In March, over 200 employees of Indorama Agro in Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region established People’s Unity, the country’s first independent trade union. Bankwatch supported this landmark initiative, advocating for workers’ rights and freedom of association.  

In July, the European Commission unveiled the Fit for 55 package, aiming to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 55 per cent by 2030. Bankwatch engaged with the legislative initiative, promoting stronger climate action and just transition measures.  

In September, Bankwatch and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air released the third edition of the ‘Comply or Close’ report. It estimated that air pollution from coal-fired power plants in the Western Balkans caused approximately 19,000 premature deaths between 2018 and 2020, resulting in health-related costs of EUR 6 to 12 billion annually.  

In November, the Energy Community Ministerial Council confirmed that the public loan guarantee for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tuzla 7 coal power plant constituted illegal state aid under the Energy Community Treaty. Bankwatch had long advocated against the project due to environmental and legal concerns.  

Throughout the year, Bankwatch’s ‘No Time to Celebrate’ campaign marked the EBRD’s 30th anniversary by highlighting the institution’s human rights shortcomings. The campaign contributed to progress on the EBRD’s policies regarding reprisals and human rights due diligence, setting the stage for the 2024 safeguards revision.  

Our advocacy and research also influenced several countries to revise their biodiversity plans, ensuring better alignment with EU environmental standards and the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy.  

Bankwatch also supported displaced families affected by an EBRD-backed landfill project in the Belgrade settlement of Vinča. The EBRD’s IPAM registered a complaint from the families, leading to negotiations aimed at securing their rights and livelihoods.