Updates on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

GMOs, water grab and ice cream for the masses – the EBRD gets involved with Nestlé Egypt

Update: The EBRD clarified in its correspondence with Baby Milk Action that its loan will not be used to finance infant nutrition.

Georgian hydro projects are a test case for the EBRD’s good governance policies

As activists pointed out at a consultation meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia’s hydropower sector has plenty of lessons to be learned by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Ukraine and the EBRD: More than technicalities derail the fight against corruption

Before claiming the moral high ground on fighting corruption in Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should first of all brush up its own transparency policy and drop old-fashioned arguments in favour of confidentiality and secret conditionalities in its projects.

[Campaign update*] Georgian government and investors reject Ombudsman’s offer to mediate in controversy over Khudoni mega dam

The growing antagonism between promoters of the Khudoni hydropower plant project in Georgia and their local opponents from Kaishi is unlikely to ease when the investor and the Georgian Ministry of Energy boycott mediation by Georgia’s Ombudsman.

Letter to EBRD: Complaint filed with IFC on Danosha pig farms in Ukraine

Local communities in the Ivano-Frankvisk region in Ukraine have filed a complaint with the IFC’s complaint mechanism regarding the conduct of agribusiness corporation Danosha. This letter summarises the complaint’s content and asks the EBRD to follow the complaint process and derive lessons for its own support of industrial farming projects in Ukraine.

New EBRD policy too weak on tax havens in development finance

Debt and finance watchdog Eurodad has analysed the EBRD’s new policy on domiciliation and explains how it does not take the bold steps needed to tackle the use of tax havens in development finance.

Letter to EBRD re potential funding of coal power projects in Egypt

Guest post: A Balkan lesson for coal investors

When Dr. Kim, President of the World Bank, and leaders of other international financial institutions ponder funding new coal power projects this year – like the one in Kosovo – there’s one word that should be seared into their memories: Sostanj.

Civil society letter: EBRD’s political mandate and value added in Egypt doubtful

With this letter 14 organisations from the MENA region and Europe bemoan the lack of clear purpose and effectiveness of the EBRD’s democratic principles that are being undermined by the bank’s moves towards making Egypt a full country of operations despite having significant concerns about the state’s conformity with these principles.

Leaked document: Doubling of electricity tariffs in Ukraine, condition for EBRD nuclear safety loan

The project through which the life time of old Ukrainian nuclear reactors is being prolonged with EBRD financing would not be economically feasible without a doubling of electricity tariffs, shows a document leaked to EurActiv last week.