The guarantee available under the InvestEU Fund is implemented via selected financial partners, or ‘implementing partners’. The main partner is the EIB Group, which signed a Guarantee Agreement with the Commission on 9 March 2022 covering 75% of the EU guarantee. The agreement builds on the EIBG’s successful experience in implementing and managing the European Fund for Strategic Investments since its launch in 2015.
For the first time, the EU guarantee is open also to national promotional banks and international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) or the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB), as long as they become an ‘entrusted entity’ on the basis of EU Budget rules.
How to become an Implementing Partner
Assessing capacity to manage the EU budget
Interested parties must undergo a screening process to assess their eligibility for managing EU funds. The assessment takes place in 3 main steps:
- Application: potential implementing partners need to submit an application form to the European Commission to this email address.
- Eligibility: the Commission checks the eligibility of applicants.
- Pillar Assessment: eligible applicants must complete a screening process, a ‘Pillar Assessment’, to ensure EU funds are properly managed. The assessment is an independent external audit, guided by its Terms of Reference, and carried out to ensure compliance with the rules and procedures for managing EU funds. The Commission concludes its assessment based on the findings of the auditor’s report.
Selection of implementing partners under InvestEU
To become an InvestEU implementing partner, interested parties need to respond to a call for expressions of interest. The Commission then enters into negotiations with them to define the type of financial product(s) they wish to implement and the conditions attached to it. The negotiations are concluded by signing a guarantee agreement granting the status of InvestEU implementing partner.
In 2021, a number of potential implementing partners responded to a call for expressions of interest. The next call for expressions of interest for the InvestEU Fund is planned for 2023. However, the Pillar Assessment needs to be completed before the Commission can sign a guarantee, or in certain cases, an advisory agreement with the implementing partner or the advisory partner.
For more information on the application procedure and for details on how to become an implementing partner please consult the: