advanced digital technologies. It estimates, with a control function approach, firm-level production functions augmented with two factors: training per employee and digital technology use. We show that these are in fact substitutes in production, implying that an increase in the former negatively affects the marginal productivity of the latter, and that a decline in the cost of introducing advanced digital technologies reduces employers’ investment in training per employee. These findings point to challenges in realising high levels of firm-sponsored training for employees in increasingly digital economies.

The European Investment Bank plants the seeds for many future success stories. Now another seed has been planted: EIB Global, the EIB’s development arm, which began operating in 2022. This report tells the stories of projects that make a difference on the ground, with sections on Ukraine, sustainability, climate and energy. The challenges we face know no borders. EIB Global represents our commitment to sustainable and inclusive societies everywhere.

Building on decades of experience working in Europe’s neighbourhood, in Africa and around the world, under EU mandates and in support of EU policy priorities, EIB Global brings together all the financial, engineering and scientific expertise of the European Investment Bank to maximise impact. The new structure fosters strong, focused partnerships within Team Europe, with multilateral development banks and bilateral development agencies. With a stronger presence on the ground, it increases our cooperation with partner countries, clients, EU Member States and other development finance institutions. This publication reports on the first year of EIB Global. The first section reviews the development context, looking at global macroeconomic development and the different regions where EIB Global operates: EU neighbourhood countries sub-Saharan Africa the Western Balkans and Türkiye Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean The report then turns to the overarching priorities of EIB Global and the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus, examining investment needs and describing the response by EIB Global: Climate change Jobs and inclusive growth The Global Gateway The final part brings together all the information on the results and impact of EIB Global operations and the financial and non-financial contribution we make. It covers: How we measure results and impact Expected results of new projects EIB Global’s contribution to new projects Evidence on the EIB’s crowding-in effect Carbon footprint exercise Macroeconomic impact modelling Results of completed projects Lending volumes List of operations signed in 2022 A companion volume to this report, EIB Global Report: The Story [insert link], delves deeper into the rationale for, and experience gained from, individual EIB Global projects.

In 2022, the Bank’s lending signatures amounted to €65.1 billion. This report includes the 2022 financial statements and audit reports both for the EIB and the EIB Group.

The use of advanced digital technologies such as 3D printing, advanced robotics, drones, big data analytics and artificial intelligence is spreading. These technologies have uncertain implications for labour demand. Affected workers may need to re-train to adapt to changing tasks or new jobs. At the same time, it is unclear whether or not advanced digital technologies encourage firms to invest in workforce re-training. Using firm-level data covering the 27 EU countries, the UK and the US, this paper shows that employers tend to reduce investment in training per employee, after adopting advanced digital technologies. It estimates, with a control function approach, firm-level production functions augmented with two factors: training per employee and digital technology use. We show that these are in fact substitutes in production, implying that an increase in the former negatively affects the marginal productivity of the latter, and that a decline in the cost of introducing advanced digital technologies reduces employers’ investment in training per employee. These findings point to challenges in realising high levels of firm-sponsored training for employees in increasingly digital economies.

Political strife caused by the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis and tightening credit are hitting EU firms just as they were beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. While the pandemic was a major shock, sizable policy support enabled firms to survive and transform. Relatively easy access to funding also helped them weather the crisis. Pandemic support has since been pulled back, however, and now firms are grappling with high inflation, instability and tighter credit conditions. These combined pressures are souring firms’ outlook. The report provides insight into the state of the European economy and its ability to withstand these crises while also becoming greener and more digital. The analysis is based on the EIB Group’s annual Investment Survey, which surveyed 13 000 firms in the European Union from April until July 2022 on their performance, investment, financing issues and challenges. The report’s Key Findings are available here. Contents Executive summary Introduction Part I Investment environment in a time of crises 1. The macroeconomic context 2. Investment in Europe 3. A corporate sector buffeted by shocks Part II Resilience and renewal 4. Trends in regional and social cohesion 5. Progress on digital transformation 6. Green transition and the energy crisis Data annex Glossary of terms and acronyms The chapters in charts Chapter 1 - The macroeconomic context Chapter 2 - Investment in Europe Chapter 3 - A corporate sector buffeted by shocks Chapter 4 - Regional and social cohesion Chapter 5 - Progress on digital transformation Chapter 6 - The energy crisis and green transition

