What is your connection with the Council of
Europe ?
By virtue of its Articles of Agreement, the Council of
Europe Development Bank is "attached to the Council of Europe and administered
under its supreme authority". This means that the CEB conducts its activity in
accordance with the overall objectives pursued by the Council of Europe, in
particular those concerning human rights, pluralistic democracy and the rule of
law.
The CEB originates from a "Partial Agreement" of member states of the
Council of Europe: 39 of the 47 States that comprise the Council of Europe are
members of the Bank. The CEB is, nevertheless, legally and financially
independent of the Council of Europe.
Do you have any connection with the European
Social Fund ?
No. The two institutions are totally different, but
they are often mistaken one for the other. The European Social Fund (ESF),
which was set up in 1958, is a budgetary instrument of the European Union that
promotes vocational integration and the fight against unemployment and makes
improvements to the way the job market operates. The ESF is one of the European
Union's four structural Funds that are the financial instruments of its policy
of economic and social cohesion.
How many members does the Bank
have ?
There are currently 40 members (see
list)
Why did you change your name in
1999 ?
Formerly known as the "Council of Europe Social Development
Fund", in 1999 the Bank changed its name to COUNCIL OF EUROPE DEVELOPMENT BANK.
Its acronym is now CEB (Council of Europe Bank).
The new name, which came
into force on 1st November 1999, provides a clearer understanding of the
institution's activity, which is that of a development bank. The term "Fund"
caused confusion between the Bank and certain organisations of a different
nature, for example the European structural funds or pension funds.
Although the institution's name has changed, its vocation nevertheless remains
the same as ever. The CEB is of course a development bank and it is logical
that its name should explicitly refer to this, but it is first and foremost a
social development bank. This new name will help the CEB to more clearly convey
what it does and how it does it. This clearer understanding must serve to
promote the social objectives that are the very reason for the Bank's
existence.
Do you grant loans or subsidies ?
The CEB is a bank. It grants loans and guarantees, not subsidies.
However,
in exceptional circumstances, the Bank has granted donations to certain
countries in response to situations of extreme emergency (Kosovo refugees,
orphans of Romania, etc.).
Do you grant short-term loans ?
No. The Bank grants only long-term loans, even in the case of projects
responding to emergency situations linked to a natural disaster or an influx of
refugees in a given region of Europe. The deferred capital repayment period
varies, generally ranging from 1 to 5 years.
Does the CEB have offices in its member
states ?
No. The administrative headquarters are located in Paris.
The Bank is a Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe with its Secretariat
in Strasbourg.
Are you financed by taxes ?
No.
The Bank receives no annual contributions from its members. Its activities and
functioning are financed from its capital and reserves and from resources
raised on the financial markets. The CEB thus shows that it is possible to
pursue a policy of solidarity in Europe without calling on the taxpayer.
Can I work or do a traineeship at the
CEB ?
Yes, according to the vacancies we have, of course, and only
if you are a national of one of the CEB's member states. Consult our
Job Opportunities
section.
Where did the idea to create the Bank come
from ?
It was an idea that came from the Council of Europe. After
the Second World War, no measures had been taken in support of the so-called
"national" refugees (East German refugees in West Germany, in particular).
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe entrusted Pierre Schneiter,
President of the French National Assembly and Special Council of Europe
Representative for National Refugees and Over-Population, with the task of
finding a solution to the problem of these national refugees. He chose a
flexible banking system: the creation, by members of the Council of Europe, of
a "social bank", whose aim would be to borrow in order to lend the amounts
borrowed to member states' Governments or to legal entities guaranteed by them.
These loans would serve to finance projects creating new jobs or aimed at
resettling national refugees or excess populations in Europe. And so the
"Council of Europe Resettlement Fund for National Refugees and Over-population
in Europe" was created. Over the years, it has evolved towards our Council of
Europe Development Bank, but its objectives remain unchanged.
 |
 |