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Knowledge category: Funding and financing

InvestEU Fund

Updated on 19.09.2023

The InvestEU Fund aims to boost sustainable investment, innovation, social inclusion and job creation. InvestEU contributes to EU climate and environmental goals, with at least 30 % of its investment dedicated to European Green Deal objectives. It also contributes to the digital transformation by supporting digital solutions for new business opportunities, trustworthy technology, and the green transition.

Financial entity: European Investment Bank
Contact: via contact form

Relevance for Circular Systemic Solutions

The themes covered by the InvestEU Fund can contribute to the circular economy. The InvestEU instrument can be accessed by, among others, public sector entities (territorial or not), mixed entities, such as public–private partnership (PPPs), and private companies with a public purpose. Project promoters (including public sector entities) should apply directly to the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and other eligible InvestEU Implementing Partners who will offer tailor-made financing solutions based on the financial products supported by the EU guarantee. Implementing Partners will be able to advise public authorities (including local and regional authorities) and PPPs on the financing opportunities suitable for their Circular Systemic Solution or its specific element. Implementing Partners are to be listed on this website.

Applicant criteria

End recipients may be natural or legal persons established in an EU Member State or in a third eligible country, including:

  • Private entities such as special-purpose vehicles or project companies, large corporates, midcap companies, including small midcap companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
  • Public sector entities (territorial or not) and public-sector-type entities
  • Mixed entities, such as PPPs and private companies with a public purpose
  • Not-for-profit organisations

Eligible projects/themes

Part of the InvestEU programme, the InvestEU fund supports financing and investment operations in Europe across four EU policy priorities:

  • Sustainable infrastructure: financing projects in sustainable energy, digital connectivity, transport, the circular economy, water, waste, other environment infrastructure, and more.
  • Research, innovation and digitalisation: financing projects in research and innovation, taking research results to the market, digitisation of industry, scaling up larger innovative companies, artificial intelligence, and more.
  • Small and medium-sized companies: facilitating access to finance for SMEs.
  • This includes capital support for businesses that were negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
  • Social investment and skills: financing projects in skills, education, training, social housing, schools, universities, hospitals, social innovation, healthcare, long-term care and accessibility, microfinance, social enterprise, integration of migrants, refugees and vulnerable people, and more.

Amount of funding

The InvestEU Fund is expected to mobilise at least € 372 billion of public and private investment through an EU budget guarantee of € 26.2 billion in support of investment by implementing partners. The EIB Group will have access to 75 % of this guarantee and will act as the main Implementing Partner for the InvestEU Fund.

Application process

Projects apply directly to Implementing Partners, who offer tailor-made financing solutions. Learn about specific financing opportunities on the website of the EIB Group by following this link.

The list of other Implementing Partners will be published on this webpage.

Deadlines

Each deadline depends on a specific financing programme offered by an Implementing Partner.

Territories involved

large 500 000-200 000, medium 200 000-50 000, and small cities 50 000-5 000

large metropolitan area >1.5 million, metropolitan area 1.5 million-500 000

predominantly urban regions, intermediate and predominantly rural regions, refer to TERCET typology NUTS 3 region