Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

▸16 unchanged paragraphs

on the financial activities of the European Investment Bank Group – annual report 2025

(2025/2213(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty on European Union,

– having regard to Articles 15, 126, 174, 175, 177, 208, 209, 271, 308 and 309 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and to Protocol No 5 to the Treaties on the Statute of the European Investment Bank (EIB),

– having regard to Articles 41-43 of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

– having regard to the Statute of the EIB,

– having regard to the EIB Group Operational Plan 2026-2028, published on 29 January 2026, and to the EIB Group Operational Plan 2025-2027 of 30 January 2025,

– having regard to the EIB Group 2025 Activity Report entitled ‘Powering Europe’, published on 29 January 2026,

– having regard to the EIB’s Environmental, climate and social due diligence procedures, published on 20 October 2025,

– having regard to the EIB Global Strategic Orientation, published on 15 October 2025,

– having regard to the EIB Investment Survey 2025 entitled ‘European Union – Overview’, published on 14 October 2025,

– having regard to the EIB publication entitled ‘Unlocking innovation: Addressing the funding needs of EU technology infrastructures’, published on 15 September 2025,

– having regard to the EIB Evaluation Activity Report 2022 and Work Programme 2023-2025, published on 3 March 2023,

– having regard to the EIB Group’s Complaints Mechanism Policy, published on 13 November 2018,

– having regard to the EIB publication entitled ‘EIB energy lending policy’, published on 8 May 2023,

Changed– having regard to the EIB Group Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025, adopted by the EIB Board of Directors on 11 November 2020, to the Climate Bank Roadmap Phase 2, published on 3 October 2025, and to the EIB climate strategy, published on 15 November 2020,

Added– having regard to the EIB Environmental and Social Standards of 2 February 2022,

Added– having regard to the EIB Group Action Plan for Affordable and a Sustainable Housing,

▸11 unchanged paragraphs

– having regard to the EIB publication entitled ‘EIB Global – Partnerships, People, Impact’, published on 10 February 2023,

– having regard to the EIB Group Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment, published on 6 January 2017, and to the EIB Group’s Gender Action Plan III (2026-2030), published on 3 March 2026,

– having regard to the code of conduct for EIB Group staff, published on 3 February 2023,

– having regard to the EIB’s Solidarity Package for Ukraine, approved by the EIB Board on 4 March 2022,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘Action Plan for Affordable Energy: Unlocking the true value of our Energy Union to secure affordable, efficient and clean energy for all Europeans’ (COM(2025)0079),

– having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’,

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 16 July 2025 for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the European Competitiveness Fund (‘ECF’) including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities, repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/522, (EU) 2021/694, (EU) 2021/697, (EU) 2021/783, repealing provisions of Regulations (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588, and amending Regulation (EU) [EDIP] (COM(2025)0555),

– having regard to the Tripartite Agreement between the Commission, the European Court of Auditors and the European Investment Bank, which came into force in November 2021,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

Changed– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A10-0000/2026),(A10-0170/2026),

Change 1

ChangedA. whereas the EIB states that its total investment reached a record level of EUR 100 billion in 2025, compared to EUR 89 billion in 2024; whereas the EIB’s gearing ratio has been increased to 290 %, providing additional room for the EIB to invest and support the EU common priorities;

B. whereas the EIB contributes to addressing market failures and investment gaps by catalysing private capital while operating as a market-based financial institution grounded in sound banking principles;

Change 2

AddedC. whereas the EIB, which is wholly owned by the Member States, has the task of contributing to the achievement of the Union’s objectives, in particular the development of the internal market and the strengthening of the Union’s potential in terms of job creation, economic growth and competitiveness, and the twin transitions; whereas this mandate also includes the promotion of the Union’s policies in third countries;

General

Change 3

Changed1. Welcomes the EIB’s strategic roadmap for 2024 to 2027 aimed at supporting the EU’s political priorities, including mobilising investment to strengthen Europe’s economic and industrial base, to support innovation, competitiveness, critical technologies, security and defence, to boost sustainable growth, the green and digital transitions, regional development, modern infrastructureand critical infrastructure, including social infrastructures such as housing, education and health, and a resilient and innovative agricultural sector, and to target European SMEs and start-ups while fostering international partnerships and the completion of the Savings and Investments Union;

Change 4

Removed2. Underlines that the EIB is a credible actor on international financial markets thanks to its ‘triple A’ credit rating; stresses that preserving this rating is essential to enable it to raise funds on favourable terms and that any deterioration would significantly increase funding costs;

