Luxembourg, 15/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to lend EUR 131 million to upgrade and to equip around 1,400 schools (other than universities) in rural areas (80%) and urban areas (20%) in Romania. The operation is the second phase in a vast programme for the upgrading of pre-university infrastructures piloted by the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, cofinanced by the World Bank and the Development Bank of the Council of Europe. The first phase had been launched in 1997 and covered 1,200 schools. The first EIB operation in the education sector in Romania only concerned the capital. Signing of this second project is a step on the road to long term collaboration with the country in this sector in order to reduce the imbalance that exists regarding education in rural and urban areas and between regions. On the whole, the project will make it possible to improve the teaching environment in the country as a whole and will help to rationalise the school network and to consolidate part of the existing school buildings which are dilapidated. In a press release, the EIB stresses that the operation is conform to the priorities set out in the context of the Partnership Agreement for Accession and the Pre-Accession Strategy concluded between the EU and Romania, and is therefore a new stage on the way leading to this country's EU membership.