According to the results published by the European Investment Bank in its Annual Activity Report for 2011, the bank focused over that year in those which have been its top priorities – i.e., contributing to the Europe 2020 strategy, helping the EU to stay at the forefront of the climate agenda, and supporting the Union’s external policy goals. This activity has been put in place by lending up to 61 billion euro.

The Annual Activity Report from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the year 2011, shows that the Bank's lending over that period represented its highest-ever contribution to the real economy. Besides, this economic contributions has not only been focused on corporates, infrastructure promoters and public authorities, they have also been allocated to SMEs for whom the EIB has reached a record level of disbursement over year 2011.

In this report EIB's President, Werner Hoyer, highlights that the Bank has financed cutting-edge innovation projects to push the knowledge frontier, it has also helped to build research facilities and schools, wind farms, bridges and tunnels, as well as high-speed trains and highways. These actions which have given place to opportunities with the EIB, have represented. e.g., a volume of nearly 11 billion euroin lending for transport networks that link Europe, or funding for over 4000 mega watts of capacity in wind and solar plants.

Over the year 2011, lending for climate action represented almost a third of the Bank's total lending, reaching 18 billion euro. Furthermore, over 20 billion euro were spent in supporting EU regions which are suffering the most the effects of economic crisis, reaching 74 regions which received cohesion loans.