Banco Santander makes available EUR 4 billion in new loans for SMEs to help stimulate the economy

1. Press Release
Banco Santander makes available EUR 4 billion in
new loans for SMEs to help stimulate the
economy
 Half the total, or EUR 2 billion, will be channeled through ‘Crédito
Activación’, a product aimed at financing business in Spain. The other EUR
2 billion will be earmarked for export finance.
 The bank will offer loans at Euribor plus 3.20% (4.98% AER) to new and
existing customers who apply through the Crédito Activación programme.
Madrid, April 16, 2012 - Banco Santander has set aside EUR 4 billion to provide loans
to small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) to stimulate their business, both inside
and outside Spain, and contribute towards boosting the economy and creating jobs.
EUR 2 billion are earmarked for lending to business in Spain and the other EUR 2 billion
are to support companies’ international business.
The credit line for Spanish business will be offered as a new product, at a very
competitive rate of Euribor plus 3.20%, subject to a minimum amount of activity in the
account (one transaction a month in at least two of the following categories: payments of
salaries, social security contributions or state taxes, bills, international transfers in euros
or other currencies or in-store card payments). If customers do not meet these
conditions, they can still use the credit line but will be charged an additional 2.5%.
Loans range from a minimum EUR 30,000 to a maximum of EUR 5 million for three
years, with a one-year moratorium and quarterly principal repayments. The loans are for
new business, for both new and existing clients, and cannot be used to renew,
restructure or refinance existing loans. The EUR 2 billion destined for international
business will allow the bank to offer companies competitively priced loans as advances
for exports, to finance their international activity or their purchases abroad.
This new credit line complements Santander’s Plan Exporta, a full range of services put
in place a year ago to cover all the needs of SMEs when they start to export. To date,
5,000 companies have used this plan, which includes finance (advances for exports, or
for bills, factoring and other specialist products), and coverage of risks and exchange
rates, transfers, cheques and remittances as well as training for companies that are new
to export, an area where the bank has been a pioneer.
“SMEs are the driver of economic growth and job creation. We have supported them
since the crisis began with a wide range of products and financial services, adapted to
the current economic situation. We are confident that companies’ international business
will be a key driver of the recovery. We want companies to be able to take advantage of
international growth opportunities and we hope to be a leader for SMEs that want to
export,” said Enrique García Candelas, Santander’s head of retail banking in Spain.
Comunicación Externa.
Ciudad Grupo Santander Edificio Arrecife Pl. 2 1
28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) Telf.: 34 91 289 52 11 – Fax: 34 91 257 10 39

2. The new credit lines add to those provided by the Official Credit Institute (ICO), for
which Santander is the number one distributor with a share of around 20% in 2010 and
2011. The bank also provides support for SMEs through programmes such as ‘We Want
to Be Your Bank’, which has been offering commission-free services to the self-
employed, businesses and micro-companies since 2007, through an agreement with
Google which helps companies build up Internet business and through a variety of
agreements with national and regional business associations.
Comunicación Externa.
Ciudad Grupo Santander Edificio Arrecife Pl. 2 2
28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) Telf.: 34 91 289 52 11 – Fax: 34 91 257 10 39