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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Those behind the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam will soon get a befitting reply, Govt will take all necessary steps: Raksha Mantri

    Source: Government of India

    Those behind the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam will soon get a befitting reply, Govt will take all necessary steps: Raksha Mantri

    “Every Indian is united, we can never be intimidated by such terror activities”

    Govt equipping Armed Forces to tackle challenges emanating from a fluid international order, says Shri Rajnath Singh

    “Aim is to establish IAF as a dominant power & achieve defence sovereignty”

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 5:21PM by PIB Delhi

                Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has assured the people that those responsible for the cowardly terrorist attack on innocent citizens in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir will soon get a befitting reply to their nefarious acts on Indian soil. Delivering a memorial lecture on the Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Arjan Singh in New Delhi on April 23, 2025, Raksha Mantri reiterated India’s firm resolve of zero tolerance against terrorism and stated that the Government, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, will take every necessary and appropriate step.

                “India is an old civilisation and such a big country can never be intimidated by any such terror activities. Every Indian is united against this cowardly act. Not just those who perpetrated the attack, but even those who conspired from behind the scenes to commit such nefarious acts on the Indian soil will soon get an appropriate response,” said Shri Rajnath Singh

                In the context of cross-border-supported terrorist incidents, Raksha Mantri said “History is witness to the withering away of nations not due to the action of the adversary, but due to the result of their own misdeeds. I hope people across the border look at lessons of history more closely”.

                Shri Rajnath Singh expressed deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the terror attack at Pahalgam. “Our country has lost many innocent citizens in a cowardly attack by terrorists targeting religion. This extremely inhuman act has left us in deep pain. In this hour of grief, I pray for peace to the departed souls,” he said.

                Later, Raksha Mantri paid rich tributes to the Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, terming his leadership, vision and dedication as incredible. “He was a visionary military leader who, even today, inspires the youth. If today IAF is one of the world’s strongest air forces, it is because of the vision and ethos of military leaders like Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh,” he said.

                Shri Rajnath Singh described the journey of IAF as an aspiring, inspirational, and transformational epic, which is not just about touching the sky, but also turning the dreams of national security into reality. He stated that, despite challenges, IAF has grown stronger post-independence, and is today contributing significantly to national security as a strong pillar.

                Raksha Mantri emphasised that the Government’s focus is on transforming the Armed Forces on the back of a self-reliant defence ecosystem. He reiterated the commitment towards establishing IAF as a dominant power in the region, stating that the journey towards Aatmanirbharta is a shared responsibility. Commitment, collaboration and unified vision is the need of the hour, he said. He added that India’s national security will further strengthen if IAF is well-equipped and highly technology-oriented.

                Shri Rajnath Singh stressed that national security cannot be ensured through import dependency, and the Government is working relentlessly towards achieving defence sovereignty. He stated that emphasis is being laid on manufacturing defence equipment within the country and the efforts of Ministry of Defence are yielding positive results. He termed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, Light Utility Helicopter Prachand, Akash & BrahMos Air Defence weapons as shining examples of the capability of Indian designers, engineers and scientists.

                “Today, not only has there been unparalleled growth in defence manufacturing in the public sector, the private sector is also participating with great enthusiasm. As the field of defence production is becoming technology-oriented, the role of start-ups and MSMEs is also increasing rapidly. These are proving to be the backbone of defence innovation. In the times to come, the role of the private sector, start-ups and MSMEs in high-tech warfare is going to increase even more,” said Raksha Mantri.

                Terming aero-engine development as a priority area of the Government in view of the needs of IAF, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the effort is to make the engine in India on the model of co-development and co-production with full intellectual property rights. He added that special attention is being paid to the development of fifth generation fighter aircraft and LCA Mark-2. He further highlighted that self-reliance has been achieved to a large extent on many air defence systems, including Astra Mark-2, Pralay, SMART, anti-field weapon, NG Anti-radiation missile, and Very Short Range Air Defence System, and these are at various stages of production and development.

                Raksha Mantri emphasised that due to the shift of power dynamics to Asia in the 21st century, the Indo-Pacific region has emerged as the most important region strategically, and the Government is leaving no stone unturned to address the complex challenges emanating from a fluid international order and technological revolution. He pointed out that the revolutionary breakthrough in the field of technology, including the growing use of Artificial Intelligence, Hypersonic Directed Energy weapons, Quantum Computing, drones, cyber & space tech, have brought unpredictability and lethality in modern-day warfare, making it unconventional & even more uncertain. He voiced Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment to tackle these challenges and uncertainties.

    Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the senior civil & military officials and serving and retired IAF personnel were among those present on the occasion.

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    VK/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2123860) Visitor Counter : 361

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Agrinnovate India Limited Pays Dividend of Rs.1.42 crore for FY 2023–24

    Source: Government of India

    Agrinnovate India Limited Pays Dividend of Rs.1.42 crore for FY 2023–24

    Dividend cheque formally presented to Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 5:18PM by PIB Delhi

    Agrinnovate India Limited (AgIn), a Government of India enterprise under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has declared a dividend of Rs.1,42,23,513 for the financial year 2023–24. The dividend distribution complies with guidelines issued by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). This is the first time the AgIn has paid the dividend since its inception.

    The dividend cheque was formally presented to Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare  Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi today. The event was also graced by the presence of Shri. M.L. Jat, Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).  This announcement reflects AgIn’s continued financial strength and strategic vision, under the leadership of Dr. Praveen Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Agrinnovate India Ltd. 

    Established in 2011, Agrinnovate India Ltd. serves as the commercial arm of ICAR, bridging agricultural research and practical implementation. AgIn plays a pivotal role in transferring, valorizing, and scaling agri-technologies across India to benefit farmers and entrepreneurs. The dividend declaration underscores AgIn’s commitment to financial sustainability, institutional accountability, and its broader mission of advancing India’s agricultural innovation ecosystem.

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    PSF/KSR/AR

    (Release ID: 2123857) Visitor Counter : 144

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent websites purported to be from AlipayHK about Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent websites purported to be from AlipayHK about Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme 
         The TD clarifies that the fraudulent website has no connection with the PTFSS and has referred the case to the Police for follow up. The TD reminds members of the public that AlipayHK’s mobile application is the only channel for checking and collecting transport subsidy under AlipayHK. The enquiry services related to the PTFSS are only provided via its mobile application and the designated hotline (3002 0905).
     
         Members of the public should stay alert when receiving any unidentified messages, and should not visit suspicious websites or disclose any personal information. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the website concerned should contact the Police. Should users of AlipayHK have any enquiries about the PTFSS, please call 3002 0905.
    Issued at HKT 20:08

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary for Health meets Director of Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with the Director of the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Dr Guo Ziping, today (April 23) to have an in-depth exchange on areas such as the development of Chinese and Western medicine and medical devices in the two places.  

         Professor Lo said at the meeting, “The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC Central Committee) on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out the need of further reforming the medical and healthcare systems, and improving the mechanisms for supporting the development of innovative drugs and medical equipment. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government strenuously works in line with the national objective of further reforming the medical and healthcare systems, and will promote Hong Kong’s development into an international health and medical innovation hub by complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation. We will fully utilise the institutional advantages of ‘one country, two systems’ and our professional strengths in the healthcare sector, thereby enabling the innovative medical technologies to go global and attract foreign investment, and develop new quality productive forces in biomedicine.

         “To achieve this goal, the HKSAR Government will expedite the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices and enhance the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications, such as jointly establishing the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform in concerted efforts by the GBA International Clinical Trial Institute in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the GBA International Clinical Trials Center in the Shenzhen Park; establishing the Real-World Study and Application Centre; preparing for the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation to progress towards the ‘primary evaluation’ approach; and taking forward at full steam the preparatory work for legislating for the statutory regulation of medical devices.

         “At the same time, the HKSAR Government is also committed to developing Hong Kong into a national bridgehead for the internationalisation of Chinese medicine, including fostering international research collaboration on herb-drug interactions, promoting the development of standards, testing and scientific research of Chinese medicines through the the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute, as well as encouraging more large-scale international and regional conferences, exhibitions and mega events on Chinese medicine to be held in Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government will also encourage the Chinese medicine sector to make good use of policies benefitting Hong Kong, such as the arrangement of streamlining approval procedures for Hong Kong-registered traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for external use or oral use to be registered and sold on the Mainland to expedite the development of the Chinese medicine industry and open up new markets.”

         Professor Lo emphasised that the HKSAR Government will continue to push forward co-operation with Guangdong Province and the Shenzhen Municipality in areas such as cross-boundary healthcare services, training of healthcare staff, medical technology exchanges and Chinese medicine development under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits in a bid to build a “Healthy Bay Area” and further contribute to the overall development of the nation through joint endeavours.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE continues visit to Zhejiang (with photos/videos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CE continues visit to Zhejiang (with photos/videos) 
    In the morning, Mr Lee and the delegation visited the headquarters of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine to learn about its operations and the latest developments in applying healthcare technology. This included the hospital’s achievements in developing a new therapy for malignant haematological diseases, the application of robotic technology in drug preparation and reform of medical logistics models, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for precise clinical diagnosis.
     
    Later, Mr Lee visited the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City Urban Exhibition Center to gain insights into Hangzhou’s advancements in areas including smart city development and AI, as well as achievements in developing the Chengxi Sci-tech Innovation Corridor. He also met with representatives of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” I&T enterprises, namely Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co Ltd, Hangzhou Yushu Technology Co Ltd (Unitree Robotics), Hangzhou Youke Interactive Technology Co Ltd (Game Science), Manycore Tech Inc, Hangzhou Yunshenchu Technology Co Ltd, and BrainCo. Touring the special exhibition arranged for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation, Mr Lee engaged with the representatives to understand the developments and features of the six iconic and influential I&T companies in areas such as large language models, robotics, AI, game development, and Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technologies. They also discussed issues including the development of a new technology ecosystem and the relationship and collaboration between enterprises and governments.
     
    At noon, Mr Lee attended a luncheon hosted by the Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Mr Wang Hao. Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the Zhejiang and Hangzhou authorities for their meticulous arrangements for the visit. He noted that Zhejiang, as a vital province in the Yangtze River Delta, boasts a strong foundation in technological development, private economy, and digital economy, while Hong Kong is a core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and an international financial, shipping, and trade centre. The two places play significant roles in driving the country’s high-quality development and have a broad room of collaboration. He expressed confidence that with the successful establishment and active promotion of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference Mechanism, there will be broader, deeper, and higher-level co-operation between the two places, achieving mutual benefits.
     
    Mr Lee also took the opportunity to visit two of the “Six Little Dragons”, BrainCo and Unitree Robotics. Mr Lee gained a deeper understanding of BrainCo’s achievements in developing non-invasive BCI technology and its applications in fields such as medical rehabilitation and education, as well as Unitree Robotics’ achievements and advancements in developing civilian robots for use in agriculture, industry, power inspection, survey and exploration, and public rescue, etc.
     
    Mr Lee then toured the “Black Myth: Wukong Art Exhibition”. Based on a game developed by Game Science, one of the “Six Little Dragons”, the exhibition showcased the behind-the-scenes details of the game development through recreations of scenes, characters and items from the game.
     
    Noting the rapid development of I&T enterprises represented by the “Six Little Dragons”, Mr Lee said that Hangzhou has been promoting the I&T industry over the years, creating a vibrant industrial ecosystem and a favourable investment environment. He said that Hong Kong is dedicated to developing into an international I&T centre, and that he will strive to promote collaboration and exchanges between I&T enterprises in Hong Kong and Hangzhou, with a view to leveraging their comparative advantages. He also noted that Hong Kong, as an international city fully open to the world, will reinforce its connectivity with both the Mainland and the world to serve Mainland enterprises in expanding into global markets. He also welcomed I&T enterprises in Hangzhou to set up in Hong Kong to pursue development together.
     
    In the evening, Mr Lee attended a dinner hosted by the Governor of Zhejiang Province, Mr Liu Jie, to exchange views on deepening co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and Zhejiang. He also gained insights into the development experiences and directions of local cultural performances.
     
    Mr Lee will continue his visit tomorrow (April 24). He will attend the High-Level Meeting cum the First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference before departing for Ningbo in the afternoon.
     
    Issued at HKT 19:56

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM to visit Bihar on 24th April

    Source: Government of India

    PM to visit Bihar on 24th April

    PM to participate in programme marking National Panchayati Raj Day in Madhubani, Bihar

    PM to inaugurate, lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 13,480 crore in Bihar

    PM to flag off Amrit Bharat express and Namo Bharat Rapid rail in Bihar

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 6:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on 24th April. He will travel to Madhubani and at around 11:45 AM, he will participate in a programme marking National Panchayati Raj Day. He will also inaugurate, lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 13,480 crore, and address the gathering on the occasion.

    Prime Minister will participate in the National Panchayati Raj Day programme in Madhubani, Bihar. He will also present National Panchayat Awards, recognizing and incentivizing best-performing Panchayats on the occasion. 

    Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of an LPG bottling plant with rail unloading facility at Hathua in Gopalganj District of Bihar worth around Rs 340 crore. This will help in streamlining the supply chain and improving efficiency of bulk LPG transportation.

    Boosting power infrastructure in the region, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 1,170 crore and also inaugurate multiple projects worth over Rs 5,030 crore in the power sector in Bihar under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. 

    In line with his commitment to boost rail connectivity across the nation, Prime Minister will flag off Amrit Bharat express between Saharsa and Mumbai, Namo Bharat Rapid rail between Jaynagar and Patna and trains between Pipra and Saharsa and Saharsa and Samastipur. He will also inaugurate the Supaul Pipra rail line, Hasanpur Bithan Rail line and two 2-lane Rail over bridges at Chapra and Bagaha. He will dedicate to the nation the Khagaria-Alauli Rail line. These projects will improve connectivity and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region.

    Prime Minister will distribute benefits of around Rs 930 crore under Community Investment Fund to over 2 lakh SHGs from Bihar under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NRLM).

    Prime Minister will also hand over sanction letters to 15 lakh new beneficiaries of PMAY-Gramin and release instalments to 10 lakh PMAY-G beneficiaries from across the country. He will hand over keys to some beneficiaries marking the Grih Pravesh of 1 lakh PMAY-G and 54,000 PMAY-U houses in Bihar.

