WB EDIF Guarantee Facility (WB EDIF GF)

WB EDIF GF – managed by the EIF - provides guarantees to financial or credit institutions, guarantee schemes including mutual guarantee organisations, micro-finance institutions and any other financial institution - subject to fulfilling certain criteria -  established and operating in one or several Western Balkan countries  (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo (i), Montenegro and Serbia) to encourage them to build up new portfolios of SME loans and thereby improving access to finance to SMEs in the region. 
Activities carried-out by SMEs should not breach ethical principles or focus on one or more EIF restricted sectors.

What are the benefits for financial institutions to apply ?

The key benefit is that EIF is taking part of the risk which will enable the financial intermediaries to increase its loan volumes, gain new customers and enter into new market segments.

Which products does WB EDIF GF provide to selected financial institutions?

WB EDIF GF provides First Loss Portfolio Guarantees (FLPG) of SME loans to any financial institution committed to SME financing established and operating in one or several Western Balkans participating Countries, thus allowing them to increase their lending to SMEs by covering part of the risk of such SME loans.

How to apply to the WB EDIF GF Serbia

Financial intermediaries under the WB EDIF GF Serbia were selected on the basis of a Call for Expression of interest process which closed on 15.04.2019. Although the original closing date was set for 31 December 2019, the available budgetary resources have been exhausted and therefore the call has been closed accordingly.

How to apply to the WB EDIF GF Youth Employment

Eligible Financial Intermediaries can apply to this instrument by downloading the application documents provided hereunder. The deadline by which to apply is 30 April 2020. EIF will select intermediaries after a due diligence process.

Call for Expression of Interest 
Annex I – Expression of Interest 
Annex II – Indicative Guarantee Term Sheet 
Data inputs - Information Requirements
Terms of confidentiality