The European Investment Bank could provide up to 74 billion euros ($102 billion) of lending support to European banks over two years if its capital base was reinforced in part with cash from shareholders, according to a document prepared for EU finance ministers.

In the paper, prepared by the European Investment Bank (EIB) ahead of Tuesday's meeting of finance ministers from the 27 EU member states, the EIB outlines how it could counteract any drying up of bank credit.

'The risk of banks de-leveraging is not negligible and the EIB lending to the real economy through banks is thus important to maintain and even increase,' the EIB writes in the paper, dated Nov 3.

In the document, the EIB outlines a number of scenarios for bolstering its ability to lend, including one that would call on its shareholders to make a cash contribution.

'A temporary reinforced EIB support to the European banking sector... could amount over two years to 48 billion euros with reinforced internal support 64 billion euros with reinforced support through EU contribution... 74 billion euros with reinforced support through capital injection,' the document said.-Reuters