Index of ECA Watch What's New Bulletins from January 2007 to December 2007
Indices for 2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
December 2007
1) Blair called for BAE inquiry to be halted
2) Renewable energies and export credit agencies
3) NGOs walk out of OECD meeting
4) China, France and Germany top investors in Iran
5) Braskem and Pequiven Announce Joint Venture to Install Petrochemical Projects
6) UN Report addresses ECA responsibility for human rights breaches
7) Export Development Canada 'reforms overdue'
8) China to play greater role in World Bank in Africa
9) OECD ECA 2006 cash flow results for officially supported export credits
November 2007
1) ECA Watch leaves OECD consultation in protest over lack of dialogue
2) Corner House / CAAT court victory over BAE corruption enquiry review
3) European Parliament resolution to end taxpayer support for fossil fuels projects
4) Export credits to Iran become a hotter political issue
A. Berlin Faces Hurdles in Push to Get Hermes Out of Iran
B. ECGD aid mocks sanctions threat against Iran
C. France's economic ties with Iran
5) Atradius refuses cover for Vancor project in Russia
6) SACE to open its capital to investors
7) US Ex-Im Bank promotes Nigerian economic progress - i.e. debt free riding continues
8) Atradius and Sinosure sign memorandum of understanding
9) China's Sinosure to guarantee Indonesian coal-fired plants
10) The Equator Principles: A toddler finds its feet, but still takes an occasional tumble
11) ECA supported 3 Gorges dam in China proves to be environmental disaster
12) BNP Paribas and Vnesheconombank (Russian ECA) In export credit pact
13) Nationwide Protests against German Investment in Turkey's Ilisu Dam
October 2007
1) ECA Watch submits issues paper to OECD ECA consultation
2) Arbitrary expropriation begins at contested Ilisu dam site
3) Yusufeli Dam: Is Turkey blackmailing ECAs over lowered Ilisu standards?
4) China planning to reform Exim Bank into a commercial bank
5) Export Development Canada becomes a signatory to the Equator Principles
6) Export credits for Iran remain a political issue
7) UK export credit agency slammed for lax environmental standards
8) Eight charged in $80 million scheme to defraud the US Export-Import Bank
September 2007
1) Turkey flouts ECA conditions highlighting weakness of OECD Common Approaches
2) Dutch Government to resolve Indonesia cover through credit default swaps
3) Export Development Canada maintains interest in controversial Tenke mine in Congo
4) Civil Society Recommendations Regarding China Exim Bank's Environmental Policy
5) Germany struggles to unravel export credit ties with Iran
6) Kickbacks alleged in Filipino phone contract financed by China's ExIm Bank
7) US Export Import Bank certifies no dual-use exports in 2005
8) Coface to take controlling stake in SBCE - Brazil
9) Ex-Im Bank to Sponsor Environmental Exporters Conference
10) Labour tries to block new BAE enquiry
August 2007
1) WWF and Corner House Launch Legal challenge against ECGD on Sakhalin 2
2) NGOs condemn signing of the contracts for the Turkish Ilisu Dam
3) Sinosure receives an A bond rating
4) Australian ECA EFIC says receding credit tide could beach some emerging markets
5) OECD publishes data on HIPC export credits
6) OECD reports lack of renewable energy projects for evaluation of incentives
7) Pulp mills & ECAs
8) Civil aircraft agreement at OECD judged good for Canada
9) Israel's Hapoalim Bank extends ECA backed credit to Kazakh bank
July 2007
1) ECAs and Arms - ENAAT report now available
2) ECAs and corruption
A. UK Government willing to break international law to squash BAE investigation
B. ECA Watch requests action re bribery peer review by ECG
3) Book review - The Secret World of Economic Hit Men (and ECAs)
4) Private equity funds change markets for ECAs
5) ECA loan backed bond rating withdrawn
6) NGOs warn banks and ECAs not to invest in Sakhalin II
7) ECGD releases annual report
8) Environmental standards for Chinese export credits
9) Brazil joins OECD agreement on aircraft finance
June 2007
1) NGOs blast OECD approval of weak environmental standards for export credits
2) Investigation into alleged BAE corruption continues
A. BAE bribery enquiry moves to USA
B. ECA Watch requests OECD export credit inquiry on ECGD actions in BAE bribery investigation
3) OECD ECAs warned against support for continuing Sakhalin environmental problems
4) Spanish NGOs welcome draft legislation to deny export credit support for companies involved in foreign environmental damages
5) Dutch export credits are not a foreign policy instrument
6) NGOs demand an end to oil aid via export credit supports
7) India's ECGC lowers premia rates up to 10% to make exports more competitive
8) China's auto exports bolstered by SINOSUR credit insurance
9) Australian ECA sees Africa as a magnet
10) US think tank calls for American leadership at OECD on ECA incentives for renewable energy
