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Launched in 2022, the EU-funded Western Balkans EDIF Guarantee for SME Resilience Initiative aims to enhance access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region, bolstering their capacity to navigate challenging economic conditions. This initiative facilitates affordable financing, promoting business expansion, job creation, and economic growth.
Since 2013, the European Investment Fund (EIF), in collaboration with the European Commission, has mobilised €3.5 billion, supporting over 67,000 companies and approximately 900,000 jobs in the Western Balkans. Additionally, since 2006, the European Commission has allocated €600 million through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) to improve SME access to finance, aiming to stimulate an additional €6 billion in investments.
The EIF, part of the EIB Group, has entered into guarantee agreements with 11 banks and financial intermediaries across the Western Balkans. Funded under the EU’s Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF) “Guarantee for SME Resilience”, these agreements will enable local banks and financial institutions to establish SME loan portfolios exceeding €750 million, with further agreements anticipated in the first half of 2024.
These financial resources are designed to improve SMEs’ access to finance, enhancing their resilience amid ongoing economic challenges and fostering conditions conducive to business growth, employment, and innovation. The facility is expected to support over €750 million in concessional loans to approximately 13,000 small businesses, sustaining around 180,000 jobs in the Western Balkans.
The launch of the WB EDIF Guarantee for SME Resilience sets the stage for the signing of an additional 20 guarantees under the Western Balkans Guarantee Facility. This initiative demonstrates how innovative financial instruments can attract private investment, supporting the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan and fostering a competitive, resilient private sector.