Keep European public banks out of Mediterranean region, say NGOs
March 9, 2011
This week, EU leaders are meeting to agree on a common response to events in the Mediterranean. A coalition of Western and Eastern European NGOs issues a serious warning that the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are not the right institutions to financially support the transition in the Middle East and North Africa.
Economic liberalisation trumps democratisation in EU Neighborhood Policy, says Bankwatch
March 2, 2011
The strategic review of the European Neighbourhood Policy initiated by the European Commission last year should ensure that funds disbursed through the ENPI mechanism truly promote the development of democratic institutions, human rights and environmental sustainability in Partnership countries, says CEE Bankwatch Network.
Bankwatch urges EC to make sure all budget support procedures in Ukraine are transparent
February 25, 2011
CEE Bankwatch Network acknowledges the motivations of the European Commission decision to temporarily suspend 30 million euros budget support because of faulty public procurement procedures. Bankwatch urges the EC to inspect all untransparent practices associated with the budget support they provide, not only in the area of public procurement.
Putin’s visit to BXL: Russian NGOs call on Barroso to stop European financing of Russian motorways in light of HR abuses
February 23, 2011
Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting between Russian PM Vladimir Putin and EU representatives, a coalition of major Russian NGOs is urging President Barroso to make sure that EU financing institutions halt their participation in toll motorway projects in Russia until there are serious improvements in the human rights and public participation situation associated with these projects.
EU urged to use regional funds for sustainability
February 18, 2011
European Ministers meeting on Monday (February 21) are being urged to reform Europe’s spending to ensure it supports a green economy.
Hundreds to protest against ArcelorMittal in Bosnia and Herzegovina
February 10, 2011
Hundreds of people are expected to attend a protest against illegal levels of air pollution from the local ArcelorMittal steelmill this Friday afternoon. The action has been organized through social media and is supported by local NGOs Dosta! and Zenica Eko-Forum.
CEE countries must demand binding targets for energy efficiency, say NGOs
February 3, 2011
Ahead of Friday’s European Council on Energy, CEE Bankwatch Network is urging political will from both the Hungarian EU Presidency and other central and eastern European heads of state to ensure binding targets for improving energy efficiency by 20 percent by the year 2020 if the bloc is to play its part in meeting climate targets under the Europe 2020 strategy.
New EU resource flagship must steer energy savings and resource potential for central and eastern Europe
January 27, 2011
Reacting to yesterday’s communication by the European Commission of its ‘resource-efficient Europe – flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 strategy’, CEE Bankwatch Network is welcoming the agenda set by Brussels to ensure the sustainable use of raw materials, their extraction and processing but warns that this rhetoric must translate into action if the EU and particularly new Member States are to meet ambitious energy and climate change objectives.
EBRD undermines Slovenian climate targets and governmental review with 200 million euros for dirty coal project
January 14, 2011
Ljubljana, Slovenia — Campaign groups today lambasted the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) signature of a 200 million euros loan for the Sostanj thermal power plant in Slovenia [1], calling it a blatant affront to Slovenia’s long-term climate targets. The signing also fails to await the outcome of a governmental review of the controversial project, expected in mid-February.
Polish environmental agency rules in favour of biodiversity with New Year’s resolution to cancel airports flawed permitting
January 11, 2011
Warsaw, Poland — Campaign groups are applauding last week’s decision by the national General Directorate for Environmental Protection to revoke consent for the planned Tykocin regional airport in northeast Poland, a 125 million euros project slated to receive more than 70 percent of its financing from the EU’s Structural Funds.