Added2. Underlines that the EIB has closely aligned with European priorities over the years; strongly welcomes the increased prioritisation of investments strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, industrial resilience and security, and calls for their swift and effective implementation; supports the EIB’s role as a climate bank, noting that climate action is identified as the number one strategic priority of the EIB Group for the 2024-2027 period – with well over 50 % of annual investments allocated to the green transition; calls for higher levels of investment for competitiveness-related priorities, in particular for SMEs and start-ups, and for scaling up innovative European companies, in light of their critical role in closing Europe’s competitiveness gap; emphasises the need for the EIB to maintain a balanced portfolio, including security and defence, climate, competitiveness, cohesion, innovation, cooperation and development;

Removed3. Emphasises the pivotal role of the EIB in mobilising public and private financing to address investment gaps and strengthen the Union’s economic resilience in a challenging global environment; recalls that cross-border coordination, capital market integration and the good functioning of the single market are essential;

Added3. Underlines that the EIB is a credible actor on international financial markets, as demonstrated by its AAA credit rating; stresses that preserving this rating is essential to enable it to raise funds on favourable terms and that any deterioration would significantly increase funding costs; calls on the EIB to closely monitor the impact of its expanded defence activities on its AAA credit rating;

Change 5

Changed4. UnderlinesEmphasises thatthe EU-levelpivotal actionrole shouldof complement,the notEIB crowdin out,mobilising Memberpublic States’and investments;private callsfinancing thereforeto foraddress adequateinvestment flexibilitygaps withinand strengthen the EIB’sUnion’s eligibilityeconomic andresilience appraisalin frameworka tochallenging accommodateglobal nationalenvironment; andrecalls regionalthat investmentcross-border needs;coordination, recallscapital thatmarket publicintegration institutionsand shouldthe de-riskgood viablefunctioning projectsof wherethe single market gapsare exist,essential; withoutcalls substitutingon forthe privateCommission capitaland orthe creatingEIB permanentto publicfully leverage the EIB’s potential and unlock the financing structures;needed for the green, digital and social transition;

Change 6

Removed5. Notes the call for a strengthened EIB in the next multiannual financial framework, in particular under the ECF-InvestEU framework;

Added5. Underlines that EU-level action should complement, not crowd out, Member States’ investments; calls, therefore, for adequate flexibility within the EIB’s eligibility and appraisal framework to accommodate national and regional investment needs; recalls that public development banks and institutions should de-risk viable projects where market gaps exist, without substituting for private capital; further stresses that the EIB should play a pivotal role in enabling both commercial and public banks to invest in the European defence sector; notes that the EU’s sustainable finance framework does not place overarching restrictions on defence investment;

Removed6. Encourages the EIB to continue developing innovative financial instruments to mobilise Europe’s substantial private savings for productive investment so as to contribute to advancing the Savings and Investments Union;

Added6. Welcomes the call for a strengthened EIB in the next multiannual financial framework to enable it to provide financial support to the EU common priorities, in particular under the ECF-InvestEU framework and the Global Europe Fund and also through financial instruments and budgetary guarantees that have proven highly effective in advancing key EU policy objectives; underscores that the EIB should mobilise sufficient funding, inject liquidity and increase the ambition to support private and public investments through InvestEU; calls, in line with its interim report on the multiannual financial framework for 2028 to 2034, for a reinforcement of successful Union programmes such as InvestEU and for a strengthened investment partnership with the EIB Group, ensuring that every euro spent at Union level is used in the most effective and impactful manner;

Added7. Stresses the importance of enhanced complementarity and synergies between EIB financing and other EU instruments, to maximise impact and ensure coherent territorial investment strategies; calls on the EIB and the Commission to develop clear coordination frameworks facilitating the joint use of these instruments at project level;

Added8. Calls on the EIB to play an active role in supporting the continuity and completion of projects initiated under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), safeguarding the objectives beyond the cut-off date; underlines that EIB financing and technical assistance can provide a critical bridge to ensure that RRF-funded projects deliver their intended economic and social impact;

Added9. Encourages the EIB to continue developing innovative financial instruments to mobilise Europe’s substantial private savings for productive investment, especially by engaging with institutional investors to support venture capital, so as to contribute to advancing the Savings and Investments Union; emphasises that EIB-supported investments should include competitiveness impact assessments, ensuring that Union funds effectively leverage innovation, productivity and market scaling in key industrial sectors;

Added10. Recalls that the EIB was the first issuer of a green bond and is now the largest multi-currency issuer of green bonds; welcomes the fact that on 2 April 2025 the EIB issued its first Climate Awareness Bond, aligned with the EU Green Bond Standard Regulation1; highlights the key role of the EIB in developing the green bonds market and providing financing solutions to sustainable companies;

