Can the EIB lead the European economy out of crisis by championing EU climate policy?
August 8, 2014
The European Investment Bank, the biggest multilateral public bank in the world by lending volume and the self-styled ‘EU bank’, has recently announced that it will be reviewing its approach to climate change in the coming months. According to comments made by EIB vice-president Philippe de Fontaine Vive to civil society representatives, “The EIB wants to position itself between this October’s anticipated EU 2030 climate agreement and the Paris COP 21 meeting in December 2015”.
Opportunities and expectations towards the EIB climate policy review
July 24, 2014
After effectively phasing out lending to lignite and coal-fired power plants in its energy policy in 2013, the EIB is now reviewing its climate policy. This joint NGO letter expresses the expectations towards the EIB to align its lending further with climate science and the EU Roadmap 2050 by proposing a genuine strategy for the bank to phase out funding for projects that are detrimental to the climate and to mainstream climate considerations into each and every sector of operations the Bank is engaged in.
Civil society recommendations for the European Investment Bank’s transparency policy
July 1, 2014
As the EIB prepares the review of its 2010 transparency policy, the signatories of this letter convey key positions and concerns regarding the policy and how we believe it needs to be amended.
Statement on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and threat of war
April 29, 2014
CEE Bankwatch Network strongly condemns the Russian government’s military invasion and annexation of Crimea and Sebastopol. We hope that in the end the voices of those who have been demonstrating for peace in Moscow and elsewhere, in both Russia and Ukraine, will prevail. The European Union has already responded to the Crimean declaration of independence by announcing travel bans and bank account freezes for 48 individuals from Russia and Ukraine linked to the Crimean breakaway.
The good, the bad and the uncertain: the new energy policies of Europe’s public banks
March 20, 2014
The European NGO coalition Counter Balance has recently published a short overview of the new energy policies now in place at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Both banks’ new policies were finalised towards the end of 2013 following extensive consultation with stakeholders from the energy sector, civil society and academia.
EIB commits to review tax haven policy
February 14, 2014
During the annual meeting between civil society and the EIB’s Board of Directors, the European Investment Bank committed to review its outdated tax haven policy this year. The commitment which followed a letter from several NGOs expressing such demand, is the most concrete outcome of the meeting which took place on 3rd February in the bank’s headquarters in Luxemburg.
Funny business as usual in the Czech Republic – one of the biggest fines in EU funds history handed out to Prague metro project
November 13, 2013
The manipulation of a tender for a metro line extension in Prague – financially supported via EU funds and the European Investment Bank (EIB) has not only resulted in a huge EU funds fine, but also raises questions about the EIB’s ability to identify and avoid mismanagement in the infrastructure projects it finances.
Groups petition Polish government to drop permit for Europe’s largest planned coal plant
August 26, 2013
On Monday Polish NGOs Client Earth, Workshop for all Beings, Greenpeace, WWF and local community group Eco-Kociewie petitioned the General Director of Environmental Protection to cancel the environmental impact assessment permit for the Polnoc Power Plant in northern Poland.
All eyes on the EBRD – will it go coal free?
August 14, 2013
In case you missed it, the tectonic plates just shifted in the world of international financial institution (IFI) energy lending.
UPDATED: A guide to examining the European Investment Bank’s energy lending portfolio
July 17, 2013
A thorough check of the European Investment Bank’s energy lending data shows that not all is as rosy as the EIB would like to see it. We’ve paired up with Open Spending to provide an introduction into how to interpret and scrutinise the numbers.
