OREANDA-NEWS. Aviva declares its support for the European Commission’s plan to invest €315bn in EU infrastructure and SMEs from 2015 to 2018. Aviva is a major investor in European infrastructure and looks forward to a successful implementation of this package. Aviva calls on the Economic and Financial Council (ECOFIN) and the Heads of Government to support the investment plan in December and find ways to ensure that any obstacles to making this a reality are removed.

Aviva’s support follows its announcement on 4 December that it has made a further allocation of ?500 million to invest in UK infrastructure projects, including healthcare and schools.

Aviva already has a strong track record of investing in European infrastructure across a broad range of sectors including transport, utilities, renewable energy, and broadband; and of co-investing with the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The infrastructure team at Aviva Investors manages a number of funds and mandates across a range of infrastructure strategies.  These encompass both direct investments into infrastructure projects, as well as infrastructure debt across both the UK and continental Europe.

Euan Munro, CEO of Aviva Investors, said:

“I welcome Jean-Claude Juncker’s €315bn investment programme and look forward to Finance Ministers making progress at tomorrow’s ECOFIN. 

“Long term investment is a vital ingredient in making sure that – as an asset management company – we can help our investor and Aviva policyholders and pensioners who we look after to prosper. Critically, as institutional investors in infrastructure, we need stable regulatory regimes as well as a flow of suitable investment opportunities that are socially useful and can provide an appropriate return for our investors.  Action is required today to create the right legacy for tomorrow.

“I very much hope that Heads of Government can give their support at the December European Council to this investment plan. It’s crucial that governments, the Commission, the EIB and the private sector work together to fund  invaluable projects in climate and energy, transport, the digital economy, education, and our health systems across the EU. Any political, financial and regulatory obstacles must be overcome in the coming months”.