As the Bank of the European Union, we have a particular responsibility to be open and transparent towards our stakeholders. We firmly believe that transparency contributes to the quality and sustainability of the projects we finance and helps to build trust in the EU bank. As a financial institution, we also need to ensure that information is protected from disclosure when disclosure would undermine legitimate rights of our counterparts. Find out more about the implementation of the EIB Group Transparency Policy in 2022.
To that end, the EIB Group has adopted a Transparency Policy that is in line with EU transparency requirements and international best practice.
How we make information available to the public
The Bank proactively publishes documents and information about its role, policies and operations. This covers information on the Bank’s accountability, governance and organisational structure, corporate responsibility as well as project information.
Project-related information includes notably:
- Project summaries of investment projects (including loans through financial intermediaries) are published on the Project List on the Bank's website, in principle at least three weeks before the project is considered for approval by our Board of Directors.
- After signature, project summaries are accessible through the list of financed projects.
- Projects supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) are listed in the EFSI project register. This includes the publication of the assessment parameters used to make an informed investment decision known as EFSI scoreboards.
- Environmental and social information related to our projects is available on the EIB public register. The Bank is progressively developing the register, with hundreds of new documents uploaded every year, making it a comprehensive research tool for all interested stakeholders.
- Key figures are published in the EIB Activity Reports (yearly figures) and the Statistical Reports (summary tables). All the recent and past reports are accessible through the Publication section, which also contains a variety of sectoral, thematic and regional/country brochures.
- Project briefs: In the case that a project raises considerable public interest, detailed information is published under the Topical briefs section of the Bank’s website
A list of key EIB documents and information can be found in the Key policies and standards section.
The EIB Group Transparency Policy is based on the principle of openness. This has implications on the way we disclose information - all documents we hold are, in principle, accessible to anyone and in a timely manner. Find out more about the implementation of the EIB Group Transparency Policy in 2023.
At the same time, the Bank has to protect legitimate interests that may be harmed if sensitive information was disclosed. As a financial institution, we have the special responsibility to maintain the confidence and trust of our clients and project partners. Our Transparency Policy therefore lists a certain number of exceptions under which we may refuse to disclose certain types of information. These include, for example, personal data, commercial interests such as patents, and information relating to on-going investigations.
The Bank also does not object to project promoters, borrowers and other competent parties making information covering their relationship with the EIB publicly available. More information can be found in the following Guidance note.
Languages on the EIB website
The EIB aims to make key information available in multiple languages so that it can be understood by its diverse audiences.
How to request information?
The EIB has a dedicated team – the EIB Civil Society Division - to answer enquiries from civil society and the general public. Please visit the Contact us section for further details.
The EIB has adopted a comprehensive range of policies and standards regarding its operations and relations with stakeholders. These policies and standards are reviewed and updated periodically, and are illustrative of how the Bank seeks to fulfil its mission in an open, transparent and responsible way.
The list below is a non-exhaustive and flexible list of the most relevant EIB documents:
- The Economic Appraisal of Investment Projects at the EIB
- The Results Measurement (ReM) Framework Methodology
- Methodologies for the Assessment of Project GHG Emissions and Emission Variations
- EIB Group Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework
- EIB Group Environmental and Social Policy
- EIB Environmental and Social Standards
- EIB Environment Framework
- EIB Environmental and Social Standards - overview
- EIB template Contractual Clauses on Environmental Matters
- EIB Excluded Activities
- Integrity Policy and Compliance Charter
- EIB Group Staff Code of Conduct
- EIB Group Whistleblowing Policy
- EIB Management Committee Code of Conduct
- Code of Conduct for the Members of the Board of Directors of the EIB
- Code of Conduct for the Members of the Audit Committee of the EIB
- Code of Good Administrative Behaviour for the Staff of the EIB in its Relation with the Public
- Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism Framework
- EIB Policy Towards Weakly Regulated, Non-transparent and Uncooperative Jurisdictions
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and the European Investment Bank in respect of cooperation and coordination in the regions covered by the External Mandate
- Tripartite agreement between the European Commission, the EIB and the European Court of Auditors
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission, the European Investment Bank together with the European Investment Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in respect of Cooperation outside the European Union
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Investment Bank and the Islamic Development Bank
- Memorandum of Understanding for a Strategic Partnership between the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and the European Investment Fund (JEREMIE)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (JASPERS)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank
- Joint statement on cooperation between European Investment Bank and Corporación Andina de Fomento
- Memorandum of Understanding between the EIB and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) (2006)
- Declaration on the European Principles for the Environment (EPE)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the European Investment Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank
- Memorandum of Understanding between the EC, the EIB and the World Bank