On 6 July 2026, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Valdis Dombrovskis addressed the European Parliament plenary debate on the European Investment Bank's activities in 2025, calling for the EIB to step up its role in competitiveness, defence, energy security, and support for Ukraine. Dombrovskis stressed that coordination between the Commission and the EIB is closer than ever, and outlined four priority areas from the Commission's perspective.
Dombrovskis highlighted the EIB's importance for competitiveness and economic security, urging the bank to facilitate access to capital for innovative startups and scaleups, and to support critical sectors such as AI, quantum, and cleantech. He called for mobilising all available instruments, including higher risk-taking and aligning the next multi-annual financial framework. He also noted that the European Investment Fund is about to launch the second edition of the European Tech Champions Initiative, complementing the ScaleUp Europe Fund to address the scale-up financing gap.
On energy security, Dombrovskis pointed to the fallout from the Middle East conflict as a reminder of the relevance of EIB investments in this area. He also mentioned critical raw materials, with options being considered to speed up deployment in line with the RESourceEU action plan.
In defence, Dombrovskis welcomed the EIB's stepped-up investments, stating that 'there can be no competitiveness without security.' He urged the bank to further increase its activities in strengthening EU defence capabilities and improving defence supply chains.
Regarding Ukraine, Dombrovskis commended the EIB's continued commitment to enhancing Ukraine's resilience and supporting its recovery, noting that the bank's engagement will be critical for post-war reconstruction. He also called on the EIB to pay particular attention to the challenges faced by EU eastern border regions, in line with the February communication on Eastern border regions.
Dombrovskis also mentioned the EIB as a key partner in the Action Plan for Affordable and Sustainable Housing, working on the Pan-European Investment Platform for housing. He congratulated the EIB on its progress in simplification and reducing time to market, while stressing the need for both quality and speed.
The speech contained concrete proposals, including the launch of the second edition of the European Tech Champions Initiative and the call for higher risk-taking, but remained largely declarative on specific numerical targets or deadlines. The policy orientation shifts towards a more assertive role for the EIB in defence and economic security, while maintaining support for traditional areas like energy and housing. The speech did not introduce new institutional structures or budget figures.
EU innovative startups and scaleups stand to benefit from improved access to capital and the new Tech Champions Initiative, potentially reducing the scale-up financing gap. EU defence industries could see increased EIB lending, strengthening supply chains. EU eastern border regions may receive targeted EIB attention for resilience investments. EU taxpayers face potential increased risk exposure from higher EIB risk-taking, though this could yield higher returns if successful.