An ‘Exceptional Year’ for the EIB, energy in the spotlight

The EIB’s total lending last year amounted to just under EUR 48 bn to support EU policy objectives. The lion’s share – just over EUR 41bn – went to projects within the EU, in line with the Bank’s principal mission. To support this lending, the EIB borrowed nearly EUR 55 bn on the international capital markets, issuing bonds in 23 different currencies.

‘2007 was an exceptional year for the EIB, one in which we met, and in some cases exceeded, the ambitious lending goals we set ourselves in support of EU policy priorities’, EIB President Philippe Maystadt told the Bank’s annual press conference in Brussels on 28 February. During his presentation of the EIB’s results, Mr Maystadt focused in particular on three areas where the Bank was especially successful in 2007: energy, innovation, and transport.

• Prif ffynhonnell