The European Union's investment bank has agreed to lend the multinational aviation and aerospace giant Airbus a record-breaking 3 billion euros ($3.41 billion), to help finance the expansion of its commercial space and defense operations.
It is the largest commercial loan the European Investment Bank has ever made, and its actions highlight its confidence in the company, EIB President Nadia Calvino told the Euronews website, while explaining that the loan is also an "illustration of how Europe is ramping up its capacity and strategic autonomy" at a time when it is being "attacked on all sides".
"Airbus is the great success story of Europe," Calvino said of the company, which is partly owned by the governments of France, Germany and Spain.
"It's a profitable company, a global leader in key areas — aerospace, security and defense. And so that's why I think it is important to also flag those areas where we are moving in the right direction," she said.
The Luxembourg-based lender's investment will support research and development and spending made before 2030 in France, Germany and Spain.
