European Union

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

The second annual EU-UK Summit after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will take place in Brussels on 20 November 2026.

The Council approved conclusions on the EU’s main negotiating positions ahead of the United Nations climate change (COP31) and biodiversity (COP17) summits.

President of the European Council, António Costa, delivered a speech at the opening session of the 24th edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, on 12 October 2026.

The Council adopted restrictive measures against three individuals and four entities supporting North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction programmes and violating UN sanctions, including through Russia-DPRK cooperation.

The Council has established the EU Support Mission in Lebanon (EUSM Lebanon) to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces and support stability in the country.

The Council has adopted restrictive measures against 826 Russian companies and 743 individuals active in Russia’s military-industrial complex in single largest set of listings since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Council has adopted restrictive measures against 77 individuals who were involved -as either candidates or members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation- in the illegal so-called 'elections' for the Russian State Duma, held in September 2026 in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily and illegally occupied.

This paper examines how additional private financial resources can be mobilised through the use of multilateral development bank (MDB) funds. It focuses on identifying the leverage potential of different financing instruments, improving their mobilisation efficiency, and examining how greater leverage can promote development outcomes while safeguarding the financial sustainability of MDBs. Its contribution is a comparative synthesis that brings together mobilisation mechanisms, differences in the public resources and risks underlying leverage ratios, and development impact. The analysis covers six categories: debt instruments, equity instruments, risk-transfer instruments, guarantees, advisory services and policy-based lending. It compares their characteristics, including the level of intervention, mobilisation mechanisms, constraints addressed and time horizons. It also distinguishes transaction-level private direct and indirect mobilisation from broader catalytic effects arising through market development, institutional strengthening and policy reforms.
The comparison shows why instruments cannot be assessed by a single leverage ratio. MDB lending, guarantee exposure and expenditure on advisory services represent different commitments of public resources and risk. Similarly, private finance linked to a transaction cannot be measured in the same way as subsequent investment enabled by policy reform. Available evidence therefore indicates differences in mobilisation potential rather than an established empirical ranking of instruments. The paper argues that leveraging efficiency can be increased by moving to more powerful approaches and by better targeting instruments to binding investment constraints. It examines how this can enhance the development impact and financial viability of MDB/DFI portfolios through two channels: a financial/portfolio efficiency channel and a development/catalytic channel. However, a high leverage ratio does not necessarily indicate superior performance. It may reflect investment in easier markets, weak additionality or an understatement of public risk. Conversely, a lower ratio may be consistent with greater additionality in a fragile market or pioneering sector. These findings highlight the importance of assessing leverage alongside additionality, development impact and financial sustainability. Using concessional funds through blended finance instruments can be costly and can reduce the resources available for other development priorities.
Therefore, the development finance institutions (DFIs) must strictly apply the additionality principle and further operationalise the principle of using minimum concessionality. If interpreted too generously, there is a risk of creating leverage without sufficient development impact. The paper provides specific recommendations for refining the use of financing instruments and integrating transaction-level support into a broader market-shaping approach that draws on the strengths of policy-based lending and technical assistance. Higher leverage should not be pursued as an end in itself; its value depends on its contribution to additional development impact.

Dr Jürgen Karl Zattler is a distinguished non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC and a non-resident research fellow at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn. Until October 2023, he was Director General at the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Prior to that, he served as the Executive Director representing Germany at the World Bank.

This paper examines how additional private financial resources can be mobilised through the use of multilateral development bank (MDB) funds. It focuses on identifying the leverage potential of different financing instruments, improving their mobilisation efficiency, and examining how greater leverage can promote development outcomes while safeguarding the financial sustainability of MDBs. Its contribution is a comparative synthesis that brings together mobilisation mechanisms, differences in the public resources and risks underlying leverage ratios, and development impact. The analysis covers six categories: debt instruments, equity instruments, risk-transfer instruments, guarantees, advisory services and policy-based lending. It compares their characteristics, including the level of intervention, mobilisation mechanisms, constraints addressed and time horizons. It also distinguishes transaction-level private direct and indirect mobilisation from broader catalytic effects arising through market development, institutional strengthening and policy reforms.
The comparison shows why instruments cannot be assessed by a single leverage ratio. MDB lending, guarantee exposure and expenditure on advisory services represent different commitments of public resources and risk. Similarly, private finance linked to a transaction cannot be measured in the same way as subsequent investment enabled by policy reform. Available evidence therefore indicates differences in mobilisation potential rather than an established empirical ranking of instruments. The paper argues that leveraging efficiency can be increased by moving to more powerful approaches and by better targeting instruments to binding investment constraints. It examines how this can enhance the development impact and financial viability of MDB/DFI portfolios through two channels: a financial/portfolio efficiency channel and a development/catalytic channel. However, a high leverage ratio does not necessarily indicate superior performance. It may reflect investment in easier markets, weak additionality or an understatement of public risk. Conversely, a lower ratio may be consistent with greater additionality in a fragile market or pioneering sector. These findings highlight the importance of assessing leverage alongside additionality, development impact and financial sustainability. Using concessional funds through blended finance instruments can be costly and can reduce the resources available for other development priorities.
Therefore, the development finance institutions (DFIs) must strictly apply the additionality principle and further operationalise the principle of using minimum concessionality. If interpreted too generously, there is a risk of creating leverage without sufficient development impact. The paper provides specific recommendations for refining the use of financing instruments and integrating transaction-level support into a broader market-shaping approach that draws on the strengths of policy-based lending and technical assistance. Higher leverage should not be pursued as an end in itself; its value depends on its contribution to additional development impact.

