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Information request regarding justification for approval of the Kolubara lignite mine project

Advocacy letter | 20 July, 2011 | Download PDF

The letter poses questions regarding the environmental and social appraisal for the Kolubara lignite mine project and the due diligence carried out by the EBRD before the project’s approval by the EBRD: How has the EBRD assessed the corporate behaviour of the Kolubara and EPS companies towards communities affected by the extension of mining operations? How has the EBRD defined the project’s influence in the Kolubara basin? Can EBRD staff provide studies or numbers justifying Serbia’s need for further growth of coal production?

Arab civil society and international groups against diverting the revolutions’ economic and social justice goals through conditionalities imposed by international financial institutions

Policy comments | 20 June, 2011 | Download PDF

Briefing: The EBRD and the Serbian coal sector

Briefing | 20 June, 2011 | Download PDF

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and German development Bank KfW are considering supporting the development of a new field in the lignite open pit mine in the Kolubara mining complex in Serbia. Interestingly, the investment is categorised as “Environmental Improvement” on the EBRD’s website. But no matter how efficient future processing is, investments into perpetuating lignite production – the dirtiest of fossil fuels – instead of clean electricity generation alternatives rather resembles re-arranging the deck-chairs on the Titanic than serious ‘environmental improvement’.

Letter reiterating Vinci’s failure to respect Global Compact commitments on human rights

Advocacy letter | 20 June, 2011 | Download PDF

Bankwatch and the Movement to Defend Khimki Forest wrote to the Global Compact on 28th March 2011 regarding Vinci’s non-compliance with its Global Compact Commitments in relation to the first section of the Moscow – St. Petersburg motorway project. Our letter subsequently formed the basis of an enquiry to Vinci by the Business and Human Rights and Human Resource Centre, to which Vinci responded on 26th April 2011. Having carefully reviewed Vinci’s response, we still believe that the company is not in compliance with its Global Compact commitments.

EBRD Draft Public Information Policy – comments

Policy comments | 31 May, 2011 | Download PDF

The revised Public Information Policy (PIP) of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) adopts only few of the NGOs’ proposals submitted during the first stage of commenting, therefore missing the opportunity to improve the draft. We insist that the detailed comments submitted in January should be further considered by the EBRD before drafting its final PIP. These comments concentrate on several priority issues, in addition to those submitted in January.