Public Consultation on EIB's Anti-Fraud Policy

The EIB is launching a public consultation as part of a review of its Anti-Fraud Policy today. The consultation is focused on:

• a document bringing together the Bank's existing Policy and guidelines on fighting corruption, fraud, money laundering and the financing of terrorism [  DE |  EN |  FR ]
• Procedures for the Conduct of Investigations by the Inspectorate General of the EIB [ DE |  EN |  FR ].

Interested organizations and individuals are invited to comment on these two documents. As work in progress documents, they will allow constructive discussions with, and flexible response to, stakeholder proposals and comments. The documents are available in English. The French and German versions will follow.

The public consultation will in principle include two rounds, subject to sufficient stakeholder response. The first round will last 45 working days, taking into account holiday periods and ending on 18 April 2007. If required, this process will be extended to include another 20 working-day consultation and focus on a 2nd draft, taking into account stakeholder comments from the first round. The Bank will adopt a flexible approach in terms of timetable and procedures to allow as full a consultation as possible.

An inter-directorate Review Panel will be set up in the Bank to examine the extent to which the stakeholder proposals and comments can be taken into account. The Panel's evaluations will provide the framework for the policy's redrafting and editing process.

After completion of the consultation process, the policy, guidelines and procedures will be presented, together with a draft Consultation Report, to the EIB's Management Committee and Board of Directors. The Consultation Report will outline how the consultation was conducted and include all stakeholder submissions and reasoned EIB positions on the extent to which these were taken into account.

15 Working days prior to Board consideration, the policy, procedures and guidelines, and Consultation Report, will be published, for information, on the EIB website.

After Board approval, the revised EIB Policy on Fighting Corruption, Fraud, Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and the Procedures for the Conduct of Investigations by the Inspectorate General of the EIB, as well as the Consultation Report will be published on the EIB website.

Public consultation process and procedures

1. Today's announcement replaces the first announcement of 8 December 2006.
2. Interested organizations and individuals wishing to submit proposals or comments on the EIB Policy on Fighting Corruption, Fraud, Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and the Procedures for the Conduct of Investigations by the Inspectorate General of the EIB are asked to do so in writing and to forward their contribution by e-mail, fax, or post.
3. The deadline for submissions is 18 April 2007, allowing interested parties 45 working days in which to submit their contribution.
4. Submissions can be drawn up in any of the official languages of the European Union.
5. The Bank will acknowledge receipt of the submissions.
6. Organizations presenting a submission are requested to provide the name and address of their organization with a contact name and a brief explanation of their objectives.
7. Individual members of the public are requested to provide their full name and address, and, optionally, a brief explanation of their interest in the EIB and/or its anti-fraud policy.
8. The Bank will hold one or more public meetings/workshops to discuss the review with interested stakeholders, which will be announced on the EIB website. Proposals and comments voiced during these meetings will be submitted to the inter-directorate Review Panel within the Bank.
9. Contributions, in line with point 2 above, and provided that they comply with law and regulations, will be carefully analysed by the Review Panel and included in the Consultation Report.
10. Public contributions will also be posted, for information, on the EIB website during the consultation process, unless the sender would object.
11. A 2nd round of consultation can be considered, depending on stakeholder interest.
12. All stakeholder contributions will be available, in their original form, for consultation by the members of the EIB Management Committee and the Board of Directors when they consider the draft revised policy, guidelines and procedures.
13. After approval by the Board of Directors, the revised Policy and Guidelines on Fighting Corruption, Fraud, Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and the Procedures for the Conduct of Investigations by the Inspectorate General of the EIB will be published on the EIB website, together with the Consultation Report.
14. Contributors to the consultation process will be directly informed of the outcome.

Address for submitting contributions

Contributions can be submitted in writing until 18 April 2007 included. They can be sent by e-mail to infopol@eib.org, by fax to +352 4379 3191, or by post to European Investment Bank, Communication Department, attention: Matilde del Valle, Public Communication and Contacts with Civil Society Division, Boulevard Konrad Adenauer 100, L-2950 Luxembourg.

Public consultation timetable

In early May, consideration will be given to holding a 2nd round of consultation in the light of sufficient stakeholder interest. The 2nd round would focus on revised versions of the two documents, taking account of stakeholder contributions from the first round. If a 2nd round would not be held, this would be announced before completion of the 1st round, both on the EIB website and directly to parties involved, or showing a particular interest in, the consultation process.