Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27. The European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a 15 million
euro loan to Banca Intesa Belgrade under its Youth in Business
program, Trend
reports.
The funding will support micro, small, and medium-sized
enterprises (MSMEs) owned or managed by entrepreneurs under 35.
This is the second EBRD loan of its kind to Banca Intesa
Belgrade, following an initial 15 million euro loan in 2022,
reflecting the growing demand for youth-focused financing in
Serbia. The program aims to improve access to credit and expertise
for young entrepreneurs, helping them develop their businesses.
The programme is backed by the EU through the European Fund for
Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), which offers risk-sharing
instruments to support businesses in challenging markets. As part
of this support, the EU is providing up to 1.5 million euros in
first-loss risk coverage to improve young entrepreneurs’ access to
financing.
The EBRD has been a key investor in Serbia, with over 9.8
billion euros invested in 374 projects, focusing on private-sector
growth, the green economy, and sustainable infrastructure.