Pre-appraisal stage

Complaints are inadmissible at the pre-appraisal stage but concerns are forwarded to the relevant part of the EIB’s organisation.

Projects under appraisal

EIB-CM at this stage (i) ensures that complainants’ concerns are given due consideration and (ii) seeks to prevent future complaints in this area. This work follows one of these two procedures:

Standard procedure: If the complainants have not had the opportunity to put their case to the relevant EIB staff, the complaint is transferred to the appraisal team and closed. Complainants are informed that if at the end of the appraisal process they feel that their concerns have not been given due consideration, they may consider launching a new complaint. The EIB-CM will follow-up internally to ensure that concerns have been given due consideration. At least, the appraisal team has to contact the complainant and analyse their concerns.

Exceptional procedure: If the appraisal team refuses to engage with the complainants’ concerns or they have already been examined and dismissed, the EIB-CM may decide to perform an Initial Assessment in cooperation with the relevant EIB departments. This assessment which may include recommendations for further action is send to the Management Committee. Any subsequent EIB-CM investigative work and mediation may only take place when agreed by the Management Committee.

After financing approval

As soon as the proposal for financing is approved by the EIB’s Management Committee, the full complaint handling process may apply.

It should be noted that in many cases the project is approved with a number of conditions to be fulfilled by the borrower before the EIB will disburse the financing. In such cases, the EIB-CM will work with the relevant parts of the EIB’s organisation to ensure coordination.