Luxembourg, 21/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has just granted a global loan of Eur 200 million to Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona - 'La Caixa' - for the financing of small and medium-sized investment projects undertaken by local and municipal authorities across Spain. La Caixa plans to use roughly 70% of the loan for the financing of projects located in the regions under Objective 1 and Objective 2, and which would contribute towards regional development and Spain's convergence with the other countries of the EU. This concerns the ninth global loan that the EIB grants this financial establishment. The last, totalling Eur 100 million, had been granted at the start of 2003 for the financing of projects undertaken by SMEs. The loan, signed on 3 October, is a multipurpose loan aimed at financing investments under one of the following EU targets: the protection of the environment and the reduction of pollution, the better use of energy and the development or diversification of energy sources, investment in infrastructures of small and medium size, as well as investments in the fields of health, education and urban regeneration. In 2002, the EIB approved 14 global loams in favour of the same number of Spanish establishments for a total of Eur 2.03 billion, which allowed for the financing of SME projects, as well as for infrastructure works and environmental improvements undertaken by local authorities.