Juncker’s investment package to be hijacked by countries’ destructive plans
December 8, 2014
Brussels – A list of projects member states want to see financed from the Juncker investment package has been made public in expectation of tomorrow’s summit where finance ministers will discuss the package. Coal, nuclear and incinerators are among the various countries’ priorities, which fail to add up to the long-term strategic plan to stimulate growth and sustainability in Europe that Juncker promised.
Boskov Most suspected of breaching Council of Europe nature protection convention
December 5, 2014
Skopje/ Strasbourg – The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, a binding international legal instrument in the field of nature conservation for signatory countries, announced today (pdf) that it will open a case file to address the complaint made by Eko-svest about the planned hydropower plants in Mavrovo national park.
European Commission opens infringement procedure against Romania over coal mine
December 4, 2014
Bucharest — The European Commission has opened an infringement case against Romania regarding the lignite quarry extension at the Rovinari complex in Gorj County. The Commission suspects Romania of not complying with the EU Directive concerning the environmental impact assessment of projects.
NECU and Bankwatch statement on the incident at Zaporizhye nuclear plant in Ukraine
December 3, 2014
Statement on an incident at the Zaporizhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine, where a power transformer dysfunction occurred on November 28th.
Sostanj lignite plant: A mistake not to be repeated
December 2, 2014
Ljubljana — A new briefing by Slovenian NGO Focus shows how misguided assessments of future viability and corruption led to TES6 lignite unit costing more than double the estimated amount, bringing annual losses of tens of millions of euros, and creating only a fraction of the number of jobs promised.
Juncker investment package shifts risk from private investors to EU taxpayers
November 26, 2014
Brussels – Today European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will present his widely anticipated 300 billion euro investment package aimed at stimulating growth in the European economy. Central to the InvestEU programme is a 21 billion euro allocation for the newly-created Euopean Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) that has to leverage 315 billion euro from private investors, or 15 times the amount of the fund.
European Ombudsman: EIB weakens EU efforts to strengthen rule of law
October 30, 2014
Brussels – In an unprecedented ruling this week, the European Ombudsman concluded at the end of an investigation into the EIB’s involvement with a road construction project in Bosnia and Herzegovina that the institution’s behaviour was “totally unacceptable” and it “risked putting into question the EU’s commitment for strengthening the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
Visegrad countries push for more gas imports in 2030 deal
October 22, 2014
Prague – The Visegrad plus 2 countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, together with Romania and Bulgaria) have all included a strong statement of support for the Southern Gas Corridor into their comments to the drafted EU 2030 Council conclusions to begin in Brussels this Thursday.
Slovenia coal fraud charges serve as warning for other Balkan countries, say NGOs
October 15, 2014
Ljubljana, Slovenia: Slovenian police yesterday reported that ten people had been charged with fraud in relation to the beleaguered Sostanj 6 lignite power plant project, causing a suspected EUR 284 million in financial harm to Slovene electricity consumers. The charges serve as a new warning to decision-makers across the Western Balkans to closely scrutinise coal power plant projects planned across the region if the mistakes made in the Sostanj 6 project in Slovenia are not to be repeated, warned several NGOs today.
Green 10: the Parliament must reject this Commission
October 8, 2014
Brussels – The Green 10, the alliance of leading environmental NGOs in Europe, reiterates the call to reject the Commission unless rigorous changes of mandates, job titles and re-allocation of posts are made.
