The Right To Understand - translation of the documents of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - Brief Article

Ecologist, The, April, 2001

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was established by Western nations to support the development of market economies in Central and Eastern Europe following the collapse of communist regimes. Today, the EBRD is the largest foreign investor in the region. Financing is provided for projects from nuclear power stations to cheese manufacturing. All EBRD-financed projects have, in some way, a significant environmental and/or social impact.

In July last year, the Board of Directors of EBRD approved a Public Information Policy defining what information EBRD will make publicly available, and how. EBRD claims that the Policy places 'particular emphasis on public accountability'. In effect, there is little evidence that this is the case. Most EBRD documents tend to be prepared in English. Very few are translated into the languages of the 26 countries where the projects have an impact. Concerned citizens are often not even able to access information about projects and policies affecting them.

EBRD claims that the cost of translating documents is prohibitive, and will therefore not commit to making all documents available in local languages. But it is vital that at least some documents are made available in the language of that country.