The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Airbus said they have signed a first €1 billion loan “to support ambitious research and development in the European aerospace sector.”
The financing comes as the first tranche of a €3 billion package, the largest corporate loan ever authorised by the EIB.
The EIB said the size of the loan reflects the scale of investment needed by Europe’s leading aerospace manufacturer to continue successfully competing on the global market.
It said flexible terms, including long maturities, will provide predictable long-term funding for major programmes that also serve Europe’s industrial resilience and technological leadership.
The EIB said: “The agreement is aimed at advancing the European leader’s technological edge in commercial and defence aviation. It will contribute directly to strengthening Europe’s tech leadership and manufacturing excellence, the building blocks of economic security.
“The financing will support Airbus’ planned investments through 2030 in advanced technologies and integrated systems for commercial aviation, as well as security and defence systems.
“With specific investment projects located across France, Germany and Spain, it will augment Europe’s aerospace and defence ecosystems.”
Airbus CFO Thomas Toepfer said: “This facility reinforces the depth of our strategic partnership with the EIB, supporting the commercial and defence research that drives European industrial competitiveness.
“The highly competitive terms and extended flexibility grant us the maximum optionality to manage our balance sheet, minimise the cost of carry and sustain our long-term investments in aerospace innovation.”
For the EIB, the financing falls under the flagship TechEU initiative, which seeks to accelerate investment in critical technologies and strengthen the European Union’s industrial and technological competitiveness.
EIB President Nadia Calviño said: “The EIB Group is deploying its full firepower to bolster Europe’s technological autonomy, industrial strength and economic competitiveness.
“This is a flagship operation, approved within about six months from the request, which shows that Europe can move with speed and at scale to support its champions and reinforce its position in the emerging geopolitical landscape.”