Closed
* 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 the “Cairo Metro Line 3 (Phase 3)” project in Egypt, financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The promoter of the project is the National Authority of Tunnels (NAT) and the construction contractor an Egyptian French joint Venture (so called EFJV) led by Vinci Construction.
End of December 2021, the EIB-CM has received a complaint from a few employees (including former employees) of EFJV regarding a series of allegations of misuse of authority manifesting into falsification of documents, psychological violence, sexual harassment and retaliation within a department of EFJV as well as dysfunctional governance and grievance mechanism within the joint venture.
EIB-CM Action
After conducting a review of available information, the EIB-CM has decided to undertake a compliance review in relation to the raised allegations with the applicable regulatory framework, in particular how the EIB has reviewed, validated and monitored the implementation of labour conditions requirements at NAT, in particular those that refer to contractors working conditions.
In addition, the EIB-CM will review the actions taken by the EIB from the moment of receiving the complaint. In particular, the EIB-CM will monitor how these actions have contributed in the grievance investigation and resolution by EFJV and NAT respectively and whether these actions comply with the regulatory framework and international good practice. NAT, which also received the complaint via its grievance mechanism, has set up an investigation committee.
Conclusions
The EIB-CM performed its compliance review and found that EIB actively participated to the monitoring and found no evidence of maladministration from the Bank. Given shortcomings identified in investigation committee report and the promoter reporting, the Complaints Mechanism of the EIB Group issues suggestions to EIB to follow-up with NAT on : i) actions foreseen following the commission report, ii) the contractor grievance mechanism, iii) reporting quality on working conditions & workers grievances, and iv) training plans in relation to gender based violence and harassment in the workplace.