European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international multilateral financial institution with the goal to advance the transition to open market economies, whilst fostering sustainable and inclusive growth.

The EBRD offers a range of financial instruments, among which loans for both small enterprises and larger private sector projects.

• Loans for larger projects: this concerns loans to private sector projects starting at EUR 3 million. To match client and project needs, the loans are structured with a high degree of flexibility: e.g. short or long-term maturities, fixed or floating rate, senior to mezzanine debt. The loans are based on current market rates and are priced competitively.
• Loans for smaller projects: SMEs, municipalities, and projects that are too small to be financed directly by the EBRD can still benefit from their investments. The EBRD enables this by offering investments to commercial banks that, in turn, allocate them on their behalf to smaller projects across the EBRD region . Those commercial banks act as financial intermediaries for the EBRD.

In addition to loans, the EBRD also offers equity investments.

What is the relevance for Circular City initiatives?

The EBRD focusses on a very wide spectrum of sectors , which means that many kinds of projects can apply for financing. Because all projects that apply for financing are being assessed on environmental and social impacts, sustainability plays an important role in all EBRD’s investments. In addition, circularity is a topic that is interwoven with the different focus areas such as green economy transition and food security.

How to apply?

The EBRD is operating in many central and (south-) eastern European countries. Find out whether your country is eligible here .

To apply for financing from the EBRD, you can first fill out a questionnaire, the Interactive Funding Advisor . The questionnaire provides insight into whether your business or project meets the key criteria of the EBRD and what types of services or products could be available to your specific needs.