Political strife caused by the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis and tightening credit are hitting EU firms just as they were beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. While the pandemic was a major shock, sizable policy support enabled firms to survive and transform. Relatively easy access to funding also helped them weather the crisis. Pandemic support has since been pulled back, however, and now firms are grappling with high inflation, instability and tighter credit conditions. These combined pressures are souring firms’ outlook. The report provides insight into the state of the European economy and its ability to withstand these crises while also becoming greener and more digital. The analysis is based on the EIB Group’s annual Investment Survey, which surveyed 13 000 firms in the European Union from April until July 2022 on their performance, investment, financing issues and challenges. These key findings, provide a short accessible summary of the main report’s messages.

Our flagship report shows how the European Investment Bank stepped up to the challenges of 2022. From our ongoing work rebuilding Ukraine's damaged towns and cities and our support for refugees, to our unwavering commitment to the global threat of climate change. The report illustrates how our backing for energy efficiency and renewable power is part of the solution to the European Union's energy security needs and its climate goals. It also shows how our support for innovation and breakthrough technologies brings tangible benefits to Europe's economic competitiveness, to its climate goals, and its strategic autonomy. The report also showcases the contribution of EIB Global, our new international development branch, to greater wellbeing around the world.

This unique insight into the corporate investment landscape in the European Union examines companies' finance needs and the constraints they face. The 2022 edition delves into the aftermath of the economic shock produced by the COVID-19 crisis and the readiness of firms to cope with the new massive shocks that are testing corporate resilience. The report assesses how response and recovery programmes put in place by the European Union and by national governments have helped firms, but also shows how firm perceptions of investment conditions are overshadowed again by recent events. In addition, the EIBIS EU overview presents firm reactions to outstanding structural transformation needs and more specifically the extent to which European firms are addressing the need to make their businesses more green and digital. It also highlights how European firms counter sudden shocks, for example by assessing their responsiveness to international trade disruptions. The survey is based on interviews with 12 000 companies across the 27 European Union countries, and it includes a benchmark sample from the United States. This overview provides the aggregated results for the European Union. "

The massive resources the European Union is unleashing to rebuild after COVID-19 present a unique opportunity to deal with climate change and improve the ability of firms and individuals to compete in a more digital world. The Investment Report 2021-2022 examines how government interventions helped support investment and enabled firms to weather the crisis. The report’s analysis is based on a unique set of databases and data from a survey of 12 500 firms conducted in the summer of 2021. These key findings, provide a short accessible summary of the main report’s messages.

"Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have liberalised their foreign exchange markets and capital accounts, and have moved to more flexible exchange rates, in recent decades. In this context, the interaction between non-resident investors and export structures centred on primary commodities create a risk of destabilising exchange rate dynamics and further complications for macroeconomic management. This paper presents detailed insights into the micro-characteristics of several African Lower and Lower-Middle Income Countries' foreign exchange markets and the implications of these characteristics for macroeconomic management. It draws on interviews with foreign exchange experts in central banks, banks, non-bank financial institutions, and research institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia, as well as the City of London. The results show that whilst most of these countries have functioning foreign exchange interbank markets, these markets are often characterised by low, volatile and “lumpy” liquidity. These liquidity dynamics and uncertainty about future foreign exchange flows can lead to foreign exchange hoarding by market participants, further depriving the market of liquidity. Those with access to foreign exchange liquidity can gain significant market power and the potential to affect price dynamics, which has meant that central banks in these countries have remained key agents in foreign exchange markets, to manage scarce and volatile liquidity patterns. Overall, the results show the difficulties of moving towards floating exchange rates, for African countries characterised by concentrated export structures, low trust in their currencies, and shallow domestic financial markets."

