The European Investment Fund, established in 1994, is a European Union agency for the provision of finance to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Small and Medium-sized Enterprises or SMEs are companies whose headcount or turnover falls below certain limits. ...

It does not lend money to SMEs directly; rather it provides finance through private banks. Its main operations are in the areas of venture capital and guaranteeing loans. Its shareholders are: the European Investment Bank (approx. 60%); the European Communities, represented by the European Commission (approx. 30%); and several privately-owned EU financial institutions (approx. 10%). Venture capital is a general term to describe financing for startup and early stage businesses as well as businesses in turn around situations. ... A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or company (including a corporation), that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. ... The European Investment Bank (the Banque Européenne dInvestissement) is the European Unions financing institution and was established under the Treaty of Rome (1957). ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive of the European Union. ...

See also

• Institutions of the European Union