Еuropean Investment Bank – loans for SMEs, entrepreneurs and local governments

Since mid-2002 the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved to the Republic of Serbia five Apex loans for SMEs, midcaps, priority projects, entrepreneurs and local governments in the total amount of EUR 1,065 mn.

The first four loans, totalling EUR 565 mn, were fully disbursed through 630 loans, and are expected to lead to the creation of 6,920 jobs.

The fifth Apex loan

On 30 December 2013, the EIB approved to the Republic of Serbia a new, fifth Apex loan for SMEs and other priorities in the amount of EUR 500 mn.

The funds for the fifth Apex loan were used in two tranches of EUR 150 mn each. A total of 346 loans were approved to SMEs, midcaps, entrepreneurs and local governments.

The disbursement of the second tranche (III/B) began in September 2017 with the participation of ten intermediary banks. A specificity of this tranche is in providing support to youth employment through more favourable conditions for financing SMEs, midcaps and entrepreneurs that employ young people. As at 30 September 2020, the EIB approved 162 loans in the total amount of EUR 144.4 mn, of which 28 were intended for youth employment. In accordance with the realization of the funds, the plan is to create 1.374 new jobs, of which 367 for young people. The funds in the second tranche of the fifth Apex loan (III/B) were primarily utilised by SMEs, midcaps and entrepreneurs in manufacturing (55.47%), construction (10.94%), transport and storage (9.48%) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (8.02%) from all over Serbia, notably the following districts: City of Belgrade (24.08%), South Banat (16.05%), Morava (7.29%), Zlatibor (5.83%) and Nišava (5.10%).

The funds under this loan can still be used via intermediary banks through onlending from the regular or early repayment of loan amounts of initial end-beneficiaries.

Loan funds are channelled to end-beneficiaries via the following intermediary banks:

• AIK BANKA (www.aikbanka.rs)
• BANCA INTESA (www.bancaintesa.rs)
• ERSTE BANK (www.erstebank.rs)
• EUROBANK DIREKTNA (www.eurobank-direktna.rs)
• HALKBANK (www.halkbank.rs)
• NLB KOMERCIJALNA BANKA (www.nlbkb.rs)
• PROCREDIT BANК (www.procreditbank.rs)
• RAIFFEISEN BANKA (www.raiffeisenbank.rs)
• UNICREDIT BANK SRBIJA (www.unicreditbank.rs)

For more information on this credit line, contact the intermediary banks or the NBS Centre for Cooperation with Domestic and International Institutions and Financial Organisations – Revolving Credit Fund Management Unit, National Bank of Serbia, Kralja Petra 12, 11000 Beograd (telephone numbers: +381 11 3027-315, 3027-318, 3027-319, 3027-321, 3027-353).

Terms of lending