SME Chamber applauds European Investment Bank decision to open Malta office

The Malta Chamber of SMEs welcomes the news that the European Investment Bank (EIB) will be opening an office in Malta to support projects and further enhance access to funding.

The opening was announced at an event held on 27th November (yesterday) in Valletta.

“This year marks the 45th anniversary of the first EIB project signed in Malta, with over €1 billion in total financing for investments in the country committed since,” said EIB Group President Nadia Calviño at the event.

Minister for Finance Clyde Caruana said that the occasion was not just about opening an office, but about "celebrating shared values."

"The values of solidarity, sustainability, and innovation that underpin the EIB’s work are the same values that drive Malta’s vision for the future," he stated.

The new office, to be headed by Lawrence Walsh, will aim to facilitate engagement between the EIB Group and local stakeholders, businesses, and public sector entities.

The SME Chamber looks forward to collaborating with EIB officials to strengthen support for businesses, it said in a statement, and added that it is optimistic that the new office will "further increase funding opportunities for businesses and continue the excellent work already being carried out, particularly by the Malta Development Bank."

The ElB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.

EIB projects aim to "bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality."