ANFIR organizes conference on “The State of play and the future perspectives for the use of financial instruments”

On 5 April 2019, ANFIR, the National Association of Regional Financial Institutions in Italy, co-organized a conference on “The State of play and the future perspectives for the use of financial instruments”, together with Finlombarda and the support of EAPB.

The session, attended by over 100 participants from the regional promotional institutions, banking partners, the regional authorities and other stakeholder organizations, and hosted at the headquarters of the Region of Lombardy, gave an overview of the usage of EU-level and structural funds’ financial instruments in the regions.

Vice-President of Region of Lombardy, Fabrizio Sala, welcomed the participants, opening the proceedings. Chairman of Finlombarda, Michele Vietti, explained the reasons and main topics of the event.

Starting from the 2000 – 2006 Programming Period, EU-Regulations have opened up the opportunity for the use of Financial Instruments in context of Structural Funds programmes and EU-level policy. This has been strengthened in the current period by the implementation of the European Fund for Strategic Investments. .

The added value of financial instruments in providing revolving use and leverage for final investment, the pragmatic and adequate combination of Financial Instruments with grant funding and the added value of promotional institutions in cooperation with private sector banking partners have been highlighted. Furthermore, the speakers discussed the challenges and changes for regional promotional institutions with a view of the upcoming Programming Period of 2021-2027.

Closing remarks - made by Salvatore Santucci, chairman of ANFIR - highlighted the main results of the session, including the key role and challenges for regional promotional institutions in the upcoming Programming Period of 2021-2027.

The agenda included contributions from (click on the links to access presentations in IT or EN):
Eric von Breska, Dg Regio, European Commission
Giorgio Chiarion Casoni Dg Ecfin, European Commission.
Michele D'Ercole, Director for Projects and Instruments
Andrea Nuzzi, Responsible for Companies and Financial Institutions, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
Federica Marzuoli, Coordination Community programming and Management of Development and Cohesion Funding, General Direction of the Presidency of Lombardy Region
Gábor Soós, EU Financial Instruments Department, EU Coordination Directorate, MFB Ltd.
Riccardo Barbieri, Coordinator Working Group Access to Finance, Anfir
Bruno Robino, EIB

About Finlombarda: Finlombarda is the in-house public financial institution of Lombardy Region, and, at the same time, is also a private financial intermediary. This double nature of public and private entity makes it a natural meeting point between public and private needs, between policy makers and financial actors. Finlombarda offers financial instruments – loans, guarantees and bonds, and also acts as advisor for Lombardy Region, especially on planning and implementation of EU resources.

About A.N.F.I.R: With its twenty-years-old of experience in managing financial instruments under all European structural funds on the behalf of Lombardy Region, Finlombarda gained a strong confidence of Public and private entities. It is both member of ANFIR (National Association of Regional Financial Institutions) and at EU level of EAPB. A.N.F.I.R. has been established in 2014 and aims to promote the role of regional financial public agencies in implementing policies supporting local economies, taking in account diversity of regional autonomies.