FRENCH OFFSHORE ROUND 1 - SAINT NAZAIRE & FECAMP

Design, build, maintain and operate two offshore windfarms: Saint-Nazaire and Fécamp - 480MW and 498MW, 12km off the French coast in both cases.

The development of offshore wind energy will support EU and national targets for renewable energy generation, and contributes to the security of energy supply and environmental objectives. The project will further contribute to the Bank's transversal priority objectives for energy-sector lending related to renewable energy sources and climate action.

The project falls under Annex II of the EIA Directive 2014/52/EU amending the EIA Directive 2011/92/EC, leaving it to the competent authority to decide on the need for an EIA. In line with the French national environmental law (Code de l'Environnement), both wind farms and their grid connection facilities have undergone a full EIA. The environmental permits were issued in the first half of 2016 for both wind farms. The Bank will assess the compliance of the authorization procedure with the relevant EU directives and other environmental aspects of the project during appraisal.

The Bank will require the promoters to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been/shall be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directives 2004/18/EC and/or 2004/17/EC as well as Directives 89/665/EEC and 92/13/EEC) as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.