The United Kingdom is a founding member of the EBRD and a generous contributor to the Bank's work.
Since the establishment of the Bank in 1991, the United Kingdom has contributed over €154 million of UK aid.
United Kindgom and the EBRD: at a glance
€154mn donor funds supporting EBRD operations
8.52% capital share
€25.02bn United Kingdom-EBRD investments
The UK remains closely engaged in the Bank’s activities and is particularly involved in climate change issues at the multilateral and bilateral levels in the EBRD’s countries of operations. The UK was among the very first donors to contribute to the EBRD - Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account, demonstrating its support for Ukraine's anti-corruption reform agenda.
The UK has supported climate change mitigation and adaptation activities through the EBRD’s Sustainable Energy Initiative. It is also supporting the EBRD agenda in the SEMED region by contributing grant resources to the SEMED Multi-Donor Account and establishing dedicated bilateral fund for EBRD’s refugee response in Jordan. The UK is also one of the major contributors to the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP) Nuclear Window.
In 2015, the UK Government and the Bank started cooperation on the EBRD-UK Investment Climate and Governance Fund, which is ongoing and has supported significant projects across the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. The UK became the second contributor (and the largest) to the West Bank and Gaza Multi-Donor Trust Fund in early 2019. Also in 2019, EBRD and the UK signed a new cooperation fund for EBRD’s activities in Lebanon.
The United Kingdom is one of the main sources of foreign direct investment in the EBRD’s countries of operations. The value of joint United Kingdom-EBRD investment stood at €25.02 billion as of end of January 2021. EBRD finance accounted for €14.77 billion, and British investment accounted for €10.25 billion
The joint investment has been strong in Turkey, regional projects and Hungary. Broken down by industry, joint investment has been in industry, commerce and agribusiness, infrastructure, sustainable infrastructure and financial institutions.
British 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 countries of operations to foreign confirming banks. Through the Programme, the EBRD has supported export and import transactions with UK companies. Over 800 foreign confirming banks and bank branches participate in the TFP, 54 of which are British.
From 2015 to December 2019, entities from the UK participated won 15 contracts worth €8.1 million.
