The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has signed a financing package of €72 million ($77.9 million) with Serbia’s Banca Intesa Beograd aimed at boosting the competitiveness and trade potential of businesses in Serbia, furthering the country’s green transition and promoting financial inclusion. The package includes three financing facilities.
The first facility of the Risk-Sharing Framework of €50 million allows EBRD to share Banca Intesa’s exposure to local SMEs through unfunded risk participation where EBRD will guarantee up to 65% of each sub-loan, potentially reaching up to €50 million.
The second, SME Go Green Programme worth €15 million provides sub-loans to SMEs for sustainability practices, quality standards adoption, and green economy investments. It aims to allocate 70% of funds to projects under the Green Economy Transition (GET) initiative. The senior loan of €7 million under Western Balkans Women in Business Programme lends to women-led SMEs, offering finance and business advisory services.