11) UK ends plans to establish ECGD as a trading fund
May 2007
1) New OECD environmental standards for export credits still not public
2) Export credits for Turkey's Ilisu dam generate official and citizen protests
A. Iraq protests lack of consultation by Turkey over Ilisu dam
B. Are European ECAs violating international law?
C. Protests mount over European ECA approval of Ilisu guarantees
3) UK commentary: Is the OECD outmoded?
4) China Export Import Bank releases environmental standards document
5) U.S. and Chinese ECAs sign memorandum of understanding
6) World Bank and China agree to cooperate in Africa
7) UK violation of OECD bribery convention over export credits
8) Brazilian export credits up 45%
9) European export credits to Iran continue to generate U.S. criticism
April 2007
1) OECD approves weakened environmental and social standards for ECAs
2) The Ilisu Dam: Downstream water impacts on Iraq are adverse and serious
3) BAE/ECGD corruption scandal expands to include OECD
4) ECGD's first civil deal in Saudi Arabia - $5 billion Yansab petrochemical project
5) India's Exim Bank's credit commitments hit $2.30 bn
6) New trends in trade Finance: It’s a Buyer’s Market for Export Credit Insurance
7) Conservatives press EU to suspend export credits to Iran
8) Chinese export credit agencies expand relations with western ECAs
March 2007
1) OECD to conduct a further examination of UK efforts against bribery
2) Germany and Austria approve Ilisu dam export credit guarantees in stunning hypocritical move
A. German NGOs criticize approval of export credit guarantee for Turkish Ilisu dam
B. Ilisu Dam Opponents Occupy Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
C. Legal advisors cite potential Turkish violation of international legal obligations on Ilisu
D. Export credits and the OECD – environmental bankruptcy?
E. Austrians protest OeKB approval of Ilisu export credits
3) Is US Ex-Im Bank promotion of Nigeria exports a free rider threatening more debt?
4) US NGOs challenge Ex-Im Bank to implement environmental provisions
5) Challenged by Trade Partners, China Ends Export Credit Subsidy
6) Japan publishes Category A, B and C projects list to 12 March 2007
7) Mozambique, China Ex-Im Bank in Talks on Hydro-Power Project
February 2007
1) Export Credit Agency Left Out of Bush Budget
2) ECAs and Arms Exports
A. MEPs adopt report critical of ECA arms export subsidies
B. Court orders BAe to divulge source in ECA supported arms bribery case
C. OECD Bribery Group to review ECA supported bribery case March 12-14
3) OPIC admits monitoring of BP pipeline project is inadequate
4) Controversial Turkish dam projects seem prepared to move ahead with ECA support
5) Assassination attempt at Chinese ExIm Bank supported Merowe dam project
6) G7 criticized over illegitimate debt which is largely ECA related
7) OECD meetings update
8) Korean, Spanish and Italian ECAs work together
9) U.S. urges Europe to reduce export credits to Iran
10) Uruguay pulp mills get ECA support
January 2007
1) OECD releases 2005 ECA statistics
2) ECGD bribery scandal receives extensive news coverage
3) German, Austrian and Swiss ECAs refuse to release Ilisu conditions
4) Coface outlines Yusufeli conditions
5) AFRODAD ECA debt workshop report now available
6) Canada's diplomats pressure foreign governments re ECA debts
7) Tanzanian tycoons divulge secret ECA supported arms deal payout
8) Japanese ECA to finance US nuclear power plants
9) Ratings put Coface as highest rated credit insurer
10) Canada launches WTO challenge to US export credit subsidies for corn
11) US Congress moves to force "Bank of Boeing" to support small exporters
12) Korean ECA to provide US$93 Billion in export insurance in 2007