* 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
In February 2022, an association of local inhabitants lodged a complaint to the EIB-CM concerning the construction and operation of a photovoltaic plant located in the municipality of Mana, in the north-east of French Guiana – France.
The complainant alleged that this plant will have adverse effects on the environment, namely the faunal livelihoods, in a protected area as well as in the Regional Natural Park of French Guiana. The complainant also alleged the plant will harm the cultural heritage and livelihoods of local inhabitants. Finally, the complainant considered the plant does not comply with European Union’s and national law and that it did not obtain the necessary authorisations. As a result, the complainant asked the EIB to i) suspend the financing of the Project, ii) restore the natural site and iii) displace the Project to another site.
The EIB-CM found that the EIB’s financial assistance was cancelled on 19 May 2022, after the EIB had been informed by the borrower of the withdrawal of the request for the EIB’s financial assistance. The EIB-CM also found that the EIB had never disbursed any funds to the Project concerned by this complaint.
Therefore, the EIB-CM concluded it is not in a position to deal with this complaint and closed the case.