Turkey's minister of finance, Mehmet Şimşek, tells Courtney Fingar how he intends to overhaul the country's tax system, why its political system is in a better shape than many perceive, and what the benefits of EU membership would be.

In a series of landmark developments, the Turkish government has begun the process of privatising its energy industry. So far, however, foreign interest in the tenders has been sorely lacking, so now the government is looking at further measures to galvanise the market.

East Germany's automotive industry used to be the butt of jokes around Europe. Now, however, no one is laughing as the eastern state of Saxony has established a reputation for producing cutting-edge, luxurious vehicles that are in demand around the world.

Regional bilateral free-trade agreements have emerged as a mechanism for boosting crossborder trade and investment in recent years, but none has been as ambitious as the two mega-regional deals currently being negotiated.

The outlook for Ukraine may seem bleak, but the recent violence and change of government may actually serve to improve the country's FDI prospects if the newly elected leaders implement much-needed reforms.

The ambitious Basque Y high-speed rail link connecting Spain's Basque Country with the rest of Europe will open up opportunities for investors in the region, improving freight transport and reducing costs.