Women’s economic empowerment has improved rapidly in the last century. Today, many women are not just fully engaged in the workplace; some lead international organisations, corporations and countries. But gender gaps, still prevalent in the European Union and other regions, are costly and imply foregone opportunities not only for women individually, but also for companies that do not fully leverage female talent, and for economies. After a century of impressive progress, overall economic opportunities for women are still lagging behind those of men. On average, women earn 13% less per hour in the European Union. Women are less often entrepreneurs and those that strive to grow their businesses or decide to lead companies face high barriers. Globally and across the European Union, we still have a way to go to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls, as stipulated by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Pillar of Social Rights. Three surveys — the EIB Investment Survey (EIBIS) 2021, the EIBIS Startup and Scaleup Survey 2019 and the EBRD-EIB-World Bank Group Enterprise Survey — show that supporting female-led businesses makes good economic sense, as these companies generate wider economic, social and environmental benefits. Notably, support for female-led businesses can contribute to raising female labour force participation, thereby helping to reduce poverty risks. At the same time, framework conditions that make it easier for women to have professional careers, or establish and run a business successfully, are key to seeing more female-led businesses emerge and thrive.

As part of the EIB Group’s bigger, bolder and more focused approach to cohesion, this report, the first in a new series, presents the EIB Group’s activities in EU cohesion regions in 2021. The results are presented in terms of policy objectives, activity sectors, countries, contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sector-specific project results. It features a number of case studies and also takes a look at the economic and social challenges facing cohesion regions and the macroeconomic impact of the EIB Group’s support for this fundamental EU policy priority.

Banks in Africa are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic well and showing a lot of creativity to overcome the crisis’s problems. But the war in Ukraine is causing new concerns. With interest rates rising in many countries and bond funding becoming more expensive, a significant number of banks are worried about rising financing costs. These issues and more are covered in the new Finance in Africa report, based on an annual survey of banks across the continent and supported by Making Finance Work for Africa, an initiative helping more people get loans across the continent. We surveyed 70 banks in sub-Saharan Africa from April to June in 2022 to find out if the war is hurting their business and to learn their views on climate lending, access to finance for women and the accelerating digitisation of the financial sector.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the European corporate ecosystem avoided major disruptions, and corporate bankruptcy rates even declined. This outcome mostly resulted from the strength of support from monetary, financial supervisory and fiscal policies. Using the 2021 vintage of the EIB Investment Survey (EIBIS) matched with balance sheet data on firms' profits and losses, this paper investigates what has driven the allocation of fiscal policy support and the impact of this support during the investment recovery. It finds that support was largely directed towards firms that were most affected by the crisis in terms of lost sales, and was not tilted firms already weak before the crisis. It also shows that the firms that benefitted from this support tend to be more optimistic in their investment plans, especially with regard to digital technologies.

When firms suffer losses from extreme weather events, such as storms, foods, droughts or landslides, it has implications for their investment plans and the finance their need. This paper investigates the investment and financing decisions of firms that experience monetary losses due to such extreme weather events. It looks at firms in 41 economies, mainly emerging and developing markets, using data from the EBRD-EIB-World Bank Enterprise Survey. It finds that firms hit by extreme weather are more likely to invest in long-term assets, in a way that fits with the need to either replenish damaged capital or to adapt to climate change. In addition, they are more likely to integrate climate-friendly measures in their production processes. Although these firms have higher needs for bank credit, they are not more likely to be credit constrained than the average firm. Nonetheless, they face higher loan rejection rates and have, on average, more debt than otherwise comparable firms. This suggests that climate change has the potential to erode the quality of firm balance sheets over time.

Our flagship report illustrates how the European Investment Bank Group confronted two great threats in 2021, the climate crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, even as the challenges posed by development grew more urgent. The EU bank tackled these hazards by thinking hard and moving fast — in new directions. The Activity Report highlights our emergency response to COVID-19 through the unique European Guarantee Fund, as well as our support for healthcare companies working on cures and therapies for the disease. It illustrates the dimensions of our backing for companies that are forging new frontiers of climate action — sometimes right into outer space. It demonstrates our commitment to a better future for all Europeans in our cohesion investment and for all global citizens through our development work. Built around 25 articles about the work of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund in COVID-19 response, climate action, cohesion and development, the Activity Report highlights our contribution to a healthy, green and inclusive world. Figures are expected outcomes of financed new operations signed in 2021 for the first time based on available data at this stage. All figures are unaudited and provisional.

