EIB loan of 160 million euro to ENAV for the modernization and digitalization of the infrastructures

Renew and digitalize some infrastructures and systems for air traffic management in Italy. These are the primary goals of the 160 million euro loan granted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to ENAV, the Italian Air Navigation Service Provider. The Company manages air traffic in Italy through 45 control towers and four area control centers for en-route services.

The loan granted by the EIB will allow ENAV to support some activities included in the Business Plan and that will be carried out in the period 2023-2028.

In particular, the operation concerns the modernization and digitalization of some infrastructures and systems, such as radars, communications, navigation and surveillance systems, as well as the implementation, on some national airports, of digital remote towers.

These initiatives are in line with the most recent European Master Plan for air traffic management, as well as the European Commission's strategy for sustainable and intelligent mobility (2020/789). Gelsomina Vigliotti, EIB Vice President, said: "With the EIB’s support, ENAV will continue to provide cutting-edge air navigation services in Italy, making a significant contribution to air traffic safety and efficiency – two key pillars of the new EIB loan policy in the transport sector.” Pasqualino Monti, CEO of the ENAV Group stated: “The contract signed with EIB confirms the international reputation of our Group, capable of expressing technological and operational excellence. The activities covered by the financing are part of a broader plan to renew ENAV's infrastructure and operating model which will allow us to further improve services for the benefit of airlines, passengers and local territories".

The financing contract has a sixteen-year tenor and can be utilized in one or more different tranches, based on ENAV's needs. ENAV will have the right to choose, for each tranche, a fixed or variable interest rate, which will be disclosed at the time of the payment request.