Over the past week, entrepreneurs received 671 concessional loans totalling UAH 2 billion from authorised banks under the Government’s Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% programme, including 533 loans totalling UAH 1.3 billion from public sector banks.

During the period of martial law in Ukraine, 45,919 affordable loans totalling UAH 184.6 billion were issued (including 34,269 loans worth UAH 94 billion by public sector banks), of which as of 29 January this year:

• UAH 13.53 billion – for investment purposes;
• UAH 8.74 billion – as anti-crisis loans;
• UAH 3.73 billion – as refinancing of previously obtained loans;
• UAH 36.39 billion – loans for agricultural producers;
• UAH 57.98 billion – for anti-war purposes.

A total of 80,741 loan agreements totalling UAH 274.2 billion have been signed since the start of the programme, including 54,745 agreements worth UAH 120.6 billion by public sector banks.

The programme is implemented by the Entrepreneurship Development Fund (EDF), whose sole participant is the Government of Ukraine, represented by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, which coordinates all aspects of the Fund’s activities.

Under the Government’s Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% programme the EDF has entered into cooperation agreements with 45 banks. The state continues to make all necessary compensation payments to businesses under loan agreements concluded under the programme.

On 27 December last year, in order to expand the opportunities for entrepreneurs to receive state support, the Government amended the Procedures governing the provision of financial state support under the 5-7-9% programme at the initiative of the Ministry of Finance. First of all, the restrictions on receiving state support for certain categories of enterprises affected by the hostilities were lifted. In addition, as part of the agreements with the IMF, the amendments provide for the focus of the 5-7-9% programme exclusively on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

In order to optimise the Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% programme and Affordable Financial Leasing at 5-7-9% programme under martial law, the Government adopted Resolution No. 229 dated 14 March 2023 “On amendments to certain resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the provision of financial state support to business entities”.

Also, at the end of last year, the Government officially launched the Affordable Factoring programme, a new financial instrument under the Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% programme to provide micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with working capital.