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    MJPS/VJ

    (Release ID: 2123904) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh convenes a joint meeting of Department of Biotechnology, AIIMS New Delhi, BIRAC, ICMR and Industry partners to review the indigenously developed HPV test kits for Cervical Cancer screening in India Calls Scientific Review of Indigenously Developed HPV Test Kits for Cervical Cancer Screening,

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh convenes a joint meeting of Department of Biotechnology, AIIMS New Delhi, BIRAC, ICMR and Industry partners to review the indigenously developed HPV test kits for Cervical Cancer screening in India Calls Scientific Review of Indigenously Developed HPV Test Kits for Cervical Cancer Screening,

    Describes it as a Milestone in Preventive Healthcare:

    With 1 in every 5 women globally suffering from cervical cancer is from India. With 25% of global cervical cancer deaths occurring in India— often due to late diagnosis— Dr. Jitendra Singh stresses the critical need for preventive screening strategies

    Lauds involvement of the private sector is integral to these success stories, highlighting a “whole-of-science and whole-of-government approach.”

    Ultimate objective is to enable affordable, accessible, and ideally mass screening for cervical cancer highlights Dr. Jitendra Singh

    Dr. Jitendra Singh calls it national responsibility to safeguard our youth and offer them timely prevention of metabolic disorders

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 5:13PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh today convened a joint meeting of Department of Biotechnology, AIIMS New Delhi, BIRAC, ICMR and Industry partners here to review the indigenously developed HPV test kits for Cervical Cancer screening in India and described it as another milestone in preventive healthcare achieved by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science & Technology.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that the ultimate goal is to position India as a global leader in preventive healthcare. He said it is now the right time to acknowledge a series of significant milestones accomplished by the team at DBT and BIRAC, including the development of the first-ever DNA vaccine, which brought India international recognition and restored esteem to Indian science in the field of healthcare.

    “The DNA vaccine has projected India as a country capable of leading in preventive healthcare—a stark contrast to the outdated perception that India neither prioritized preventive, nor even curative healthcare,” said Dr. Jitendra Singh.

    He also referred to Nafithromycin, India’s first indigenous antibiotic, which has received encouraging feedback. Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated that the involvement of the private sector is integral to these success stories, highlighting a “whole-of-science and whole-of-government approach.”

    Another breakthrough cited was the successful gene therapy trial in hemophilia, which earned a spot in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Notably, both the British Medical Journal and NEJM, among the world’s oldest medical journals, have acknowledged India’s pioneering healthcare research.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh outlined four pillars of focus namely 1. Preventive Healthcare – As the future of healthcare lies in prevention, this will be the government’s primary focus moving forward.2. Youth-Centric Preventive Measures – Recognizing the prevalence of cervical cancer among adolescents and young women, emphasis will be on early-age interventions.3. Women’s Health –Strengthening government initiatives across ministries, including Health and Women & Child Development. 4. Private Sector Involvement – Building an ecosystem where government and private players collaborate domestically and globally.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh coined the term “PPP plus PPP”, referring to Public-Private Partnerships both within and beyond national borders, a model successfully adopted by several European nations, particularly in life sciences and healthcare.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh drew attention to India ranking fourth globally in cervical cancer-related morbidity, underscoring the urgent need for action. He cautioned, however, that HPV is not the sole cause of cervical cancer, but studies have shown a 90% correlation, supporting the case for targeted prevention.

    The Minister said that the ultimate objective is to enable affordable, accessible, and ideally mass screening for cervical cancer. He cited his own example from 1996 of providing free insulin treatment for Type 1 diabetes through charitable collaboration with Novo Nordisk, illustrating how private companies can contribute meaningfully.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh also remarked that discussions around vaccines have surged post-COVID, but emphasized the need for holistic prevention, including social, cultural, and hygienic habits—the traditional pillars of public health education.

    The GCI-BIRAC-DBT program titled “Validating Indigenous Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Tests for Cervical Cancer Screening in India” successfully validated rapid, point-of-care, RT-PCR-based HPV diagnostic test kits. These kits were tested at premier R&D laboratories across the country.

    According to WHO data, 1 in every 5 women globally suffering from cervical cancer is from India. With 25% of global cervical cancer deaths occurring in India—often due to late diagnosis—Dr. Jitendra Singh stressed the critical need for preventive screening strategies.

    The Minister pointed out that current screening methods, including VIA/VILI, Pap smears, and HPV DNA testing, are costly, resource-intensive, and moderately sensitive. The new indigenous kits are expected to significantly reduce the cost and improve accessibility for widespread use.

    Tying the initiative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, Dr. Jitendra Singh said India is now addressing multiple challenges simultaneously. With over 70% of India’s population below the age of 40, Dr. Singh raised concerns about rising non-communicable diseases, including early-onset Type 2 diabetes, once considered a disease of the middle-aged.

    “It becomes a national responsibility to safeguard our youth and offer them timely prevention if we truly aim to harness their energy for building the India of 2047,” Dr. Jitendra Singh asserted.

    The Minister concluded by urging continued cross-sector collaboration to ensure that the benefits of science reach the common public, making healthcare not just accessible, but affordable and proactive.

    The review meeting was attended by several key dignitaries and domain experts. Dr. V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog; Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC; and Padma Shri Dr. Neerja Bhatla, a renowned expert in gynecologic oncology, were present and contributed valuable insights to the review proceedings.

    Prior to the commencement of the scientific review, a two-minute silence was observed to pay solemn tribute to the lives lost in yesterday’s terror attack in Pahalgam. The gathering expressed deep condolences and solidarity with the families of the victims.

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2123856) Visitor Counter : 12

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MeitY Launches ‘I Am Circular’ Coffee Table Book

    Source: Government of India

    MeitY Launches ‘I Am Circular’ Coffee Table Book

    ‘I Am Circular’ Highlights 30 Circular Economy Innovations from India

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 6:27PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted the release of the ‘I Am Circular’ Coffee Table Book, curetted by the International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE).  The book is a vibrant celebration of India’s innovative spirit in driving the circular economy forward.

    Tech-Driven Inclusive Development

    In his keynote address, Additional Secretary, MeitY and Director General, National Informatics Centre Shri Abhishek Singh emphasized the importance of enabling ecosystems that foster innovation for sustainability. “This initiative aligns with MeitY’s vision of integrating technology for responsible growth and inclusive development. The ‘I Am Circular’ book stands as a proud representation of India’s innovation potential in the domain of circular economy,” he stated.

    MeitY extends its appreciation to the International Council for Circular Economy, for facilitating the successful execution of this initiative, he said. He added that ‘I Am Circular’ Coffee Table Book is not merely a publication—it is a testament to India’s creative potential, an ode to responsible innovation and a symbol of our national commitment to building a sustainable, circular future.

    The event was also attended by Dr. Sandip Chhaterjee, Advisor, SERI, Mr Surendra Gotherwal, Scientist, MeitY, Mr. Pooran Chandra Pandey, Advisor, ICCE, and Mr. Ravinder Dahiya, Director, ICCE, Ms. Shalini Goyal Bhalla, Managing Director, ICCE.

    About Coffee Table Book

    The ‘I Am Circular’ Coffee Table Book features 30 of India’s most promising innovations identified through the nationwide ‘I Am Circular’ Challenge, an initiative designed to discover and amplify breakthrough solutions rooted in the principles of the circular economy. The selected innovations are based on three key themes: Design to Last, Work with Nature, and Use Existing Resources.

    From electronic waste recycling and IoT-based circular solutions, to green materials and digital repair platforms, the innovations showcased reflect a future where resources are used responsibly, waste is minimized, and technology and sustainability converge

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    Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith

    (Release ID: 2123899) Visitor Counter : 30

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Focused, 2-day capacity building programme for electoral field functionaries from Bihar begins

    Source: Government of India

    Focused, 2-day capacity building programme for electoral field functionaries from Bihar begins

    229 BLOs, 12 EROs and 2 DEOs take part in the training program at IIIDEM in the National Capital

    Specialized one-day training programme for State Police Nodal Officer (SPNO) and Police Officers from Bihar also begins

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 4:54PM by PIB Delhi

    The Election Commission is organising a 2-day training and capacity building of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) at the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi. This is the third such batch of BLOs to be trained from the poll-bound state of Bihar. 229 BLOs, 12 EROs and 2 DEOs from the State are participating in the 2-day training programme. A specialized one-day training programme for the State Police Nodal Officer (SPNO) and Police Officers from Bihar also commenced today. The training programme was inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner of India Shri Gyanesh Kumar in the presence of Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi at IIIDEM, New Delhi and was followed by an interaction with the participants.

    The training is planned to familiarise the BLOs with their roles and responsibilities as per statutory framework and equip them with to ensure error-free electoral rolls. They will also be trained in the IT applications designed to support their roles.

    This is the latest in the first phase of the ongoing physical training programmes at IIIDEM in which 555 BLOs from poll-bound states of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam and 279 Booth Level Agents (BLA-1s) of 10 recognised national and state political parties from Bihar have already been trained. These well-trained BLOs will form a corps of Assembly Level Master Trainers (ALMTs) to strengthen the entire network of BLOs nationwide.

    The training of SPNOs and Police Officers from Bihar aims to improve coordination between election authorities and the police for enhanced electoral management, especially in the areas of law and order, vulnerability assessment, Paramilitary forces (CAPF) deployment, and model code of conduct (MCC) enforcement.

    Till date over 3000 participants from 141 countries including large democracies such as Australia, United Kingdom, USA, Brazil, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Israel, Russia and South Africa have benefited from training programmes from India’s globally acclaimed election management practices at IIIDEM.

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    PK/GDH/RP

    (Release ID: 2123840) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: International Conference “Shaping the Energy Future: Challenges and Opportunities” (SEFCO-2025) inaugurated at CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

    CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun is organising an International Conference “Shaping the Energy Future: Challenges and Opportunities” (SEFCO-2025) from April 23 to 25, 2025. SEFCO conference is annually organized by students and young scientists at CSIR-IIP, Dehradun which is a platform to facilitate discussions on innovative solutions, explore collaborative opportunities in energy & chemical sector.

    1stedition of “SEFCO” Conference was organized in 2017. The present 7thedition is an international conference with a theme of “Catalysing a Sustainable Future with Affordable Energy and Chemicals.”

     

    The inauguration ceremony of SEFCO held on 23 April 2025 was graced by Chief Guest Prof. K.K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee and Guest of Honour Sh Alok Sharma, Director (R&D), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Dr. Manoj Srivastava, Secretary, SEFCO 2025 in his opening remarks gave an overview of genesis and relevance of SEFCO and its journey since inception. Dr. Harender Singh Bisht, Director, CSIR-IIP and Chief Patron of the conference, after paying homage to his holiness Pope Francis, welcomed distinguished guests and delegates and highlighted work done at CSIR-IIP and shared his vision on the way forward.

     

     

    Sh Alok Sharma in his guest of honour address highlighted the approaches and measures adopted by Indian refineries towards achieving GoI’snet-zero goal by 2070.

    In his keynote address, Chief guest Prof. K K Pant emphasized various pathways of producing green and sustainable energy and chemicals. He also mentioned that new challenges emerge when the technologies are scale-up from lab to commercial level. He inspired young researchers to think out of box to overcome these challenges.

    This 3-day conference will feature talks from various national and international experts, young scientists and research students from universities, research institutes and industries. Notable International speakers include Prof. Paul A. Webley from Monash University, Australia; Dr. Richard Blom from SINTEF, Norway; Prof. Samira Siahrostami, Simon Fraser University, Canada; Prof. Keiichi Tomishige, Tohoku University, Japan, and Prof. Eric van Steen, SARChI Reaction Engineering, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

    More than 300 delegates from various national and international organizations are attending the conference. An exhibition showcasing CSIR-IIP’s technological achievements is part of this conference. SEFCO-2025 is supported by ONGC, EIL, BPCL, CRISTOL,IOCL, GAIL, AIRBUS, NRL, CPCL & R L Solutions.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Poshan Pakhwada 2025 Celebrations: Empowering Communities for a Healthier Tomorrow

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 4:48PM by PIB Delhi

    As part of the  Poshan Pakhwada 2025 celebrations, various activities were organized across the country to emphasize the importance of the first 1000 days of life.

    In Taloda, District Nandurbar, Maharashtra, a spirited street play (Nukkad Natak) was organized by local artists in the local dialect. The performance effectively sensitized the entire community to the significance of the first 1000 days.

    In Mizoram, a vibrant Health Walk was organized to spread awareness about the importance of the first 1000 days as part of Poshan Pakhwada 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Building a Self-Reliant India

    Source: Government of India

    Building a Self-Reliant India

    5 Years of SVAMITVA Scheme

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 5:56PM by PIB Delhi

    “The country is determined to make the villages and the poor self-reliant, to realize the potential of India. The role of SVAMITVA Scheme is very big for the accomplishment of this resolution.”

            ~ Prime Minister Narendra Modi

     

    • Launched in April 2020, SVAMITVA provides legal ownership of rural residential land using drone-based surveys.
    • SVAMITVA was implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj with support from Survey of India and National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI).
    • It aims to empower rural citizens with property cards, enabling access to credit, dispute resolution, and better planning.
    • Over 2.42 crore property cards have been created for 1.61 lakh villages under the scheme.
    • Drone surveys completed in 3.20 lakh villages, covering 68,122 sq. km of the area.

    • SVAMITVA is transforming rural governance, boosting economic growth and showcasing India’s land tech globally.

    Introduction

    The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on April 24, 2020, on National Panchayati Raj Day. This year, SVAMITVA is celebrating its 5th anniversary! The scheme helps people in villages get legal ownership papers for the houses and land they live on. It uses drones and special mapping tools to clearly mark property boundaries. With these papers, people can take bank loans, settle land disputes, and even use their property to earn more. It also helps in better village planning.

    The SVAMITVA Scheme is implemented by the Survey of India (SoI) with the National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) as the technology partner. The total cost is ₹566.23 crores from Financial Year (FY) 2020-21 to FY 2024-25, with an extension until FY 2025-26.

     

    Key Achievements Under Scheme

     

    1. On 18th January 2025, 65 lakh SVAMITVA property cards were distributed across more than 50,000 villages in 10 States (Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh) and 2 Union Territories (Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh).
    2. As of 2nd April 2025, drone surveys have been completed in 3.20 lakh villages under the SVAMITVA Scheme. These surveys have covered an estimated area of 68,122 square kilometers, based on the average size of the inhabited areas in each village.
    3. As of 11th March 2025, 31 States and Union Territories have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). Drone surveys have been completed in 3.20 lakh villages, with full coverage in the Union Territories of Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Delhi and the states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. A total of 2.42 crore property cards have been issued for 1.61 lakh villages.


    SVAMITVA: Inspiring Global Land Governance Innovations

    SVAMITVA is setting a global example by using technology to transform land governance and inspire other countries to adopt similar models.

    1. The International Workshop on Land Governance  held from March 24-29, 2025, at Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA), Gurugram, brought together senior officials from 22 countries. The event showcased India’s innovative approach, including drone-based surveys, digital property records and transparent governance through the SVAMITVA Scheme.
    2. At the India International Trade Fair 2024 in Bharat Mandapam, the scheme demonstrated how drones and GIS mapping are helping rural communities gain clear and legal land ownership. This not only reduces disputes but also improves access to credit and fosters economic growth, empowering rural India and enhancing property rights.

