Brussels, 02/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 2 June, European Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros welcomed the decision by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to better document its reviews of environmental impact assessments.
In January 2006, a Spanish citizen turned to the Ombudsman, arguing that the planned segment of the high-speed railway connection between Madrid and the French border through the centre of Barcelona could cause serious environmental damage to surrounding buildings (for example, Gaudí's Sagrada Familia). He was of the view that the EIB should re-examine the project and re-consider its decision to finance it. In the course of his investigation of the complaint, the Ombudsman could not find any documentary evidence of the EIB's review of the environmental impact assessment carried out by the Spanish authorities. He, therefore, called on the EIB to review and fully document the assessment before giving any financial assistance to this part of the project. The EIB said that it had carried out a thorough review of the EIA. It added that its own procedures did not require formal documentation at the stage when the Ombudsman intervened in the case and that the Bank had not yet disbursed any funds. The Bank accepted, however, the Ombudsman's recommendation and agreed to adjust its rules and to improve the way it documents its review of future EIAs. The Ombudsman welcomed the positive attitude taken by the EIB. He also advised the Bank to consider using a comprehensive checklist of conditions with which an EIA must comply. (O.L./transl.rt)