The European Investment Bank should boost lending to businesses and infrastructure projects by ?50 billion over the next two years to support Europe?s economic recovery, Gordon Brown has said.

The Prime Minister has asked the President of the EIB to consider making better use of its existing capital to allow the increased lending.

It is one of several proposals to boost the European economy that Mr Brown has made ahead of the European Council meeting in mid-June.

He called on the EIB to accelerate the rate at which it is lending to businesses and take on greater levels of risk when lending.

The Prime Minister said:

?The EIB must be enabled to accelerate the rate at which it is lending to businesses and? should take on greater levels of risk to support businesses and jobs across Europe. I am calling on the bank to accept a bigger share of the risk when lending with its banking partners, including through a new loan guarantee instrument.?

Mr Brown urged EU states dealing with car industry problems to work more closely together to find solutions.

He said he has also had talks with European Commission President Jos? Manuel Barroso about an EU target on apprenticeships to create more jobs for young people across Europe.