The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union's financial institution and one of the world's largest lenders for climate-related investment. Jonathan Taylor, vice president of the bank, gave his views on Brexit, green finance and relations with other multilateral financial institutions. 

The UK is a shareholder in the bank to the value of 16 percent of the subscribe shares, so that will be a matter of negotiation, as part of the negotiations which will be taking place over the next two years. During the period of negotiation, the UK will continue to be a shareholder of the bank.

The question of the UK’s relationship with the bank after the UK leaves the European Union itself is difficult to predict at this point. It is important to make clear that the bank’s business is financed by the bank’s borrowing on the international market. The capital underpins these borrowings, but the business itself will continue, because the EIB will continue to fund itself in order to finance that business.

In particular, the EIB has been focusing on climate-related investment in China, as it is very important to the EIB as well as to China. It’s actually been lending money to China for 22 years. So this is a long established practice of the EIB, in which it is very happy to be building on. The last year, for example, the EIB lent nearly 300 million Euros (about 326 million US dollars), as it is looking forward to continuing to be lending at least those levels this year and next year.

China has initialed several multilateral financial institutions, such as the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Silk Road Fund and the New Development Bank. They focus heavily on green energy and environmental protection. The relations between the EIB and these organizations are extremely good. 

There are certainly enough businesses for all. And they are working r to finance some projects together, which is for the benefit of all.

The EIB is actively looking with AIIB at co-financing particular projects. The Silk Road Fund is in discussions with the European Investment Fund, which is the EIB’s subsidiary to look at investment in Europe.