EIB opens regional office to strengthen presence in the Baltics
– European Investment Bank Group opens regional representation office for the Baltics in Vilnius, Lithuania
– Goal is to support businesses and strengthen relations with the public and private sectors, as well as to enhance EIB Group’s outreach in the three Baltic States
– Marco Francini appointed as head of office
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has today officially inaugurated its regional representative office for the Baltic Region in Vilnius, Lithuania. At the inauguration ceremony in the presence of the Lithuanian Finance Minister Vilius Šapoka, the EIB’s President Hoyer and Vice-President Stubb unveiled of a commemorative plaque, officially kicking off the permanent representation in the region. The EIB Group representation to the Baltic States will be headed by Marco Francini.
EIB President Werner Hoyer remarked: “The Baltic States may be small in terms of population, but their importance for European unity is big. Moreover, their standing and weight in terms of business, technology and innovation is growing stronger than ever. We are delighted to open a regional representation in Vilnius, a clear signal of the EIB Group’s intention and willingness to support Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the energy transition, as well as to sustain their many innovative businesses, all to the benefit of the more than 6 million people who inhabit the region.”
Minister of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania Vilius Šapoka added: “This is a very significant step for all the Baltic states towards closer cooperation with the EIB. I am delighted that Lithuania will have more financing alternatives in strategic areas that will also contribute to the economic growth of the country.
Lithuania’s cooperation with the EIB Group is presented as good practice within the European Union and beyond, so we hope that through enhanced cooperation we will jointly develop innovative financial instruments in our country. At the same time, we will definitely implement many ambitious projects in green finance, FinTech and other areas”.
The inauguration of the regional EIB Group office in Vilnius is part of the EIB’s policy of enhancing its presence in all EU Member States. A presence on the ground will ensure market proximity, an increased operational delivery capability for the EIB and closer institutional ties with the national authorities. It will improve project identification and screening, facilitate appraisal of new operations and help to develop financing opportunities with the European Investment Fund (EIF).
The Maltese Ship Registry establishes a regional office in Greece
The Maltese Flag registry continues to retain its status as one of the largest flags in Europe and the sixth largest maritime flag in the world. During the past year, Malta has recorded the largest increase world-wide of the number of ships newly registered with its flag, an increase of 7% so far.
With this significant and constant growth as a backdrop, the Merchant Shipping Directorate has been working towards expanding its offices outside Maltese shores. In October 2019, The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects inaugurated the first regional shipping office in Athens, Greece. The said office is situated within the Maltese Embassy in Greece.
The establishment of a regional shipping office is aimed at further promoting the Maltese ship registry within Greece for the purposes of providing optimal and prompt services to current Greek shipowners with vessels registered with the Maltese flag, as well as attracting more Greek investors to the Maltese maritime sector. In an official press release (PR192148), the Minister explained that through this regional office, Malta seeks to “maintain an excellent rapport with the Greek maritime customers and thereby ensure that the service provided by Transport Malta is up to the desired level. This step will enable us to have a clearer vision of what the Greek ship owners want and need from our register, with the ultimate goal to continue to plan a strategy to meet the objectives of the registry.”
With the establishment of a regional shipping office, Malta seeks to maintain its reputation within the shipping industry and remains committed to ensure that the Maltese flag remains the flag of choice for shipowners.