The massive resources the European Union is unleashing to rebuild after COVID-19 present a unique opportunity to deal with climate change and improve the ability of firms and individuals to compete in a more digital world. The Investment Report 2021/2022 examines how government interventions helped support investment and enabled firms to weather the crisis. The report’s analysis is based on a unique set of databases and data from a survey of 12 500 firms conducted in the summer of 2021.

"The last three decades have witnessed substantial changes in the foreign exchange markets in Africa, with moves towards liberalisation and flexible exchange rate regimes. This has increased the influence of financial market conditions and heightened the risk of exchange rate volatility and large and sudden exchange rate movements. This paper investigates the determinants of nominal exchange rates, their volatility, and crash risk in African lower and lower-middle income countries. It combines macro-panel estimations for 15 such countries with insights from interviews with market participants. It shows the importance of these countries' distinctive export structure, concentrated in a few agricultural and mineral-based commodities, as well as recent financial integration, for exchange rate determination. It finds that terms of trade, export concentration, and export prices have a significant impact on the exchange rate level and volatility. By contrast, financial factors including the interest rate differential, international market conditions, and short-term financial flows, influence the likelihood of sudden and large exchange rate movements."

Using newly collected data from the EIB Bank Lending Survey, carried out by the EIB with support from the Central Bank of Jordan, this report focuses on cyclical and structural aspects of corporate and SME lending, and investigates the actions of Jordanian banks taken during COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic on credit supply has been relatively contained, but Covid-19 has been a game-changer for various aspects of banking, including operational activities, with strong push towards greater digitalization. On the other hand, climate risk is not yet a concern for the majority of the surveyed banks, due partly to the lack of data and resources.

Investments supported by the European Investment Bank help achieve EU and international policy goals. The report specifically measures the effectiveness of our investments in three key areas: Additionality: the EIB’s role is to step in where the market has failed to deliver. Specifically, the EIB examines how our support for a project strengthens it compared to what would have happened without our involvement. Impact: The EIB now measures how its investments contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By doing so, the EIB is signalling its commitment to supporting the United Nations’ Decade of Action to create peace and prosperity for people and the planet. Climate: The 2021 report focuses on barriers to investment in climate action, environmental sustainability and research and development and innovation for the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries.

Does Europe have an inequality problem? Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many Europeans are certainly struggling. The rise of populist movements is another signal that something is awry. Many Europeans no longer see their economy as fair. But is this a problem of too much inequality, or just a problem of ideology? Is inequality even a bad thing? We need to consider the statistics on economic inequality, but also look beyond towards the lived experience of trying to make ends meet. We need to consider different ideas on the impact and significance of the inequality we see. Does inequality drive entrepreneurship, and thus innovation, through the struggle for upward social mobility? Or does inequality affect life chances, becoming entrenched, blocking social mobility and innovation? And does anyone really need a billion euros? If we have a euro to spare, do we create more happiness by giving it to the rich or to the poor? An old, once infamous, now oft-forgotten question in economics. Tessa Bending conducts research on social inclusion, social development and impact measurement at the Economics Department of the European Investment Bank (EIB). The department provides indepth analysis on critical investment issues to support international policy debates. This is the sixteenth essay in the Big Ideas series created by the European Investment Bank. The EIB has invited international thought leaders and experts to write about the most important issues of the day. These essays are a reminder that we need new thinking to protect the environment, promote equality and improve people’s lives around the globe.

Africa’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis will depend on private firms sustaining and creating jobs. But even previously thriving enterprises have been badly hit by the crisis. This report outlines the consequences of the health crisis in Africa, the potential cost of the recovery and the willingness of banks to support green investments as they look to the future.