    Need for SVAMITVA

    For decades, many village homes and lands in India were never properly recorded. Without legal documents, people couldn’t prove ownership or use their property to get bank loans or government help. This lack of records slowed down the economic growth of rural areas and led to frequent land disputes. To solve this, the SVAMITVA Scheme gives people legal ownership papers, helping them secure their rights and build a better future.

     

    Objectives of the Scheme

     

    SVAMITVA Components

    The SVAMITVA Scheme is built on key components that ensure accurate land mapping, efficient implementation, and community awareness:

    • Establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network: The CORS network support in establishing Ground Control Points, which is an important activity for accurate Geo-referencing, ground truthing and demarcation of Lands. 
    • Large Scale Mapping using Drones: Rural inhabited (abadi) area is being mapping by Survey of India using drone Survey. It generates high resolution and accurate maps to confer ownership property rights. Based on these maps or data, property cards issue to the rural household owners. 
    • Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Initiatives: Awareness program to sensitize the local population about the scheme methodology and its benefits.
    • Enhancement of Spatial Planning Application “Gram Manchitra”: Leveraging digital spatial data/maps created under drone survey for creation of spatial analytical tools to support preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). 
    • Online Monitoring System: Online Monitoring and reporting dashboard is monitored to track the progress of activities. 
    • Project Management: Programme Management Units at the National and State levels for supporting Ministry & State respectively with scheme implementation.

    Success Stories

     

    The SVAMITVA Scheme is transforming rural governance by providing clear property rights and improving land management. These examples underscore the scheme’s role in driving rural progress and fostering self-reliance.

    • Dispute Resolution: After 25 years of uncertainty, Smt. Sunita from Taropka village in Himachal Pradesh got legal ownership of her ancestral land through the SVAMITVA Scheme. With her property card, she settled a long-standing dispute with her neighbor, bringing peace and security to her family’s future. The SVAMITVA Scheme gave her clear ownership, improving her life.
    • Financial Inclusion: Sh. Sukhlal Pargi from Falated village in Rajasthan received a Patta and Property Card through the SVAMITVA Scheme. With these documents, he was able to access financial services. He used the property card to get a bank loan of Rs 3 lakh quickly. The SVAMITVA Scheme gave him legal ownership and helped improve his financial stability.

     

     

    Conclusion

    The SVAMITVA Scheme is changing land ownership in rural India. It turns old challenges into new opportunities for growth and empowerment. The scheme uses technology to solve disputes and break barriers. It helps people use their land for economic progress. With drones and digital property cards, it’s about creating new possibilities. SVAMITVA is more than a government program, it’s a step toward self-reliance, better planning and a stronger rural India.

     

    References

    • Ministry of Panchayati Raj

    https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2022/jun/doc20226862301.pdf

    Click here to download PDF

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD sets up reading locations for Hong Kong Reading for All Day (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         This year’s April 23 marks the second Hong Kong Reading for All Day. The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (April 23) collaborated with stakeholders to set up reading locations for “Read Together for Half an Hour” activities to promote reading among the public.
     
         The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, attended the “Read Together for Half an Hour” activity at the Hong Kong Central Library to share her reading experience with the participating students, remarking that reading while broadening one’s horizons is also life-enriching. She encouraged students to keep reading.
     
         The HKPL also invited renowned online content creator SaiDorSi to explore the relationship between reading and creativity with the participating students.
     
         “Read Together for Half an Hour” is one of the highlight activities of the Hong Kong Reading Week 2025 (HKRW). The LCSD provided a variety of books at different reading locations today, including the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Science Museum, the Oil Street Art Space, the Hong Kong Railway Museum, Choi Hung Road Sports Centre, Tsuen Wan Sports Centre, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park and individual public libraries, for public participation in reading together.
     
         In addition, “Read Together for Half an Hour” activities were held today at 2025 Hong Kong Reading+ at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, as well as at individual community libraries and community centres. The HKPL, in collaboration with the Hans Andersen Club, also carried out the “Read together for Half an Hour” event and carnival at Lok Fu Place, featuring storytelling sessions, game booths and handicraft workshops. A reading area with selected books was set up to promote reading.
     
         The HKRW is being held from April 19 to 27. Under the theme “Zoom/LIBRARY”, the HKRW offers about 450 online and on-site events to encourage members of the public to develop the reading habit. Activities include fun days, sharing sessions, videos and audio clips in which celebrities share their reading experiences and more. QR codes for selected e-books are available at different government venues for easy public access.
    　　
         All HKRW activities are free of charge, with seat reservations required for individual events. For details, please visit the website: www.hkpl.gov.hk/hkrw.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special Category National Panchayat Awards-2025 to Be Conferred on April 24th, National Panchayati Raj Day, in Bihar

    Source: Government of India

    Special Category National Panchayat Awards-2025 to Be Conferred  on April 24th, National Panchayati Raj Day,  in Bihar

    In a First,  Ministry of Panchayati Raj Institutionalises Special Category Awards to Recognise Panchayats’ Efforts in Climate Action and Self-Reliance

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 4:30PM by PIB Delhi

    This year’s National Panchayati Raj Day  (NPRD) will mark a special moment with the presentation of the Special Category National Panchayat Awards–2025 at the National event of NPRD-2025 to be held at Lohna Uttar Gram Panchayat, District Madhubani, Bihar on 24th April, 2025. It is for the first time, that the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has institutionalised dedicated Special Category Awards to incentivize and acknowledge exemplary efforts of Gram Panchayats in the key national priorities of Climate Action and Atmanirbharta (Self-Reliance) through augmentation of Own Sources Revenue (OSR). In addition the awards for best Institutions for Capacity Building of Panchayats aligned with the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) will also be conferred on the occasion.

    The following Special Category National Panchayat Awards have been introduced to acknowledge outstanding contributions by Panchayats/ Institutions in key national priority areas:

    Climate Action Special Panchayat Award (CASPA) – to encourage Panchayats to act as climate-responsive local governments;

    Atma Nirbhar Panchayat Special Award (ANPSA) – to promote Atmanirbharta through augmentation of Own Source Revenue (OSR) by Panchayats;

    Panchayat Kshamta Nirman Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar (PKNSSP) – to recognize excellence in capacity building and training of Panchayati Raj representatives and functionaries. This award was instituted by the Ministry in 2023 and first awards were conferred in 2024.

    The Awardees for Special Categories of National Panchayat Awards–2025 are:

    Climate Action Special Panchayat Award (CASPA)

    • Rank 1: Dawwa S Gram Panchayat, Gondia District, Maharashtra
    • Rank 2: Biradahalli Gram Panchayat, Hassan District, Karnataka
    • Rank 3: Motipur Gram Panchayat, Samastipur District, Bihar

    Atma Nirbhar Panchayat Special Award (ANPSA)

    • Rank 1: Mall Gram Panchayat, Rangareddi District, Telangana
    • Rank 2: Hatbadra Gram Panchayat, Mayurbhanj District, Odisha
    • Rank 3: Gollapudi Gram Panchayat, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh

    Panchayat Kshamta Nirman Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar (PKNSSP)

    • Rank 1: Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Kerala
    • Rank 2: State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Odisha
    • Rank 3: State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development, Assam

    Each award includes a financial incentive of Rs.1 crore (Rank 1), Rs.75 lakh (Rank 2), and Rs.50 lakh (Rank 3) respectively. The awardees will be presented with specially designed trophies and certificates. Notably, 3 of the 6 awardee Gram Panchayats – from Bihar (Motipur Gram Panchayat), Maharashtra (Dawwa S Gram Panchayat), and Odisha (Hatbadra Gram Panchayat) – are headed by women Sarpanches.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Building Champions: On the field, Off the field

    Source: Government of India

    Building Champions: On the field, Off the field

    Welfare and Support Schemes for Sportspersons in India

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 4:24PM by PIB Delhi

    Summary:

    • Government schemes support athletes at every stage of their careers.
    • The past decade has been a golden era for Indian sports, highlighted by historic achievements and global recognition. .
    • ₹3,794 crore allocated to the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry for FY 2025-26 — a 17% rise from the revised FY 2024-25 allocation.
    • Key allocations include ₹1,000 crore for Khelo India, ₹400 crore for NSFs, and ₹830 crore for SAI.
    • Initiatives like Khelo India and Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) focus on mass participation from atheletes from rural areas, building infrastructure, and nurturing talent in rural and grassroots settings.
    • Schemes like Sports And Games for the Disabled promotes inclusive and participative sports among persons with disabilities at the grassroots level.
    • Schemes like the Pandit Deendayal Fund, Pension Scheme, and RESET Programme offer financial aid, medical support, and career transition help to current and retired athletes.
    • National Sports Awards honor outstanding achievements and sportsmanship in various categories.

    Introduction

    It is rightly said that champions are not born overnight, but they are built with years of dedication, discipline, and, most importantly, support. Support from families, support from coaches and support from the government play a crucial role in bringing the talent from every corner of the country to the forefront. The Government of India is working tirelessly to bring the best of the world to Indian athletes through its schemes and initiatives. These schemes aim to identify and encourage talent at the grassroots, support sportspersons during and after their active careers, and create a sustainable ecosystem for sporting excellence.

    A Decade of Achievements

    The last decade has been a golden chapter in Indian sports history, marked by record-breaking achievements and rising global recognition. From historic Olympic and Paralympic medal hauls to standout performances in world championships across athletics, badminton, wrestling, and boxing, Indian athletes have consistently pushed boundaries.

    Government Spending on Sports

    In a bold move to fuel India’s sporting future, the government has made a record allocation of Rs. 3794 crores to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for FY 2025–26. This is a big jump from last year’s revised budget of ₹3,232.85 crore.

    A major portion, that is ₹2,191.01 crore, has been allocated to Central Sector Schemes, with the flagship Khelo India Programme receiving ₹1,000 crore (up from ₹800 crore allocated in FY 2024-25). Funding for National Sports Federations has also been raised to ₹400 crore, while the Sports Authority of India (SAI) gets ₹830 crore to enhance athlete training and facilities.

    Schemes and Programmes to Support Sports in India

    India’s support for its athletes is now more structured and focused than ever. The approach is holistic—covering every stage of an athlete’s journey. From spotting raw talent in villages to backing Olympic medallists, the government has stepped up in a big way. A wide range of schemes now exist to meet the real needs of sportspersons—training, funding, facilities, and life after sport. Each step is designed to help athletes rise and stay at the top.

    Khelo India

    ​The Khelo India – National Programme for Development of Sports is a flagship initiative by the Government of India aimed at revitalizing the sports culture at the grassroots level and transforming India into a global sporting powerhouse. Launched in 2016-17 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Khelo India programme aims to revive the sports culture in India at the grassroot level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establish India as a great sporting nation.

    Retired Sportsperson Empowerment Training (RESET) Programme

    The Retired Sportsperson Empowerment Training (RESET) Programme, launched in 2024, empowers retired athletes to reinvent themselves. This initiative provides tailor-made education, internships, and skill-building opportunities to retired sportspersons. Its goal is to address both the employment needs of retired athletes and the human resource gaps in India’s sports sector—offering careers in coaching, administration, mentoring, and beyond.

    Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)

    The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons offers one-time ex-gratia aid of up to ₹5 lakh, a monthly pension of ₹5,000, medical assistance up to ₹10 lakh, and support up to ₹10 lakh for injuries sustained during training or competitions. Families of deceased sportspersons and support personnel like coaches, referees, and physiotherapists may also receive financial aid, with a maximum of ₹5 lakh and ₹2 lakh respectively.

    Scheme of Human Resources Development in Sports

    The Human Resources Development in Sports (HRDS) Scheme focuses on upgrading skills, encouraging research, and promoting knowledge in key areas like sports science, medicine, and coaching. The scheme offers financial aid for fellowships, training, and global exposure in sports, along with support for research, expert visits, and developing quality sports literature and e-resources.

    Sports And Games for the Disabled

    To ensure that no talent is left behind, the Government of India launched the Scheme of Sports & Games for the Disabled. This Central Sector Scheme aims to promote inclusive and participative sports among persons with disabilities at the grassroots level. While high-performing para-athletes receive separate support through the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations, this initiative focuses on broad-basing sports participation across schools, communities, and districts.

    Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan

    Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA), a flagship Indian government initiative designed to bolster grassroots sports. This programme provides financial assistance for developing sports infrastructure and procuring equipment at village and block levels. PYKKA also supports annual sports competitions across block, district, and state levels, alongside operational funding for activities and volunteer honorariums.

    Assistance To National Sports Federations

    Under the scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) financial assistance is given to National Sports Federations (NSFs) for the training of athletes, which includes all requisite support for training, participation in international events, conduct of National Championships, conduct of international tournaments in India, engagement of Foreign Coaches/support staff, scientific & medical support etc.  

    National Sports Development Fund

    The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) is a key initiative by the Government of India to support excellence in sports. Created in response to India’s sub-par performance in international events, NSDF aims to mobilize resources from both government and private sectors to bridge critical gaps in infrastructure, training, and athlete support. It offers financial assistance to outstanding athletes and institutions for training under expert coaches, access to international competitions, and development of sports infrastructure.

    Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons

    Athletes devote the prime years of their lives to the pursuit of excellence, often sacrificing education, career stability, and family life. The Sports Fund for Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons offers a life-long safety net to those who brought glory to the nation.

    Pension Structure:

    • ₹20,000/month for Olympic/Para-Olympic/Deaflympic medallists
    • ₹16,000/month for Gold medallists in World Cup/Championships
    • ₹14,000/month for Silver/Bronze in World events & Gold in Asian/Commonwealth
    • ₹12,000/month for Silver/Bronze in Asian/Commonwealth Games

    Awards and Recognition

    The National Sports Awards stand as the highest sporting honours in India, celebrating the exceptional achievements of athletes who have put India on the global sporting map. Presented annually, these prestigious awards recognize extraordinary performances at national and international events, while also fostering a spirit of sportsmanship that transcends borders. There is total six categories of awards that are given to sportspersons in India.

    Conclusion

    The Government of India has demonstrated a strong commitment to elevating sports across the nation by creating a comprehensive framework of support for athletes at every stage of their journey. The last decade has been a golden era for Indian sports, with record-breaking performances on international platforms like the Olympics, Paralympics, and Asian Games. Through initiatives like Khelo India, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund, and various welfare schemes, the government is not only identifying and nurturing talent from the grassroots but also ensuring that athletes are supported throughout their careers and beyond. With substantial investments in infrastructure, training, and athlete well-being, India is on a promising path to becoming a global sports leader, offering its athletes the resources and opportunities to excel on the world stage.

