New portfolio risk-sharing facility to expand lending to under-served businesses in Serbia

23-09-2026 | Tags: Private Sector, Serbia, WBIF

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) have launched a new portfolio risk-sharing facility designed to improve access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Serbia.

The portfolio risk-sharing facility forms part of the EBRD's broader efforts to expand its support to MSMEs with a new portfolio guarantee solution to support inclusive private-sector growth and strengthen access to finance across the Western Balkans.

Through the facility, the EBRD provides participating financial institutions with an unfunded and uncapped risk-sharing guarantee covering up to 50 per cent of the credit risk on new loans.

By sharing a portion of the risk, the facility helps to reduce barriers to lending and enables banks to expand financing to MSMEs, which often face difficulties accessing credit because of limited collateral or insufficient operating history.

The facility specifically targets under-served segments of the business community, including women- and youth-led enterprises, as well as businesses operating in less-developed regions. By increasing access to finance, the programme is expected to support business investment, job creation and private-sector development across Serbia.

In addition to supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, the risk-sharing facility strengthens the capacity of local financial institutions to extend lending using their own resources. This contributes to a more resilient financial sector and unlocks additional financing opportunities for Serbia's economy.

Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director for Financial Institutions, said: "The launch of the portfolio risk-sharing facility in Serbia marks an important step towards broadening access to finance for small businesses that have traditionally found it difficult to obtain credit. By sharing risk with local partner banks and combining innovative financial instruments with support from the EU, we can help more entrepreneurs invest, grow and create jobs."

Mauro di Veroli, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Serbia, said: "The EU is committed to supporting the development of a dynamic and competitive private sector in Serbia through reforms, financial support and capacity building. Thanks to the EU-backed guarantee programme, we are helping local financial institutions expand lending to smaller businesses, including those operating in underserved segments and regions, enabling them to invest, innovate and contribute to sustainable economic growth."

Banca Intesa Beograd and ProCredit Bank Serbia are among the participating financial institutions through which eligible Serbian businesses can access financing under the programme. Additional participating financial institutions will be announced soon as the facility expands.

Representatives of the two banks and members of their Executive Boards, Predrag Milenović and Igor Anić, highlighted the excellent results that this new instrument has achieved in the market and agreed that such a mechanism for supporting the economy is beneficial, with significant interest from small and medium-sized enterprises.

The initiative is co-funded by the EU through its European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) guarantee programme, one of the financing tools of Global Gateway. It is part of the EU's broader support to small businesses provided through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).

About Private Sector support

A vibrant private sector is essential for socio-economic development, regional integration, competitiveness, and job creation. The WBIF supports start-ups and micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, fostering innovation and green growth through substantial investment. To unlock the sector's full potential, EU financing is made available through the WBIF Private Sector Blending Operations and EFSD+ Guarantees.