FIF - Go Digital in WB - Union Bank (EBRD-55881)

Regions
  • Europe and Central Asia
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Countries
  • Albania
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Financial Institutions
  • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Approved
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
U
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Voting Date
Nov 26, 2024
Date when project documentation and funding is reviewed by the Board for consideration and approval. Some development banks will state a "board date" or "decision date." When funding approval is obtained, the legal documents are accepted and signed, the implementation phase begins.
Borrower
Union Bank ShA
A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.
Sectors
  • Communications
  • Finance
  • Industry and Trade
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Loan
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
$ 3.15 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Currency conversion note:
Bank reported 3
Converted using 2024-11-26 exchange rate.
Loan Amount (USD)
$ 3.15 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Currency conversion note:
Bank reported 3
Converted using 2024-11-26 exchange rate.
Project Cost (USD)
$ 3.15 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Currency conversion note:
Bank reported 3
Converted using 2024-11-26 exchange rate.
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ EBRD website

Updated in EWS Dec 9, 2024

Disclosed by Bank Dec 6, 2024

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Can you contribute information about this project?
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Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

As stated by the EBRD, the project consists of the provision of a senior unsecured loan of up to EUR 3.0 million to be made available in three tranches under the EBRD Go Digital in WB programme. The second and third tranches will be uncommitted.

The proceeds of the Bank's investment will be used for providing a combination of specialised financing for automation, digitalisation, competitiveness and green technologies to eligible SMEs in accordance with the respective Policy Statement. At least 60% of the total investments shall be in eligible automation and digitalisation projects, of which at least 60% shall be GET eligible. Furthermore, at least 60% of the total investments shall be GET eligible.

Technical cooperation will build UB's internal capacity to enhance digital and energy-saving efforts, ensuring compliance with environmental and social (E&S) requirements, while 60% of sub-loans are expected to meet GET standards.

A Gender SMART component promotes equitable access to finance for women-led SMEs, with specialized training to improve digitalisation readiness, project appeal, and gender-responsive outreach strategies.

Early Warning System Project Analysis
For a project with severe or irreversible impacts to local community and natural resources, the Early Warning System Team may conduct a thorough analysis regarding its potential impacts to human and environmental rights.

The EBRD categorized the project risk as FI.

Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.
Financial Intermediary
A financial intermediary is a bank or financial institution that receives funds from a development bank. A financial intermediary then lends these funds to their clients (private actors) in the form of loans, bonds, guarantees and equity shares. Financial intermediaries include insurance, pension and equity funds. The direct financial relationship is between the development bank and the financial intermediary.
Private Actors Description
A Private Actor is a non-governmental body or entity that is the borrower or client of a development project, which can include corporations, private equity and banks. This describes the private actors and their roles in relation to the project, when private actor information is disclosed or has been further researched.

As stated by the EBRD, Union Bank ShA ("UB") is a mid-size bank in Albania, mainly focusing on SME and retail lending. As of end-2Q2024, UB was the 8th largest bank in the country (out of 11) in terms of both assets and loan portfolio, with 5.1% and 6.4% market share, respectively.


Contact Information
This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

Financial Intermediary - Union Bank ShA:

Emila Vucini
Email: emila.vucini@unionbank.al
Phone: +355 4 238 8097
Website: www.unionbank.al
Address: Bulevardi Zogu i I, Sheshi Ferenc Nopçka, Nd. 5, H. 3, Njësia Bashkiake Nr. 9, Kodi Postar 1016, Tirana, Albania

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can request information by emailing: accessinfo@ebrd.com or by using this electronic form: https://www.ebrd.com/eform/information-request

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF EBRD

The Project Complaint Mechanism (PCM) is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the PCM, it may assess compliance with EBRD's own policies and procedures to prevent harm to the environment or communities or it may assist you in resolving the problem that led to the complaint through a dialogue with those implementing the project. Additionally, the PCM has the authority to recommend a project be suspended in the event that harm is imminent.

You can contact the PCM at: pcm@ebrd.com or you can submit a complaint online using an online form at: http://www.ebrd.com/eform/pcm/complaint_form?language=en

You can learn more about the PCM and how to file a complaint at: http://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/project-finance/project-complaint-mechanism.html

How it works

How it works