Source: http://www.antiatomszene.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=1

Program (PDF, 222 KB)

Upper Austria, Linz, Hotel Ibis, January 18th, 2008

Organized by the antinuclear organisation „ANTIATOM SZENE“ in cooperation with Greenpeace and urgewald (Germany)

Dear Madam, dear Sir, dear friends!

In cooperation with urgewald (Germany) and Greenpeace, the „Antiatom Szene“ wants to invite you for a workshop to discuss financial campaigning on nuclear energy.

"Nuclear Bank? No Thanks!"

The workshop takes place in the Hotel Ibis in Linz on
Friday, 18th of January 2008.
Beginn: 10 a.m.
End: approximately 6 p.m.

Purpose of the workshop

The situation in Europe is serious regarding plans for new nuclear power stations and completion of construction of nuclear power stations in Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, France, Slovenia ,Turkey,…

The aim of this one-day workshop is to review and critically assess new concepts, strategies and cross-border actions regarding bank- and Euratom loans for nuclear projects, as well as to enlarge and strengthen the network for the campaign „Nuclear bank? No thanks!“. To prevent financial institutions from financing nuclear projects, cross-border alliances and functioning networks are important and necessary, as well as common actions, in order to urge financial institutions towards a non-nuclear policy.

As with every project, financing is essential. That applies to nuclear projects as well. Preventing bank loans possibly could return nuclear plans disappearing to the drawer.

Background

Banks play an important role as major financiers of the nuclear industry. We have to remind banks on their human rights obligations, inform about problems that may evolve and constructively provide information, but also make aware that banks take immense risks regarding reputation by financing nuclear projects.

To raise and increase awareness of bank management, personnel and customers on nuclear financing is an essential and powerful factor.

The German campaign, initiated by the organization „urgewald“ and supported by many European NGOs, „Nuclear Bank? No Thanks!“ has already shown to be very successful to stop nuclear in it’s beginnings.

Until mid October 2006 Deutsche Bank and UniCredit were interested in financing the NPP Belene (Bulgaria) deal, UniCredit through its daughters HypoVereinsBank in Germany and Zivnostenska Banka in Czech Republic. After international protests in front of UniCredit and planned protest outside Deutsche Bank and HypoVereinsbank in Germany, mid October 2006 both, UniCredit and Deutsche Bank declared they were no longer interested in the deal.

So far the good news….

In 2007 the French bank BNP Paribas organized a 250 Million EUR bridging loan for the Belene project in order to prevent it from collapse. It now shops around with large banks for a considerably larger loan for Belene 51% owner NEK and advises several of the potential strategic investors about their participation.

The Belene project is one of the worst planned nuclear projects of the past decades. Belene is planned to be build in a seismic area.During the last earthquake in 1977, some 120 people died only 12 km from the Belene site.

Within the workshop we will analyze Financial institution(s) involved and/or actively interested in financing new NPP projects in Finland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania,… and discuss the course of action.

Workshop languages are German and English.

We warmly invite you to apply for the workshop by sending an email to office@antiatomszene.info or alexander.trinkl@agendax.at !

Please let us know as soon as possible if you or someone else out of your organization is considering attending the workshop. 
With kind regards,
Elvira Pöschko
Chair Antiatom Szene