Brussels, 01/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Board of Governors of the European Investment Bank (EIB), which is holding its annual meeting this Tuesday in Luxembourg, will hear the report by the bank President Philippe Maystadt on the results for 2000. He should in particular give a discharge to the financial institution's administrative council. Mr Maystadt will then outline the future guidelines of the EIB. The EIB spokesperson, Henry Marty-Guaquie, indicated that the priorities of the bank should be firmed up thorough qualitative guidelines centred on the i2i initiative which intends to promote innovation in the sector of new technologies, the protection of the environment and regional development. These qualitative guidelines should lead to stagnation in the volume of operation. For its activities concerning the European Union, the EIB would like to develop more innovative financial instruments, in particular with regards to structural financing, which supposes the sharing of risk with the operators. It also wants to place emphasis on the support to small and medium-sized enterprises, notably in the from of venture capital. With regards to the activities undertaken outside the EU, the EIB is acting in priority towards the eastern European countries and with the Mediterranean countries in the framework of the Euromed partnership. All of these new guidelines should lead the EIB to undertake a capital increase, a theme that will be at the centre of the talks between the Board of Governors.