Using European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) to stimulate business start-ups and growth was the focus of the fi-compass event ‘Financial intermediaries and equity financial instruments – working with managing authorities on ESIF equity instruments’ in Berlin on 15 and 16 October 2018.

The results of the fi-compass State aid survey have been published on the fi-compass website. The survey aimed to gather the experience of fi-compass stakeholders of implementing financial instruments under the European Structural and Investment Funds within the State aid rules.

The second annual FI Campus conference was successfully held in Brussels earlier this month (December 3-5). Over 360 practitioners from 24 Member States attended the event, which was opened by Eric von Breska, the Director of the Policy Directorate at the European Commission (DG REGIO) and Simon Barnes, Head of Advisory Services at the European Investment Bank.

A recently completed fi-compass study about financial instruments for the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) provides new insight about the potential of flexible financial products for the agricultural sector in the EU. The study explored options for addressing economic challenges that are faced by EU farmers during times of price volatility. Such unexpected changes in market conditions, create uncertainty which increases the risks both for farmers seeking finance and for financial institutions providing such finance.

The European Commission’s Multi-region assistance (MRA) programme was introduced to help Member States’ managing authorities to assess the possible use of financial instruments in specific thematic areas of common interest. Grants were provided for co-operation projects involving at least two managing authorities and this fi-compass article provides some insights from the people involved in using MRA for urban development.

The newest videos published on the fi-compass website include testimonials about the use of ESIF equity financial instruments from the Federal State of Berlin in Germany (VC-fund Technology and VC-fund Creative Industries), Greece (EquiFund), Brittany Region (Breizh Up Fund) and Latvia (Acceleration, Seed & Venture and Expansion Funds).

Three new fi-compass publications covering European Social Fund (ESF) topics are now available in our website’s library. These cover useful information and advice about: the implications of State aid rules for ESF financial instruments; a pioneering Social Impact Bonds Programme and Social Innovation Initiative in Portugal; and guidance for ESF managing authorities that are interested in setting up a microcredit financial instrument.

The use of financial instruments in Cohesion Policy reaches record high. Halfway through the 2014-2020 EU budget period, the amount of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) channelled through financial instruments already exceeds the amount invested via such instruments in the 2007-2013 period. New data published on 13 December 2018 by the European Commission shows that by the end of 2017, the amount invested via financial instruments reached nearly EUR 18.8 bn, an increase of over EUR 5 bn compared to the previous year.