“…This empirical analysis makes it clear that the EIB has a very significant effect on EU expenditure policy, and surely requires consideration in any discussion of EU institutions and policy‐making. Yet studies of the policy sectors in which the EIB is active pay little or no attention to it, even though it is often a very important source of finance (see for example Bache, 1998; Hall et al ., 2001 and Doria et al ., 2006 on regional policy; Ross, 1998 on transport; Farrell, 1999 on infrastructure; and Natalicchi, 2001; Lembke, 2002; and Bartle, 2005 on telecommunications). Similarly, the literature on EU expenditure policy fails to account for the role of the EIB (see for example Héritier, 1999, chapters 6 and 7 and Hix, 2005, chapter 9 on expenditure; Pollack, 2000 and Mattila, 2004; Mattila, 2006 on redistributive policy; and Begg and Grimwade, 1998; Mayhew, 2004; and Lindner, 2006 on budgetary policy).…”