Brussels, 01/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on Tuesday, the European Parliament will assess progress made by the European Investment Bank in 2000, and, on the basis of the report by the Swedish Liberal, Olle Schmidt (which will be discussed in the presence of the President of the EIB, Philippe Maystadt), should stress that this financial institution has made important changes in its policy to the point of having criticisms levelled against it in the past over environmental, publicity and transparency aspects of its activities forgotten.
The Schmidt Report, which makes an assessment of the EIB's 2000 annual report, congratulates the bank on the way it has managed loan operations and encourages it to continue its action in view of balancing the needs of the regions and sectors of the Member States. The emphasis placed by the EIB on aid to provide candidate countries to prepare for accession, as well as its commitment to the Mediterranean countries and the Balkans, are most appreciated by the rapporteur. The latter also welcomes the Cotonou investment facility aimed at ACP countries, as well as the direction of this instrument towards initiative in the private sector. In addition, the EIB is called upon to step up its dialogue with the social partners at European level, in Member States and candidate states, and improve its knowledge in the field of employment and the labour market so as to support the Lisbon objectives (make of Europe, by 2010, the most competitive and dynamic area of the world and improve employment and social cohesion). Mr. Schmidt also welcomes the EIB's new information policy (notably the publication of a list of projects currently being drawn up) but requests it, for the sake of transparency, to "limit to the strict minimum exceptions founded on confidentiality". In that context, he regrets that the information presented on the host page is only available in three Community languages and urges it to provide information "in a greater number of Community languages".
The report acknowledges that the EIB is making efforts at increasing loans to environmental projects (notably, renewable energy) and is encouraging the respect of the Kyoto goals, notably in the field of the fight against climate change. Mr. Schmidt does, however, point out that to be able to grant grater importance to environmental problems, the EIB must enhance its expertise and assessment capabilities in this sector. He also proposes that the EIB undertake an impact study on employment and that it further specialises on the effects of its activities on employment and the labour market. Finally, the report declares itself in favour of a possible increase in the EIB capital and calls on the governments of the Member States to review the coefficient imposed on the bank to enable it to face the increase in requests and its new mandates