The EBRD’s first Impact Report: A welcome step, but does it tell the whole story?
July 10, 2025
In May 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) released its first-ever Impact Report. With EUR 16.6 billion invested in 584 projects in 2024, the report highlights ambitious claims: reductions in emissions, boosts to human capital, and support for inclusive economies. But as we dig deeper, a familiar issue re-emerges: the gap between institutional ambition and on-the-ground reality.
Georgia’s democratic future at stake: Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ bill threatens civil society and independent media
May 27, 2024
On 3 April 2024, Georgia’s ruling party revived the controversial ‘Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence’, which labels independent media and civil society groups as foreign agents. The move, coming just over a year after initial proposals were dropped, has sparked widespread protests once again.
Joint civil society letter to the EBRD President on Georgia’s draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence
May 27, 2024
More than 30 international and national civil society organisations have joined the call to the President of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, to condemn the Foreign Agents Law, which is an attack on civil society and independent media and risks jeopardising their activities and the success of business operations in Georgia.
Putin-style ‘foreign agent’ bill in Georgia threatens civil society
March 9, 2023
The label is intended to undermine the public’s trust in civil society and stifle dissent. It also risks derailing the country’s EU …
Illiberalism alert: draft law to shut down civil society awaits vote in the Romanian senate
February 22, 2023
Under the absurd claim that the country doesn’t have enough motorways or hydropower generation capacity because of NGOs’ actions in court challenging environmental and construction permits, the Romanian parliament is going after civil society altogether and on multiple fronts.
Call for the EBRD to condemn retaliation against civil society
December 21, 2018
The space for civil society is rapidly shrinking across the world. This is especially true in the countries of EBRD operations, where crackdowns on freedom of expression, association, and assembly threaten the very existence of independent civil societ
EU funds in central and eastern Europe: ‘partnership principle’ still not translating to ‘partnership in practice’
August 29, 2017
A new report assesses the state of play with the involvement of civil society partners in EU funds.
Here be dragons: How the EU bank’s development finance overlooks people at risk
November 18, 2016
The European Investment Bank’s failure in safeguarding the most vulnerable groups in its projects shows it is ill-equipped to help refugees and host communities in the European Union’s neighbourhood. A new report explains the bank’s weaknesses in identifying and responding to human rights risks.
Azerbaijan’s crackdown on civil society must not be tolerated, international NGOs tell industry transparency body
October 25, 2016
The Azerbaijani government’s relentless repression of civil society should disqualify the country from participating in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), 18 international groups wrote in a letter sent on Thursday (October 20) to members of the EITI board.
Ukraine needs European values and Europe’s solidarity
April 4, 2016
Ahead of a referendum in the Netherlands on the association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, Olexi Pasyuk from the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine discusses the agreement’s importance for Ukraine’s civil society and why Europe must still improve how it engages with the country.
