Making the European Investment Bank work for Development

29.06.2004: Expert Workshop: The EIBs Responsibility towards EU and International Environmental Policies

Tuesday, 29. June 2004, Brussels

European Parliament, Rue Wirtz, B-1047 Brussels, Bat. Paul-Henri Spaak, Room 1C47

Background

The EIB has become the world's biggest public lender with an annual portfolio of about 40 billion Euro. In addition to projects in EU member countries increasingly the EIB is investing in the Mediterranean, the ACP (Africa, Caribic and Pacific), Latin America and in Asia putting the EIB in line with other major multilateral development banks. In 2002, 298 Mio. Euro were lent to ACP countries together with a total of 2.2 billion Euro available through the Cotonou Investment Facility. The EIB similarly manages the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP)with 2.1 billion Euro lent in 2003 alone. The EIB is increasingly involved in projects all over the world without having clear environmental, social or development procedures and safeguard policies in place. Having less strong requirements for environmental considerations and public participation the EIB has become a preferred source of funding as compared to e.g. the World Bank or the EBRD.

Objectives

The expert workshop aims to open up and continue discussion amongst policy makers, EIB officials and concerned civil society organisations on the sustainability implications of EIB investments both in Europe and abroad.

Discussions will take place on the implications of European environmental policies and guidelines, such as the Aarhus Convention, for the EIB. The workshop will examine the EIB responsibility towards European environmental legislation given the extension of environmental protection as an area of Community Law and the statute governing EIBs operations under the new Constitutional Treaty. In this context also the implication of the Extractive Industries Review (EIR) recommendations for EIB policies and practices will be discussed.

In addition, the workshop seeks to clarify the EIB's environmental responsibility in operations outside Europe, particularly in South-East Asia and the ACP developing countries.

The workshop is jointly organised by:

• The Greens / European Free Alliance in the European Parliament
  
• Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale (CRBM), Italy
  
• Forests and the European Union Resource Network (FERN), Belgium
  
• World Economy, Ecology & Development (WEED), Germany

Programme

9:30 Welcome and Registration

I. EIB Responsibility towards European Environmental Policies

10:00 - 11:30

• Mainstreaming EU Environmental Policies in EIB Operations - An Overview - Saskia Ozinga, FERN

• The EIB and Access to Environmental Information - The Significance of the Aarhus Convention - Mara Silina, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)

• Comment by the European Commission - Ludwig Krämer, Head of the
Environmental Governance Unit, DG Environment, European Commission

• Comment by the EIB - Peter Carter, Environmental Unit, European
Investment Bank

Discussion

II. The Implications of the Extractive Industries Review (EIR) -Recommendations for EIB Policies and Practices

11:45 - 13:15

• EIR Recommendations and its Significance for WB and EIB
Operations - Monica Frassoni, MEP Greens / European Free Alliance

• EIR Recommendations for Reform from a Civil Society Perspective - Petr
Hlobil, CEE BankWatch and Member of EIR Advisory Group

• The EIB and the Equator Principles - Johan Frijns, BankTrack

• The EIB and EIR recommendations: A Reply - Yvonne Berghorst, Information and Communication Department, European Investment Bank

Discussion

III. Environmental Implications of EIB Operations outside Europe

13:15 - 14:00

• EIB Financing in South-East Asia - Cases from Laos -
Jaroslava Colajacomo, Campagna per la Reforma della Banca Mondiale (CRBM)

• EIB Financing in ACP Countries - Cases from Africa - Klaus Schilder,
World Economy, Ecology & Development (WEED)

• Comment by the European Commission - Yves Dussart, DG Environment,
European Commission

Discussion

14:00 Lunch reception with light refreshments

For registration please return the attached registration form by fax oder e-mail as soon as possible. Your registration details are required to obtain a visitor accreditation to enter the European Parliament. Please bring a photo ID and allow sufficient time for registration on the morning of 29. June 2004!

in case of questions please contact Klaus Schilder - Tel. in Brussels +49 (0) 177 4341642.