On 5th March, the Reuters news agency ran a report quoting EIB Vice-President Matthias Kollatz-Ahnen as saying the European Investment Bank was seeking to take a majority stake in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Mr Kollatz-Ahnen had expressed to journalists in Frankfurt his personal preference among several long-term orientations discussed by some shareholders. He had stressed that this is a matter for decision by the shareholders of both institutions.
President Philippe Maystadt confirmed that these are personal views.
“They do not represent an EIB position,” he said. “This issue is not on the agenda today.”
The Ministers of Finance have decided to review these issues in 2010, at the time of the next capital review of the EBRD and the mid-term review of the EIB's external mandates.