The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has held talks in Budapest with Hungarian government and development bank officials on potential support for reforms and investment in areas including education, business finance and energy.
EIB Vice-President Marko Primorac visited the Hungarian capital on 13–14 July and met the Minister for Children and Education, Judit Lannert, as well as János Gerendás, chief executive of the Hungarian Development Bank (MFB), the EIB informed.
The discussions covered investment needs linked to education and skills, innovation, access to finance for businesses, energy and electricity grid investment, transport, housing and social infrastructure.
The visit followed an earlier European Investment Fund (EIF) mission to Hungary that also engaged with Hungarian counterparts, including the government, MFB, the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HVCA) and ImpactCEE.
“We continue to work with our Hungarian partners to identify where our cooperation can have the greatest impact: strengthening the economy, helping businesses grow and improving people’s quality of life,” Primorac stated.
The EIB Group has supported the Hungarian economy with more than €25 billion in investment since 1991.
Focus on SME finance and energy security
Primorac also discussed the role of the EIF — part of the EIB Group — in improving access to finance for Hungarian small businesses, start-ups and scale-ups, the EIB said.
The EIF works through financial intermediaries and uses tools including equity and guarantees to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are smaller firms that typically employ fewer than 250 people.
The EIB pointed to recent cooperation with MFB, including a €100 million loan signed in 2023 to support energy-efficiency and renewable-energy investments by Hungarian SMEs and mid-sized companies through the development bank.
Primorac also took part in the Budapest Energy and Security Talks, where he joined a panel discussion on energy security and climate pressures.
“Energy investment now sits at the heart of Europe’s security, competitiveness and strategic autonomy,” Primorac emphasised.
