SID Bank - About SID Bank - International cooperation

International cooperation

SID Bank is a member of several international organizations of financial institutions, which operate in same or similar areas as SID Bank (mainly development-financial institutions and export-credit agencies). These financial institutions reduce the risks; they are daily exposed to, through exchange of information and other means of cooperation. SID Bank fosters intensive contact and good relations with numerous diverse international financial institutions, commercial banks, insurers and re-insurers.

SID Bank participates in the following international associations:

1. SID Bank is member of international association of public banks EAPB (European Association of Public Banks) from 1 January 2008. The association has been active from 2000; its members (about 100 of them) are various financial institutions, public and similar banks and their organizations. EAPB is also a member of EBIC (European Banking Industry Committee).

2. The ISLTC Club (Club of Institutions of the European Union Specialising in Long-Term Credit) was founded in 1971 and currently comprises 19 full members from the member countries of the EU, 3 observer members (international institutions or organizations - the European Commission, European Investment Bank and Nordic Investment Bank) and 3 associate members. Each country is represented by one sole member; administration is managed by the European Investment Bank. The main objective of ISLTC is to deepen and strengthen mutual professional relations and cooperation, to conduct joint studies and to exchange experience and information on economies, lines of business and industrial policies of cooperating countries, as well as promotion of cooperation on projects of European significance. The members decide freely upon their (financial) cooperation in such projects. SID Bank hosted the meeting of the club members in June 2006 in Ljubljana.

3. NEFI (Network of European Financial Institutions for SMEs) which has its headquarters in Brussels, was founded in 1999 and comprises development banks from the EU (13), whose main objective is to improve environment and access to financing for small and medium enterprises (SME) on the level of the EU, particularly in the countries of their origin. NEFI conducts a constant dialogue with institutions of the European Union and other associations dealing with the SMEs, provides expert knowledge and advice on planning and implementation of financial schemes for the SMEs to the EU administration and its financial institutions, and enables the access of SMEs to the EU and national financial schemes. It also promotes exchange of experience among the members and helps with activities in connection with the SMEs.

4. The Berne Union was founded in 1934 as an international non-profit organization. Today it comprises more than 50 members from more than 40 countries. The members are public as well as private financial institutions, among which the more well-known are the British ECGD, American EXIM Bank, German Euler-Hermes, French COFACE, Dutch-German Atradius, Japanese NEXI, Austrian OeKB, Italian SACE, MIGA etc.

Through support of export and outward investment the members of Berne Union promote international trade and investments on developed as well as developing markets. In this framework they provide exporters or their banks with insurance and/or financing against political and commercial risks.
In April 2007, SID Bank hosted the meeting of members of the Berne Union in Ljubljana

The Prague Club is an organization of 30 members, founded in the beginning of 90s on the initiative of the Berne Union and some younger export-credit agencies (the Hungarian MEHIB, Polish KUKE, Czech EGAP, Romanian EXIM R and Slovene Export Corporation). Before long the Prague Club was joined by new agencies from the SE Europe, countries of former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa. In 2000 the association became formally active under the name of Prague Club. Its main objective is support (technical etc.) of its members in development of export credit and investment insurance and financing services.

Beside intensive cooperation in international organization SID Bank, also maintains and develops close bilateral cooperation with numerous export-credit agencies and other financial institutions.

Back