Black earth – Agribusiness in Ukraine and the marginalisation of rural communities
September 14, 2015
Given Ukraine’s abundant land resources and food production potential, modernisation of agriculture is necessary and industrialisation is inevitable. Yet, an investigation into the Vinnytsia poultry complex shows the negative side effects of large-scale industrialisation of meat production and sounds the alarm about the risks that agroholdings pose to communities.
Nederland sponsort Oekraïense plofkip
September 14, 2015
De grootste kippenproducent in Oekraïne, Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP), slacht jaarlijks naar schatting 332 miljoen kippen en staat op het punt de productie met 70% te verhogen. MHP krijgt daarbij ruim baan van de Oekraïense overheid, exporteert tegen gunstige voorwaarden naar Nederland en profiteert bovendien van een half miljard aan leningen van internationale ontwikkelingsbanken. Bij de schaalvergroting spelen ook Nederlandse banken en bedrijven een rol. Intussen ondervinden de bewoners in de omgeving van Europa’s grootste kippenstal steeds meer overlast van stank en zwaar verkeer en worden zij onder druk gezet om hun land te verpachten. Met het rapport Chicken Run heeft SOMO de bedrijfsstrategieën van MHP en de daaruit voortvloeiende impact op omliggende dorpen in kaart gebracht.
Slovakia and the Energy Union: Financing for fossil fuels
September 10, 2015
Similar to what we have seen in other countries, when it comes to concrete projects in Slovakia the Energy Union proposals are so far to a much larger extent aiming at security of (gas) supply than they are at decarbonisation.
Energoatom lawsuit against Ukrainian activists is the latest attempt to stifle public debate over an ageing nuclear energy fleet
August 28, 2015
A Kiev court held yesterday the first hearing in a case brought by Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear power plants operator, against the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine (NECU), a civil society group, member of the CEE Bankwatch Network.
Ukraine nuclear lifetime extensions require impact assessment in compliance with Aarhus and Espoo convention
August 18, 2015
On several occasions the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development stated that operations of its clients should comply with all international treaties and other legal obligations. In spite of these reassurances, Energoatom in Ukraine keeps ignoring its international obligations, as outlined in the Espoo Convention, in the processes of assessing the life-time extension of its nuclear reactors.
Entwicklungshilfe für Discounter: Wie Lidl mit Hilfe von Weltbankkrediten Geschäfte in Osteuropa macht
August 13, 2015
Georg Restle: „Er gilt als der größte Discounter Europas und fast jeder in Deutschland kennt ihn: Lidl. Milliardengewinne mit billigen Lebensmitteln, das ist das Geschäftskonzept des Supermarkt-Giganten. Aber es gibt auch eine ganz andere Geschichte über Lidl. Und die eignet sich ganz sicher nicht fürs schöne Werbe-Image des Billig-Discounters. Guten Abend und willkommen bei Monitor. Wenn Sie an Entwicklungshilfe denken, denken Sie wahrscheinlich an Brunnen, Schulen oder Krankenhäuser. Ganz sicher nicht an millionenschwere Kredite für eines der reichsten Einzelhandelsunternehmen der Welt.
Letter to European Commission: Reconsider disbursement of loans for Ukraine nuclear project
August 10, 2015
In this letter, Bankwatch asks the European Commission to reconsider the disbursement of the Euratom and EBRD loans for the Ukraine nuclear safety upgrade programme that effectively enables the lifetime extensions at Ukraine’s nuclear reactors. The letter provides evidence for the intertwined character of the upgrade programme and the lifetime extensions and for Ukraine’s refusal to meet its obligations under international conventions.
Letter to European Commission (DG ECFIN): Ukraine does not meet obligations under international law
August 10, 2015
The European Commission stated in an earlier letter that any decision by Ukraine to extend the life-span of any of its nuclear power plants will require assessment under the Aarhus and Espoo Conventions. In this letter, Bankwatch offers evidence for how Ukraine is indeed extending the lifetimes of its nuclear reactors but not meeting its obligations under the conventions.
Hungary and the Energy Union: The devil is in the details
August 4, 2015
Hungary needs to transform its energy sector. But can the Energy Union kickstart such change? The vision presented by the European Commission’s Vice President Maroš Šefčovič includes a few promising nuggets, but overall risks reinforcing the status quo.
Škodlivé projekty z balíka
August 4, 2015
Nedávno Európsky parlament prijal hodnotiaci mechanizmus „scoreboard“, na základe ktorého sa bude rozhodovať o tom, ktoré projekty z plánovaného 315-miliardového Junckerovho balíčka alebo z Európskeho fondu pre strategické investície dostanú garancie z európskeho rozpočtu.