Involving civil society across all its activities and being transparent is of utmost importance to the EIB. We believe that being open improves the quality and sustainability of the projects we finance and increases our accountability towards all our stakeholders.
As a public institution, we strive to inform the public about everything we do in a comprehensive, accessible and timely manner. An active dissemination of information and a constructive dialogue with civil society are essential to improve public knowledge and build trust in the EU Bank.
Civil society includes a broad range of entities such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), policy think tanks, research institutions, trade unions, social movements, community-based organisations, business associations and other socio-economic and labour market players.
Thanks to its expertise and understanding of local issues, civil society makes a valuable contribution to the development of the EIB’s projects, policies and strategies. We actively encourage such input and foster constructive engagement and dialogue.
We engage with civil society on three levels:
Every year, we invite civil society to participate in a seminar with our Board of Directors and the Management Committee, which is a unique opportunity for a frank and open exchange with the Bank’s governing bodies.
We organise public consultations and provide opportunities for open dialogue on key policies and strategies. We also regularly host workshops and other events on subjects of relevance both for the Bank and for our stakeholders. We also hold bilateral meetings with civil society organisations on specific issues.
We require promoters to implement open and transparent engagement approaches with all relevant stakeholders in operations financed by EIB, as enshrined in Standard 10 of our Environmental and Social Standards. We firmly believe that stakeholder engagement conducted throughout the project cycle enhances our positive impact on the ground.
Engagement in practice
Public consultation on the EIB Energy Lending Policy
The EIB conducted a public consultation on its energy lending policy (ELP) from January to March 2019.
E-learning course on EIB E&S Standards
The EIB has created an e-learning course providing the required knowledge and skills for financial intermediaries to implement our EU-based environmental and social standards.
EIB’s engagement with civil society - 2023 highlights
This document provides highlights of the EIB’s engagement with civil society in 2023