EU Campaign to Reform Export Credit Agencies

About this grant

The goal of Fern’s European Union (EU) campaign on export credit agencies (ECAs) is to integrate environmental and social considerations into the decisionmaking and operations of European ECAs. The campaign contributes to national-level ECA reform efforts within EU member countries.Multiyear funding will enable Fern to pursue activities that include recommending specific reforms needed for EU member states’ ECAs; developing training sessions to increase non-governmental organization (NGO) awareness of EU-wide legislation and how it can be applied to ECAs; analyzing the formal and informal links between EU institutions and the European Investment Bank; monitoring the creation of an investment guarantee facility; and monitoring the broader investment agreement negotiations and researching the linkages between such agreements, ECAs and host government agreements. Additional funding will enable Fern to host a workshop on investment and global governance issues.Recent accomplishments included developing a strong relationship between NGOs and European Commission staff; fostering discussions at the European level, allowing for a focus on broad European interests in stronger standards; encouraging Europe’s foreign affairs and environment ministries to become more involved in reform discussions; and moving the strategic center of international NGO efforts toward Europe.