Dr Jürgen Karl Zattler is a distinguished non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC and a non-resident research fellow at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn. Until October 2023, he was Director General at the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Prior to that, he served as the Executive Director representing Germany at the World Bank.

Voler dans l'espace est depuis longtemps un rêve humain, du mythe grec d'Icare aux voitures volantes des films de science-fiction comme Blade Runner.

The Council adopted restrictive measures against three individuals and four entities supporting North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction programmes and violating UN sanctions, including through Russia-DPRK cooperation.

The Council has established the EU Support Mission in Lebanon (EUSM Lebanon) to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces and support stability in the country.

The Council has adopted restrictive measures against 826 Russian companies and 743 individuals active in Russia’s military-industrial complex in single largest set of listings since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Council has adopted restrictive measures against 77 individuals who were involved -as either candidates or members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation- in the illegal so-called 'elections' for the Russian State Duma, held in September 2026 in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily and illegally occupied.

Neue Glamping-Zelte und ein Boots-Shuttle bis Mitternacht: Michel Péclard hat mit der Insel Lützelau Grosses vor. Doch Naturschützer stellen sich seinen Plänen entgegen. Gegenüber Blick nimmt der Gastro-König Stellung – und macht überraschende Zugeständnisse.

La hausse du prix de l'essence de contrebande, communément appelée « kpayo », affecte plusieurs communes du Bénin. Dans certaines localités du département de l'Atacora, le litre a été vendu jusqu'à 2 500 FCFA le dimanche 11 octobre 2026, sur fond de pénurie liée à la crue du fleuve Okpara.

Le prix de l'essence kpayo connaît une forte hausse dans plusieurs communes du Bénin. Le Nord du Bénin est le plus touché par cette hausse. À Matéri, Tanguiéta, Kérou, Ouassa-Péhunco et Toucountouna, dans le département de l'Atacora, les populations font face à une pénurie de ce carburant de contrebande.

Dans la journée du dimanche 11 octobre 2026, le litre d'essence kpayo a été vendu à 2 000 FCFA, voire 2 500 FCFA par endroits. Une situation qui contraint les consommateurs à débourser davantage pour s'approvisionner en carburant.

Cette hausse intervient alors que plusieurs stations-services ne disposent pas de stocks suffisants pour satisfaire la demande. Faute de pouvoir s'approvisionner facilement dans ces stations, les consommateurs se tournent vers les vendeurs d'essence de contrebande, malgré les prix élevés pratiqués. Selon les informations, cette situation serait liée à la crue du fleuve Okpara, qui entrave l'acheminement de l'essence vers les localités concernées.

Pendant que le litre d'essence kpayo atteint 2 500 FCFA dans certaines zones, le prix à la pompe dans les stations-services est actuellement de 750 FCFA le litre. Mais l'insuffisance des stocks dans certaines stations limite les possibilités d'approvisionnement des consommateurs.

Un accident de la circulation s'est produit dans l'après-midi du samedi 10 octobre 2026 au carrefour Gankpétin, dans l'arrondissement de Coussi, commune de Toffo, sur l'axe Toffo-Houègbo. Le bilan fait état de trois blessés et de dégâts matériels.

Un véhicule quitte sa trajectoire et fait des dégâts. Selon les informations rapportées par Radio Sèdohoun, le conducteur a terminé sa course contre une boutique en bordure de route. Le boutiquier, le conducteur et une autre victime ont été blessés. Les trois victimes ont été évacués à l'hôpital.
Les forces de sécurité se sont rendues sur les lieux pour le constat.

Le marché des métaux précieux en Algérie pourrait connaître un changement important en 2027. Le projet de loi de finances (PLF) 2027 prévoit une opération […]

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Millionen für externe Berater, Sparmassnahmen beim Programm: Die SRG-Ausgaben sorgen für Zündstoff. In der Community gehen die Meinungen auseinander: Während einige die hohen Honorare als falsche Priorität kritisieren, halten andere externe Expertise für unverzichtbar.