(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, JANUARY 15 - The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the German promotional bankKfW Bankengruppe have signed an agreement to increase lending to innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as small Mid-Caps, benefiting from the support of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe or 'Juncker Plan'. The new agreement allows KfW via on-lending banks to provide innovative companies in Germany with access to a total of 500 million euros of financing over the next 2 years.

"Germany is one of the leading EU Member States for innovation and I am pleased that it is dedicating more resources to financing innovative companies" said the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas. "The InnovFin SME Guarantee deal signed with KfW Bankengruppe will open up new ways of funding innovative companies to enable them to grow and create jobs" added Moedas.

(ANSA)