A historic event, the European Investment Bank opens its doors (a bit)
Blog entry | 12 October, 2011Ahead 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.
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Potocnik says green economy, European public banks say black coal
Blog entry | 3 October, 2011The European Union’s internal and external ambitions for green economies are being countered by the activities of European international financial institutions. EU Commissioner for the Environment Potocnik can see that also in his home country Slovenia.
Read moreComplaint to European Commission: Inadequate assessment of CCS readiness for Sostanj lignite power plant project
Publication | 3 October, 2011Download the complaint as pdf
Read moreRequest for information on EIB role in Ostroleka C coal-fired power plant in Poland
Publication | 3 October, 2011Press information from September 2011 suggested that ENERGA S.A. is holding conversations with the European Investment Bank about financing a new coal-fired unit in Rzekun also referred to as Ostroleka C. With this letter, Bankwatch inquired whether the EIB is having conversations with ENERGA S.A. and if yes, at which stage they are.
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Right track, weak attitude. The EU’s Resource Efficiency Roadmap.
Blog entry | 22 September, 2011The European Commission this week published its ideas on how to build a resource efficient economy in Europe. Bankwatch’s resource efficiency expert Marijan Galovic thinks the roadmap’s focus is not wide enough yet.
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Bankwatch Mail 49
Publication | 21 September, 2011This edition focuses mostly on the European Investment Bank and EU funds related issues. Among the questions we discuss are: How is the EU budget, this 1 trillion euro process, shaping up, and will sustainability finally have a bigger role? and Will EIB investments in the Southern Mediterranean bring benefits to the people there or to Western companies?
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Greenwashing nuclear expansion in Ukraine, with EU support
Blog entry | 13 September, 2011Upgrades of hydro power plants in Ukraine are a prime example for greenwashing nuclear expansion with renewable energy. Alena Miskun from Bankwatch member group National Environmental Centre of Ukraine gives details on the thickening plot that European public banks are involved in.
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In times of crisis – Poland’s take on the Emperor’s New Clothes
Blog entry | 9 September, 2011Poland has made a worrying proposal on public private partnerships that could risk the future stability of European economies by turning a blind eye to future public debt. But the EU would do well to take the British example as an eye opener.
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Contemplating secure and insecure energy supply
Blog entry | 7 September, 2011The 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.
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New EIB report on SMEs: another rabbit in the hat from our favorite bank
Blog entry | 30 August, 2011The Bankwatch EIB team read the most recent report by the European Investment Bank on the bank’s crisis lending to small and medium enterprises and they were surprised by its main claims: unlike what the EIB says, our own research shows that EIB crisis loans to SMEs were more helpful to commercial banks disbursing them than to the cash-strapped small and medium enterprises they were supposed to help.
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