This mini case study focuses on the Financial Instrument ‘SIH Anti-Corona Guarantee’ recently launched in Slovakia to help alleviate economic hardships faced by SMEs as a result of the measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. It is one of the first products introduced by National Promotional Banks and Institutions (NPBIs) in the EU after the outbreak of COVID-19, which employs European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

The ‘La Financière Région Réunion’ (FRR) fund of funds has been set up in the La Réunion region of France with resources from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with a mandate to implement and manage two financial instruments to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), including micro-enterprises. The region has established under separate financial intermediaries a loan fund of EUR 62 million (including private co-financing) and an equity fund with EUR 10 million to co-invest alongside private investors.