Independent Recourse Mechanism: Three years on the questions remain and who is it for the EBRD or those affected by EBRD projects?

Four years since the approval of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's Independent Recourse Mechanism (IRM) policy, Bankwatch assesses how this compliance mechanism is functioning.

This paper shows that the IRM, as it was designed, is effective in preventing requests to look into the compliance of certain projects with EBRD policies. The IRM is used only in environmental matters, it restricts the participation of NGOs and it is toothless when it comes to project sponsors after the approval of projects. The Bankwatch study includes a legal analysis of the IRMs compliance with the principles of the Aarhus Convention which finds that the mechanisms limitations do not comply with the Convention and as a result narrow the opportunities of public involvement in the review.

Annex II to the study, containing practical recommendations for using the IRM, can be downloaded as pdf.