ROME - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has made 200 million euro worth of credit lines available to local companies and entities that were affected by the earthquakes in Emilia Romagna last May.

The loans will be disbursed via domestic banks operating in the region – including in particular those that signed up to the June Framework Agreement involving the Emilia Romagna region, Confindustria and the municipalities of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena and Reggio Emilia. In addition by credit institutions with a strong presence in the area.

The first lines of credit already signed between the EIB and the Italian banks relate to agreements with BPER (40 million euro), Intesa Sanpaolo (50 million euro) and Centrobanca-Gruppo UBI Banca (25 million euro), producing a total of 115 million euro.

The loans are intended for projects presented by firms of all sizes (SMEs, mid-caps, large companies) and local entities (municipalities, provinces) located in the areas affected by the earthquake, and all sectors of activity traditionally financed by the EIB will be eligible