Volkswagen

Following the revelations around Volkswagen cheating emission tests, Bankwatch requested information from the European Investment Bank about its loans to the car maker. After delays, incomplete disclosure, and a frist confirmatory application, the bank released on December 18, 2015 redacted finance contracts between the EIB and VW as well as redacted completion reports provided by VW to the EIB at the closure of each project. (See all documents here.)

Following the revelations around Volkswagen cheating emission tests, Bankwatch requested information from the European Investment Bank about its loans to the car maker. After some delays, the bank released only part of the requested information, despite the profound public interest in the case.

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.

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.