The European Investment Bank (EIB) has injected €250 million
into another Italian bank as part of its strategy to support
Europe’s SME sector.
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) has been granted €250
million to finance, through leasing agreements, small and
medium-sized enterprises in the tourism and services sectors.
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The funds will be managed by MPS’s two leasing subsidiaries, MPS
Commerciale Leasing and MPS Leasing and Factoring.
Firms with fewer than 250 employees will be eligible for the
loans, which are aimed at supporting “all types of investment
necessary to grow a small business”, including both tangible and
intangible investments.
Last month, Milan-based bank UniCredit and its leasing
subsidiary Locat agreed to sign a €300 million loan from the
EIB.
Also, in recent weeks, Italian lessor Agrileasing and
Assocamero, the Italian association of Chambers of Commerce abroad,
has signed an agreement to support Italian small and medium-sized
companies in their activities abroad.
The agreement aims to identify “new business opportunities” for
SMEs wishing to operate in foreign markets or to further develop
their operations by starting up new partnerships.
Agrileasing general director Lamberto Cioci said his company
intended to help Italian businesses during the credit crisis and
“support them in their process of development, change and
internationalisation”, particularly in the Mediterranean area.
Agrileasing recently opened an office in Tunisia, and intends to
further develop its operations in the Mediterranean.