The third edition of the EIB Climate Survey shows that COVID-19 has changed people’s perception of the climate emergency. Most Europeans now consider the pandemic to be the greatest challenge facing their countries, but climate change remains a crucial issue. Europeans say: the economic recovery from the crisis must address climate change governments should promote growth that emits less CO2 and makes societies more resilient to climate change modifying personal habits to address climate change is important technological innovation should be used to fix climate problems climate action and the transition to green economies must take into account social inequalities These findings are particularly important today because the climate and a green recovery are top priorities in the European Union and many other regions of the world. Read the latest survey to find out what people see as the most effective way to address the climate emergency, what people are willing to give up, what they expect from government policies, and how COVID-19 influences our views.

In this paper we assess the merits of financial condition indices constructed using simple averages versus a more sophisticated alternative that uses factor models with time varying parameters. Our analysis is based on data for 18 advanced and emerging economies at a monthly frequency covering about 70% of the world’s GDP. We assess the performance of these indicators based on their ability to capture tail risk for economic activity and to predict banking and currency crises. We find that averaging across the indicators of interest, using judgmental but intuitive weights, produces financial condition indices that are not inferior to, and actually perform better than, those constructed with more sophisticated statistical methods.

The European Union’s COVID-19 recovery plan could be the impetus businesses need to invest in climate measures and prepare for the transition to a net-zero carbon economy. Our newest climate report looks at how firms’ view these twin challenges and their preparedness to meet them. Firms are more aware of the physical risks posed by climate change, but less aware of the risks caused by the transition to clean energy. Almost half of EU firms surveyed are investing in climate change measures, compared with roughly one-third of US firms. Uncertainty over regulation and taxation continues to hamper climate investments. To green its economy, Europe needs a comprehensive strategy that will provide businesses with the guidance they need to invest in climate preparedness and the energy transition.

This Fraud Investigations Activity Report describes the activities of the Inspectorate General’s Fraud Investigations Division (IG/IN) in 2020, giving an overview of IG/IN’s work to prevent, detect, investigate and remedy Prohibited Conduct affecting EIB Group activities. In particular, the report provides: A chapter dedicated to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on IG/IN’s investigations; Relevant statistics and analysis on the number of allegations received and investigations conducted; A number of internal and external case studies reflecting the range of allegations handled by investigators as well as the findings and lessons learned; An overview of the fraud detection tools and methodology developed by IG/IN as well as relevant case studies showcasing how on-the-ground Proactive Integrity Reviews are performed; An overview on deterrence and rehabilitation activities; and Information on the policy work undertaken by IG/IN, such as fraud and corruption training and awareness initiatives for EIB Group staff members, and continued efforts in outreach and global partnerships.

We utilize several unique firm-level datasets in order to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the government support aiming to curb the economic consequences of the coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic. The results, drawing on the experience of a small open European country (Slovakia), suggest the distributed COVID-19 subsidies save non-negligible number of jobs and sustain economic activity during the first wave of the pandemic. General distribution rules designed on the fly may bring close to optimal results, as relatively more productive, privately owned, foreign-demand oriented firms are prioritized and firms with a higher environmental footprint or zombie firms record a relatively lower chance of obtaining government funding. By assuming constant cost elasticities to sales, we show that the pandemic deteriorates strongly firm profits and increases significantly the share of illiquid and insolvent firms. Government wage subsidies somewhat mitigate firm losses and have statistically significant effect, but relatively mild compared to the size of the economic shock. Our estimates also confirm that larger firms, receiving smaller relative size of the support, have more space to cover their additional liquidity needs by increasing trade liabilities or liabilities to affiliated entities, while SMEs face higher risk of insolvencies.

