The primary purposes of this study were two-fold: i) to identify some of the key issues and challenges being faced by New Member States (NMS) in the management of their public investment programs
and ii) to identify good practice examples and persistent challenges faced by European Union (EU) member states that have had a longer history of development under democratic institutions of public management. By necessity this study is limited in the number of country cases and the depth at which various issues are addressed. Four NMS were selected - Poland, Slovenia, Latvia, and Slovakia based on agreed willingness to participate. The three 'old member states' were the UK, Ireland, and Spain (selected based on Bank interest and availability of expert consultants). In all of the countries, the focus was on central government policies and practices even though some execute projects through regional governments as well. The scope of the study was limited strictly to transport infrastructure (roads, bridges, and railways), because this tends to be the largest beneficiary of EU funding for investment. Finally, while the study touches on all phases of the project cycle, the strongest emphasis is given to project planning, appraisal and selection.