Credit guarantee schemes (CGSs) are a commonly used response to address the consequences of market failures in the area of lending to SMEs, as guarantees reduce the risk of lenders and favour the provision of financing to viable businesses that are constrained in their access to finance. This report discusses the activity of CGSs in Western Europe and presents an analysis based on a novel survey, conducted by the European Investment Bank Group (EIB & EIF), among 18 credit guarantee organisations in 13 countries and 33 banks operating in 17 countries. The report aims at providing a deeper insight into the driving motives and operational mechanisms of West-European CGSs, and the financial intermediaries that use them. It builds on an earlier study that surveyed the CGS sector in the CESEE region.