El Mundo de Kafka : La Política de Información del Banco Europeo de Inversiones

This fact sheet, published by Friends of the Earth International, criticizes the European Investment Bank's (EIB) information and transparency policies. It argues that the EIB maintains a culture of secrecy that prevents affected communities and NGOs from accessing critical project documentation, such as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), before funding is approved. While acknowledging a new Transparency Policy adopted in June 2004, the document asserts that the EIB's practices remain restrictive and inferior to those of other international financial institutions.

• NGOs argue that the EIB's information disclosure is overly discretionary and lacks commitment, using vague language such as promising to release information "when possible" and "as soon as viable."
• The EIB adopted a new Transparency Policy on June 15, 2004, which includes commitments to review the 2002 Public Access to Information Policy by the end of 2004, optimize electronic information access via its website, and follow Corporate Social Responsibility recommendations linked to the Lisbon agenda.
• A critical failure in the EIB's process is that project documentation, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), is often not made public until after the Board of Directors has already approved the project, rendering public consultation ineffective.
• The EIB allows project promoters to oppose the inclusion of project materials in public lists by claiming commercial confidentiality, and the bank does not disclose how many such cases occur.
• Global loans are identified as a particular area of opacity, as the responsibility for publication lies with the intermediary bank, and documentation regarding project execution and social/environmental impacts often remains hidden from the public.
• NGOs demand that the EIB publish all project documentation 120 days before a Council decision and that EIAs be made public 60 days before public consultations in both English and local languages.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2004). El Mundo de Kafka : La Política de Información del Banco Europeo de Inversiones. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_Fact_Sheet_3SPabril10.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. El Mundo de Kafka : La Política de Información del Banco Europeo de Inversiones. 2004. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_Fact_Sheet_3SPabril10.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=El Mundo de Kafka : La Política de Información del Banco Europeo de Inversiones |date=September 2004 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_Fact_Sheet_3SPabril10.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2004mundo, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{El Mundo de Kafka : La Política de Información del Banco Europeo de Inversiones}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2004}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIB_Fact_Sheet_3SPabril10.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }