LOCATION EU Countries DESCRIPTION Programme of loans supported by the Private Finance for Energy Efficiency (PF4EE) Instrument. OBJECTIVES The PF4EE Instrument aims to stimulate the supply of private debt financing to complement national Energy Efficiency support schemes and, through this leverage, to support the priorities set by Member States in their National Energy Efficiency Action Plans for the period 2014-2020. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS This operation intends to bring environmental benefits by supporting projects that reduce energy consumption, and help to mitigate climate change. The individual schemes to be financed are small and are expected to have very limited negative environmental impacts. Given the scale, location and nature of the sub-projects an EIA, as defined under the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU, is normally not required. The Bank will assess the capacity and procedures of the Financial Intermediaries to ensure compliance with national and European environmental and biodiversity regulations of the individual schemes as well as its capacity to support the Bank's Public Disclosure Policy, which aims at facilitating access by the public to environmentally relevant information. PROCUREMENT The specific project pipe lines proposed by the Financial Intermediaries will be assessed by EIB; if the final beneficiaries are private companies not operating in the utilities sector and not having a status of a contracting entity, the projects will be considered as not being subject to EU rules on public procurement. However, if after the project appraisal, the EIB were to conclude that the project pipeline is after all subject to EU public procurement legislation (i.e. Directive 2004/17/EC), then the Bank would require the Financial Intermediary to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been/will be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directive 2004/17/EC and Directive 92/13/EEC), with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where required.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF EIB The EIB Complaints Mechanism is designed to facilitate and handle complaints against the EIB by individuals, organizations or corporations affected by EIB activities. When exercising the right to lodge a complaint against the EIB, any member of the public has access to a two-tier procedure, one internal - the Complaints Mechanism Office - and one external - the European Ombudsman. A complaint can be lodged via a written communication addressed to the Secretary General of the EIB, via email to the dedicated email address complaints@eib.org, by completing the online complaint form available at the following address: http://www.eib.org/complaints/form, via fax or delivered directly to the EIB Complaints Mechanism Division, any EIB local representation office or any EIB staff. For further details, check: http://www.eib.org/attachments/strategies/complaints_mechanism_policy_en.pdf When dissatisfied with a complaint to the EIB Complaints Mechanism, citizens can then turn towards the European Ombudsman. A memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the EIB and the European Ombudsman establishes that citizens (even outside of the EU if the Ombudsman finds their complaint justified) can turn towards the Ombudsman on issues related to 'maladministration' by the EIB. Note that before going to the Ombudsman, an attempt must be made to resolve the case by contacting the EIB. In addition, the complaint must be made within two years of the date when the facts on which your complaint is based became known to you. You can write to the Ombudsman in any of the languages of the European Union. Additional details, including filing requirements and complaint forms, are available at: http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/atyourservice/interactiveguide.faces