EIF guarantee under MAP Loan Window for Raiffeisen Bank SA (Romania)

Under the Loan Guarantee Facility of the "Multiannual Programme for Enterprise (MAP)", EIF has today signed a EUR 20m agreement with Raiffeisen Bank SA (RB) in Romania, marking the EIF's first agreement with an intermediary in Romania and marking EIF's fifth guarantee deal in an Acceding/Accession Country under the MAP Facilities. Raiffeisen Bank SA is the result of the merger between the former Banca Agricola and Raiffeisenbank Romania, the corporate subsidiary of RZB Romania. It provides the full range of financial services to corporate clients and consumers. Particular attention is paid to SMEs and the bank is committed to expand in this segment of the market.

Under its agreement, EIF will provide for a guarantee structure with full delegation to Raiffeisen Bank SA. The loans provided by RB to SMEs would have loan maturities of minimum 36 months and finance investments. In line with the additionality requirements and objectives of the Facility and, thanks to the EIF guarantee, RB will offer a new lending programme with reduced collateral requirements and either an extension of the maximum loan maturity or a lower margin charged to SMEs.