BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / EuroWire / – The European Investment Bank and Airbus have signed a first €1 billion loan to support aerospace research and development in Europe. The loan forms part of a wider €3 billion financing envelope for Airbus. The package supports work in commercial aviation, defence aviation, security systems and space. The EIB described the envelope as the largest corporate financing package it has ever approved.
The financing will support Airbus investments planned through 2030. The projects cover advanced technologies and integrated systems for commercial aircraft, security and defence uses. The work will take place across France, Germany and Spain. The agreement gives Airbus long-term funding for research and development programmes tied to Europe’s aerospace manufacturing base.
Airbus is one of Europe’s largest aerospace manufacturers. Its activities include commercial aircraft, defence and space systems, helicopters and connected services. The EIB said the financing supports European industrial capacity and technology development in aerospace. The first loan marks the opening tranche of the €3 billion envelope, rather than the full amount being drawn at once.
Loan supports research and development
The agreement was signed in Brussels at a ceremony attended by senior officials from both sides. Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury took part in the event. EIB Vice-Presidents Robert de Groot, Ambroise Fayolle and Nicola Beer also attended. The bank said the financing forms part of its TechEU initiative, which targets investment in critical technologies across the European Union.
EIB President Nadia Calviño said the operation shows the bank can act at speed and scale. Airbus Chief Financial Officer Thomas Toepfer said the facility supports commercial and defence research. He also said the terms give Airbus flexibility to manage its balance sheet and sustain long-term investment in aerospace innovation. Both comments came in the official announcement of the agreement.
Projects span three countries
The EIB Group serves as the financing arm of the European Union. It is owned by the bloc’s 27 member states. In 2025, the group signed €100 billion in financing and advisory services for more than 870 projects. Its core priorities include climate action, digitalisation, technological innovation, security, defence, cohesion, agriculture, social infrastructure and global partnerships.
The Airbus financing adds to the bank’s activity in technology, security and defence-related investment. The package focuses on research, development and innovation for systems used in commercial and defence aviation. The project period runs from 2026 to 2030. The agreement places France, Germany and Spain at the centre of the funded work, reflecting Airbus’ major industrial footprint in those countries.