European Investment Bank for Italian highways. To provide 1.2 billion to ASPI for a safer, greener network

Brussels – The European Investment Bank is providing a €1.2 billion loan to Autostrade per l’Italia (ASPI) to allow it to continue the plan to upgrade the approximately 3,000 kilometers of the network to make it more modern, safer, and resilient in the face of future extreme weather events. At least €800 million of the EIB funds are supported by InvestEU, the European Commission’s investment program, for which the EIB Group is the largest implementing partner.

Specifically, the €800 million financing has a 15-year maturity (thus aligned with the expiration of the concession) and will contribute to the network regeneration program, making it more sustainable and resilient, including in the event of future climate events. The EIB’s commitment also includes a further €400 million to support ASPI’s ongoing modernisation plan.

“This operation shows the EIB’s commitment to promoting safety and environmental sustainability on the Italian motorway network, an integral part of the TEN-T core corridor,” said Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice President of the European Investment Bank. “The planned work will also contribute to developing the single market and fostering the economic, social, and territorial cohesion of the European Union.”

On the environmental front, the EIB resources will help promote clean mobility, support the use of alternative energies and the adoption of technological solutions to increase energy savings. In particular, the EIB financing will support the installation of charging stations for electric vehicles, of solar panels, and LED lighting systems across the network managed by ASPI. In addition, the operation is expected to generate major economic benefits, contributing creating new jobs throughout the country. The EIB estimates that more than 13,000 people will be employed during the implementation of the project, as European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni emphasized: “This major investment in Italy’s transport infrastructure will make driving on our motorways safer and improve their resilience to extreme climate events, which we know are set to become ever more common. I am especially pleased that through this significant injection of funding from InvestEU and the EIB, the EU is helping to support more than 13,000 jobs in Italy,” Gentiloni said.