Working capital credit guarantee for SME

With a working capital credit guarantee, a bank or Almi shares the risk with EKN when providing working capital credit guarantees in the form of loans, invoice financing or overdraft facilities.

This guarantee can be applied for by the bank.

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The working capital credit guarantee makes it easier for the bank to accept the loan

The working capital credit guarantee protects the bank against loss if the borrower does not repay the guaranteed credit. EKN reimburses the bank for any loss with 50 per cent of the credit outstanding that the guarantee pertains to.

The guarantee helps provide capital for exporting companies and companies that are subcontractors to export companies, even if the company is part of a larger group. The duration of the credit should normally not exceed 24 months. For an overdraft facility, the maturity may not exceed 12 months.

Credits that can be guaranteed with EKN’s working capital credit guarantees for SMEs

The need for capital can be for expenses that arise before an export order is signed or after the agreement. It must be separate from the borrower’s need for more long-term risk capital or equity.

If the application refers to an overdraft or loan that is not intended to finance a specific export transaction, a significant part of the borrower’s turnover must represent exports of Swedish goods or services.

If the borrower is a subcontractor, a significant part of the exporting company’s turnover must represent exports of Swedish goods or services.

The guarantee is issued to banks or other credit institutions that provide credit to companies with up to SEK 500 million in annual turnover.

Application

Send an application for a working capital credit guarantee together with the borrower’s supplementary form to EKN at the latest by the date that the loan agreement is entered into. Attach your own risk assessment of the borrower. EKN conducts a risk assessment. If it is acceptable, an offer is submitted.

Offer

If you would like to accept the offer, apply to EKN for the guarantee to be issued. Your application must have been received by EKN at the latest ten days after the loan agreement has been entered into.

Request for guarantee

In the guarantee that you will receive from EKN, you will find information about how and when the premium is to be paid. The premium is typically paid on the due date for interest and fees in the guaranteed loan agreement.

Delay in payment

Compensation is paid after a waiting period of three months calculated from the payment due date. No waiting period is applied if the borrower suspends payments or is declared bankrupt, or if EKN has requested the bank to cancel the credit. Interest on the compensation amount is paid from the payment due date until the date of payment by EKN.

Payment respite and extension of term

When your customer cannot pay and you would like to agree to grant respite for payments in a guaranteed transaction, you are required to submit a request for EKN’s consent to the extension.

This also applies if you need to prolong the term of a contract guarantee, if the term is changed in a working capital credit guarantee or if the due date in a letter of credit is changed.

In order for EKN to receive the necessary information for such a decision you need to, as the guarantee holder, submit a separate form for your relevant guarantee. Complete the form and send it to the EKN official responsible for the transaction. If you have any questions, please contact your responsible EKN official.