Driving innovation for technological leadership

Change 7

Changed7.11. Is concerned that the EU risks losing capital, talent and innovation capacity to faster-moving global competitors, and that the EU continues to lag behind in the development of key enabling technologies; welcomes the launch of the TechEU programme, building on the successful European Tech Champions Initiative, mobilising up to EUR 250 billion in investment; calls for this programme to prioritise investments that are capable of competing globally and contributing to long-term sustainable growth;growth and to strengthen European supply chains and reduce strategic dependencies; stresses the need to increase investment in European technologies and sectors critical to long-term resilience, including semiconductors, battery value chains, digital sovereignty and clean tech manufacturing; encourages the EIB to increase the share of funding projected for 2027; calls for a balanced and comprehensive allocation of resources under the TechEU programme to SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups to ensure that competitiveness is adequately supported alongside other core objectives; highlights the need for the deployment of such programmes to be accelerated in order to keep up with the pace of innovation and start-ups; calls for an increase in the European Investment Fund budget dedicated to the EU venture capital ecosystem;

Change 8

Changed8.12. Notes that almost 60 % of the EIB’s financing in 2025 was directed towards the transition to a low-carbon economy; calls on the EIB to reinforce competitiveness and economic security by enabling a predictablepredictable, inclusive, fair and affordable transition;transition, without placing an undue burden on industry and households; underlines that climate and environmental investments can contribute to strengthening Europe’s industrial base, productivity and global competitiveness; supports investments across industrial value chains, including low-carbon technologies, to enable economically sustainable pathways to decarbonisation;decarbonisation, where such investments are driven by innovation and have a clear potential to enhance market competitiveness and European strategic autonomy;

Change 9

Removed9. Notes, with satisfaction, that the EIB delivered EUR 16 billion in financing for small businesses and start-ups in 2025; underlines that improving access to finance, in particular to risk capital and scale-up funding, is crucial to support the growth of competitive European firms;

Added13. Recalls that cleantech can contribute to strengthening EU sovereignty and competitiveness; welcomes the EIB’s alignment with the EU sustainable finance framework, including the integration of the EU Taxonomy criteria; calls for continued investments with a clear and measurable impact on emissions reduction; stresses the need for investments in climate adaptation and resilience; encourages investments in research and development, as well as in innovative technologies for climate preparedness; welcomes the agreement between the EIB and EEA to deepen their collaboration on biodiversity and climate actions; expects the EIB to leverage its technical assistance and advisory services, in particular to support projects delivering affordable access to renewable energy, with a focus on reducing energy prices and ensuring the security of energy supply, including for vulnerable households;

Removed10. Calls on the EIB to further simplify and accelerate application and approval procedures, reduce administrative burdens and allocate funding on the basis of efficiency, economic viability and measurable impact; calls for proportionate ex post evaluations to ensure the effective use of resources and the crowd-in of private investment;

Added14. Notes that the EIB delivered EUR 16 billion in financing for small businesses and start-ups in 2025; underlines that improving access to finance, in particular to risk capital, private equity and scale-up funding, is crucial to support the growth and internationalisation of competitive European firms; calls for efforts to be stepped up to close the financing gap for high-growth companies and to foster a more dynamic and integrated European capital market; is of the opinion that efforts to mobilise additional resources for SMEs and scale-ups should be strengthened to ensure that they can compete globally; calls on the EIB to increase its financing for SMEs across the Union; encourages the EIF to launch more initiatives to support start-ups and scale-ups;

RemovedFinancing energy security for industrial competitiveness

Added15. Calls on the EIB to further simplify and accelerate application and approval procedures, reduce administrative burdens, and strengthen support for small beneficiaries, including local and regional authorities, municipalities, SMEs and start-ups, by ensuring that prerequisites and reporting requirements are proportionate to the allocation value and/or the size of the beneficiary, without compromising financial standards, and to allocate funding on the basis of efficiency, economic viability and measurable impact; calls in particular, for improved access to financing for SMEs and start-ups, including through simplified eligibility criteria and procedures under InvestEU and the EIF, especially in less developed and rural regions, complemented by enhanced technical assistance; further calls for funding to be allocated on the basis of efficiency, economic viability and measurable impact, and for proportionate ex post evaluations to ensure the effective use of resources and the crowding-in of private investment;

Removed11. Highlights that industrial competitiveness is built on predictable and affordable energy prices; recalls that energy volatility remains a structural risk for the EU’s economy owing to geopolitical challenges and supply constraints; welcomes the EIB’s focus in 2026 on strengthening competitiveness and security;