Activities of Thijs BERMAN related to 2011/2186(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the European Investment Bank (EIB) – Annual Report 2010
Amendments (7)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Whereas EIB's activity outside the EU has developed primarily in middle income countries, with limited staff resources particularly for upstream work and for project monitoring, as well as limited local presence compared to the level and complexity of financing activities outside the EU;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes that in 2010, the EIB lent EUR 5 bn of the total 72 bn EIB lending to developing countries (1.2 bn to Asia and Latin America (ALA), EUR1 bn to ACP (973m) and South Africa (50m), EUR 2.55 bn to the Mediterranean countries and EUR 328 mn to Central Asian countries) of which only EUR 467 mn for projects directly aiming at achieving the MDGs;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. CRecalls that a narrow focus on GDP-led growth does not automatically deliver inclusive and sustainable development and reduce inequality; in this context, calls on the EIB to link its financing projects more directly to poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, human rights, corporate social responsibility, decent work and environmental principles and good governance, through the implementation of Decision No° 1080/2011/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council; accordingly, takes the view that adequate concessional finance and staff resource is necessary for enabling EIB to support more effectively EU development cooperation objectives;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the EIB to actively support projects aimed at financial inclusion, i.e. facilitating equal access to financial services such as loans and savings and insurance schemes, for instance through supporting microfinance institutions;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Welcomes EIB's commitments and policy developed regarding non- cooperative jurisdictions; however, expresses its concern about the lack of transparency regarding the way "global loans" are allocated and monitored in terms of tax governance; recalls that the EIB should ensure that recipients of its loans do not avail themselves of tax havens or use other harmful tax practises such as abusive transfer pricing which may lead to tax evasion or avoidance; in this context, calls on the EIB to request that financial intermediaries make public any use of the global loans they receive, including a report of their activities in any individual country in which they operate;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets that the EIB is not prioritising investment in local companies in ACP countries; Deems that monitoring of global loans or loans for SMEs should be improved, to ensure that financial intermediaries properly implement properly the EIB's requirements, and to ensure accountability, transparency and environmental sustainability in the use of funds granted to local SMEs; takes the view that the definition of SMEs used in each external region should be clarified, taking into account of the structure of the local economies;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes the initiative of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the European Parliament and the EIB; in this context, stresses upon the need to involve closely the EP in the process of discussion on the setting-up of an "EU Platform for External Cooperation and Development" and to guarantee transparency in the process;