Suspension or no suspension, the EBRD freezes disbursements for the Šoštanj lignite power plant
April 18, 2012
With the decision to freeze the disbursement of a loan for the Šoštanj lignite power plant in Slovenia, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development seemingly reacts to the many controversial points Bankwatch and other organisations have raised about the project.
Slovenia: The EBRD freezes loan disbursements in Alstom’s coal project over corruption allegations. NGOs call on the EIB to follow suit
April 18, 2012
Paris, 18 April 2012 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced that it is freezing the disbursement of the promised EUR 100 million loan for the construction of a new lignite block at thermal power plant TES 6 in Šoštanj, Slovenia. The decision by the EBRD comes after a group of Slovenian and international NGOs approached the EBRD asking for the bank to halt the loan until corruption allegations are investigated.(1)
EU budget 2014-2020: Leading the way to sustainable prosperity and jobs
April 1, 2012
The European Commission’s legislative proposals for the future EU Budget have made some promising changes but they are not ambitious enough to meet the level of current challenges. While CAP spending still needs a radical overhaul, the proposals on the other funds need to be strengthened to ensure leadership from the EU Budget that supports a sustainable and prosperous European economy and inspires all of Europe and the world.
Yet another bail-out package? A comeback to ‘The Vienna Initiative and financial stability in emerging Europe’
March 30, 2012
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development promotes the support for western European banks in central and eastern Europe although evidence for this initiative’s success is disputable at best.
MEPs question heavy greening of the EU budget
March 28, 2012
Earmarking too large a chunk of the European Union’s cohesion funds for environmental projects in the 2014-2020 budget could be “detrimental”, MEPs said.
Impasse: How EU money is being used against EU waste policy
March 28, 2012
While central and eastern European countries can use EU funds as a financial tool helping them to meet the requirements of European waste directives, the money is not spent in line with these directives. This case study explains why, focusing mainly on the waste hierarchy as one of the key principles of EU legislation.
Citizen’s request to deny state guarantee for Sostanj lignite power plant loan
March 26, 2012
The director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies is of Slovenian origin. He sent an open letter to the Slovenian parliament requesting to deny the state guarantee for a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for Unit 6 at the Sostanj lignite thermal power plant.
Enhancing the partnership principle and transparency in the future Cohesion Policy
March 15, 2012
The European Commission’s proposed European Code of Conduct has the potential to become a major tool for securing effective partnership, transparency and public participation under the Cohesion Policy. This briefing contains recommendations to further support and realise this potential.
Cohesion Policy 2014-2020: Green investments to deliver sustainable prosperity and jobs
March 14, 2012
This briefing outlines a number of aspects that – if improved – would enhance the European Commission’s proposal on the future EU budget and maximize benefits for the regions delivered by the future Cohesion Policy while contributing to reach the 2020 climate, energy and biodiversity targets and creating green jobs.
EIB lending figures in 2011: Germany 6 – Greece 1
March 13, 2012
For a bank tasked to contribute to the ‘balanced and steady’ development of the internal market in the interest of the EU, the EIB’s figures for its financing operations in 2011 (released last month at its annual press conference) induced a certain amount of head-scratching here at Bankwatch Mail.
