|
Raiffeisen-Leasing Polska rejoins EU/EBRD SME Finance Facility
€5 million loan to boost leasing business
The EBRD is extending a €5 million loan to Raiffeisen-Leasing Polska S.A. to
support the company in building up its business of leasing to small and
medium-sized enterprises. The finance is an extension of the existing €10
million loan signed in October 2002. The new loan will strengthen
Raiffeisen-Leasing Polska S.A. by allowing the company to increase the number
of leases to clients, especially in the segment of micro enterprises.
Jonathan Woollett, EBRD Director for Non-Bank Financial Institutions, said
with this new loan the EBRD will support the expansion of Poland’s small
business sector by providing small and medium-sized enterprises with wider
access to finance. The loan will also contribute to the development of the
leasing sector in Poland by promoting competition and attracting the attention
of other local SME financiers.
Przemysław Stańczyk, Member of the Management Board from Raiffeisen-Leasing
Polska S.A. said the extension of the facility with EBRD is very crucial,
especially when small and medium enterprises in Poland still meet barriers in
accessing funds necessary for business development.
The EU/EBRD SME Finance Facility, a joint programme of the European Commission
and the EBRD, supports the development and growth of entrepreneurs by
facilitating their access to finance. The Bank has committed €700 million, of
which €495 million has been disbursed by local banks and leasing companies via
19,000 loans and leases. The EC has committed €130 million in grant financing
and for technical assistance since the facility’s launch in 1999 under the
Phare Programme, the main channel for the EU’s financial and technical
cooperation with accession countries. Phare’s overall budget is about €1.5
billion a year.
For further information see: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement
|
