EDUCATION PACA

Extension and renovation of 17 upper secondary schools, lycées in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) Region, France

The project could include the purchase and renovation of a building intended to house the administrative services in charge of education of the Region. This particular case will be analysed during the appraisal. The investments of the proposed project are infrastructures both for technical and vocational education, as well as for general upper secondary education. The project has a strong impact on the preparation of adolescents both for further studies and for employment.

The Directive 2011/92/EU amended by 2014/52/EU does not specifically mention the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for buildings relating to education, but it may be that some investments can be regarded as urban renewal components (Annex II of the European Directive). This will be studied in detail during the appraisal. The public buildings will be required to at least meet the energy efficiency targets as defined in: a) Directive 2010/31/EU on Energy Performance of Buildings; and (b) Directive 2012/27/EU on Energy Efficiency. The possible impact on natural sites will be checked during the appraisal (Directives Birds (2009/147/CE) and Habitats (92/43/CEE)). A number of schools covered by the project are situated in the departments with high youth unemployment rate and with a high frequency of social unrest. The project contributes to the improvement of education provision in the ZEPs (Zone d'Education Prioritaire) and has thus a strong positive social impact.

The Bank will require the promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been and shall be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directive 2014/24/EU as well as Directive 89/665/EEC), as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), as and where required.