* 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
The complaint concerns a combined heat-and-power plant for energy recovery from municipal waste in Sofia, Bulgaria. The raised allegations concern non-compliance of the project with EU environmental legal standards and waste management targets, oversized capacity of the combined heat and power plant, privatisation of Toplofikacia and service concession for heating and electricity generation, negative impact of the project on air quality, and specifically particulate matter and access to project-related information (e.g. the cost-benefit analysis).
The complaint consisted of five allegations, namely the:
· Project compliance with EU municipal waste recycling targets.
· Project’s capacity.
· Privatisation of Toplofikacia and service concession for heating and electricity generation.
· Project’s impact on air quality with the focus on particulate matter (PM).
· Access to project-related documents.
EIB-CM Action
In 2020, the EIB CM completed the Initial Assessment report. The EIB-CM analysed the available evidence and the relevant regulatory framework. Based on this, the EIB-CM prepared its conclusions report.
Conclusions
The reviewed evidence does not show instances of non-compliance of the project with the applicable standards. The evidence shows that:
· The project is feasible under both the national and EU municipal waste recycling targets.
· The capacity of the CHP plant overall matches the capacity of the mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) plant in Sofia, as well as its current production.
· There are no concrete privatisation or service concession plans involving the operator.
· While the project will likely increase Sofia’s 2018 PM10 emissions by 0.4%, the competent authorities have put in place measures to attain over 80% reduction of Sofia’s PM10 emissions.
Concerning the allegation on access to project-related documents, the reviewed evidence shows that, initially, the promoter denied the public access to project-related documents; however, in March 2020, following the ruling of the Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court, the promoter disclosed partially the requested information.
The reviewed evidence shows that the EIB has carried out its role as required in respect to all five allegations.