* Admissibility date reflects the date the case was officially registered. All other dates pertain to the date in which a stage was completed.
Case Description
Complaint
On 2 September 2016, the EIB Complaints Mechanism (EIB-CM) received a complaint alleging inadequate compensation and negative social impacts in relation to the project “Trans Adriatic Pipeline" in Albania.
The project concerns the financing and construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is the western part of the Southern Gas Corridor that goes from the Greek/Turkish border to Italy through Albania.
EIB-CM Action
Following a preliminary review of the case, the EIB-CM has taken note that the EIB operational team has not finalised the due diligence of the project and that the EIB Management Committee has not taken yet a decision to finance it. In this context, the complaint has been transferred to the Bank’s operational services for their consideration and reply.
Conclusions
The EIB operational services responded to the complainant to inform her that the EIB has recently started its appraisal of the project and will carefully review and assess the issues raised by the complainant as part of its standard due diligence procedures and in close cooperation with the stakeholders involved. Once the EIB appraisal has been finalised, additional information regarding the Bank's assessment of the project will be published on the Bank's website.
Notwithstanding the above, the EIB services underline that the Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP AG), as the project promoter, has the ultimate responsibility for the proper implementation of the project's Land Easement and Acquisition programme in compliance with national law and, in case of EIB financing, in line with the EIB environmental and social standards.
Furthermore, TAP AG is responsible for providing answers to the specific requests raised by the project affected people regarding their individual cases. The EIB services, therefore, encourage the complainant to continue working with the promoter to obtain clarification on the issues raised in the complaint.