Sector - Nuclear

Letter to EDC President re compliance mechanism - December 9, 2004

This letter, and attached comments and recommendations, evaluates EDC's Compliance mechanism, drawing on the NGO Working Group on EDC's experience in filing a complaint around EDC's support for Cernavoda2.

EDC response re EDC support for AECL - August 23, 2004

This letter responds to our query about how AECL can indicate that it has support for the Belene Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria. Although the letter indicates that EDC has a process of environmental due diligence thta they follow, and that they have anti-corruption procedures in place, it fails to say how AECL can indicate it has support from EDC before these processes have even been followed.

Letter to EDC President, re EDC support for AECL - July 15, 2004

The Bulgarian Government are planning on completing the construction of a Nuclear Power Plant in Belene, and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. are one of three consortia bidding on the project. AECL has assured the government that they can get EDC support if they win this contract. This letter asks whether this assertion doesn't preclude EDC pursuing its own due diligence to determine whether the project should be supported.

Press Responses : Wednesday, October 22, 2003

The case against Candu, if only Parliament would talk about it

"Race to the Bottom, Take II" (September 2003)

This report critiques Revision 6 of the OECD Common Approaches on environment and export credits, and documents nine projects (including the Cernavoda2 nuclear power plant and the Three Gorges dam) which have had devastating environmental, social and human rights impacts, and which have all received (or will soon recieve) funding by Export Credit Agencies, including Canada's EDC. The report argues that the Common Approaches did little to mitigate the devastating social, environmental and human rights impacts of ECA-funded projects.

Complaint to EDC Compliance Officer - July 28, 2003

This complaint, submitted to EDC's Compliance Officer, relates to EDC support for Cernavoda 2. It argues that EDC has breached a number of its environmental and disclosure policies in providing a loan guarantee for the CANDU nuclear reactor.

Compliance Officer (1) re Cernavoda - August 1, 2003

This letter ackowledges receipt of the letter of complaint, and indicates a forthcoming review of the complaint to determine whether it falls within the Compliance Officer's mandate to review.

Compliance Officer (2) re Cernavoda - August 25, 2003

This letter formally accepts the Working Group's complaint to EDC's Compliance Officer (CO) on Cernavoda 2, acknowledging that it fits within the CO's mandate. A fact-finding exercise will now follow.

Compliance Officer (3) re Cernavoda - September 16, 2003

This letter outlines what the Compliance Officer has done to date to address the concerns raised in the complaint letter.

Compliance Officer (4) re Cernavoda - October 22, 2003

This letter outlines the process that the Compliance Officer has undertaken to review the complaint the NGO WG submitted. Based on the fact-finding mission and interviews that were conducted, Ms. Lawford reaches the conclusion that there was no breach to EDC's policies, but says that she will be conducting a compliance audit to address the other issues included in the complaint.

Compliance officer (6) re Cernavoda - January 22, 2004

Having recommended that a Compliance Audit be done on the application of EDC's policies, EDC Management decided to accept the recommendation 'in part'. Six months after the complaint was filed, there is still little reporting out, beyond a series of letters, to corroborate the findings that EDC complied with its policies in the Cernavoda case.

Compliance Officer (7) re Cernavoda - April 16, 2004

This letter simply announces the forthcoming compliance audit and the release of the 2003 Compliance Officer Annual Report.

Compliance Officer (8) Disclosure Audit - May 7, 2004

This letter outlines the findings of the initial compliance assessment and subsequent audit, finding EDC to be in compliance with all of its policies. The audit is weak, the findings largely unsubstantiated, and the overall result grossly disappointing.

Compliance Officer (9) Environment Audit- June 15, 2004

This letter completes the complaint submitted to EDC about their support for Cernavoda 2, and the allegations that the NGO Working Group made that EDC was in breach of its policies in supporting the project. This audit on EDC's environmental policies reaches the same conclusions as the disclosure audit - that EDC complied with its internal policies. However, unlike the disclosure audit, this at least substantiates the claims of compliance with some evidence and substance.

Press Responses : Thursday, January 9, 2003

Environmental details of deals hidden by EDC, Report say: Watchdog groups says lack of information for 7 export agreements is 'unacceptable' (Ottawa Citizen)

"Seven Deadly Secrets: What Export Development Canada does not want you to know" (January 2003)

This report documents seven projects being pursued by Canadian companies abroad that will have negative environmental, social and human rights impacts. It includes a more detailed critique of EDC?s environment and disclosure policies.

New Report Highlights Environmental Risks of EDC Deal on CANDU Reactor (November 2002)

This report, commissioned by European NGOs analyses the existing environmental impact assessment information for the Cernavoda 2 nuclear reactor and finds it deficient.

EDC response re Cernavoda 2 - August 14, 2002

This letter responds to some concerns about the Cernavoda 2 reactor. In it, EDC President says that according to their review the project does not breach the Espoo Convention, nor has neighbouring Bulgaria requested information from Romania about any transboundary effects. The EDC President also argues that the project's design meets international standards and host country requirements.

Letter to the Prime Minister - March 5, 2002

This letter raises concerns with the Prime Minister about possible EDC financing for the completion a CANDU nuclear reactor at the Cernavoda2 Nuclear Power Plant in Romania.

PM's response re Cernavoda 2 - March 20, 2002

This letter thanks us for raising concerns about Cernavoda 2.

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