El Banco Europeo de Inversiones: el poder invisible dentro de la Unión Europea

This 2003 fact sheet by Friends of the Earth International describes the European Investment Bank (EIB) as a powerful yet 'invisible' financial institution that operates with limited public oversight. The document criticizes the EIB for its lack of transparency, inadequate environmental and social safeguards, and its failure to be held accountable by EU institutions or the public, particularly regarding its lending activities outside the European Union.

• The European Investment Bank (EIB), established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome, is a public institution owned by EU member states and is one of the largest financial institutions in operation, with loan volumes exceeding those of the World Bank.
• The EIB operates with a high degree of independence and 'legal darkness,' allowing it to selectively follow EU regulations and avoid accountability to the European Commission, the European Parliament, or national citizens.
• The EIB's environmental policies are criticized for being reactive rather than proactive; the bank focuses on technological 'fixes' for existing problems rather than promoting environmental protection or contributing to the EU's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
• The bank lacks sufficient environmental expertise and oversight, employing only 1,000 staff members in total, which is significantly fewer than the World Bank's staff and its 300+ environmental experts.
• The EIB's approval process is described as lacking rigor, with a part-time Board of Directors reviewing over 300 projects in just 10 meetings per year, rarely rejecting loan applications.
• Civil society organizations have launched campaigns, such as “EIB: no reform no money!” in February 2002 and “Public Funds for Public Benefit” in 2003, to demand transparency, better environmental standards, and increased public accountability.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2003). El Banco Europeo de Inversiones: el poder invisible dentro de la Unión Europea. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIBFactSheet1Spabril.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. El Banco Europeo de Inversiones: el poder invisible dentro de la Unión Europea. 2003. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIBFactSheet1Spabril.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=El Banco Europeo de Inversiones: el poder invisible dentro de la Unión Europea |date=2003 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIBFactSheet1Spabril.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2003banco, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{El Banco Europeo de Inversiones: el poder invisible dentro de la Unión Europea}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2003}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EIBFactSheet1Spabril.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }