EIB Backs PESA with €50m to Boost Zero-Emission Trains and Expansion

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska said the financing highlights the role of the EIB Group’s TechEU programme in strengthening European industrial competitiveness.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a financing agreement worth around PLN 210 million (€50 million) with Polish rolling stock manufacturer PESA Bydgoszcz S.A., joining an international financial consortium that will support the company’s long-term development and international expansion with up to PLN 6.8 billion in total funding.

The investment will enable PESA to modernise its production facilities, significantly increase capacity through automation and robotisation, and bring new zero-emission rail vehicles to the European market. The company also plans to strengthen its international footprint as demand grows for cleaner, more efficient rail transport solutions.

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska said the financing highlights the role of the EIB Group’s TechEU programme in strengthening European industrial competitiveness.

“The TechEU programme was created to enhance the competitiveness of European industry,” she said. “Thanks to successful restructuring and sustained investment in innovation, PESA has grown into a regional leader in sustainable transport. This favourable financing will support the company’s next phase of development, including advanced production methods and modern technologies.”

PESA expects the investment to deliver a substantial increase in both production capacity and revenue. Planned developments include new high-speed trainsets capable of operating at speeds of up to 200 km/h, as well as zero-emission rail vehicles powered by hydrogen. These innovations are expected to play a key role in helping Europe meet its climate objectives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport while strengthening industrial capacity in Poland and across the European Union.

Given its strong alignment with EU climate and innovation priorities, the EIB financing for PESA has been supported by an InvestEU guarantee, further de-risking the investment and encouraging private sector participation.

The agreement marks another major allocation under the TechEU programme in Poland this year. Earlier funding rounds supported the University of Silesia with PLN 200 million and the technology company Synerise with €25 million, reflecting the programme’s broad focus on innovation-driven growth.

Under TechEU, the EIB Group plans to invest €70 billion by the end of 2027 in strategic sectors including artificial intelligence, quantum computing and digital infrastructure, biotechnology and advanced medical technologies, security and defence, clean energy, and semiconductors. These investments are expected to mobilise up to €250 billion in additional funding across Europe, reinforcing the EU’s technological leadership and economic resilience.