18/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - EIB to lend €5.6 billion to SMEs investing in innovation in 2014. On Thursday 13 March, the board of directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved loans totalling €5.6 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps investing in R&D and innovation. Up to €1.4 billion will be lent to projects in the field of broadband infrastructure, €750 million of which will go on the deployment of high-speed and broadband telecommunications networks throughout France. It is also worth noting that a loan of €100 million will be made to Gruppo Sorin to fund R&D activities in cardiac surgery, rhythm management and innovative medical devices addressing heart failure sector. Lastly, up to €700 million will be allocated to strategic infrastructure projects and up to €455 million will go to renewable energies. (EH)