Proposals have been submitted to the Italian Government for the construction of a €3bn underground system in Rome. A decision is expected later this year.

The minister for International Co-operation, Fayza Abul-Naga, has announced that the World Bank is to lend $270m to fund railway development in Egypt, to be spent in 2007 and 2008.

The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide a €120m loan towards the cost of building a 15km light rail route in Le Mans, France, with a total of 30 stops. The total cost of the project, due to be completed by the end of 2007, is €230m.