BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a 15 million euro loan to Banca Intesa Belgrade under its Youth in Business program, TurkicWorld reports.
The funding will support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) owned or managed by entrepreneurs under 35.
This is the second EBRD loan of its kind to Banca Intesa Belgrade, following an initial 15 million euro loan in 2022, reflecting the growing demand for youth-focused financing in Serbia. The program aims to improve access to credit and expertise for young entrepreneurs, helping them develop their businesses.
The programme is backed by the EU through the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), which offers risk-sharing instruments to support businesses in challenging markets. As part of this support, the EU is providing up to 1.5 million euros in first-loss risk coverage to improve young entrepreneurs' access to financing.
The EBRD has been a key investor in Serbia, with over 9.8 billion euros invested in 374 projects, focusing on private-sector growth, the green economy, and sustainable infrastructure.
