This briefing highlights the opportunity to improve key aspects of the Connecting Europe Facility Regulation on transport to ensure better coherence with EU priorities, to move towards a low carbon and resource efficient transport sector, which is economically and environmentally sustainable. If offered concrete recommendations for Members of the European Parliament's ITRE-TRAN committee for the voting on December 18, 2012.

This briefing highlights the opportunity to improve key aspects of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) Guidelines to ensure better coherence with EU priorities, to move towards a low carbon and resource efficient transport sector, which is economically and environmentally sustainable. If offered concrete recommendations for Members of the European Parliament's TRAN committee for the voting on December 18, 2012.

Effective planning of objectives and achievable targets for regional development requires the integration of all partners and stakeholders into the planning processes, taking into account their specific knowledge of the local context and so guaranteeing the results orientation of Cohesion funding. This briefing offers guidelines and a set of recommendations for governments in pre-accession countries in order to help them establish and implement the partnership principle with all relevant stakeholders in the programming of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for 2014-2020.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU’s bank and also the biggest public financial institution in the world by lending volume, has launched a public consultation on its energy policy and is seeking views from the public and other stakeholders that should feed into a review of one of the EIB’s most crucial lending sectors. The new policy is expected to take effect from June 2013.

Monsanto, the world’s largest seed producer and one of the most well-known promoters of genetically modified crops worldwide, is in line to receive USD 40 million of public financial support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the bank disclosed last month.

It was no surprise when the European Council summit meeting dedicated to deciding the EU’s budget for 2014-2020 broke down in Brussels on the afternoon of November 23 with no deal having been reached. The main surprises were how early on the Friday afternoon the EU’s 27 member states decided enough was enough, as well as the relative lack of rancour on display.

There will be MFF 2014-2020 closure, in some shape or form, and presumably at some stage in 2013 – at least, that is, when it comes to the European level negotiating and haggling over the future EU budget. But what comes after? With our long-term EU Funds partners Friends of the Earth Europe, Bankwatch is organising a series of timely events to remind how sustained and constructive dialogue between official institutions and citizens can result in highly rewarding initiatives – all derived from EU budgetary spending.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has come under fire in recent weeks thanks to a loan granted to Ford Europe. The EU’s bank signed off on a EUR 200 million loan to the car giant for the company’s relocation of production to Turkey not long after Ford Europe announced the shutdown of its production sites in Genk, Belgium, and Southampton in England.

Last month, residents in the village of Krupets in Ukraine blocked the Kyiv-Chop road that runs straight through the village. Their protest – the road was blocked off for more than 90 minutes – came as a result of horrifying car accidents (including ten fatal car accidents since the beginning of this year) that have taken place in their community due to the lack of a speed limit, street lighting and appropriate traffic signs. The regional prosecutor office has initiated a case against the regional roads agency for alleged violation of road and traffic safety standards.