Mr Van Ballekom, could you briefly describe the European Investment Bank and its role?
The European Investment Bank is the Bank of the European Union. It is the largest multilateral borrower and lender in the world. The Bank was established under the Treaty of Rome in 1958. Originally based in Brussels, it moved to Luxembourg in 1968, where it has been ever since. Its role is to lend money to support sound investment projects. While over 90% of its lending is in the EU, the EIB also finances projects outside of the European Union in pre-accession countries, in Eastern and Southern neighbour countries of the EU, as well as in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific, Latin America and Asia. The 27 EU Member States are the bank’s shareholders, with the four...
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