Updates on the European Investment Bank

Follow-up letter to the EBRD after consultations on the Croation Country Strategy

Letter to the EIB requesting a postponed vote on the Bujagali Hydropower Project, Uganda

The letter contains the following enclosures: An Analysis of "Bujagali II Economic and Financial Evaluation Study Final Reports" by Pete Tsournos. Concerns About the Impacts of the Bujagali Dam Project On Endangered Fishes and Fisheries in the Victoria Nile by Les Kaufman. Lake Victoria and The Proposed Hydrological Curve Change by Daniel Kull. Board of Executive Directors, European Investment Bank Cc: Philippe Maystadt, President European Investment Bank Re: Outstanding Concerns on Bujagali Hydropower Project, Uganda request for postponing of the vote

The Chad-Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project: a project non-completion report

With the production of its Project Implementation Completion Report (ICR) in December 2006, the World Bank signaled that its role in the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project had ended. However, numerous outstanding environmental, livelihood and compensation problems remain for those impacted by the project. This report argues that the World Bank must revisit the Extractive Industries Review’s recommendations and fundamentally rethink its approach to extractive industries and other high risk projects if these types of investment are to be more than a reckless gamble with the lives of the poor.

NGO submission to the EIB public consultation on its anti-corruption policy

The bulk of NGO recommendations on the EIBs Anti-Corruption Policy are contained in the notes below, but it is also possible to make a few general points. We welcome EIBs commitment in the preamble of the policy to the principle of not tolerating corruption, fraud or other illegal acts in any of its activities or operations. However, we believe that the Banks policy as it stands does not go anything like far enough. The Bank must be much more proactive in combating corruption, acting earlier to pre-empt illegal acts and more aggressively to root them out after they occur.

Lost in Transportation: The European Investment Banks bias towards road and air transport

This report finds that the multi-million euro loans of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the transport sector are helping to fuel climate change and have made little or no contribution to the more progressive goals of the EU White Paper on transport, especially those on modal shift and decoupling transport from economic growth. The report analyses the EUR 112 billion that the EIB provided to transport projects in the period 1996-2005.

Bankwatch Mail 31

In this issue: Planes, loans and automobiles * Kyrgyzstan’s government rejected HIPC shackles thanks to public pressure * Editorial: Double standards for how much longer? * The nuclear white elephant in Bulgaria’s room * Rospuda interview – EU law in the driving seat * First PPP motorway in Russia to cause problems for thousands of people * Your voice in Europe: support the Green paper on urban transport

Complaint to the EBRD Independent Recourse Mechanism regarding the Vlora Thermal Power project

Joint letter to the EBRD Environmental department from Ukrainian NGOs regarding flawed public hearings on a transmission line project

Letter to EC representatives on breaches of law in Zagreb incinerator EIA approval

On November 24, 2006 Francois Delcuellerie, EC Desk Officer for Croatia answered to this letter. Download the response as pdf here. On September 3, 2007 Marijan Galovic of Green Action sent update to the originall letter. Download it as pdf here. On January 28, 2008 Croatian Ministry of Environment responded to the above. Download the letter as pdf here.

Bankwatch Mail 30

In this issue: Race against time to salvage EU funding for sustainable energy in the new member states * Bulgaria’s nuclear dowry * Customer complaints hit EIB shopping centre loan in Hungary * Hot air could become hotter in Ukraine * EBRD Environmental Policy Review is rolling * Short cuts over houses required for more growth in Slovakia * Toxic dump in a marine reserve? * World Bank Group’s renewable energy numbers exposed * NGO energy report * EBRD pigs to fly again?