policy

In the face of official EU statements stressing the need to decarbonise Europe's transport sector, our analysis has found that a rise in EIB lending between 2006 and 2009 for roads and aviation has coincided with a dramatic decrease in EIB lending for urban public transport.

ArcelorMittal, one of the candidates for the worst EU lobby award, is the world's largest private steel company, producing 10 per cent of the world's steel. It is also one of Europe's largest emitters of CO2. Yet the company successfully lobbied the European Commission on behalf of Europe's biggest polluters to continue getting free greenhouse gas emissions permits until at least 2020.

The EU budget involves billions of euros of public money and it influences a huge array of economic sectors across the continent - it also stirs up thoughts of handbags.

After six months of preparations and more than 50 interviews with decision makers and experts, Bankwatch has met with representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to discuss how the next EU budget for the 2014-2020 period can effectively support a low-carbon economy with benefits for people and nature.

Although the world's largest steel company, ArcelorMittal continues to receive support by international public finance. Neither does its chequered social and environmental record seem to change the public bank's proclivity for this specific borrower.

A ban on all cyanide-based mining technologies on Hungarian territory that was passed by 356 votes in favour to one vote against in Hungary's parliament earlier this month has strengthened hopes of other national bans - even a Europe-wide ban - ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Baia Mare disaster next month.