The BEI approves relaxing the requirements to finance the European Security and Defense Industry

The Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank (BEI) on Wednesday has approved its own internal requirements with the objective of Facilitate the financing of the Community Defense Industry. Your president, Nadia Calviñoargues that with this reform the deployment of the 6,000 million euros of its security program, which includes R&D, cybersecurity or protection of critical infrastructure, will be accelerated.

At present, the Bei mandate allows you to invest in military and civil two -use technologies (such as drones), but excludes armament, ammunition or military infrastructure. What the reform approved by the Board of Directors does is only more flexible the definition of double -use technologies.

Specifically, Bei has suppressed the demandin force so far, that eligible dual use projects for financing have to obtain more than 50% of their expected income from civil uses. That means that projects and infrastructure used by the Army or Police that also meet civil needs may opt for the financing of the Bei Group. There will no longer be a minimal threshold of expected income of civil applications or civil users.

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The institution led by Calviño too Update its rules for the financing of security and defense SMEs. Here is also the objective is that the banks of the Member States can open specific lines of credit, backed by the BEI, for double -use projects executed by SMEs and Startups Innovative

Finally, Bei has created a Security and Defense Officewhich provides a unique window for investments in this sector and that has been operational since May 1, 2024. It offers simplified financial support and expert assistance in order to strengthen the security and defense capacities of Europe.

However, Most member states see these changes insufficient. Germany, Italy, France and Poland have already claimed “Explore different possibilities that allow the BEI to invest in defense -related activities beyond the current double -use projects. “

For its part, the president of the European Council, Charles Michelhas proposed to increase the fire power of the BEI – increasing its capitalization – with the objective that it can finance not only the defense industry but also the rest of EU strategic priorities, in particular the double climatic and digital transition.