EIB and HBOR open €300M loan line for Croatian SMEs
What's the deal? The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €300 million loan with the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The deal, signed in Zagreb, is the first tranche of a planned €500 million package.
By the numbers: At €300 million, this is one of the larger lending commitments the two institutions have arranged, ranking in the 77th percentile among comparable rounds. HBOR calls the €500 million framework the biggest it has ever agreed with the EIB for this segment.
What's the endgame? The money will reach firms through HBOR's direct loans and commercial-bank channels, funding modernisation, new technology, expanded production, and job creation. At least 30% is earmarked for climate, energy-efficiency, and environmental projects.
Why now? The EIB framed the loan as a response to Croatian companies' continued difficulty securing long-term investment funds. The signing coincided with a Zagreb conference on investing in Croatia, co-organised by the EIB Group and the European CommissionDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s representation in the country.
"Croatia's economic success depends on thousands of companies that make investment decisions every day," said EIB vice-president Marko Primorac (translated from Croatian). He added that the partnership helps entrepreneurs modernise operations, expand production, or invest in new technology.
The backstory: The EIB–HBOR relationship spans 25 years, with 31 contracts worth nearly €4.5 billion. In May, the EIB announced a separate €200 million loan for mid-sized and larger firms and public projects; EIB Group financing in Croatia reached €536 million in 2025, more than half of it supporting SMEs, mid-caps, and public entities.
The signal: The tranche is substantial but part of a steady push to widen investment finance for smaller firms, not a departure from established policy. With a 30% green allocation, it also folds climate goals into mainstream SME lending across the region.
Read more: globenewsinfo.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
