08/01/2016 (Agence Europe) EIB lends €400 million to agri-food sector in Ukraine. On 28 December, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €400 million loan agreement with the Ukrainian government to finance agrifood projects by Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises to help them take advatange of opportunities provided by the free trade deal with the EU that came into force on 1 Janaury (see EUROPE 11460). The loan will enable the sector to update its production and processing technology, develop new storage and logistical capacity and adjust national rules to match those of the EU, explained Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. (EH)