Brussels, 24/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced that it had lent EUR 80 million to an Italian bank, Efibanca, in order to finance SME projects in the infrastructure, energy and environment sectors. Bought up at the end of 1999 by Banca Popolare di Lodi (Bipielle), Efibanca is used by the Bipielle group as a medium and long term loan institution and a business bank. In the present case, Efibanca will play the role of medium and long term fund provider for SMEs that are clients of the Bipielle group, whatever their locality on Italian territory, including in the regions, such as Sicily, which comes under Objective 1.