    References:

    Click here to see PDF.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: VP to preside over Annual Conference of Vice-Chancellors in Ooty

    Source: Government of India

    VP to preside over Annual Conference of Vice-Chancellors in Ooty

    VP to visit Muthanad Mund Toda Temple in Ooty

    VP to address the gathering at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 3:54PM by PIB Delhi

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar and Dr. Sudesh Dhankhar will be on a three day visit to Tamil Nadu. During the visit, the Vice-President will preside as Chief Guest at the Annual Conference of Vice-Chancellors in Ooty on 25th April, 2025.

    On 26th April, 2025, Shri Dhankhar will visit the Muthanad Mund Toda Temple in Ooty.

    Subsequently, he will address the students and faculty members of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore on Sunday, 27th April, 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to address Gram Sabhas Nationwide on 24th April, National Panchayati Raj Day from Madhubani, Bihar

    Source: Government of India

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to address Gram Sabhas Nationwide on 24th April, National Panchayati Raj Day from Madhubani, Bihar

    Prime Minister to also confer Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025, Dedicate Infra Projects worth ₹ 13,500 Crores on the occasion

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 3:53PM by PIB Delhi

    The nation will commemorate National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) on 24th April 2025, marking thirty-two years of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which gave constitutional status to Panchayats as institutions of rural local self-government. The main function will be organized in the august presence of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, at Lohna Uttar Gram Panchayat, Jhanjharpur Block in  Madhubani District of Bihar. The Prime Minister will address Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Gram Sabhas across the country and also confer Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025 on this occasion. This year, National Panchayati Raj Day is being observed as a major national programme through a “Whole-of-Government” approach, involving participation of six Union Ministries: the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Railways, and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation and  lay foundation stone for several key infrastructure and welfare projects linked to these Ministries on this occasion. These include LPG bottling plants, electrification projects, housing schemes, railway infrastructure, and road development, amounting to approximately Rs.13,500 crores. Financial assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin and Urban) and DAY–NRLM will also be disbursed during the program. With these initiatives, Grameen Bharat, particularly rural regions of Bihar, stand to benefit immensely through enhanced connectivity, services, and economic opportunity.

    The event will be attended by several dignitaries including Shri Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar; Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj; Shri Samrat Choudhary and Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar; Shri Kedar Prasad Gupta, Panchayati Raj Minister, Bihar; Shri Amrit Lal Meena, Chief Secretary, Bihar; and Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, along with other senior officers from the participating Ministries and representatives from across Panchayats. The observance of NPRD 2025 from the Gram Panchayat level emphasizes the Government’s commitment to ensuring that Viksit Panchayats form the solid foundation of Viksit Bharat.

    About the Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025

    These awards include the Climate Action Special Panchayat Award (CASPA), Atma Nirbhar Panchayat Special Award (ANPSA), and Panchayat Kshamta Nirman Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar (PKNSSP). The awards aim to recognize Gram Panchayats and institutions that have demonstrated exemplary performance in areas such as climate resilience, fiscal self-reliance, and capacity building. Awardees have been selected from States including Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Assam. It is noteworthy that three of the six awardee Gram Panchayats – Motipur (Bihar), Dawwa S (Maharashtra), and Hatbadra (Odisha) – are led by women Sarpanches, reflecting inclusive leadership at the grassroots.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SHRI ANIL MALIK, SECRETARY, MoWCD, CHAIRS MEETING WITH SENIOR OFFICERS TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF WELFARE SCHEMES & PROJECTS OF MISSION SHAKTI & MISSION VATSALYA

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 22 APR 2025 10:35PM by PIB Delhi

    Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Shri Anil Malik chaired the Programme Approval Board (PAB) meeting with Senior Officers of Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu (UT), Nagaland, Assam, Haryana, Chandigarh (UT), Manipur, U.P & Karnataka to review progress of welfare schemes & projects of Mission Shakti & Mission Vatsalya.

    Mission Shakti is a scheme in mission mode aimed at strengthening interventions for women safety, security & empowerment.

    The Mission Vatsalya Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which is implemented by the States/ Union Territories with the aim to support children.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of the Vice-President’s address at the inauguration ceremony of ‘KARTAVYAM’ at Delhi University, Delhi (Excerpts)

    Source: Government of India

    Very good morning all of you. 

    I was Governor of the state of West Bengal and had the good fortune to be at a place where Britishers ruled for long so an Indian mind had the great occasion to occupy that place. I had the good fortune at the invitation of the Hon’ble President, the first tribal woman to hold that position to be at Rashtrapati Bhavan. I had the good fortune in 1990 to be sworn in as a Union Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan but something was missing. What happened for 20 years, two decades, it was from this place. 

    Boys and girls and those in the last bench, you are not backbenchers. You happen to be sitting at the end but you are more significant for everyone. I am always not superstitious, but careful about the seating arrangement. I keep on my right as I do in Rajya Sabha, the Government. So Yogesh Singh and Prakash but on my left, we always have the Opposition Professor Balaram Pani. जिस नाम ने भगवान श्री कृष्ण को ताकत दी वह आपकी लेफ्ट साइड में है, कुछ गलत नहीं हो सकता।  It will be the right check on the right side. The left is very powerful and that is why in our body heart is on the left side.

    Distinguished members of the faculty and everyone associated with the management and dear friends, but let me start with one observation imparted by your Vice-Chancellor. He reflected rightly that a distinguished judge, a jurist, H.R. Khanna was your alumnus. That reminds me and should remind us always, why in this country we are celebrating two days and those two days are :-

    One is ‘Constitution Day’ and; 

    The second is ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’. 

    Why do we do that? We do it with a purpose because on 26th November 1949, the Constitution was adopted. Young boys and girls need to be reminded because that Constitution was tested, strained, mauled, ravaged on 25th June 1975. That was the darkest period in human history of democratic world. I say darkest because the highest court of the land held ignoring verdict of nine High Courts. Nine High Courts were uniform that in democracy fundamental rights can never be put on hold. Access to judiciary cannot be moderated, much less denied being a Fundamental Right under Article 32 of the Constitution but that was done. I would not go more on that but what was held by the Supreme Court? Executive of the day is sole arbiter of Fundamental Rights. It can suspend them for as much time as it likes. There was one dissent voice and that emanated from an alumnus of this place. 

    Boys and girls, remember what was written at that point of time in the New York Times editorial. I quote from the editorial “If India ever finds its way back to the freedom and democracy that were proud hallmarks of its first eighteen years as an independent nation, someone will surely erect a monument to Justice H.R. Khanna”

    So boys and girls, I am at the right place and reminding you that each one of you must always bear in mind why for the last 10 years we are celebrating Constitution Day and why we have started remembering ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’. Because by virtue of your age, you may not have seen what went through. 

    Imagine in a democracy, lakhs of people are put behind the bars, tortured, traumatised, with no hope. The tunnel for them was dark, there was no light. Therefore it is befitting, particularly at this place, to start this series and look at the nomenclature of it ‘KARTAVYAM’ a Sanskrit word that defines all. And I am sure it will be game-changing for the nation to be enlightened on these aspects. 

    In our country, iconization is taking place frequently. We iconize people without testing them. We accord them elevated status on parameters that are baffling. Sometimes it is managed, event managed, and suddenly you will find in a particular field one becomes a leader. Time for us to challenge such things, we must be discerning. We cannot allow these people who have no claim justifiably to influence our minds. Before believing them, we must test them. 

    Therefore, I am saying unhesitatingly that Campus Law Centre is iconic. It has been tested all throughout. The reputation is well-earned, well-recognised. And why? Because it has been, as indicated by the Vice Chancellor, a great place of ideation. I am so glad you are starting this ideation now in a different mode. By all standards, Campus Law Centre and its alumni have shaped the destiny of the nation. Let me recall my good friend who is no more, Arun Jaitley, and the contributions he has made, and many more.

    Therefore, I can say it is a crucible of change and as was reflected in pre-Socrates era by a philosopher, Heraclitus, the only constant in life is the change. This change will emanate now from here on what is our constitution, what are our obligations, and our belief, supreme belief, unrestricted, unregulated, in nothing but truth, absolute truth, because truth is sanctified by our civilisational ethos, our Vedic culture, and is a demand of our constitutional core values. 

    Therefore, boys and girls, for me it is an absolute honour and privilege to be in this great enormous talent with huge potential, human laboratory of ideation that can catalyse big change and innovation and so my greetings to all of you. ‘KARTAVYAM’ duty in Sanskrit perfectly embodies the gazing that is before me. It is a word rooted in action, obligation, and the moral force that sustains civilisations. 

    Our father of the constitution, people of great eminence, gave us a constitution thoughtfully, working painstakingly, engaging in dialogue, discourse, debate, deliberation, avoided confrontation, always went for consensus. They had boys and girls divisive issues before them, highly contentious issues, but they gave us a constitution that represents our identity, values, and nation’s aspirations but according to our constitution, our civilisational values, and for any democracy, every citizen has a pivotal role. 

    I find it inconceivably intriguing that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial ornamental. Nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of role of everyone in this country, constitutional functionary or a citizen.  

    According to me, a citizen is supreme because a nation and democracy are built by citizens, every one of them has a role. The soul of democracy resides and pulsates in every citizen. Democracy will blossom, its values will get heightened when citizen is alert, citizen contributes. And what a citizen contributes, there is no substitution of that but boys and girls, if a citizen is the soul of democracy, this soul gets practical dimensions. It becomes fully meaningful. There is ground realisation when a citizen performs duties. 

    Individual obligations in society are fundamental to sustaining a society and for upkeep of its values and that is reflected in our constitution’s preamble. Before that, those who are law students, let me tell you, in one case, Golaknath, Supreme Court said the preamble is not part of the constitution. Later on, in another bench, Kesavananda Bharati, it is part of the constitution. 

    Let me tell you, notwithstanding all this, the constitution is encapsulated its essence, its worth, its nectar in preamble of the constitution. And what does it say! ‘We the People of India’, the supreme power is with them. No one is above the people of India and ‘We the People of India’, under the constitution have chosen to reflect their aspirations, their desire, their will through their public representatives. And they hold these representatives accountable, severely accountable on occasions, through elections. 

    A prime minister who imposed emergency was held accountable in 1977. Therefore, let there be no doubt about it.  Constitution is for the people, and its repository of safeguarding it is that of elected representatives. They are the ultimate masters as to what constitutional content will be. There is no visualisation in the constitution of any authority above parliament, Parliament is supreme. And that being the situation, let me tell you, it is as supreme as every individual in the country. Part of ‘We the People’, is an atom in democracy and that atom has atomic power. That atomic power is reflected during elections and that is why we are a democratic nation. 

    Democracy is not only for the government to govern, it is participatory democracy. Just not laws, but also culture and ethos. Citizenship demands action, not merely status. Already Dr. Ambedkar has been quoted, but I will reiterate. Dr. Ambedkar recognised freedom requires responsibility and that is why we have in our constitution Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties. To the students of law, and everyone in general, let me tell you, Fundamental Duties were not there originally in the constitution but constitution is a dynamic document. It has to reflect the aspirations of the people. Take note of contemporary situations, so we had by the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act, a new part added to the Indian constitution, Part IV-A. And that introduced an article 51A, that initially gave Ten Fundamental Duties but then it was felt one more duty needs to be added. And that, if I’m not wrong, was brought about by the 86th Constitution Amendment Act. 

    Early in this century, to give great impetus on education, we must always give precedence to our duties above our rights because this nation is ours. Nationalism requires commitment that is unadulterated. A commitment that is emanating voluntarily and that this will not be superseded by any other consideration, partisan, personal or otherwise. 

    Now our constitution, as a matter of fact, boys and girls, reflects our civilisational ethos of thousands of years. We are so unique in the world, unparalleled. The world is recognising our might now. The world is understanding India, Bharat, as it was 1300th centuries ago. 

    Therefore, we can cull out from Vedic dharm, our constitutional vision and that vision is, democracy is shaped not by governments, democracy is shaped by individuals. Because individuals bear the responsibility to uphold our symbols, preserve our heritage, defend sovereignty, foster brotherhood. This has happened during the emergency. People gave their supreme sacrifice, but did not bargain for the fundamentals of our civilisation, reflected in our constitution. But then boys and girls, what is democracy? We have to understand. Democracy thrives through expression and dialogue. अभिव्यक्ति और संवाद, यह प्रजातंत्र के मूल मंत्र हैं।

    If your right of expression is thwarted or regulated, as was done during the emergency, democracy nosedives but if your right of expression, and that right of expression is reflecting arrogance, ego that my expression is ultimate, I will not look at any different point of view. I will not look at the other point of view that again is also not expression, as per our civilisation. Because every expression demands respect for dialogue, respect for the other point of view. You must ever be prepared to be challenged because to challenge is not a physical challenge, it is a challenge of an idea, a thought, that I disagree with you. That does not mean I am disagreeable. There must always be room and therefore expression and dialogue, both are complementary and define democracy. 

    If we go into our civilisational wealth, इसको वैदिक काल में अनंतवाद कहा जाता था, वाद-विवाद की परंपरा थी। वाद-विवाद का मतलब अहं और अहंकार से दूर था। वाद-विवाद अहं और अहंकार को खत्म करता है, क्योंकि यदि अगर मैं ही सही हूं, मेरे अलावा कोई सही नहीं है यह अहं और अहंकार व्यक्ति को ही नहीं, संस्था को भी धीरे-धीरे खत्म कर देता है। इसलिए प्रजातंत्र के लिए जरूरी है अभिव्यक्ति और संवाद।

    Democracy, boys and girls, lives in conversation and everyone is equal when it comes to conversation. I cannot claim a higher pedestal by virtue of my position, that what a boy and girl will say, different than what I say, cannot be right. I cannot be a judge in my own course, to the students of law. Read any book on administrative law, Indian or foreign…  you will find this will be repugnant to the fundamentals of natural justice. That being the situation, expressing thoughts fulfils a democratic duty, not just exercising rights. Every young mind, boys and girls, must be activated. Fortunately, on account of technological advancement and our Bharat the technological penetration has stunned the entire world. It has reached the last person, everyone is benefiting. 

    Boys and girls, the power is in you. You have to project your own ideas, you have to protect the idea which you believe is correct and you have to neutralise the pernicious idea, which you think is wrong because democracy’s health reflects. If you want to know the health of democracy, like the health of an individual, if you want to analyse how healthy is our democracy, then you will have to find out discourse quality, the kind of discourse we have.

    Is our discourse moderated? Is our discourse manipulated? Is our discourse controlled by moneybags, by muscle power, by foreign interests, by people working against the interests of this nation? You will have to discern. The quality of discourse defines our democracy and in this, I have no doubt, our youth must elevate beyond partisanship to thoughtful deliberation. 