To address the need for greater volumes of private investment tackling sustainable development goals in the most isolated regions, the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database Consortium (GEMs) issued its first public report on credit default statistics for private and sub-sovereign lending. Established by the European Investment Bank and the International Finance Corporation, GEMs is a network of 25 multilateral development banks and development finance institutions. GEMs pools anonymised credit information with a focus on emerging markets and developing countries where data are scarce and finance is most needed. Since 2009, the GEMs members have collected and shared credit risk data internally. Members have now decided to make this knowledge public. More information on the GEMs consortium can be found at www.gemsriskdatabase.org

We estimate a FAVAR with Bayesian techniques in order to investigate the impact of loan supply conditions on euro area corporate investment and its financing structure. We identify shocks to overall demand and loan supply with sign and impact restrictions. Although tightened financial conditions have adversely impacted corporate investment during and after the sovereign debt crisis, the resulting impediments in loan supply, illustrated by lower loan volumes and higher spreads, have been partly alleviated by strengthened corporate debt issuance. We show that (1) part of the protracted increase in debt to loan ratio since the crisis reflects bottlenecks in the provision of bank credit and (2) the tightened loan supply has been more adverse for small corporations with limited market access. Overall, our analysis of macro-financial developments suggests the need for policy actions to deepen the European corporate debt market and enhance market access for smaller corporates.

When they consider investing in energy efficiency measures many firms focus only on direct energy savings and do not consider non-energy benefits that include increased labour productivity. To date, due to lack of high-quality data, few studies have attempted to quantify the effects of energy efficiency investments on firm-level outcomes other than reductions in energy consumption. This paper overcomes this barrier by using novel data from the EIB Investment survey of firms in the EU and the United Kingdom for the years 2018-2019. It studies the relationship between the energy efficiency investment and the labour productivity of European firms, utilising an instrumental variables methodology to account for potential endogeneity. The results show a positive and causal relationship between energy efficiency investment and labour productivity. The findings of the paper suggest that firms can benefit much more from the energy efficiency investment than what is often assumed, and highlight a need for government policies that would increase firms' awareness of these non-energy benefits.

High-Growth Enterprises have a large economic impact, but it is notoriously hard to predict when firms will experience episodes of high growth. This paper proposes that firms reaching critically high capacity utilisation levels reach a ‘trigger point’ involving either broad-based investment in further growth, or shrinking back to previous levels. It analyses EIBIS survey data (matched to the ORBIS database) which features a question on time-varying capacity utilisation. Overcapacity is a transitory state. Firms enter into overcapacity after a period of rapid growth of sales and profits, and the years surrounding overcapacity have higher employment growth rates. Firms operating at overcapacity make incremental investments (e.g. capacity expansion, process improvements, and modern machinery) rather than investing in R&D and new product development. The analysis finds support for the ‘fork in the road’ hypothesis: for some firms, overcapacity is associated with launching into massive investments and subsequent sales growth, while for other firms, overcapacity is negatively related to both investments and sales growth.

The climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic remind us that we cannot face down our challenges alone—our solutions must be global. The European Investment Bank is at the heart of the push to turn EU policy initiatives into real development solutions on the ground. This report provides insights into our vital projects and initiatives outside the European Union, data on their impact and ideas for the future of development through a series of expert essays.

Using EIBIS data, this paper investigates the effects of different loan conditions on firms’ propensity to invest in intangible assets. When firms face restriction in how much they can borrow, this has a strong effect on how much they invest in intangible assets. Using European firm-level data from the EIB Investment Survey, this paper shows that, by contrast, unfavourable interest rates, maturity and collateral requirements have no significant effects on the probability to invest in intangible assets, provided firms are satisfied with their loan size. These terms however, do have a negative impact on the probability to invest in multiple intangible assets, undermining the ability of firms to benefit from the complementarities of these assets. The paper documents the effect of loan conditions on investment intensity, as well. The effect of quantity rationing on the amount invested in intangible assets is found to be limited. Other loan conditions however, like cost, maturity and collateral requirements, have significant effect on investment intensity.

Our flagship report highlights the European Investment Bank’s key contribution to combatting the COVID-19, climate change and development challenges that dominated 2020. It tells the stories of our crisis solutions. Built around 20 stories profiling 30 of our projects or programmes, the report’s “Solutions” sections explain how the EU bank responded swiftly and decisively to a year of crises and laid the foundations for future innovation and growth. The stories take you through the Bank’s work in innovation, infrastructure, small and medium-sized enterprises, and climate and environment inside the European Union and beyond the EU’s borders. Figures are expected outcomes of financed new operations signed in 2020 for the first time based on available data at this stage. All figures are unaudited and provisional.