Energy Community opens infringement procedure against Bosnia-Herzegovina over illegal Tuzla 7 state aid
March 26, 2019
The Energy Community Secretariat has today announced that it is officially opening a dispute settlement procedure on the planned Federal guarantee for a EUR 614 loan from the China Eximbank to build the Tuzla 7 coal power plant in Bosnia-Herzegovina.[1] The procedure can potentially lead to delays in the EU accession process and temporary suspension of financing by EU banks.
Southeast Europeans ignore EU rules with €2.4bn coal subsidies
March 25, 2019
The EU’s Energy Community neighbours ‘systematically turn a blind eye’ to its state aid rules, a report by the secretariat finds. Southeast Europeans ignore EU rules with €2.4bn coal subsidies
Energy Community: Western Balkan coal subsidies worth over 1.2 billion euros in 2017
March 25, 2019
For immediate release. Energy Community countries propped up coal mining and electricity generation with direct and indirect public subsidies totalling at least 2.4 billion annually, out of which around half were provided by Western Balkan countries, shows a study (1) released today by the Vienna-based Secretariat of the Energy Community Treaty, the international treaty working to integrate the energy markets of the EU with those of its neighbours.
KOSID sues the government challenging Kosovo’s coal investment
March 21, 2019
Kosovo watchdog NGOs sued the government in March for greenlighting the new coal plant, Kosova e Re, without the legally required environmental consultations. KOSID sues the government challenging Kosovo’s coal investment
Европейски организации настояват пред Тимерманс за магистрала извън Кресненското дефиле
March 16, 2019
Природозащитници призоваха първия вицепрезидент на Европейската комисия Франс Тимерманс да се намеси и спешно да започне наказателна процедура срещу България, за да защити европейското природно богатство в Кресненското дефиле. Европейски организации настояват пред Тимерманс за магистрала извън Кресненското дефиле
FBiH Parliament approves Tuzla 7 guarantee despite Energy Community objection
March 8, 2019
The House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) has approved a guarantee for a EUR 614 million loan from the Export–Import Bank of China’s (Chexim – China Exim Bank) to state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH) to build a new, 450 MW unit of the Tuzla coal-fired power plant.
Bosnia-Herzegovina Federal parliament guarantees Chinese coal plant loan in contempt of EU law
March 8, 2019
The Bosnia-Herzegovina Federal House of Representatives yesterday approved an illegal loan guarantee for a EUR 614 million China Exim Bank loan for the Tuzla 7 coal power plant, in blunt contempt of its commitment to abide by EU law on subsidies under the Energy Community Treaty.
A billions-worth problem
March 6, 2019
Clean air has become a rarity in the Western Balkans, and so has proper air quality monitoring. In Europe, a whooping EUR 11 billion in lost productivity and health costs caused by air pollution from coal plants in the region dwarf the investments in the implementation of air quality legislation. The result is an incomplete and unreliable air quality monitoring system.
Energy Community says guarantee for Tuzla coal-fired power plant breaches state aid regulations
March 5, 2019
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Muslim-Croat Federation breached the regulations of the Energy Community when issuing a guarantee for a loan from China’s Exim Bank for the construction of a new unit at the Tuzla coal-fired plant, the secretariat of the Energy Community has concluded. Energy Community says guarantee for Tuzla coal-fired power plant breaches state aid regulations
Energy Community: Bosnia-Herzegovina guarantee for Chinese loan for Tuzla 7 is state aid, breaks EU law
March 5, 2019
The Energy Community confirmed today that the loan guarantee the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina Parliament wants to approve for the EUR 614 million China Exim Bank loan for the Tuzla 7 coal power plant indeed constitutes state aid according to EU law. The Energy Community had commissioned an expert analysis to look into the issue following a complaint by Aarhus Resource Centre and Bankwatch.
