The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €300 million loan with Croatia’s development bank, the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR), to finance small and medium-sized enterprises and support business investment.
The EIB describes the loan as the first part of a planned €500 million package for investment in Croatian businesses. HBOR can lend directly to companies and distribute the money through commercial banks and other eligible financial intermediaries, the EIB said.
The financing is intended for projects involving innovation, sustainable development and job creation. It can also support businesses seeking to modernize operations, expand production or adopt new technologies. The EIB said the loan would offer favorable conditions, but its announcement did not give interest rates, repayment periods or borrower-level eligibility details.
The EIB says 30% of the financing is earmarked for climate action and environmental sustainability. Its release does not specify whether that share is calculated against the €300 million loan or the planned €500 million package.
The EIB presented the financing as a response to Croatian companies’ continued difficulty securing long-term funds for investment. It did not quantify the funding gap or say how much of businesses’ demand the package is expected to meet.
This loan adds to a financing relationship that began in 2001. In May, the EIB announced a separate €200 million loan for mid-sized and larger companies and public-sector projects. The EIB said then that funding channeled through HBOR since the partnership began was close to €4 billion.
The signing date is unverified. The EIB’s Oct. 28 announcement places the agreement signing alongside a Zagreb conference, while its project record lists July 22, 2026. The two EIB sources do not explain the difference.
HBOR President of the Management Board Hrvoje Čuvalo said the financing would help businesses “accelerate the green transition and support innovation.” The Oct. 28 announcement does not say when companies can apply.
