Highlights
Capitalising on the EIB Group’s technical and financial knowledge and expertise, the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) offers advisory support in a wide range of policy areas and sectors, including climate and environment, innovation, infrastructure and access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Funded and managed by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, the European Investment Advisory Hub helps identify, prepare and implement sustainable investment projects across Europe.
By working closely with public authorities and partner institutions, we support all phases of the project cycle and help clients get better access to finance. We place our clients’ needs at the centre of everything we do, devising support packages enriched by the EIB Group’s long-established experience in technical and financial advice.
In addition to helping with the COVID-19 recovery, our fight against climate change continues. We address these two major challenges while creating a catalyst for positive change. The road to recovery is looking increasingly green and digital, as we harness the technological advances spurred on by the pandemic and pair them with climate-minded investments.
More green finance is the way to counter global warming. We want to help lead the change and offer an array of advisory solutions.
“EIB advisory services continue to play a key role in building awareness and capacity about green finance in the market”
Simon Barnes, head of EIB Advisory Services
For example, we undertook a study to develop financial instruments that expand the use of corporate purchase power agreements and enhance Europe’s renewable generation capacity.
We also developed a comprehensive advisory package to help financial institutions invest in climate action and environmental sustainability through the Green Gateway initiative. This portal includes online tools to support the origination, appraisal and reporting of green investments financed through the EIB’s intermediated finance products. We also provided advisory support that strengthened intermediary institutions’ capacity to lend money for climate change mitigation, adaptation and environmental sustainability projects.
Moreover, ELENA, which stands for European Local Energy Assistance, provides grants for technical assistance to prepare projects in energy efficiency and urban transport across the European Union. EIB experts, funded by the European Investment Advisory Hub, offer clients support in preparing applications for the ELENA programme. This support aims to increase the chances that clients will receive an ELENA grant from the European Commission.
Prosperity in a new digital age
In addition to the ever-important goals associated with climate action, we are still adjusting to our new reality two years after COVID began, searching for innovative ways to support small businesses within this post-pandemic environment. The pandemic sped up the digital transformation across almost all economic sectors, encouraging already tech-savvy firms to maintain their digital prowess and pushing less technologically minded companies to adopt new ways of digital working. In this area, small businesses are at a distinct disadvantage. Businesses that adopt digital technologies tend to invest more money, innovate more and grow faster. More than ever, small and medium-sized enterprises are looking for timely and viable options to propel their digital transition.
In Spain, for example, we worked with the COTEC Foundation for Innovation to identify new avenues to support the digitalisation of small and medium businesses, laying the groundwork for a more competitive and prosperous market.
Make way for the next chapter
Building on the success of the European Investment Advisory Hub and other advisory programmes, the EIB and the European Commission will continue to provide technical, financial and strategic advisory support to project promoters, regional and national authorities and financial intermediaries under the InvestEU Advisory Hub.
Starting in 2022, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, managed by the European Commission with the EIB as its main advisory partner, will provide a single point of entry for financial and technical assistance requests involving key policy priority areas within the European Union, drawing on the know-how and expertise of the EIB Group.
Our integrated advisory offering facilitates access for more clients and partners to InvestEU Fund resources and other sources of financing. This creates a greener, more inclusive and resilient Europe.
“Advisory services will continue to play a key role in strengthening Europe’s investment and business environment. As the EU bank, the EIB will continue to support the European Commission in the delivery of advisory services under the InvestEU Advisory Hub, contributing to a more robust and sustainable project pipeline.”
EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova, who is responsible for advisory activities
Numbers
The European Investment Advisory Hub’s main goal is to give promoters a comprehensive and bespoke advisory package. This service is provided in various ways, including information and guidance via our website, tailored assistance to develop and implement investment projects and platforms, and light advisory support when projects just need a little extra push to get up and running. Additionally, we build clients’ and partners’ knowledge by hosting events, workshops, training and coaching across a breadth of topics.
Accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere
Throughout the European Investment Advisory Hub’s mandate, the website has guided promoters in the right direction, encouraging potential clients to explore the breath of advisory alternatives and funding programmes available across the European Union. In 2021, we had more than 40 000 visits to our website. Our online feedback form showed that 75% of respondents were satisfied with the information they found. This is a clear indication that we have met their specific needs.
Light strategic advisory support
We concentrate our efforts on large assignments, but in some cases clients require only a couple of days of advice to get their projects on the right track. We call this light strategic advice. The European Investment Advisory Hub has provided such support to more than 1 440 project promoters in the transport, energy, innovation and circular economy sectors.
In-depth support
Since its launch, the European Investment Advisory Hub has received more than 2 500 direct requests for more in-depth support. In 2021, cohesion countries submitted the greatest number of requests, seeking assistance in identifying, preparing and implementing many innovative investment projects.
Once a request is submitted to the Hub, our advisors work closely with the client to design an appropriate advisory package for the project. Depending on the needs, the European Investment Advisory Hub will call on financial and technical experts across the EIB to establish the details of the assignment, including the sector, scope, development stage and nature of the investment. Devising a clear overview of the project and determining the advisory needs are vital for an assignment to be successful. This background work allows us to design advisory packages matching the needs of our clients. The requester is kept informed during this process and participates actively in defining the advisory package.
Partners
Helping people plan, implement and finance sustainable projects by working with national promotional banks and institutions (NPBIs) has been a priority for the European Investment Advisory Hub since its launch in 2015. This collaboration has expanded continuously and today the partner network includes more than 40 national, regional and local financial institutions across the European Union. Almost 30 formal agreements have been signed with NPBIs and other institutions to promote knowledge-sharing and provide investment advice directly on the projects.
The European Investment Advisory Hub works closely with partner institutions on concrete investment programmes and projects, covering many aspects related to technical preparation or financial structuring. It also helps build these institutions’ capabilities and exchanges information and good practices. Most of these activities are carried out in cohesion countries. This work raises awareness of our services and delivers more advisory support in these regions.
Funding for partners to offer better advisory services
The European Investment Advisory Hub has helped NPBI partners offer better advisory services locally to project promoters. This was achieved through a specific call for proposals for national promotional banks and institutions. The call was open between December 2017 and June 2020 and offered grants covering up to 75% of the eligible cost of advisory activities. The European Investment Advisory Hub received 21 proposals and signed 14 funding agreements with successful applicants, who implemented programmes focusing on setting up new advisory capabilities or directly supporting local project promoters. Around 300 projects in nine EU countries have been assisted under this programme.
Working with our partners
Advice for small businesses
By working in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Advisory Hub has offered targeted advisory support to small and medium businesses operating in challenging environments and with limited access to professional business advice. The EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses programme, supported by the European Investment Advisory Hub, mobilised a combination of hands-on business advice from local and international consultants, and training and knowledge-sharing activities to help small businesses transform and grow. The programme’s local teams connected potential clients with consultants, assisted in developing terms of reference and monitored the advisory assignments.
In 2021, the programme continued its operation in Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece and Romania, where local entrepreneurs and consultants also benefited from professional training programmes. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the programme offered online advisory assignments and training, and prioritised coronavirus response assignments in the areas of financial management, financing, business continuity and supply chains.
By the end of December 2021, 350 EIAH-funded advisory assignments had been started. More than 300 of these have been completed. More than 200 assignments have been evaluated in terms of their impact and investments undertaken a year after completion. With the programme’s support, more than 100 companies have made investments and attracted outside financing.
Behind the scenes
Meet the specialists behind the success stories of the European Investment Advisory Hub.