Crédit Agricole CIB played a key part in the Ecotaxe PPPPublic-Private Partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. financing due to new "green" tax created by the French Government. The EUR 550 million Ecotaxe PPP financing reached financial close on October 20th, 2011, for the consortium led by Autostrade (70%), and also made up of Thalès, SFR, SNCF, and Steria.

 

Crédit Agricole CIB, alongside Banca IMI, Unicredit, Mediobanca, and Deutsche Bank, acted as mandated lead arranger for the 14-year senior debt financing, with LCL financing EUR 25 million as sub-participant of Crédit Agricole CIB, leaving the Bank with a final take of EUR 50 million.

 

The project consists in the design, manufacturing, construction, implementation, test and commissioning of a system allowing to collect, control and enforce the payment of the new "green" tax created by the Government for all HGVs exceeding 3,5t using the toll-free road network in France. The construction is planned for 21 months, to be followed by an 11-year operation period.

 

Crédit Agricole CIB also acted as intercreditor and security agent, LCL acted as account bank.

Crédit Agricole CIB obtained a top role as sole French bank of the project.