The Growth and Environment Scheme

The growth and environment scheme is designed to facilitate environmentally friendly investments by small or medium-sized enterprises with up to 100 employees in the European Union. The scheme is currently being operated as a pilot project of the European Union. Before its parameters were finalised in 1995, several banks from different member states of the European Union were consulted and invited to comment on the proposed project. The scheme is operated on the basis of virtually full delegation by the EIF to the intermediaries. Being aimed at environmentally friendly investments, environmental eligibility is, of course, the crucial criterion under the Growth and Environment Scheme. The Growth and Environment Scheme encourages a positive view: namely, to spot opportunities in the area of the environment—opportunities both for the bank and its clients, that are also in the interest of sustainability. The resource, an intermediary intends to allocate to the implementation of the scheme is an important indication in this regard.