local benefits

Patrycja Romaniuk

EU funds campaigner, Poland

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February 22, 2013

Our competition for ideas for EU funds investments that benefit the sustainable development of European communities could offer inspiration for EU and national decision makers. At the final award ceremony in Brussels, the winners told us about their ideas and how EU funding could benefit their countries.

Markus Trilling

EU funds campaign coordinator

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October 17, 2012

European spending is often considered unnecessary, beaurocratic, and even damaging. We're the last ones to deny that in Bankwatch.

Yet, we are convinced that EU spending - if it is done right - can truly serve the public interest by creating jobs, reducing energy bills, minimizing air pollution, etc.

Our new video highlights how some European projects are showing the way to a greener Europe and a better world.

Petr Hlobil

International affairs director

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May 22, 2012

In preparation to its extended lending to Arab Spring countries, the EBRD is conducting consultations with civil society. Yet the bank doesn't seem to make an appropriate effort.

Vladlena Martsynkevych

Central Asia officer

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January 25, 2012

A look at mining projects in Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia reveal a need to carefully revise the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s involvement in the exploitation of natural resources.

A study from the Czech Republic vividly confirms the positive economic impact of public support schemes for energy efficiency investments. The future Cohesion Policy can offer valuable stimuli for such schemes – if EU Member States set the right priorities now.

Alda Ozola

Latvian EU funds campaigner

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November 17, 2011

By allowing open and inclusive consultations on the future Cohesion Policy, Latvia is not only devising its national position in a more democratic way than other EU Member States. It is also setting an example for actually getting people interested in it.

Claudia Ciobanu

Media officer

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November 16, 2011

Yesterday, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) published its Transition Report for 2011, subtitled “The People’s Perspective”. This is because the study pays unprecedented attention to how regular households in post-socialist countries are managing after almost three years of economic crisis.

The Czech renewable energy industry last week received a strong blow from our very own Parliament which approved measures that will likely smother the sector in a bill ironically entitled the „Renewable energy sources support bill.”

Ahead of a meeting next week that offers a unique chance for discussion with the EIB's Board of Directors, Bankwatch's EIB team leader Anna Roggenbuck gives an overview over some of the issues to which she'd like to hear some comments by the bank's enigmatic leadership.

Manana Kochladze

Regional coordinator for the Caucasus

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September 7, 2011

The EU external energy policy Communication published today by the European Commission continues the decade-long approach of the EU to ensure the unhindered flow of fossil fuel energy supplies to Europe without a real recognition of the problems this drive creates both inside and outside of the EU.