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Cold shower for Czech incinerator plans - no EU funding, says European Commission
March 4, 2014
 | by Ivo Kropacek

The Czech Republic's long-standing difficulties in realising major waste incinerator schemes via EU funds investments have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks as the European Commission has poured cold water on the country's incineration plans, both as they apply to the 2007-2013 EU funding period and to the forthcoming 2014-2020 period now entering the final stages of negotiations.

Czech Republic, European Commission, Operational Programme, Plzn, programming, recycling, waste
EU Funds
Resource efficiency
Promoters of mega-dam in Georgia use front group and PR campaign and discredit local community
February 27, 2014
 | by David Chipashvili

Georgian public opinion backs the village of Kaishi in the Georgian mountains that defiantly defends its land and tradition against the planned Khudoni dam. The project promoters have now embarked on an all-out promotion campaign including a fake non-governmental organisation.

front group, hydropower, Kaishi, Kaladze, Khudoni, land rights, local communities, local impacts, protest
Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects
The EIB's double standard for human rights in Ukraine and Egypt
February 24, 2014
 | by Mika Minio–Paluello

While drawing concrete consequences from the violence that happened in Ukraine, the European Investment Bank seems to be unmindful of the ongoing human rights abuses and killings in Egypt.

Arab spring, Egypt, human rights, MENA, repression, Werner Hoyer
EIB
Social & economic impacts
In Albania, oil's history casts long shadows over locals
February 21, 2014
 | by David Hoffman

The findings of a visit to the EBRD sponsored Patos Marinza oil field in Albania show how local development and investments in resource extraction often do not go hand in hand. The case provides valuable lessons for the revision of the EBRD’s safeguard policies.

environmental damage, extractives, infrastructure, Kallmi, local impacts, oil, Patos Marinza, policy, poverty, safeguards, Vlora
EBRD
Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects
Quantity over quality in EBRD food security initiative - Evidence from pig farms in Ukraine
February 19, 2014
 | by Natalia Kolomiets

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development praises its own achievements in the agricultural sector. A look at Ukraine, however, reveals how sustainable food provision, local communities and the quality of soil are falling by the wayside with the bank’s focus on big industrial operations.

agribusiness, agriculture, Danosha, EBRD, Ivano-Frankvisk, local impacts, manure, pig farming, Ukraine, water pollution
EBRD
Social & economic impacts
EIB commits to review tax haven policy
February 14, 2014
 | by Xavier Sol

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.

accountability, complaint mechanism, EIB, Ibori, Nigeria, Spain, tax havens, transparency
EIB
Social & economic impacts
GMOs, water grab and ice cream for the masses - the EBRD gets involved with Nestlé Egypt
February 13, 2014
 | by Sophie Delaval

Update: The EBRD clarified in its correspondence with Baby Milk Action that its loan will not be used to finance infant nutrition.

baby milk, boycott, Egypt, GMO, Nestle, water, water privatisation
EBRD
Social & economic impacts
Georgian hydro projects are a test case for the EBRD's good governance policies
February 12, 2014
 | by David Chipashvili

As activists pointed out at a consultation meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia's hydropower sector has plenty of lessons to be learned by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

accountability, biodiversity, dams, Georgia, hydropower, policy, protest, public action, transparency
EBRD
Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects
Ukraine and the EBRD: More than technicalities derail the fight against corruption
February 6, 2014
 | by Iryna Holovko

Before claiming the moral high ground on fighting corruption in Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should first of all brush up its own transparency policy and drop old-fashioned arguments in favour of confidentiality and secret conditionalities in its projects.

accountability, confidentiality, corruption, electricity tariffs, nuclear, participation, public interest, transparency, Ukraine, Yanukovich
EBRD
Social & economic impacts
[Campaign update*] Georgian government and investors reject Ombudsman's offer to mediate in controversy over Khudoni mega dam
February 6, 2014
 | by David Chipashvili

The growing antagonism between promoters of the Khudoni hydropower plant project in Georgia and their local opponents from Kaishi is unlikely to ease when the investor and the Georgian Ministry of Energy boycott mediation by Georgia’s Ombudsman.

dams, energy, hydropower, Kaishi, Khudoni, local communities, local impacts, Ombudsman, protest, Svaneti, Svans
EBRD, World Bank Group
Social & economic impacts, Other harmful projects

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