The G8, tax havens and the need to clean up our own “bank yard”
June 18, 2013
While the G8 leaders claim they are at war with tax avoidance, their own bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is involved in deals linked to offshore financial centres.
A mostly accommodating lion’s den – the second civil society meeting with the EIB Board of Directors
February 8, 2013
A meeting of civil society and the European Investment Bank’s Board of Directors saw a surprising degree of agreement between two often adverse groups.
Trust us, we’re euphoric – Private equity and a tax haven part of the EBRD’s first post-Arab Spring swoop
September 26, 2012
For its first loan to ‘Arab Spring’ countries the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has chosen vehicles and partners whose ability to deliver developmental value is highly uncertain.
The revolution should not be privatised
June 12, 2012
Pushing for public-private partnerships will not support democratisation in the Arab Spring countries but risks increasing their public debt. Our new website brings together the PPP lessons that Europe should have learned.
Europe’s energy games are not child’s play
April 23, 2012
A new campaign video illustrates Europe’s self-absorbed approach to its energy policy outside Europe. (A blog entry Cross-posted from the Counter Balance blog.)
Infrastructure in the developing world: does it need PPPs?
March 14, 2012
Public-private partnerships have garnered a lot of criticism but continue to be on the agenda of international development banks as a alternative way to finance infrastructure.
Oil for nothing: European energy security endangers livelihoods in Nigeria
February 8, 2012
A documentary exposes the practices and disastrous local impacts of oil extraction by European energy companies in Nigeria. Food for thought for ourselves and our political representatives at national and European level.
Video: An EIB holiday
January 3, 2012
Baffled by an EIB loan to a holiday resort in Morocco, our friends from Counter Balance – Challenging the European Investment Bank had a closer look at the kind of development promoted there and came back with this wonderfully illustrative video.