    Our youth cannot afford this critical juncture when Bharat is rising. The rise is unstoppable. We are destined to be a global power. We will be a developed nation, you cannot be tied down to partisan interests. You have to believe only in national interests. In India, if we examine our background, there was a time when individuals had profound moral and social standing. Respect was only for those who had high moral and ethical standing, who had everything to give back to society. If I quote Upanishad, “Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande” As is the individual, so is the universe. That is why people have narrowly construed the great inclusivity of Bharat, Dharm of Bharat. 

    Our silenced boys and girls may be very dangerous as thinking minds, as privileged minds getting education in such a great university. You have to be contributors for preserving our national legacy, our thought process and ensure sustainability of it. We cannot afford this to be thwarted by forces inimical to Bharat that have structured sinister designs, pernicious motivations to run down institutions, be that of the presidency, tarnishing individuals. Every word that is spoken by a constitutional functionary is guided by the supreme sublime interest of the nation but the expectation is that our youth, our young minds, and when I say our youth, our youth demographic dividend is envy of the world. 

    Our youth has catalysed big change. Rise of our economy to that level will be third largest very shortly. It is on account of everyone working in togetherness. Government has a role that it does not become a handicap. Government has a role that it must have affirmative policies. Government is like giving you a good stadium, a good football ground. Goals have to be scored by individuals. You are the people who have to deal. 

    The ancient wisdom, if you carefully go through our constitutional prescriptions, I’m particularly addressing law students, you will find powerful resonance of our constitutional values. As a matter of fact, high ethical standards, welfare of all, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ these are deeply, indelibly embedded in our DNA. We as a nation are different than any other nation on the planet. 

    We must legitimately take pride. हम भारतीय हैं। भारतीयता हमारी पहचान है, राष्ट्रीयता हमारा धर्म है, राष्ट्र के प्रति समर्पण करना हमारा सर्वोपरि कर्तव्य है और हमें इसको आगे बढ़ाना चाहिए, सृजन करना चाहिए, इसका संकल्प लेना चाहिए। 

    Boys and girls, our national transformation stands on five Pillars. 

    One – Social harmony. समरसता, भाईचारा हो, एक-दूसरे की बात को समझे, यह हमारी सांस्कृतिक धरोहर है। हमें इसको उपजाना है, इसका संरक्षण करना है। 
    Unifying Diversity, We have always believed in inclusivity. Family nurtured patriotism. बच्चों को शुरू से ही संस्कार सीखना, इसके बहुत दूरगामी परिणाम हैं। यह हमारी संस्कृति का एक अभिन्न अंग है। स्वदेशी, Self-Reliance महात्मा गांधी ने कहा था – ‘स्वदेशी’। Prime Minister ने कहा, ‘Vocal for Local’, पर अब ईसका फायदा देखिए। 

    Economic nationalism, boys and girls, is a fundamental aspect of economy. When we get in this country items that can be made here, not only are we draining out our foreign exchange, we are depriving our people of work. We are blunting entrepreneurship. We can make भारत आत्मनिर्भर by each individual consciously contributing for it. Be it natural resources. Reckless consumption is not in our traditions because we are trustees. Our fiscal power, our money power cannot entitle us to make a demand on our natural resources which belong to one and all. Beyond human beings to all living beings, civic duties is the Fifth Pillar of it. 

    Every individual, if he or she decides, we can inculcate a new fervour of nationalistic spirit. By integrating individual responsibility, traditional values, environmental consciousness, in our journey of cultural pride and self-reliance. 

    लोकसंग्रह हमारे वैदिक कल्चर में है। इसको कह सकते हो कि हर किसी की भागीदारी, हर किसी का योगदान। अपने भारतीय संस्कृति में यदि आप देखोगे और जाओगे पुराने कल्चर में, कन्या दान क्या होता था? व्यक्ति अपनी बेटी की शादी करता था, पर कन्यादान हर कोई देता था। दुनिया के अंदर आज तक इससे बड़ा अजूबा उदाहरण नहीं है की यह क्यों है। यह क्या सीखता है। 

    Public order stems not from force, not from coercion, from voluntary discipline. National growth depends on citizens’ pervasive attitude. Public order thrives when every individual acts as guardian of law and justice. Just imagine the scene we have faced. Youth must infuse mindsets, How can our democracy can tolerate disruption, property destruction, constitutional challenges, and assault on civilization ethos. Public property, our property are being burnt. Public order being disrupted even when rule of law is taking its own course. We must neutralise these forces. First by counselling, and if counselling does not work, then sometimes a bitter pill has to be given, even to the body to keep it in shape. 

    Boys and girls, no one has greater stakes than you have. Your stakes are the highest because you are the future of this country. If Viksit Bharat will be attained, which it will be, it will be with your mindset contributing 100%. As they say, the engine must fire on all cylinders in full throttle. We have to understand what is meant by nationalism. It is not jingoistic aggression, but profound love for the nation. Profound belief in our culture and heritage. We have to celebrate our great achievements, take them to greater heights, at the same time being fully cognisant of our shortcomings. Everyone will have shortcomings and failures, these are natural. 

    A failure is not a failure. It is another stepping stone for success and in that perspective, we have to believe that true nationalism manifests through several elements. 

    One, give your very best to the nation. Excellence, integrity, conservation, compassion, and not sloganeering. We must keep away from it. 

    Keeping the nation first, keeping national interest uppermost. We can never have national interest subservient to partisan interest. That is not an option, it is the only way out because we are proud Indians and already quoted by Dr. Ambedkar, forget about everything else. I quote him the relevant part. Ambedkar’s wisdom is, ‘Be Indians first, Indians last, Nothing but Indians.’ And his second one, I quote, ‘Educate, Organise, and Agitate’ was meant for you boys and girls. 

    Students and the cream is before me and I’m sure students all over the country will be listening to me. Be a responsibility to national unity. Progress, it is your obligation to neutralise divisive voices through active engagement in social media. You have to focus on governance. Improve its quality because you are the foot soldiers for our journey to reach Bharat in 2047, if not before. Nations are built not by governments. Nations are not built by industrialists. Nations are built by individuals. 

    The power of the individual, as I said, an atom. The power is atomic. You have that power, you only have to realise it but the greatest impact comes, boys and girls, when you excel in integrity. In ethical standards in your field and always aim to serve a public purpose, a public cause. New India would emerge and is emerging only through citizens performing duties with dedication. 

    Let me warn you on certain things, choosing integrity over expediency. Many people take shortcuts, believe me a shortcut is the longest distance between two points. When you are in trouble, when you are in difficulty. If you take a shortcut with the rule of law. If you take a shortcut with financial discipline. There may be momentary success but when you get into the rut of it, you are never out of it. Therefore, never choose expediency over integrity. Our national character should be that we are honest people because a nation can be honest with honest people only. 

    Democracy’s quality depends on participation. Voting informed opinions, civil society engagement. Constructive different point of view. Democracy has to be vibrant in our procedure. Educated youth must evaluate politics beyond partisanship. You must learn to demand accountability from everyone including the one speaking to you. You must be highly critical and judgemental. If you think what I say is wrong, I am subject to correction but if you think I am right and still you observe silence, trust me. You will be silenced forever.

    सही बात, सही समय, सही समूह को और  सही व्यक्ति को कहने में हिचकिचाहट करोगे, तो खुद को तो दुर्बल करोगे ही, उन सकारात्मक शक्तियों को भी आप गहरी चोट पहुँचाओगे। इसलिए, अभिव्यक्ति और संवाद सर्वोपरि है।

    Thank you so much.

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    JK/RC/SM

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Women and Child Development conducts special training sessions under the Rastriya Karamyogi Jan Seva Programme

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 4:44PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) is conducting special training sessions under the Rastriya Karamyogi Jan Seva Programme, in collaboration with the CBC. The programme aims to equip officials with the values and mindset of a true Karamyogi. Officers are being guided by Master Trainers in this transformative journey.

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    SS/MS

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India: Fastest-Growing Major Economy

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 23 APR 2025 4:40PM by PIB Delhi

    IMF projects India’s economy to grow at 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026

    Introduction

    India is poised to lead the global economy once again, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projecting it to remain the fastest growing major economy over the next two years. According to the April 2025 edition of the IMF’s World Economic Outlook, India’s economy is expected to grow by 6.2 per cent in 2025 and 6.3 per cent in 2026, maintaining a solid lead over global and regional peers.

    The April 2025 edition of the WEO shows a downward revision in the 2025 forecast compared to the January 2025 update, reflecting the impact of heightened global trade tensions and growing uncertainty Despite this slight moderation, the overall outlook remains strong. This consistency signals not only the strength of India’s macroeconomic fundamentals but also its capacity to sustain momentum in a complex international environment. As the IMF reaffirms India’s economic resilience, the country’s role as a key driver of global growth continues to gain prominence.

     

    Overview of IMF’s World Economic Outlook Report

    The World Economic Outlook (WEO) is the International Monetary Fund’s key report on global economic trends and policy challenges. Published twice a year with interim updates, it provides projections for the near and medium term, covering advanced, emerging, and developing economies. The report supports the IMF’s economic surveillance and guides discussions on policy among member countries.

    The April 2025 edition notes that after several years of overlapping shocks, the global economy has entered a phase of cautious stabilisation. Growth remains modest and projections for global output have been revised downward from the January 2025 update. This reflects a steep rise in tariff rates, policy uncertainty, and slowing progress in international cooperation. Global inflation is expected to decline, although at a slower pace than previously anticipated, and downside risks such as trade tensions and volatile financial markets continue to weigh on the outlook.

    For India, however, the growth outlook is relatively more stable. The IMF projects steady expansion for the Indian economy, supported by firm private consumption, particularly in rural areas. In a global environment marked by uncertainty and subdued growth, India’s resilience stands out, reinforcing its role as a key driver of global economic activity.

     

    India’s Growth in Global Context

    India is projected to remain the fastest-growing large economy for 2025 and 2026, reaffirming its dominance in the global economic landscape. The country’s economy is expected to expand by 6.2 per cent in 2025 and 6.3 per cent in 2026, outpacing many of its global counterparts. In contrast, the IMF projects global economic growth to be much lower, at 2.8 per cent in 2025 and 3.0 per cent in 2026, highlighting India’s exceptional outperformance.

    The IMF has also revised its growth estimates for other major global economies. China’s GDP growth forecast for 2025 has been downgraded to 4.0 per cent, down from 4.6 per cent in the January 2025 edition of the World Economic Outlook. Similarly, the United States is expected to see a slowdown, with its growth revised downward by 90 basis points to 1.8 per cent. Despite these revisions, India’s robust growth trajectory continues to set it apart on the global stage.

    Conclusion

    India’s economic outlook for 2025 and 2026 remains one of the brightest among major global economies, as highlighted by the IMF. Despite global uncertainties and downward revisions in growth forecasts for other large economies, India is set to maintain its leadership in global economic growth. Supported by strong fundamentals and strategic government initiatives, the country is well-positioned to navigate the challenges ahead. With reforms in infrastructure, innovation, and financial inclusion, India continues to enhance its role as a key driver of global economic activity. The IMF’s projections reaffirm India’s resilience, further solidifying its importance in shaping the global economic future.

    Reference:

    Click here to see PDF.

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    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Saurabh Kalia

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  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Army celebrates women’s contributions and service

    Source: United States Army

    U.S. Army Pfc. Tess Sandoval assigned to 2nd Squadron, 6th Calvary Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade is one of two female attack helicopter repairers in the squadron located on Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, Aug. 25, 2019. Women make up about six percent of all attack helicopter repairers in the U.S. Army. (Photo Credit: 1st Lt. Ryan DeBooy) VIEW ORIGINAL

    WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army extends its gratitude to the women who have served, and continue to serve, in its ranks. Women have played vital roles in the U.S. Army since the Revolutionary War, and today’s women — Soldiers, veterans, family members and civilian employees — are critical members of the Army team.

    “More than 181,000 women serve in the Army today, from enlisted personnel to general officers,” said Ryan McCarthy, Secretary of the Army. “The Army is proud of our women Soldiers, who serve with distinction as role models as they exemplify our highest values.”

    Women Soldiers make up 18 percent of the regular Army, the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, and 36 percent of the Army’s civilian workforce is female.

    Today’s women serve in every career field in the Army. Nearly 1,500 female Soldiers have accessed into infantry, armor, and fire-support occupations; forty-two women have graduated from Ranger School, and five have been assigned to the Ranger Regiment; and last June, Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager became the first woman to command an Army infantry division.

    The Army continues to integrate female Soldiers into all units and occupations, and has adopted gender-neutral standards for all occupational specialties. Female and male Soldiers undergo the same training and must pass course requirements to be awarded a military occupational specialty in any career field.

    “The Army is people and the incredible contributions and achievements of our female Soldiers contribute significantly to the strength of America’s Army,” said Gen. James McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army. “Our diversity and commitment to selecting the best-qualified people, regardless of gender, for each job in the Army makes the all-volunteer force the most-ready and powerful in the world.”

    From the 21,000 women who served in the Army Nurse Corps during WWI, to the 150,000 who served in the Women’s Army Corps during WWII, to the 181,000 who proudly serve today — the Army salutes our women Soldiers.

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    Related Links

    Army.mil: Women in the U.S. Army

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – IMEC’s strategic importance and development challenges – E-000876/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU is committed to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as an ambitious project of major geopolitical and economic relevance.

    To this end, the Commission plans to intensify contacts with all relevant stakeholders, including the co-signatories of the memorandum of understanding signed in 2023 as well as other interested countries, Member States, and financial institutions to discuss implementation of the different segments of the corridor.

    The EU is also looking at supporting IMEC through EU initiatives, such as Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech Cooperation Initiative , and via its transport and digital connectivity programmes under the Global Gateway strategy; as well as exploring possible contributions in the form of technical assistance for feasibility studies and soft connectivity elements; and trilateral cooperation efforts to leverage private and public investments for the relevant infrastructure.

    It is not foreseen that the transport-related components of the corridor would pass through the Red Sea. Rather, a railroad is envisaged to connect the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean through the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East.

    Should any other connectivity-elements of IMEC (such as cables) need to pass through the Red Sea, the security implications would be assessed thoroughly before deploying any concrete projects.

    Türkiye and Iran are not currently part of IMEC. As for any project of this kind, the Commission will assess and address scrupulously any potential risk to the EU’s economic, security or other interests, including strategic dependencies on any third country.

