Romania’s microenterprises secure €100 million financing boost through new EIB deal

Romania's smallest businesses are set to gain access to €100 million in financing through a new agreement between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and BCR Social Finance IFN SA, giving entrepreneurs more room to fund investments they may struggle to finance through traditional banks.

The EIB is lending €50 million to BCR Social Finance, which will contribute an equal amount and distribute the combined funding to microenterprises across the country. Borrowers will benefit from lower interest rates than would be available without the EIB's involvement, making the package a potentially valuable source of support for businesses with limited financing options.

More affordable loans for Romania's smallest firms

The funding is intended for microenterprises, defined as companies with fewer than ten employees and annual turnover or a balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. For these businesses, getting an investment off the ground can depend on finding a lender prepared to understand their circumstances and offer manageable terms.

The partners recently signed the loan agreement and announced it at the European Microfinance Network Annual Conference 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris said Europe's investment ambitions must reach the smallest businesses, describing the agreement as a way to give Romanian entrepreneurs greater access to the long-term finance they need to invest, adapt and grow. He stressed that European investment should create practical opportunities in the communities that need them most.

The financing will be delivered through a Multi-Beneficiary Intermediated Loan, known as an MBIL. Under this arrangement, BCR Social Finance will use its knowledge of local businesses and markets to channel EIB funding to eligible borrowers, supporting the bank's wider work to improve access to finance for smaller companies across the European Union.

Separate guarantee expansion supports entrepreneurs and education

A second agreement, announced under the InvestEU guarantee arrangement between BCR Social Finance and the European Investment Fund (EIF), will expand financing for microentrepreneurs and the education sector.

This top-up will make €100 million available to support more than 5,300 microentrepreneurs across Romania, with particular attention to rural areas. An additional €10 million will support investment in education and skills development.

The guarantee expansion is a separate arrangement from the €100 million financing package backed by the EIB loan and BCR Social Finance's matching contribution. Both agreements address access to funding, reaching businesses and organisations whose needs can be difficult to meet through conventional lending.

Local lending backed by European support

BCR Social Finance is the Erste Group's social financing arm in Romania, operating as a social non-bank financial institution. Its customers include small businesses, social enterprises, students, non-governmental organisations and other borrowers who face difficulties accessing traditional bank loans.

Chief Executive Officer Ștefan Ionuț Buciuc said getting suitable financing at the right time can determine whether a microbusiness proceeds with an investment or postpones it. He described the EIB Group partnership as additional capacity to reach entrepreneurs with finance suited to their needs, turning European resources into practical support for businesses and their communities.

Buciuc also linked the agreements to the institution's broader mission of supporting entrepreneurship, opening doors through education and helping Romania's social economy grow.

The relationship extends beyond lending. BCR Social Finance has received EIB advisory support through the Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance initiative, or SIFTA, in connection with the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision.

Delivered under the European Commission's InvestEU Advisory Hub mandate, SIFTA provides capacity building and evaluation services for microfinance and social enterprise finance providers, supporting the institutions responsible for getting funding to borrowers.