Bankwatch

Letter to European Commission: Reconsider disbursement of loans for Ukraine nuclear project

Advocacy letter | August 10, 2015

In this letter, Bankwatch asks the European Commission to reconsider the disbursement of the Euratom and EBRD loans for the Ukraine nuclear safety upgrade programme that effectively enables the lifetime extensions at Ukraine's nuclear reactors. The letter provides evidence for the intertwined character of the upgrade programme and the lifetime extensions and for Ukraine's refusal to meet its obligations under international conventions.

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate

Letter to European Commission (DG ECFIN): Ukraine does not meet obligations under international law

Advocacy letter | August 10, 2015

The European Commission stated in an earlier letter that any decision by Ukraine to extend the life-span of any of its nuclear power plants will require assessment under the Aarhus and Espoo Conventions. In this letter, Bankwatch offers evidence for how Ukraine is indeed extending the lifetimes of its nuclear reactors but not meeting its obligations under the conventions.

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate

EÚ nepriamo poskytne ruskému Lukoilu miliardovú pôžičku

August 7, 2015

Source: EurActiv.sk, EurActiv.sk

Na rozvoj azerbajdžanského ťažobného poľa dostane ruská spoločnosť pôžičku od Európskej banky pre obnovu a rozvoj, Ázijskej rozvojovej banky a konzorcia bánk. Mimovládkam sa to nepáči.

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate

Tags: Azerbaijan, Lukoil, Shah Deniz, Southern Gas Corridor

Hungary and the Energy Union: The devil is in the details

Hungary needs to transform its energy sector. But can the Energy Union kickstart such change? The vision presented by the European Commission's Vice President Maroš Šefčovič includes a few promising nuggets, but overall risks reinforcing the status quo.

Tags: biomass EFSI energy efficiency Energy Union Hungary CEE EU

Theme: Energy & climate, Transport

Škodlivé projekty z balíka

August 4, 2015

Source: Irena Jenčová, Pravda.sk

Nedávno Európsky parlament prijal hodnotiaci mechanizmus „scoreboard“, na základe ktorého sa bude rozhodovať o tom, ktoré projekty z plánovaného 315-miliardového Junckerovho balíčka alebo z Európskeho fondu pre strategické investície dostanú garancie z európskeho rozpočtu.

Theme: Other harmful projects

Tags: EFSI, Slatinka, Slovakia, CEE

O peniaze z Junckerovho fondu sa uchádza kontroverzná slovenská priehrada

August 3, 2015

Source: EurActiv.sk, EurActiv.sk

Mimovládne organizácie upozorňujú, že bez prísnejších ekonomických a environmentálnych kritérií podporu z 315 miliardového Junckerovho balíka získajú aj rôzne kontroverzné projekty ako vodné dielo Slatinka.

Institution: EIB

Theme: Other harmful projects

Tags: EFSI, hydropower, Slatinka, Slovakia, CEE

Energy Union benefits are full of paradoxes in the land of Kafka

More clarity is needed regarding the Energy Union's priorities for the Czech Republic.

Tags: EFSI electricity market energy efficiency Energy Union interconnectivity Maroš Šefčovič nuclear CEE EU

Institution: EU Funds, EIB

Theme: Energy & climate, Resource efficiency

Guest post: Behind the glitz of oil riches - the shrinking space for democracy in Azerbaijan

Last week, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development approved a loan over half a billion dollars for Lukoil’s share in the Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan. In this guest post, rights activist Emma Hughes from Platform reflects on how business as usual resumes after the media attention on Azerbaijan’s human rights abuses has faded.

Tags: gas human rights Lukoil repression Shah Deniz Southern Gas Corridor Caucasus

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Social & economic impacts

European funding for a Lukoil gas project in Azerbaijan tramples the EU's commitment to both climate action and human rights

July 23, 2015

A USD 500 million loan for the share of Russian gas giant Lukoil in a major gas project in Azerbaijan has been approved yesterday by the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Yet, the decision will significantly hinder Europe's commitments to decarbonise as well as to advance democracy.

Institution: EBRD

Theme: Energy & climate, Social & economic impacts, Development

Tags: Azerbaijan, human rights, Shah Deniz, Southern Gas Corridor, Sports for Rights, stranded assets, Caucasus, EU neighbourhood

Slovakian dam project is a warning sign for Juncker's investment drive

The European Parliament will soon be voting on a Scoreboard that will help assess candidate projects to the EUR 21 billion European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI). Stringent economic, social and environmental criteria are a paramount need for ensuring investments that contribute to a more sustainable Europe.

Tags: EFSI feasibility hydropower Slatinka Slovakia CEE EU

Institution: EIB

Theme: Other harmful projects