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Information on EIB loans to Volkswagen must be made public – letter to the EIB’s board of directors

Advocacy letter | 12 November, 2015 | Download PDF

In late September, shortly after news of VW’s emissions manipulation broke, CEE Bankwatch Network contacted the European Investment Bank (EIB) with a detailed request to disclose information about its immense support to VW Group. In view of the profound public interest in the case, the highly insufficient responses we have received so far are particularly disconcerting. In this letter, Bankwatch therefore asks the EIB’s board of directors to turn to the bank’s Management Committee for the public disclosure of information related to EIB loans for the Volkswagen Group.


NGO letter to EU institutions: Take immediate action to respond to the dieselgate scandal

Advocacy letter | 9 November, 2015 | Download PDF

The dieselgate scandal is symptomatic of a ‘better regulation’ agenda in favour of cutting compliance costs and replacing the role of the public regulator with corporate co- and self-regulation. More than 35 civil society organisations have signed this letter calling for immediate and transparent investigations; EU oversight in the process of type approval for motor vehicles; strengthened enforcement of environmental legislation at EU and Member State level; the suspension of fraudulent companies from the EU lobby register until it has been demonstrated that they comply with EU law.


Comments to the EBRD’s draft gender strategy

Policy comments | 22 October, 2015 | Download PDF

In spite of positive elements the EBRD’s Draft Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality is unclear or appears to lack consistency in some parts. More importantly, the EBRD’s failure to take a rights-based approach to gender equality has resulted in a limited vision of gender equality of economic opportunity “as a key tool” for promoting efficient market transition. By making the business case for gender equality this approach may ensure stronger ownership of the Strategy by the bank, but it is a missed opportunity for aligning the Strategy with the bank’s unique Sustainable Development mandate. Without a persuasive presentation of the EBRD’s strategic approach to safeguarding gender rights, the draft of the Strategy lacks justification for choosing to promote women while refusing to protect them.


Letter to government of Namibia: request for access to information about the Tsumeb smelter

Advocacy letter | 9 October, 2015 | Download PDF

The Tsumeb smelter in Namibia belongs to Dundee Precious Metals, a Canadian company that operates and develops gold, copper and silver mines in Bulgaria, Armenia and Serbia. Investigating complaints about local pollution, Bankwatch member group Za Zemiata (BG) repeatedly requested access to environmental information from the Namibian government – to no avail. Read more about the Tsumeb smelter on our blog >>


Comments on Environmental Impact Assessment for Nenskra hydropower plant in Georgia

Policy comments | 30 September, 2015 | Download PDF

These comments on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Nenskra hydropower plant in Georgia concludes that the quality of the submitted report is extremely poor. The report as well as the public hearings organised during its preparation do not comply with Georgian legislation or with the requirements of International Financial Institutions.