BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.3. The European
Investment Bank (EIB) Group maintained a high level of activity in
Belgium in 2025, providing €2.6 billion in financing to support
climate action, energy security, social housing and innovation, the
Bank said, Trend reports.
The financing, which included €157 million from the European
Investment Fund (EIF), focused on priority areas such as social and
affordable housing, energy efficiency, and energy and water
infrastructure as part of the green transition. More than two
thirds of the Group’s total investment volume in Belgium — around
€1.76 billion — was climate-related.
At the global level, the EIB Group signed close to €100 billion
in new financing in 2025, supporting hundreds of projects aligned
with EU policy priorities, including approximately €57 billion for
green projects.
Energy security remained a key focus in Belgium, reflecting the
Group’s overall €33 billion commitment across Europe in 2025. In
Wallonia, the EIB provided a €280 million loan to ORES to modernize
and future-proof its electricity distribution network. This was
complemented by a €100 million cooperation with Wallonie
Entreprendre to help small businesses finance sustainability
investments. In addition, Société wallonne du crédit social (SWCS)
signed a first €250 million tranche under a larger facility to
support energy-efficient renovation of private homes.
Innovation financing also featured prominently. The EIB provided
venture debt to two Belgian scale-ups, including €37.5 million to
space technology company Aerospacelabs and €20 million to
SamanTree, whose microscopic scanning technology aims to improve
the precision of cancer surgeries.
In Flanders, the EIB signed the first €700 million tranche of
what will become its largest-ever financing operation in Belgium: a
€1.7 billion agreement with the Flemish government to support the
construction of 56,000 new social housing units by 2042, alongside
the energy-efficient renovation of thousands of existing homes. The
Bank also renewed its long-standing partnership with water company
Aquafin, providing €265 million for wastewater treatment
infrastructure.
In the Brussels Capital Region, EIB Group financing focused on
improving access to finance and boosting competitiveness for small
and medium-sized enterprises, including a €50 million agreement
with finance&invest.brussels to support small
entrepreneurs.
The EIF continued to back Belgian SMEs through guarantees and
equity investments in specialised funds. With support from the
European Commission’s InvestEU programme, the EIF invested in
initiatives such as Avante, a pan-European fund targeting biotech
scale-ups, and Heran Healthtech Fund II.
With a strong pipeline of projects in mobility, healthcare and
innovation, the EIB Group said it will continue to finance
investments that deliver tangible benefits for citizens and
businesses.
The European Investment Bank Group — comprising the EIB and the
EIF — is the European Union’s financial arm and is owned by its 27
Member States, with Belgium holding a 5.2% share. The EIB provides
long-term financing for investments that support EU policy
objectives, while the EIF focuses on improving access to finance
for small and medium-sized enterprises through guarantees, equity
investments and microfinance.
