UPDATE 2: The devil is in the implementation – Experiences from the partnership principle in central and eastern European practice
March 20, 2014
At the peak of EU funds’ programming, experiences from CEE countries reveal deficiencies in the application of the Code of Conduct and a flawed implementation of the partnership principle. This undermines the credibility of the programming process and leaves benefits of a comprehensive involvement of all stakeholders untapped. The sometimes even entertaining list of partnership shortcomings brings us to the conclusion that a purely voluntary partnership without common standards much too often continues to end up being a purely formal exercise, and that the promotion of best practices alone is not sufficient to ensure quality partnership.
Deficiencies in the implementation of the partnership principle in Cohesion Policy – Letter to DG Regio
March 19, 2014
Civil society organisations have noticed that a number of basic partnership principles are not met by member states during the ongoing programming of Cohesion Policy for the 2014-2020 period. (Read more in this briefing).
Sochi 2014 – Independent Environmental report
March 18, 2014
This report, prepared by Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (EWNC) gives account of the extensive environmental damage resulting from the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014.
Assessment of opportunities for pre-accession assistance IPA 2 in Macedonia
March 15, 2014
92 organisations prepared and submitted this joint statement on the opportunities for financing in Macedonia from the EU pre-accession instrument. The assessment was done for all sectors included in the Country Strategy Paper for Macedonia.
Comments on Project Complaint Mechanism Draft Rules of Procedure
March 6, 2014
The EBRD’s Project Complaint Mechanism’s Rules of Procedure (PCM) are part of the bank’s good governance policies which are all being revised in the beginning of 2014. In addition to these comments on the PCM here, Bankwatch has prepared comments to the good governance policies (pdf) in general separately.
NGO comments on the EBRD’s Project Complaint Mechanism Draft Rules of Procedure
March 6, 2014
This comment letter, signed by 16 civil society organisations, focuses on the provisions that directly affect complainants’ access to the PCM. Specifically, our concerns relate to the Draft Rules of Procedure registration and eligibility criteria, and provisions regarding complainant participation at various stages of the PCM process.
Comments on the EBRD’s good governance policies drafts
March 6, 2014
The EBRD’s good governance policies include the Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), the Public Information Policy (PIP) and the Project Complaint Mechanism’s Rules of Procedure (PCM). Bankwatch has also submitted separate comments on the draft Rules of Procedure for the PCM.
European Structural and Investment Funds programming in Latvia – NGO assessment
March 5, 2014
At the moment from an NGO’s point of view the Operational Programme of Latvia looks well defined and very promising in general. But the way how the OP is described at the moment is too general also for a SEA to assess the possible negative impacts on environment as well as for NGOs to consider that the implementation of OP could cause serious environmental problems, let alone the strategic direction Latvia chose to follow with support of ESI funds.
Lessons from Kolubara for the EBRD Environmental and Social Policy
March 4, 2014
The EBRD loan for the Kolubara lignite mine project in Serbia was approved when the forced removal of the local graveyard of the Vreoci community was already initiated and in spite of protests and appeals to the EBRD and in spite of on-going corruption investigations of the company. This case offers important lessons learned for the Environmental and Social Policy of the EBRD with regards to human rights.
Aarhus and Espoo Conventions in the EBRD’s Draft Environmental and Social Policy (Bankwatch statement)
February 27, 2014
The EBRD’s current Environmental and Social Policy requires the bank to act in accordance with principles of international law on access to environmental information and participation in decision-making on issues that may have negative transboundary impacts on the environment. The new draft policy, however, transfers responsibility for meeting these commitments from the EBRD to the client.