The EU’s flagship investment scheme must not become backdoor for fossil fuel financing
October 7, 2019
A half trillion euro subsidies scheme and part of the so-called Juncker Plan, the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) has been portrayed by its promoters, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank as a major success story, albeit with little evidence to back such claims.
Too soon to call the “Juncker Plan” a success – new report
October 1, 2019
The EU’s next major investment scheme, succeeding the so-called Juncker Plan, is likely to be central to the ‘European Green Deal’ touted by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. But a report released today by watchdog NGOs Counter Balance and CEE Bankwatch Network finds the Juncker Plan has so far shown weaknesses in its transparency, sustainability, geographical concentration and additionality, and calls for improvements for its post-2020 phase.
Future EU investment package falls short of climate ambition
January 16, 2019
Strasbourg, Brussels – Today the European Parliament took a disappointing stance on climate when voting to approve the establishment of InvestEU, the EU’s financing tool to attract private investments – say NGO groups CEE Bankwatch Network, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, WWF European Policy Office, and Counter Balance. The approved investment package keeps the door open to further public investments in fossil fuels, which is incompatible with the requirements of the Paris Climate Agreement.
European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)
June 19, 2017
Tasked with stimulating the European economy, the new investment fund may just become an extention of the European Investment Bank’s normal lending with very limited additional (green) finance.
Too good to be true? Assessing one year of the Investment Plan for Europe
September 28, 2016
Europe is hemorrhaging cash in deeply unsustainable projects like motorways, airports and gas infrastructure.
Juncker investment plan: deep reforms necessary for sustainable future
September 28, 2016
Cash that should be flowing into projects that boost environmental sustainability is instead fuelling outdated carbon-intensive projects like motorways, airports, and fossil-fuel infrastructure, according to a new report on Europe’s investment plan released today
Juncker Investment Plan 2 and review of EU budget offer no progress towards Europe’s long-term climate goals
September 15, 2016
What should have been two significant contributions to Europe’s war chest in the fight against climate change will in fact leave the planet short-changed and open the door to even more polluting fossil fuel projects, argue campaigners at Bankwatch, Friends of the Earth Europe and Climate Action Network Europe.
The EU house bank is holding back Europe’s shift to sustainable energy
June 14, 2016
On the occasion of the EU Sustainable Energy Week, a new Bankwatch analysis shows that the European Investment Bank (EIB) has been effectively hindering Europe’s energy transition.
EFSI case study: Bratislava bypass: A transport public-private partnership with high costs and limited benefits
June 8, 2016
The so-called European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) should unlock additional investment of at least EUR 315 billion over a three year period (2015-2017). One of the projects benefiting from the financing concerns the design, construction, operation and maintenance of about 27km of a motorway around Bratislava. The project will come with high costs, will damage biodiversity and likely not solve local transport problems.
MEP Pirinski: “The EIB should pay more attention to economic, social and territorial cohesion”
June 7, 2016
MEP Georgi Pirinski, rapporteur of the annual report on the European Investment Bank, shares his views on how to improve the way the bank operates.
