In a letter sent by the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, Nadia Calviño, to the President of the European Council, António Costa, which was obtained by CNA, the EIB confirms - ahead of the European Council meeting on October 23-24, 2025 - its intention to give "special attention to the Eastern flank of the Union, anti-drone technologies, as well as military mobility and the protection of critical infrastructure."
Following the informal summit in Copenhagen, the EIB is "exploring i) targeted actions for military mobility corridors identified by the Commission together with the Member States, in close cooperation with NATO, ii) the construction and reinforcement of significant infrastructure to strengthen the Eastern flank, and iii) supporting with urgency initiatives to protect our citizens, cities, and critical infrastructure against hostile drones."
The EIB Group is committed to "fully playing its role in supporting Europe's security, autonomy, and resilience, with concrete actions that will soon begin to have a clear impact on the ground." As the Commission advances with the Defense Roadmap, the Bank is "ready to contribute with experience and resources to ensure its successful implementation."
Speeding up the process
The EIB has already allocated €2.5 billion to over 30 significant projects, with the process from initial project assessment to signing accelerated to six months. The EIB's portfolio covers five key areas: reinforcing Europe's critical infrastructures, such as military centers, ports, and transport corridors; strengthening the industrial capabilities of the European defense industry, including the production of equipment for drones and counter-drone technologies; supporting research and development in new technologies, such as radar, electronic defense, and biodefense; facilitating access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the defense sector; and strengthening an ecosystem of specialized private investment funds to support the security and defense industry.
"We are working increasingly closely with the European Commission, the European Defence Agency, Member States, and NATO to ensure our work supports European priorities, as outlined in the White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030. Additionally, we are cooperating to ensure complementarity between the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) and EIB funding, maximizing the impact of available public resources at the EU level," Calviño adds in the letter.
The EIB welcomes the amendments proposed through the Defence Omnibus and the extension of the InvestEU advisory mandate for security and defense. It states that this should meet three key objectives: sufficiency and speed, predictability and flexibility, and simplicity and efficiency, while including quantum technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, and advanced manufacturing systems. "However, a further increase in available funding for technical assistance for infrastructure projects by the Commission will be much needed to support the early stages of project development and get new projects off the ground, particularly on the Eastern flank," the President emphasizes.
In closing, Calviño calls on Costa for the continued support of the 27 Member States, anticipating "progress in system standardization and procurement centralization so that Europe can successfully face any security challenges."