EU banking on investment to boost economic growth
By Fu Jing (China Daily) Updated: 2014-09-22 07:41So, Juncker has proposed reindustrialization to revive the EU economy. In addition to infrastructural projects and stimulus injections to provide a conducive environment for smaller enterprises, innovation and breakthroughs in climate-friendly projects top his agenda.
More importantly, the incoming EU executive head has been preparing for the negative consequences if the souring relations between the EU and Russia deteriorate further.
In Juncker's five-point priority plan, he said it is vital for the EU to safeguard the bloc's energy security by forming a unified energy market among member states and greatly boost renewable energy supply. He has clearly required the EU to prepare for the energy price hike from "the East" though he didn't warn of possibly more extreme actions on natural gas supply from Russia.
All these reasons have pushed Brussels to become more ambitious in financing climate projects though, overall, the bloc has reduced such green actions during past seven years due to its economic situation.
However, Hoyer's bank is an exception. Out of the total 71.7 billion euros it loaned in 2013, 19 billion euros were directly channeled to climate-related projects, such as energy security, natural and urban environment schemes, water, waste treatment and cleaner air.
The bank has set a goal that a quarter of its annual lending should go to climate action and since 2010, this target has been systematically exceeded, with lending over periods from four to 20 years and 90 percent of the lending to member states.
Internally, potential projects go through a cycle from opportunity identification, and financial, economic, and social appraisal before being handed over for management committee reviews and approval and then the final say of board of directors of the bank.
For projects requiring more than 25 million euros, the bank offers direct loans whereas it supports smaller projects indirectly through credit lines to local banks or other intermediaries.
Based on its previous experiences in combining loans and the know-how required to develop sustainable and climate-resilient projects, Hoyer's bank has the chance to become more prominent in Juncker's commission. But this depends heavily on whether Brussels can harmonize its climate, growth, employment and trade policies.
Hopefully, Juncker will not repeat the same mistakes as his predecessor, such as imposing an anti-dumping investigation on solar panels from China, as this will only hinder the EU's investment in renewable projects.
The author is China Daily's chief correspondent in Brussels. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
