France is a founding member of the EBRD and an important contributor to the Bank's work.
Since 1991, France has contributed €41 million to support the EBRD’s projects through bilateral and multi-donor initiatives.
France and the EBRD: at a glance
€41m donor funds supporting EBRD operations
8.52% capital share
€28.2bn France-EBRD investments
France was one of the first donors to announce contribution to the multi-donor account for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region in 2011. France is also a contributor to the Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account and European Western Balkans Joint Fund.
France is an important supporter of nuclear safety, a key component of the EBRD’s energy strategy. As a G-7 member, France promoted the establishment of both the Nuclear Safety Account and the Chernobyl Shelter Fund and contributed €63.3 million and €115 million respectively.
Through direct commitments and through the European Union, France contributed to the decommissioning of Soviet-designed nuclear plants at three sites in eastern Europe: Kozloduy 1 to 4 in Bulgaria, Ignalina 1 and 2 in Lithuania and Bohunice V1 in the Slovak Republic. France also contributed €40 million to the nuclear window of the EBRD’s Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP), which provides grant funding to address severe environmental problems in north-west Russia.
France is one of the strongest sources of foreign direct investment in the EBRD’s countries of operations. The value of joint France-EBRD investment stood at €28.2 billion as of end of January 2021. EBRD finance accounted for €14.20 billion, and French investment accounted for €14 billion.
The joint investment has been strong in Poland, followed by regional projects, Romania and Hungary. Broken down by industry, the joint investment has been in the following sectors: industry, commerce and agribusiness, energy and infrastructure.
French banks are also involved in the Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), through which the EBRD guarantees the payment of trade finance instruments issued by banks in the countries where we invest to foreign confirming banks. Through the Programme, the EBRD has supported export and import transactions of French companies. Over 800 foreign confirming banks and bank branches participate in the TFP, 25 of which are French.
In 2019 French consultants were awarded 37 contract worth over €433.9 million.
