EIB Provides €100 Million to Expand Financing for Romanian SMEs and Mid-Caps

Romanian businesses are set to gain greater access to investment financing after the European Investment Bank (EIB) agreed a €100 million credit facility with BRD Sogelease IFN, the leasing subsidiary of BRD Groupe Société Générale.

The financing is designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-caps invest in expansion, productivity, innovation and sustainable development at a time when access to long-term capital remains more challenging for Romanian companies than for businesses in many other European Union economies.

€100 million to strengthen business investment

Under the agreement, BRD Sogelease will channel the EIB resources to eligible Romanian companies through long-term financing available in both euros and Romanian lei.

The funding is expected to be offered on favourable terms compared with alternative sources available in the market, giving companies additional capacity to finance equipment, expansion plans and other productive investments.

For Romania's private sector, the initiative represents another European-backed mechanism aimed at reducing financing constraints that can restrict investment and business growth.

Cohesion regions receive the majority of funding

Territorial development will be one of the central components of the programme.

Approximately 80% of the €100 million EIB facility is expected to finance projects located in Romania's less-developed regions, classified by the EU as cohesion regions. The measure seeks to channel capital toward areas where businesses may face greater investment barriers and where additional private-sector activity can contribute to employment and economic convergence.

The allocation also aligns the operation with the EU's broader objective of reducing economic disparities between regions.

€15 million earmarked for green investment

Sustainability represents another significant component of the agreement, with 15% of the financing—or €15 million—designated for green projects.

Eligible investments are expected to include energy-efficiency improvements, renewable-energy solutions and sustainable transport. These projects could help Romanian companies reduce energy consumption and operating expenses while modernising their assets and lowering their environmental footprint.

The combination of business financing and climate investment reflects the EIB's strategy of linking European competitiveness with the green transition.

Financing as a competitiveness tool

The initiative comes as European policymakers increasingly focus on improving companies' access to capital to strengthen productivity and competitiveness.

For SMEs in particular, the availability and cost of long-term financing can determine whether companies are able to modernise equipment, expand production or invest in new technologies.

The EIB argues that its cooperation with local financial institutions allows European resources to reach a much broader base of businesses than could be financed directly by the EU lender.

A partnership exceeding €400 million

The latest agreement extends an established relationship between the EIB and BRD Sogelease.

During the previous decade, the European lender had already provided €305 million in financing to the Romanian leasing company. With the latest €100 million operation, their cumulative financing relationship rises to more than €400 million.

The EIB has also provided advisory assistance to BRD Sogelease and its customers to support green investment projects.

BRD Sogelease expands its support for Romanian companies

Founded in 2001, BRD Sogelease provides financial leasing and other asset-based financing solutions in Romania. It currently serves more than 10,000 SME and small-cap clients.

Its parent banking group, BRD Groupe Société Générale, reported total assets of 96.3 billion Romanian lei as of June 2026, making it one of the country's major banking institutions.

The new facility strengthens BRD Sogelease's capacity to provide businesses with financing for productive assets and long-term investment.

EU capital targets Romania's next phase of growth

The operation illustrates the growing role of European financing institutions in supporting private investment in Central and Eastern Europe.

By combining preferential business financing with a strong focus on regional cohesion and sustainability, the €100 million programme aims to address several priorities simultaneously: improving access to capital, strengthening Romanian companies' competitiveness, accelerating green investment and supporting economic development outside the country's strongest regions.

For Romania's SMEs and mid-caps, the initiative could provide additional financial capacity to modernise operations and pursue new growth opportunities within an increasingly competitive European economy.