Brussels, 20/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The high level group in charge of identifying priority connections to develop for linking up the EU and its neighbours held a plenary and regional meeting on 19-20 September to examine priority projects presented by 26 neighbouring countries. Under the chairmanship of Loyola de Palacio, the former European Commissioner for transport, Jacques Barrot the present Commissioner of transport set the group the task of identifying and developing technical and administrative interoperable transport connections between the EU and its neighbours. This group includes representatives from 25 Member States, Bulgarian and Romania and 26 other neighbouring countries, as well as international financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. Based on five multi-modal axes adopted during the group's plenary last July, the 26 neighbouring countries were called on to communicated their concrete priority projects in September. Selection of the projects depends on facilitating and developing exchange and guaranteeing the security of trade between the EU and its neighbours but it also takes financial into account. In order to resolve problems of funding and investment in the transport sector, the high level group is currently studying the possibility of using the private sector for loans. The group is expected to finish its work and submit the final report in the autumn (which defines the main points to develop) to vice president Jacques Barrot at the 10th anniversary of the declaration of Barcelona on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (in November).