Brussels, 24/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and UniCredit Banca d'Impresa signed an agreement on 22 March on financing investments in local authorities and companies which will manage collective services in Italy. The credit lines - global loans - from the EIB granted to the bank of the UniCredit group, a body specialising in financing businesses will facilitate the granting of loans to create public infrastructure and projects in the energy and environment sectors. Additionally, the agreement opens the way to other forms of collaboration in the public sector and the mixed public-private sector, as well as other initiatives favouring business. The agreement is in two operations: - one credit line of 75 million euros for a maximum duration of 15 years for financing projects in the energy and environment sectors; - one special credit line of 25 million euros for a maximum duration of 20 years for supporting local authorities in financing the creation of small and medium infrastructures.