Luxembourg, 12/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €20 million to Hypo Tirol Bank AG for small-scale projects carried out by SMEs. The loan is focused on financing projects in the Federal State of Tyrol, Austria, and in other EU member states. To increase the access of SMEs to long-term financing, the EIB closely cooperates with well-established financial institutions with local market expertise, especially in providing services to small and medium-sized entrepreneurs through a well-developed network of branches. The loan to Hypo Tirol Bank AG is the first EIB loan of this kind granted to this financial institution and it will increase the number of financial intermediaries on-lending EIB funds to SMEs in Austria to ten. Part of the loan is dedicated to supporting local infrastructure projects usually promoted by municipalities. EIB loans to partner banks have been developed as a successful tool for providing long-term funding for financing smaller projects with total costs from €40 000 to €25 million. They consist of credit lines to financial intermediaries that on-lend EIB funds under their own management, at their own risk and on their own terms. (ol)