    Last updated: 23 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU joint undertakings for the financial year 2023 – A10-0056/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    1. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[1],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[2] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[3], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[4], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[5], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[6],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    2. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[7],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[8] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[9], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[10], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[11], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[12],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

     

    3. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[13],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[14] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[15], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[16], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[17], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[18],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    4. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[19],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[20] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[21], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[22], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[23], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[24],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    5. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[25],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[26] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[27], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[28], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[29], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[30],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    6. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[31],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[32] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[33], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[34], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[35], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[36],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    7. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[37],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[38] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[39], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[40], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[41], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[42],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Interim Executive Director of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Interim Executive Director of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    8. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[43],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[44] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[45], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (recast)[46], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[47], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[48],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Interim Executive Director of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    9. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[49],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[50] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[51], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (recast)[52], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 on establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1488[53], and in particular Article 19 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[54],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    10. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[55],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[56] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[57], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (recast)[58], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 on establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1488[59], and in particular Article 19 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[60],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    11. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[61],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[62] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Article 106a of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[63], and in particular Article 70 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[64], and in particular Article 70 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Decision No 2007/198/Euratom of 27 March 2007 establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it[65], and in particular Article 5 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/715 of 18 December 2018 on the framework financial regulation for the bodies set up under the TFEU and Euratom Treaty and referred to in Article 70 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[66],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    12. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[67],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[68] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Article 106a of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[69], and in particular Article 70 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[70], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Decision No 2007/198/Euratom of 27 March 2007 establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it[71], and in particular Article 5 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/715 of 18 December 2018 on the framework financial regulation for the bodies set up under the TFEU and Euratom Treaty and referred to in Article 70 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council,[72],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    13. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[73],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[74] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[75], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[76], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[77], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[78],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    14. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[79],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[80] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[81], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[82], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[83], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[84],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    15. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[85],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[86] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[87], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[88], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[89], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[90],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    16. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[91],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[92] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[93], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[94], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[95], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[96],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    17. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Chips Joint Undertaking (before 21.9.2023 Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking) for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Chips Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[97],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[98] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[99], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[100], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[101], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regarding to Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1782 of 25 July 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[102],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Chips Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Chips Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    18. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Chips Joint Undertaking (before 21.9.2023 Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking) for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Chips Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[103],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[104] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[105], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[106], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[107], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regarding to Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1782 of 25 July 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[108],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Chips Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Chips Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    19. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[109],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[110] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[111], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[112], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[113], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[114],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    20. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[115],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[116] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[117], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[118], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[119], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[120],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

     

    21. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[121],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[122] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[123], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[124], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[125], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[126],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Grants the Executive Director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking’s budget for the financial year 2023;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the Executive Director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    22. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on the closure of the accounts of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the final annual accounts of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2023, together with the Joint Undertakings’ replies[127],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[128] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2023, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 17 February 2025 on discharge to be given to the Joint Undertaking in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023 (05757/2025 – C10‑0025/2025),

    – having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[129], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[130], and in particular Article 71 thereof,

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[131], and in particular Article 26 thereof,

    – having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/887 of 13 March 2019 on the model financial regulation for public-private partnership bodies referred to in Article 71 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council[132],

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023;

    2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Executive Director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

    23. MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    with observations forming an integral part of the decisions on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU joint undertakings for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Chips Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2023,

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0056/2025),

    A. whereas the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking were set up by Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014[133], the latter being referred to as the Single Basic Act (SBA);

    B. whereas the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking was set up by Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014; whereas the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking was transformed into the Chips Joint Undertaking in July 2023 pursuant to Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1782 of 25 July 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking[134];

    C. whereas the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy was established in April 2007 by the Council Decision of 27 March 2007 establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it (2007/198/Euratom)[135];

    D. whereas the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking was set up by Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 on establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1488[136];

    E. whereas the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership for the development of modernised air traffic management (ATM) in Europe and for the acceleration through research and innovation of the delivery of the Digital European Sky;

    F. whereas the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership focusing on research and innovation in order to transform aviation towards a sustainable and climate neutral future;

    G. whereas the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership focusing on interdisciplinary, sustainable, and patient-centric health research and innovation;

    H. whereas the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells technology research and innovation;

    I.  whereas the Chips Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership focusing on research and innovation in key digital technologies essential for Europe’s competitive leadership in digital economy, in particular in the electronic components and systems sector;

    J.  whereas the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership focusing on research and innovation for a sustainable and competitive circular bio-based industries sector;

    K. whereas the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership for research and innovation in the railway sector;

    L. whereas the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership enabling the pooling of resources for the development and deployment of high-performance computing in Europe;

    M. whereas the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership focusing on strengthening Europe’s technological leadership and its strategic alignment with the telecommunications industry and fostering the uptake of digital solutions;

    N. whereas the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership focusing on reducing the socioeconomic burden of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa thanks to new and improved health technological applications as well as improving the preparedness and response to infectious diseases for global purposes;

    O. whereas the aim of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy is to provide the Union’s contribution to the ITER international fusion energy project, to implement the broader approach agreement between Euratom and Japan, and to prepare for the construction of a demonstration fusion reactor and related facilities;

    General

    1. Notes that the role of the joint undertakings should be to support research and innovation activities in the areas of transport, energy, health, circular bio-based industries, key electronic components, supercomputing, and network systems; calls on the joint undertakings to promote the transformation of scientific knowledge into marketable innovations, and to establish mechanisms to ensure that their activity leads to an increase in European competitiveness in the world;

    2. Underlines that under the current multiannual financial framework, according to the Court of Auditors, joint undertakings are expected to receive a combined budget of EUR 17 billion from the Union cash contribution and to leverage EUR 21,1 billion of contributions from other members;

    3. Notes that the nature of joint undertakings is based on public-private partnerships that steer investment and leverage public and private funds to fund common goals; reminds, in that regard, that the contributions of private members must meet established targets in order for such partnerships to remain mutually beneficial; calls on joint undertakings which allow in-kind contributions to additional activities (IKAA) to avoid, where possible, an excessive reliance on such contributions in order to meet established targets;

    4. Acknowledges the significant contributions of the joint undertakings in advancing research, innovation, and technology development across various sectors, including aviation, rail, and air traffic management, as integral to achieving the Union’s strategic objectives of sustainability, digital transformation, and competitiveness.

    5. Welcomes the annual report of the Court of Auditors on the European Union’s joint undertakings for the financial year 2023 (the ‘Court’s report’); underlines that the mission of the Court of Auditors is crucial for the sound implementation of the Union budget and for oversight of the budget;

    6. Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors provided the discharge authority with an annual report on EU Joint Undertakings which contains a specific statement of assurance for each of the joint undertakings as regards their annual accounts and underlying transactions; shares the view that in addition to the legal provisions binding the Court, the institutional framework of joint undertakings renders these worthy of specific attention from the Court of Auditors; calls for the continuation of this good practice; welcomes the good cooperation of joint undertakings with the Court during the drafting of the Court’s report and welcomes the explanations provided on some of the observations and emphases of matter made in the replies provided by the joint undertakings;

    7. Welcomes the fact that two joint undertakings attained financial autonomy during the financial year 2023, namely the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking on 24 October 2023 and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on 23 November 2023; notes furthermore that as a result, the Court of Auditors audited these two joint undertakings for the first time, in addition to the nine joint undertakings the Court of Auditors had already audited for the financial year 2022;

    8. Stresses its awareness that some joint undertakings were affected significantly during the financial year 2023 by important events with an impact likely to alter their performance; emphasises, more precisely, that:

    (a) Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had a significant impact on the Union economy and on supply chains, affecting greatly the activities of some joint undertakings;

    (b) the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is still felt throughout Europe today and during the financial year 2023, still constituted a massive shock to economic and administrative activities;

    (c) the high levels of inflation caused by the two aforementioned events had an impact on the supplies and delivery time for the joint undertakings;

    9. Acknowledges the benefits of joint undertakings, the importance of public-private cooperation in fostering innovation, promoting research and development and the economic benefits of the partnerships; notes that by pooling resources and expertise from both sectors, public and private, joint undertakings can face the challenges more effectively; underlines the importance of transparency, accountability and efficient use of public funds by joint undertakings;

    10. Recognises the value of initiatives fostering stakeholder engagement and participation, such as open calls for expressions of interest and joint calls across the joint undertakings, as instrumental in leveraging the collective expertise and resources; draws particular attention to the joint call for proposals launched by Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking and the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking – the first joint call of its kind from joint undertakings aimed at developing an integrated air and rail network for a sustainable multimodal transport system;

    11. Recalls that joint undertakings must conduct their operations according to sound financial management, thereby contributing effectively to Union policy objectives as well as to the sound implementation of the Union budget; nevertheless is concerned with a series of elements, in light of the findings of the Court of Auditors, as presented in this resolution;

    Annual accounts

    12. Notes that the Court’s report finds that the 2023 annual accounts of the eleven joint undertakings audited present fairly, in all material respects, their financial position as of 31 December 2023, the results of their operations and cash flows, and changes in net assets for the year ended, in accordance with their financial regulations and the accounting rules adopted by the Commission’s accounting officer; notes furthermore that as a result, the Court issued unqualified audit opinions on the reliability of the annual accounts of the joint undertakings;

    13. Notes that the Court’s report finds that the underlying transactions to the annual accounts are legal and regular in all material respects; notes furthermore that as a result, the Court issued unqualified audit opinions on the legality and regularity of both the revenue and the payments underlying the accounts of the joint undertakings;

    14. Takes note of the fact that, in the view of the Court of Auditors, insufficient guidance was provided to the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking on their first-time annual accounts, especially as regards the need for clarity in distinguishing the financial resources managed by the Commission before they attained their financial autonomy and by the joint undertakings after they attained it; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that accounting guidelines should be developed in a clear and comprehensible way which should specify the rules for the presentation of the first annual accounts of new joint undertakings and that these guidelines should include instructions on how to separate the financial resources implemented by the Commission from those implemented by a joint undertaking after it attained its financial autonomy; notes that the risk to the reliability of annual accounts was deemed to be low for all joint undertakings except for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, for which the risk to reliability was deemed to be medium, due to the complexities brought about by the transfer of budget appropriations and assets from the responsibility of the Commission to the responsibility of the joint undertaking;

    15. Takes note of the fact that the annual accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy are produced on the basis of the baseline of the ITER project in place in 2023 but that the latter is the subject of an ongoing revision, the result of which is likely to result in significant changes for the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and its estimated total cost at completion; underlines that the joint undertaking concerned should take all actions necessary to ensure that the future baseline and its consequences for the need for Union cash contributions to the joint undertaking do not constitute a liability for the Union budget; notes from the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control that at the time of the hearing and according to the joint undertaking concerned, it was too early to provide an estimate of the financial impact of this revision; is furthermore concerned by the delays impacting the ITER project, due to factors beyond the joint undertaking’s control;

    16. Is concerned by the potential impact that the reorganisation of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy will have on its activities, notably the short to medium-term instabilities and operational risks for the joint undertaking; welcomes the awareness of the joint undertaking concerned of these issues and the explanation provided on its views on the situation; welcomes the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control, notably as regards the fact that the risk for business continuity has so far been mitigated thanks to a strong reliance on existing programmes and projects; welcomes the flexibility brought along by the new matrix structure;

    17. Takes note of the fact that the risk to the legality and regularity of revenue was deemed to be low for all joint undertakings;

    Budgetary and financial management

    18. Notes that the total available budget in 2023 for the eleven joint undertakings audited by the Court amounted to EUR 4,25 billion in commitment appropriations and EUR 3,87 billion in payment appropriations, according to the Court of Auditors, which considers that the total available budget includes unused appropriations from previous years, which the joint undertakings entered again in the budget of the current year and assigned revenues and reallocations to the next year; notes more precisely that:

    (a) the total available budget in 2023 for the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 111,2 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 158,8 million in 2022) and EUR 241,5 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 146,9 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 92 % for commitment appropriations and 81 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rate of its payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure and operating expenditure, which reached 55 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;

    (b) The total available budget in 2023 for the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 269 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 411,2 million in 2022) and EUR 486,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 415,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 98,58 % for commitment appropriations and 51,18 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; notes in particular that the execution rates of its two operational expenditure titles stand at 80,50 % and 81,11 % respectively for payment appropriations; furthermore stresses the low execution rate of its payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 60,52 %; deeply regrets the important amount allocated to title 5 of its budget for unused payment appropriations of EUR 177 million, which has a technical execution rate of 0 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;

    (c) The total available budget in 2023 for the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 223,2 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 272,4 million in 2022) and EUR 225,9 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 174,8 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 92,65 % for commitment appropriations and 90,29 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rates of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 68,67 % and 67,30 % respectively; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;

    (d) The total available budget in 2023 for the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 268,9 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 314,3 million in 2022) and EUR 327,8 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 118,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 96,62 % for commitment appropriations and 85,43 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to its operational expenditure financed under Horizon 2020 which reached 69,41 %; moreover stresses the low execution rate of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to infrastructure expenditure, which reached 71,21 % and 60,60 % respectively; notes the explanations of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;

    (e) The total available budget in 2023 for the Chips Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 835,7 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 261,4 million in 2022) and EUR 518,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 222,2 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Chips Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 100 % for commitment appropriations and 37 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the extremely low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 36 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking but deeply regrets such a low execution rate and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, in relation to the increased funding that the Chips Joint Undertaking benefited from in 2023 and which the Chips Joint Undertaking had to implement, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking;

    (f) The total available budget in 2023 for the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 227,4 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 264,2 million in 2022) and EUR 137,4 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 80,3 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 97,6 % for commitment appropriations and 90,3 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rates of commitment and payment appropriations for the part of its administrative expenditure dedicated to salaries, which reached 64 % and 57 % respectively, as well as the low execution rate of payment appropriations for the part of its administrative expenditure dedicated to other administrative expenditure, which reached 54 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget;

    (g) The total available budget in 2023 for the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 102,6 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 171,4 million in 2022) and EUR 120,3 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 180,8 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 97 % for commitment appropriations and 82 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were no severe issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; nevertheless stresses the low execution rate of payment appropriations for the part of its operational expenditure financed under Horizon 2020, which reached 67 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; points out that Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking postponed final payments to 2024 due to technical issues experienced by beneficiaries; takes notice of the several projects that did not fully claim their budgets, reducing the need for operational payments by approximately EUR 4,1 million; calls on the joint undertaking concerned to elaborate a plan on how to improve the accounting reporting obligations; highlights the importance of supporting the joint undertaking given rail’s inherent advantages in terms of environmental performance, land use, energy consumption, and safety;

    (h) The total available budget in 2023 for the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 1136 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 1374,5 million in 2022) and EUR 1058 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 629,9 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 83% for commitment appropriations and 19 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the extremely low execution rate of payment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 19 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking but deeply regrets such a low execution rate; moreover stresses the low execution rate of its commitment and payment appropriations dedicated to administrative expenditure, which reached 45 % and 42 % respectively; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, in relation to the increased funding that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking benefited from in 2023 and which the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking had to implement, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking; welcomes the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control on the reasons behind this slow execution rate;

