Re:Common

No role for export credits in the EU’s development finance

(Counter Balance, Brussels, 13 March 2024) The latest report from Counter Balance titled “No role for export credits in the EU’s development finance” sheds light on the growing presence of Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) in the financing landscape of various EU policy proposals, ranging from development finance to critical raw materials. The report examines recent proposals for greater coordination between export credit and development finance, in particular through initiatives such as the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. It highlights significant concerns about suitability of such coordination for development objectives, particularly in the absence of binding human rights and environmental standards, ands weak rules on transparency, due diligence and accountability of ECAs as well as Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). Alexandra Gerasimcikova, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Counter Balance, said: “This is another example of the EU’s misuse of public development finance to support the European private sector , continuing a well-trodden neo-colonial path in its global South relations. This approach encourages asymmetrical dependencies, where the only concern is to open up new markets for European capital. We need long-term, sustainable financing to support equitable socio-economic transformation globally, not profits of European corporations. ”

Parliamentary question on SACE: Fossil fuel subsidies & potential conflict of interest

(ReCommon, Rome, 29 March 2023) The decision by the government of Italy and SACE to break their climate promise made during COP26 in Glasgow has aroused strong indignation. SACE, Italy’s export credit agency, will continue to finance fossil fuel projects abroad until at least 2028, thus reinforcing its position as the leading supporter of the fossil fuel industry in Europe and sixth globally. This is an indignation so strong that it prompted the group Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra in the Chamber of Deputies to present an oral parliamentary question, aimed at clarifying three aspects:

  • whether the actions of the Government and SACE disregard the commitments made during COP26
  • whether the right steps will be taken to stop public investment and SACE’s guarantees for fossil fuel projects abroad linked to the extraction and transport of fossil fuels
  • whether there is a potential conflict of interest where the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SACE is also a member of the Board of Directors of Eni

ENI is an Italian global energy company, active at every stage of the value chain: from natural gas and oil to co-generated electricity and renewables, including both traditional and bio refining and chemicals

Italy waters down fossil fuel pledge as Sace backs gas

(Global Trade review, London, 22 March 2023) Italy has walked away from a pledge to end support for international fossil fuel projects by the end of last year, indicating it will continue to provide export credit cover for parts of the oil industry in the short term and delaying a decision to put an end date on its backing for the gas sector. Sace, the Italian export credit agency (ECA), yesterday published its long-anticipated plan for complying with its commitment alongside other nations at the 2021 Cop26 summit to “end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector… except in limited and clearly defined circumstances that are consistent with a 1.5°C warming limit and the goals of the Paris Agreement”. Signatories were supposed to have nixed backing for the sector by the end of last year, but the Sace policy shows that the agency did not end support for all exports involving the oil or gas sectors by that deadline. The policy shows that Sace ended support for unabated gas-fired power generation in January this year, but gas exploration and production facilities will still qualify for support until 2026.

FLASH: Italy’s SACE considering fossil fuel projects with 3.5 X Italy’s annual emissions

(Oil Change International, Washington, 30 November 2022) Despite pledging to stop international financing for fossil fuel projects by the end of 2022, new analysis shows that the Italian Government is continuing to actively consider financing for major international fossil fuel projects. Taken together, these fossil fuel projects in could emit or enable greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to at least 3.5 times Italy’s annual emissions.  In the period 2019-2021, Italy provided USD 2.8 billion a year in public finance for fossil fuels, almost entirely via SACE. Bloomberg notes that SACE has also been among the biggest backers of Russian oil, gas and petrochemical development in the last several years. Not included is another known fossil fuel project being considered by SACE – the Balikpapan refinery in Indonesia. Recommon notes: “While Italy has publicly committed to stop financing fossil fuel projects, it has tried several times to weaken the pledge to stop export credit support for fossil fuel projects. With less than one month to go until the end of 2022, there is still no sign of implementation of the Glasgow Statement.

CSOs demand reduced OECD ECA support for oil and gas

(Price of Oil, Washington, November 2022) This document signed by 54 international civil society organizations outlines how the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits can align with the Paris Agreement warming target of 1.5°C by placing restrictions on export support for oil and gas projects and associated infrastructure. These restrictions build on the existing prohibition on coal-fired power, which came into effect 1 January 2022 and was preceded by the coal-fired power sector understanding (CFSU).

Italy’s SACE joins major banks to reject finance for Total’s EACOP

(Banktrack, Nijmegen, 20 May 2022) The coalition to #StopEACOP celebrates this week’s news that five banks including Deutsche Bank, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley have confirmed they will not join the project loan to finance the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). They are joined by the insurer Beazley Group and the Italian export credit agency SACE. This takes the number of banks that want nothing to do with the EACOP project loan to 20 and the number of insurers to eight. The list of banks rejecting the project includes seven of Total’s ten largest lenders. However Eacop’s executives from the Ugandan government and oil companies remained confident that the financing package for the project will be tied up in two months.