BID portfolio guarantee: 70–80% guarantee for SME loans of up to 10 million lei

The Investment and Development Bank (BID) guarantees new bank loans for SMEs, either for investment or for working capital. The guarantee covers up to 70% of the loan, rising to 80% for start-ups, women-owned or women-led firms, and innovation and sustainability projects. The maximum value is 10,000,000 lei per transaction. The programme has no submission deadline: you apply for the loan directly to the banks and non-bank financial institutions that have signed agreements with BID.

In brief

• Programme: Portfolio guarantees for SMEs
• Authority: The Investment and Development Bank (BID), through selected financial intermediaries (banks and non-bank institutions)
• Beneficiaries: SMEs as defined by EU Recommendation 2003/361, including liberal professions and start-ups, operating on the Romanian market and not in insolvency
• Value per loan: up to 10,000,000 lei per transaction; up to 500,000 lei at non-bank microfinance institutions
• Guarantee level: up to 70%; up to 80% for start-ups, women-owned or women-led SMEs, and innovation and sustainability projects
• Loan term: between 12 and 120 months; maximum 60 months for loans between 5 and 10 million lei
• Type of aid: de minimis, ceiling of €300,000 over three years
• Status: active, applications are submitted to the partner banks

Who can take out a loan with a BID guarantee?

The official BID page requires the company to:

• be an SME under the European definition (fewer than 250 employees, within the turnover or asset ceilings in Recommendation 2003/361);
• be active on the Romanian market;
• not be in insolvency proceedings and comply with Romanian law;
• fall within the de minimis ceiling of €300,000 over three years;
• pass the bank's know-your-customer (KYC) checks.

SMEs operating in fishing and aquaculture, and in agriculture, are excluded, in both cases for primary production, sale and processing, as are financing for export-related activities. The exclusion for agriculture is broader than it seems: the BID text also mentions processing, not just primary production. If your activity is linked to agriculture or exports, ask the bank for written confirmation of eligibility before preparing your application.

What can be financed?

The guarantee covers only new loans, in lei. Refinancing is not eligible. The loan can be used for:

• investment in tangible assets (equipment, machinery, construction, vehicles) and intangible assets (software, licences, patents);
• working capital (stock, supplier payments, salaries, current expenses).

BID also requires compliance with the DNSH principle ("do no significant harm" to the environment), which applies to European and national public funding.

How do you obtain it, and by when?

The company does not apply to BID. Guarantees are granted through selected financial intermediaries that have signed guarantee agreements with BID. Their list is published on the BID page for the product "Portfolio guarantees for SMEs". In brief, the steps are:

1. check whether your bank is on the list of signatories to BID agreements;
2. explicitly ask for a loan "with a BID portfolio guarantee";
3. prepare the standard loan application file (financial statements, business plan or investment budget) and the de minimis declaration;
4. the bank assesses and decides. The bank also checks whether the company complies with the de minimis rules and the DNSH principle.

No submission deadline has been announced. According to BID, the ceiling is available for up to 3 years. The official source does not publish the date on which the ceiling will be exhausted, so it is wise to ask the bank how much remains available.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: the instrument is especially useful for companies with an approved EU-funded project that need to secure their co-financing or cover expenses until reimbursement. The 70–80% guarantee reduces the collateral the bank requires, but it does not remove the credit assessment. Companies with a weak financial history or negative equity can still be refused even with a BID guarantee.

• Check your de minimis ceiling: the guarantee counts towards the €300,000 ceiling over three years. If you already have de minimis grants (for example Start-Up Nation or regional schemes), calculate the remaining headroom before applying for the loan. Otherwise you may block a later non-refundable grant.
• Qualifying for 80%: if the company is led by a woman or is just starting out, ask the bank to apply the higher level and ask which documents prove it.
• Large loans: above 5 million lei, the maximum maturity falls to 60 months. Plan your repayment accordingly.
• Compare with other schemes: for SMEs in the North-East, South-East and Bucharest-Ilfov regions there is also the Regional Participation Fund, with a grant component. For existing IMM INVEST loans there is refinancing with an FNGCIMM guarantee.

If you do not know which non-refundable funding would suit alongside a loan, start with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a BID-guaranteed loan to co-finance an EU-funded project?

The official source allows new loans for investment in tangible and intangible assets and for working capital, without excluding projects with EU co-financing. However, the de minimis aid in the guarantee is cumulated with other state aid for the same costs, so the cumulation rules must be checked with the bank and with the EU programme guide.

Can I refinance an existing loan with a BID guarantee?

No. BID specifies that the guarantee is granted only for new loans, without refinancing.

How large can the loan be?

Up to 10,000,000 lei per transaction at banks and up to 500,000 lei at non-bank microfinance institutions. The term is 12–120 months, with a maximum of 60 months for loans between 5 and 10 million lei.

Can agricultural companies benefit?

No, if they operate in agriculture, fishing or aquaculture. BID excludes these sectors for primary production, sale and processing. Farmers should look for other instruments, for example FNGCIMM guarantees or AFIR (Agency for the Financing of Rural Investments) programmes.

Where do I submit the application?

To one of the banks or non-bank institutions that have signed guarantee agreements with BID. The list of signatories is published on the BID website. The company submits nothing directly to BID.

Official sources

• BID — Portfolio guarantees for SMEs (product terms and list of signatory banks)
• BID — Portfolio guarantees for SMEs, financial intermediaries page

Information checked on 3 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.