    (i) The total available budget in 2023 for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 134,7 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 122,9 million in payment appropriations; understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 99 % for commitment appropriations and 89 % for payment appropriations; deems that given the short period of time during which the joint undertaking had attained financial autonomy in the financial year 2023, there are no sufficient grounds on which the European Parliament could express its view on the quality of the financial management of the joint undertaking while doing so in good faith; nevertheless notes that due to this situation, the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure was deemed as medium for the joint undertaking;

    (j) The total available budget in 2023 for the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking amounted to EUR 136,4 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 2,2 million in payment appropriations; understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 100 % for commitment appropriations and 47 % for payment appropriations; deems that given the short period of time during which the joint undertaking had attained financial autonomy in the financial year 2023, there are no sufficient grounds on which the European Parliament could express its view on the quality of the financial management of the joint undertaking while doing so in good faith; nevertheless notes that due to this situation, the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure was deemed as medium for the joint undertaking;

    (k) The total available budget in 2023 for the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy amounted to EUR 807 million in commitment appropriations (compared to EUR 981,2 million in 2022) and EUR 631,5 million in payment appropriations (compared to EUR 844 million in 2022); understands furthermore that according to the report on budgetary and financial management of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, its total budget execution rate for the financial year 2023 reached 73 % for commitment appropriations and 95 % for payment appropriations, indicating that there were serious issues related to the pace of implementation of the budget; in particular, stresses the low execution rate of commitment appropriations dedicated to operational expenditure, which reached 70 %; notes the explanation of the joint undertaking and takes note of the resulting transfers made back to the initially planned Euratom and ITER Host State contributions and generally calls on the joint undertaking to ensure a healthy pace of implementation for each section of its budget; takes note of the fact that these elements, which are related to delays and implementation difficulties, led the Court to consider the risk to budget management to be medium for this joint undertaking;

    19. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards unused appropriations in the implementation of programmes of certain joint undertakings and calls on the joint undertakings concerned to avoid the reoccurrence of similar situations, as the accumulation of unused appropriations leads to cash surpluses, which are therefore not available to the Union for the financing of other activities and programmes; underlines that this is not in line with the principle of sound financial management and has resulted in a total of EUR 1,5 billion of cash surplus for the financial year 2023; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the joint undertakings concerned should develop corrective mechanisms to reduce their cash surpluses to a reasonable level and subsequently align their cash requests for each financial year with their estimated spending needs, in coordination with the Commission; is aware of possibilities under the financial rules of the joint undertakings concerned for unused appropriations to be entered in the estimate of revenue and expenditure of up to the three financial years following their reception; is nevertheless concerned more precisely with:

    (a) the shortcomings in the cash planning of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, following the request for additional Union financial contributions of EUR 178 million in excess of cash needs for planned payment in 2023, resulting in a cash surplus of EUR 237 million at the end of 2023; takes note however of the explanation of the joint undertaking; nevertheless repeats its call for the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking to avoid the reoccurrence of similar situations and welcomes the adjustments announced by the joint undertaking for 2024;

    (b) the shortcomings in the cash planning of the Chips Joint Undertaking, following the request for additional EU financial contributions of EUR 196 million in excess of cash needs for planned payment in 2023, resulting in a cash surplus of EUR 438 million at the end of 2023; takes note however of the explanation of the joint undertaking; nevertheless repeats its call for the Chips Joint Undertaking to avoid the reoccurrence of similar situations and welcomes the ambition announced by the joint undertaking for 2024;

    (c) the shortcomings in the cash planning of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, following the request for additional Union financial contributions of EUR 488,6 million in excess of cash needs for planned payment in 2023, resulting in a cash surplus of EUR 840,7 million at the end of 2023; understands the situation faced by the joint undertaking which led to this surplus and welcomes the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control, notably as regards the expectations for projects related to Artificial Intelligence to provide an opportunity for an important cash-out; nevertheless repeats its call for the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking to avoid the reoccurrence of similar situations;

    20.  Stresses that all joint undertakings shall strengthen internal financial controls and public transparency mechanisms, ensuring that funds are distributed efficiently and in a manner consistent with EU strategic objectives;

    21. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards the contribution of members to certain joint undertakings, in particular as regards the possibility that some joint undertakings could not meet their contribution targets or only do so through high reliance on in-kind contributions to additional activities and calls on the joint undertakings concerned to take all actions necessary to prevent these situations from arising in the future; underlines that meeting contribution targets is the responsibility and obligation of the concerned joint undertakings and that failing to meet contribution targets goes against the founding idea of joint undertakings; is concerned, more precisely, with:

    (a) the situation of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, whose operational contribution target of its member Eurocontrol only reached a level of 70 %, which resulted in the joint undertaking not having the planned contributions at its disposal to fully implement its part of Horizon 2020; takes notes of the fact that this element did not however lead the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be medium or high for this joint undertaking, as it was deemed to be low;

    (b) the situation of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, which performed well in reaching its contribution target under Horizon 2020, however notably did so through a revision of the balance between the targets for in-kind contributions to operational activities and for in-kind contributions to additional activities, the latter being raised to EUR 2 444,5 million, which corresponds to 90 % of the overall target; underlines that such a reliance on in-kind contributions to additional activities presents a risk to the implementation of the Horizon 2020 programme; underlines the substantial impact of the revision performed by the joint undertaking; takes notes of the explanation of the joint undertaking and of the fact that additional activities contribute to the overall objectives of the joint undertaking; nevertheless stresses that this constitutes an excessive reliance on in-kind contribution to additional activities to meet established targets and calls on the joint undertaking to avoid the reoccurrence of such a situation; takes note of the fact that these elements led the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be high for this joint undertaking;

    (c) the situation of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, whose contribution from private members under Horizon 2020 only reached a reported amount of EUR 18,4 million against a target of EUR 420 million, which constitutes a severe difference; notes furthermore that such a situation might occur again under Horizon Europe and Digital Europe as the contribution target for private members has increased significantly to EUR 900 million while the financing arrangements that caused difficulties for private members under Horizon 2020 remain in place; takes note of the fact that these elements led the Court to consider the risk to programme implementation to be high for this joint undertaking; understands from the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control that this issue is being dealt with in cooperation with the Governing Board; nevertheless echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should support the Commission’s reassessment of the current target in order to ensure that it can attain its contribution target for private members under Horizon Europe and Digital Europe and stresses once again that reaching contribution targets should not simply be considered as an ambition but as a duty;

    22. Underlines that to promote better efficiency, the Single Basic Act of the joint undertakings provides for an obligation for joint undertakings to achieve synergies via the establishment of back-office arrangements operating in a series of identified areas; understands that four areas have been identified as a priority by the joint undertakings concerned, namely accounting activities, legal activities, information and communication technologies and human resources; particularly welcomes in that regard:

    (a) the fact that the back-office arrangements dedicated to accounting activities have been operational since December 2022 and were therefore in operation for the entirety of financial year 2023, which could be observed in the production of the annual accounts as well as the fact that the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking took the lead in operating these back-office arrangements;

    (b) the fact that the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking took the lead in operating back-office arrangements for the management of common recruitment, the legal framework of human resources and the digitalisation of human resources;

    (c) the fact that the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking took the lead in operating back-office arrangements for the management of Information and Communication Technologies services;

    (d) the fact that the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking and the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking took the lead in operating back-office arrangements for the management of administrative procurements;

    (e) the fact that joint undertakings are further implementing the joint strategic ICT plan of the joint undertakings located in the White Atrium building;

    23.  Calls on the joint undertakings concerned by the obligation under the Single Basic Act to keep reporting on their establishment of back-office arrangements, to provide clear information on which joint undertakings operate tasks for other joint undertakings in certain areas, to include as soon as possible communication, logistics, events and meeting room management as well as the support for audit and anti-fraud strategies on the list of priorities and to provide information on the areas to be considered for the establishment of back-office arrangements in the future, once arrangements in the areas identified as a priority have been concluded;

    Procurement and tenders

    24. Echoes the Court’s concerns as regards procurement procedures and calls on joint undertakings to ensure that the compliance with relevant legal provisions and the necessary complexity of certain procurement procedures do not lead to an increased risk to the legality and regularity of operational expenditure; is concerned, more precisely, by:

    (a) the situations of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking and of the Chips Joint Undertaking, for both of which the Court of Auditors observed weaknesses in the design and evaluation of one significant procurement procedure; takes notes of the fact that this element did not however lead the Court to consider the risk to operational control expenditure to be medium or high for this joint undertaking; nevertheless stresses the fact that such weaknesses may result in irregular contracts and payments if not addressed in future procurement procedures; welcomes the readiness of the joint undertakings to take action on these specific cases and to improve their procurement processes;

    (b) the fact that the Court of Auditors has evaluated the risk to operational contract expenditure to be medium for the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy because of their complex procurement procedures for high-value contracts;

    25. Underlines the financial exposure of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking to a supplier facing difficulties which is evaluated by the joint undertaking as ranging from a potential low impact of EUR 0 to an estimated maximum impact of EUR 88 million; understands from the annual accounts of the joint undertaking that this situation is being carefully scrutinised; calls on the joint undertaking to take all actions necessary to minimise financial liabilities; welcomes the additional information provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control, especially as regards the additional guarantees requested by the joint undertaking concerned to minimise this financial liability as well as the explanation provided on the key role of this specific supplier;

    26. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the gender balance of experts selected to work with the joint undertakings; calls on all joint undertakings to increase transparency and to include clear quantitative data on gender balance among the experts selected in their future Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to intensify their efforts to promote gender equality at all levels and to ensure that gender balance remains a horizontal priority in all activities related to procurement, grants and tenders and to provide explanations when gender balance cannot be achieved;

    27. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the geographical distribution of experts selected to work with the joint undertakings; calls on all joint undertakings to include clear quantitative data on the geographical distribution of the experts selected in their future Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that geographical distribution remains a horizontal priority in all activities related to procurement, grants and tenders and to provide explanations when sufficient geographical distribution cannot be achieved;

    28. Calls for a fair and equitable geographical distribution of funding from the joint undertakings, ensuring that regions with lower innovation capacity and SMEs receive adequate support;

    Staff and recruitment

    29. Is concerned with the state of play of recruitment within the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, which received 39 additional posts to be recruited by the end of the financial year 2023 in order to implement the significant funds received under the current multiannual financial framework but which only managed to recruit 21 additional staff; is furthermore concerned with the assessment of the Court of Auditors which determined that the recruitment procedures of the joint undertakings were not sufficiently transparent due to a lack of clear and previously agreed upon scoring-grids to assess candidates and their qualifications as well as due to a lack of sufficient documentation on the underlying decision-making process; regrets that in the view of the Court of Auditors, this situation may have resulted in a lack of equal treatment of candidates; reminds that it is paramount to avoid the application of double standards during the recruitment process and requests for all necessary actions to be taken in this regard; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use its increased staff effectively to achieve its recruitment target by the end of 2024 and that, in order to increase the transparency of its recruitment procedures and to substantiate the decision-making processes of the selection committee, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking should use a pre-agreed scoring grid during the pre-selection phase, in line with the practice of other joint undertakings and Union bodies; welcomes the readiness of the joint undertaking to integrate recommendations for improvements;

    30. Emphasises the need for a coherent and fair staffing policy across all Joint Undertakings to ensure adequate and inclusive working conditions, career development opportunities, and work-life balance for staff; calls for the implementation of measures to prevent excessive reliance on temporary contracts and precarious employment; underlines the importance of mental health support structures, flexible working arrangements, and fair internal promotion opportunities to improve staff well-being;

    31. Calls on all joint undertakings to implement concrete measures to improve gender balance in leadership positions and decision-making bodies, including setting gender balance targets and regularly monitoring progress; stresses the need to address gender pay gaps and ensure equal opportunities for career advancement;

    32. Takes note of the fact that the Court considered the risk to the legality and regularity of administrative expenditure to be low for all joint undertakings except for the Chips Joint Undertaking and the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for which it was deemed to be medium due to their high recruitment level, as well as for the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, due to their recent financial autonomy;

    33. Is concerned with the situation of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy as regards different aspects related to the management of human resources observed by the Court of Auditors, especially as regards the use of external service providers, notably:

    (a) the important reliance of the joint undertaking on external service providers, as it was observed that near to half of the staff of the joint undertaking consisted of external service providers (361 external service providers and 429 statutory staff in 2023) which makes that situation a critical issue with a potential large-scale impact on the capacity of the joint undertaking to manage its human resources in a sustainable manner while ensuring a capacity for retention of knowledge and institutional memory, which also allow for financial gains in the long run;

    (b) the fact that the joint undertaking did not adopt a unique formal definition of external service providers, which resulted in a lack of clarity in its assessment of their impact on statutory staff needs; notes furthermore that the risk register of the joint undertaking did not include all the potential risks related to a high level of reliance on external service providers in the long term, which might prevent the internal control of the joint undertaking from having adequate mitigating measures put in place to address those risks;

    (c) the findings of the audit conducted on this matter by the Commission’s internal audit service which revealed that the joint undertaking had not set up a centralised function for the coordination and management of external service providers, nor had it set up a methodology for assessing its aggregate human resources needs, and in particular its needs for external service providers; underlines that it was observed that the joint undertaking’s decision on the use of external service providers was therefore based on budgetary concerns rather than human resources needs;

    (d) the lack of transparency in the reporting of the joint undertaking on its human resources; particularly as regards the presentation of permanent and non-permanent staff figures, given that 224 of the 386 temporary and contract staff had in reality an indefinite contract and could therefore have been considered as permanent staff from a practical point of view; calls on the joint undertaking to underline such nuances in the future in its reporting on human resources;

    (e) echoes the Court’s recommendation for action which recommends that the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy should establish a centralised coordination and management function for external service providers and adopt a comprehensive methodology to regularly assess its total human resources needs based on the expected workload and required skills and that the joint undertaking concerned should also supplement its risk register with the most important risks deriving from its high level of use of external service providers in the long run;

    (f) welcomes the commitments made by the joint undertaking and welcomes its explanation of the challenges leading to an important use of external service providers; is nevertheless concerned with this important dependency and the related risks; calls on the joint undertaking to provide more detailed information in the future on the decision-making processes leading to the use of external service providers;

    34. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the gender balance among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to include a clear section dedicated to quantitative data on gender balance among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their future Annual Activity Reports, including the disaggregation of data between different levels of responsibility and different types of contract; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that gender balance remains an objective at all levels of responsibility and to persist in their efforts to enhance it, in order to ensure a fair representation of society within their staff and to promote a healthy and productive working environment and to provide explanations when gender balance cannot be achieved;

