The event was organised by JEFIC under the co-presidency of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP). The meeting was opened by Arkadiusz Pluciński, Deputy Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU, and prof. Marta Postuła, First Vice President of the Management Board of BGK.

The panel brought together Robert Biedroń, Member of the European Parliament and co-rapporteur for Global Europe; Mary McCarthy, Chair of the Council’s working parties on development cooperation and the MFF Global Europe; Taneli Lahti, Director for Sustainable Finance, Investment and Jobs at the European Commission’s DG INTPA; Carlo Rossotto, Director of International Development Cooperation and International Institutional Relations at CDP; Peter Kalotai, Director for EU Affairs and Strategic Relationships at EBRD; and Victoria Kyritsi, Head of Division for Strategy and Resource Management at EIB. The discussion was moderated by San Bilal, Executive Director of ECDPM.

Participants discussed how to better align development finance with the EU’s strategic priorities, strengthen cooperation within Team Europe and mobilise public and private investment. They also considered how EU resources and the financing capacity of development banks could be combined more effectively under the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

The debate highlighted the role of European development banks in translating the EU’s development, economic and geopolitical objectives into real investments. Their local expertise, financial capacity and ability to work with public and private partners can help increase the scale and impact of the Union’s external action.

The event, “Global Europe Instrument: Role of European Development Banks in Delivering EU External Action,” was held at the Permanent Representation of Poland to the European Union in Brussels.