Home >> News Media >> For Journalists >> Press releases

Press releases

For media inquiries and e-mail subscription to Bankwatch's press releases, please contact our media officer:

Ido Liven
e-mail: ido.liven@bankwatch.org
Tel.: +48 22 892 00 86
skype: ido.bwn

 

Browse our press releases below

Browse our press releases by

EIB's new transparency policy allows for more secrecy
March 11, 2015

Brussels - Yesterday the European Investment Bank (EIB) formally adopted a revised transparency policy including controversial exceptions to the disclosure of internal documents. This watered down transparency policy comes right before the bank will start implementing the € 315 billion Juncker plan and risks undermining the impact of EU recovery efforts.

South eastern European countries must take climate action or face hefty bills, says new report
March 10, 2015

Countries of the Energy Community risk wasting hundreds of millions of Euros on outdated energy infrastructure if they do not adopt policies to tackle climate change, finds a new report released today by CEE Bankwatch Network and partners in four countries across the region.

Southeastern Europe deserves a better energy future - and now is the time to ensure it happens
March 6, 2015

Brussels, Prague, Sarajevo - The revision process of the Energy Community Treaty is entering its final lap these days, offering a real opportunity to transform member countries' energy landscape. More than one year since the start of the Treaty revision, the second round of public consultations is closing today.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: An Energy Union torn between clean energy and fossil fuels
February 24, 2015

Brussels – The vision of Energy Union to be outlined by the European Commission tomorrow proposes making Europe a world leader in renewables and energy efficiency, but at the same time envisages significant investments undermining that goal, such as gas import infrastructure, nuclear and dirty unconventional fossil fuels.

EBRD must not back Egyptian coal imports
February 24, 2015

Cairo -- Ahead of tomorrow’s Board vote on the EBRD loan to CEMEX Egypt, a number of civil society organisations [*], inlcuding Egyptian groups, urge the bank to reject this project not only because it involves support for dirty coal-based production but also because it actually means promoting the plans of a repressive government despite opposition from civil society.

EIB Climate Action undermined by bank's fossil fuel lending
February 11, 2015

Brussels -- Ahead of a public consultation on the European Investment Bank’s Climate Action Programme tomorrow in Brussels, Bankwatch insists that, if the bank’s pro-climate efforts are to be effective, the EIB must give up its loans to fossil fuels and other climate-damaging sectors.

Long awaited investigation into Glencore for alleged tax dodging shows EU Bank's lack of transparency and vulnerability to abuse
February 5, 2015

Brussels - The European Investment Bank (EIB) is virtually powerless in the face of abuse of its own funds, an internal investigation published last week by the EIB shows. What’s even worse is that the EIB’s new transparency policy - to be adopted in the coming weeks - would formally allow the bank to keep such internal investigations into abuses of its funds secret, hereby undermining public scrutiny of public money.

EBRD suspends loan for Romanian coal plant Turceni
January 30, 2015

Bucharest -- The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) confirmed this week that it has suspended plans to finance the refurbishment of the Turceni coal power plant in Romania. The project is currently subject to a number of legal challenges on environmental grounds and Romanian authorities are investigating allegations of corruption at the plant.

EIB set to weaken transparency standards
January 27, 2015

Brussels -- One week before the European Investment Bank’s board of directors is expected to approve the bank’s new transparency policy, 13 civil society groups* monitoring the EIB warn that, as it stands, the draft policy amounts to a weakening of the already dismal transparency standards of the EU’s house bank.

Croatians say no to coal in referendum
January 26, 2015

Zagreb – Inhabitants of the city of Ploče on the Croatian coast overwhelmingly rejected a plan to build an 800 MW coal plant in their town in a referendum taking place over the weekend. The vote raises questions about the acceptability of other coal projects planned in the country, including the controversial Plomin C.