    35. Takes note of the fact that the levels of detail and the level of accessibility vary when it comes to the quantitative data provided by the joint undertakings on the geographical distribution within their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their Annual Activity Reports; calls on all joint undertakings to include a clear section dedicated to quantitative data on geographical distribution among their staff and within their governing bodies and structures in their future Annual Activity Reports, including the disaggregation of data between different levels of responsibility and different types of contract; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that a satisfactory geographical distribution remains an objective at all levels of responsibility and to provide explanations when a sufficient geographical distribution cannot be achieved;

    36. Welcomes the work of the EU Agencies Network (EUAN) and its Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion which led to the EUAN Charter on Diversity and Inclusion; invites joint undertakings to adopt this Charter;

    37. Underlines that joint undertakings shall ensure that funded projects contribute to social well-being and inclusivity, respect workers’ rights and labour conditions and align with the principles of a just transition to sustainable technologies;

    Management and control systems

    38. Welcomes the work of the Court of Auditors on the examination of grant payments made by the ten joint undertakings implementing research and innovation projects, especially as regards its complementary audit of a sample of grant payments at beneficiary level under Horizon 2020; is concerned with the results of this examination which showed that there were persistent systemic errors, especially as regards declared personnel and equipment costs; calls for correction of the systemic errors;

    39. Underlines that the Court of Auditors found one case of quantified and serious error in payments under Horizon 2020 for the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, as well as for the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking; welcomes the initiatives taken in this regard to raise awareness at beneficiary level; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure the legality and regularity of operational expenditure and underlines that the Court of Auditors deemed the risk to the interim and final grant payments of the joint undertakings to be medium;

    40. Calls on the Commission to implement: i) mandatory financial training for beneficiaries of the joint undertakings to prevent recurrent accounting errors; ii) automated verification tools to enhance accuracy in personnel cost calculations; iii) stronger ex-ante audit procedures to ensure proper use of Union funds;

    41. Welcomes the fact that according to the extrapolation of the Court of Auditors for all joint undertakings, the average error rate is just below the materiality threshold of 2% for grant expenditure, as well as the fact that the residual error rates calculated by the Commission’s common audit service were also below the materiality threshold;

    42. Takes note of the fact that the number of Horizon Europe and Digital Europe interim payments was too small to feature in the sample audited by the Court of Auditors in 2023;

    43. Takes note of the fact that there were several changes to the internal control framework of joint undertakings under Horizon Europe, notably the fact that the Commission no longer intends to make specific representative ex-post audits on behalf of individual Horizon Europe stakeholders, such as joint undertakings; notes furthermore that the Commission plans to apply the same change to grant payments under Digital Europe;

    44. Is concerned with the lack of communication, collaboration and coordination between the risk management of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and its internal audit functions, as well as with the related lack of an integrated risk management process and the fact that the joint undertaking could not provide satisfactory evidence that it regularly uses risk management information when planning internal audit activities; echoes the Court’s recommendation for action in this regard which recommends that the joint undertaking concerned implement an integrated risk management process in its internal control framework in order to manage its risks effectively; welcomes the plans of the joint undertaking to take action on this issue;

    45. Underlines the importance of implementing a comprehensive and up to date business continuity plan and disaster recovery plan for the joint undertakings; regrets in that regard that at the end of the financial year 2023, the joint undertakings, with the exception of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, did not have a satisfactory policy in place in this regard; welcomes the plans of the joint undertaking to take action on this issue;

    46. Points out that the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking still had not fully implemented the Commission’s internal control framework and calls on these two joint undertakings to fully implement that framework;

    Fraud, ethics and conflicts of interests

    47. Takes note of the fact that the Court of Auditors made one notification of suspected fraud to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) during its audit of the financial year 2023; understands that the case was later dismissed by OLAF as no fraud was observed in relation to the staff matter concerned; welcomes the diligence of the Court of Auditors and the cooperation within the anti-fraud architecture;

    48. Underlines the importance of implementing an internal control policy on sensitive functions for the joint undertakings; stresses that such a policy can prevent and mitigate the risk of inappropriate or fraudulent action; regrets that at the end of the financial year 2023, the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking, the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the Chips Joint Undertaking, the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking as well as the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy did not yet have a policy in that regard; stresses the critical nature of this situation and urges the joint undertakings to take action without unnecessary delays;

    49. Takes note of the situation in the Chips Joint Undertaking referred to by the Court of Auditors, which saw one of its former senior staff members who had left the joint undertaking recently take up a new occupational activity without prior notice to the joint undertaking concerned; calls on the joint undertaking concerned and all other joint undertakings to conduct active monitoring of the new occupational activities of former senior staff members as well as of staff members occupying a sensitive function; welcomes the additional information provided by the joint undertaking concerned on this specific case;

    50. Calls on all joint undertakings to enhance their transparency policies, particularly regarding potential conflicts of interest; urges joint undertakings to publish declarations of interest for their members of boards of management, scientific committees, and external experts, ensuring that any financial, professional, or personal ties to entities benefiting from funding from the joint undertakings are disclosed; insists on the introduction of a mandatory ‘cooling-off’ period for senior staff of the joint undertakings before they can take up employment in organisations that receive funding from the joint undertakings;

    51. Takes note of the information reported by the joint undertakings on their activities related to prevention, detection, and correction of fraud; calls on all joint undertakings to strengthen their role and identify their weaknesses by engaging further in anti-fraud discussions and to report on such elements and to include in their future reports a clear presentation of the legal framework and policies put in place in this regard;

    Remarks on the follow-up of Joint Undertakings to the previous discharge exercise

    52. Welcomes the fact that joint undertakings have produced a follow-up report to the European Parliament resolutions with observations forming an integral part of the decisions on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the joint undertakings for the financial year 2022; notes that these reports provide the views of the joint undertakings on the issues underlined by the European Parliament to a satisfactory extent;

    53. Welcomes the fact that the Court’s report also includes an analysis of the follow-up of joint undertakings to previous observations and recommendations for actions published by the Court; notes in this regard that out of 37 observations not sufficiently addressed at the end of 2022, 16 were closed and 21 remained open at the end of 2023; furthermore notes that out of the 15 recommended actions in the annual reports of 2021 and 2022, 9 had been fully implemented, 2 in most respects, 3 in some respects and 1 not implemented at all; understands that some recommendations that still need to be implemented further mainly relate to human resources issues which the joint undertakings can only implement in cooperation with the Directorate-General for Budget of the Commission and once applications are ready to be implemented; understands that the recommendations that had to be implemented before the end of 2023 were implemented in due time;

    54. Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors has now provided a deadline for implementation for each of its open recommendations for action, which were defined in cooperation with the joint undertakings to ensure their feasibility; calls on all joint undertakings to continue to report back to the Court of Auditors and the European Parliament on these issues;

    55. Notes with concern the persistent challenges related to cost overruns, delays, and governance issues in the implementation of the ITER project; calls for improved financial oversight and enhanced budgetary transparency, including more detailed public reporting on cost developments, spending efficiency, and progress toward key project milestones; stresses the need for stricter auditing mechanisms to ensure that Union contributions to the project are effectively utilised; urges the joint undertaking to strengthen internal governance by ensuring regular and independent evaluations of project risks and by increasing accountability mechanisms for senior management;

    Other priorities for the joint undertakings

    56. Is aware of the administrative and budgetary constraints of joint undertakings and in respect of these constraints, calls on joint undertakings to better disseminate their contribution to research and innovation activities through accessible communication material intended for academic and research institutions, public and private organisations and European and national authorities; calls for this accessible communication material to promote the opportunities for procurement contracts and grants offered by the joint undertakings in the area of research and innovation activities;

    57. Calls on joint undertakings to proactively engage in communication activities in order to reach a wide range of EU citizens in a pedagogical effort to present their contribution to common goals and the need for institutionalised partnerships that involve private members;

    58. Calls on the joint undertakings to establish the cooperation with universities in order to reach out to young European graduates to strengthen their future recruitment processes;

    59. Calls on joint undertakings to continue to report effectively and to the extent of their capacity on their contribution to employment and to the competitiveness of the European economy, in light of the necessity for all important stakeholders of the European Union in the area of research and innovation to focus on the reindustrialisation of the European Union;

    60. Calls on joint undertakings to continue to ensure a sufficient level of participation of private firms, especially of small and medium-sized enterprises, which constitute the strongest asset of the European economy;

    61. Calls on joint undertakings to report effectively on their contribution to horizontal priorities of the budget of the European Union, including as regards climate mainstreaming and to provide explanations where relevant on how their activities can contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal;

    62. Calls on all joint undertakings to continue to act with diligence in the conduct of their activities when dealing with international stakeholders, especially in light of the regime of restrictive measures put in place by the European Union; underlines the particular situation of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy in this regard and welcomes the explanations provided during the hearing of the joint undertaking concerned in the Committee on Budgetary Control on measures put in place to prevent any issues in the framework of the ITER project;

    63. Calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that their staff are making a good use of possible synergies with other entities from the European Union, such as agencies, in all relevant areas and in order to increase the efficiency and impact of their operations; calls on all joint undertakings to ensure that their staff are making good use of the platform that constitutes the EU Agencies Network (EUAN);

    64. Emphasies the need for digital sovereignty in research funded by the Union; in that regard puts special emphasis on the Chips Joint Undertaking, Euro European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, and the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking who shall prioritise projects that enhance Union autonomy in semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity; asks the Commission to ensure that projects funded by joint undertakings: i) are not excessively reliant on third-country suppliers for critical technologies; ii) contribute to the Union’s industrial resilience and strategic independence; iii) foster domestic R&D in key digital sectors;

    Call for a follow-up

    65. Calls on each joint undertaking considered for the granting of discharge for the financial year 2023 to produce an individual follow-up report on all actions taken to address the specific issues mentioned in this resolution and to submit this follow-up report signed by the (Executive) Director of the joint undertaking to the European Parliament by no later than 30 September 2025;

    66. Underlines that follow-up reports may also contain the general views of the joint undertakings on this resolution and on other matters relevant for the discharge authority; expects the joint undertakings to draft this report with a comprehensive approach, to touch on all issues addressed by the European Parliament concerning their activities, and to do so in good faith and cooperation.

    ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

    Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee:

    Entity and/or person

    European Court of Auditors

    European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking

     

    The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

    Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

     

     

    OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND TOURISM (29.1.2025)

    for the Committee on Budgetary Control

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU joint undertakings for the financial year 2023

    (2024/2031(DEC))

    Rapporteur for opinion: Gheorghe Falcă 

     

    OPINION

    The Committee on Transport and Tourism calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

    1. Welcomes the ‘clean’ opinion for the 2023 financial year provided by the European Court of Auditors (‘the Court’) in relation to the reliability of the annual accounts, as well as the legality and regularity of the revenues and payments underlying the accounts of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU), the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU), and the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU Rail);

     

    2. Notes the Court’s observations directed at all three Joint Undertakings (JU) concerning their outdated business continuity and disaster recovery plans; welcomes the measures taken by the JUs following the Court’s assessment to ensure that these plans are regularly updated and adapted to organisational changes and emerging risks in the operating environment;

     

    3. Welcomes the 2023 activities related to the calls for proposals and grant management carried out by the three JUs under their respective programmes; recognizes the value of initiatives fostering stakeholder engagement and participation, such as open calls for expressions of interest and joint calls across the JUs, as instrumental in leveraging the collective expertise and resources; draws particular attention to the joint call for proposals launched by EU-Rail and SESAR 3 JU – the first ever cross-joint undertaking synergy topic call aimed at developing an integrated air and rail network for a sustainable multimodal transport system;

     

    4. Takes notice of the back-office arrangements signed by the three JUs in 2023, facilitating their collaboration with the other joint undertakings for efficiency gains in various shared areas, including human resources, accounting, ICT, and procurement;

     

    5. Acknowledges the significant contributions of the JUs in advancing research, innovation, and technology development across various sectors, including aviation, rail, and air traffic management, as integral to achieving the EU’s strategic objectives of sustainability, digital transformation, and competitiveness.

     

    Part I – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU)

     

    1. Takes notice of the reduced 2023 commitment budget of CAJU (EUR 269 million, down from EUR 411,2 million in 2022), reflecting the lower value of the Horizon Europe calls launched in 2023; points out that its increased 2023 payment budget (EUR 468,4 million, up from EUR 415,3 million in 2022) covered the interim payments for the ongoing Horizon 2020 projects and the significant pre-financing for grant agreements planned by the end of 2023 under the Horizon Europe programme;

     

    2. Observes that the members’ commitments for the JU’s operational and additional activities under Horizon 2020 programme exceeded their operational contribution targets, therefore, at the end of 2023, CAJU still had to pay around EUR 41 million (or 2,4%) in the coming years for projects yet to be completed, and to validate in-kind contributions to its operational activities of EUR 244,3 million and in-kind contributions to additional activities of EUR 153,4 million;

     

    3. Notes that the implementation rate for the 2023 operational payment appropriations under the Horizon Europe programme decreased to 51%, primarily due to the slower start of the CAJU’s technically complex activities and delays in ongoing Horizon 2020 activities; notes that in 2023, CAJU requested EUR 178 million in additional EU financial contributions, exceeding the cash needs and resulting in a EUR 237 million cash surplus, which indicates shortcomings in its cash planning; notes that it is imperative to make the accumulated cash surplus available for other urgent EU needs and urges CAJU to define its goals and future financial resource needs more clearly, to prevent similar situations in the future[137]a;

     

    4. Notes that the technical activity under the Clean Sky 2 (CS2) programme mostly completed in 2023 and acknowledges the progress made in finalisation of the remaining technology maturation and demonstration activities, notably in delivering a series of key demonstrators in the programme’s different System & Platform Demonstrator (SPD) areas;

     

    5. Points out that the 20 projects selected in the first call for proposals of the Clean Aviation programme successfully kicked-off in January 2023, committing 40% of the funding available over the life cycle of the programme (EUR 736 million); takes notice of the second call launched in February 2023, which resulted in the signature of 8 grant agreements for a maximum amount of approximately EUR 137 million (7,5% of the funding available), that will aim at definition of novel aircraft concepts, innovative propulsion architectures, as well as new fuselage and wing designs;

     

    6. Draws attention to the open call for expression of interest published by CAJU in May 2023, targeting private stakeholders to become Associated Members of CAJU; notes that, following the evaluation, 20 new Associated Members from 12 different countries acceded to the Clean Aviation Partnership in December 2023, bringing the number of its Members to 59.

     

     

    Part II – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU)

     

    1. Takes notice of the reduced 2023 commitment budget of SESAR 3 JU (EUR 111,2 million, down from EUR 158,8 million in 2022), reflecting the lower number of calls for Horizon Europe projects; points out that its increased 2023 payment budget (EUR 241,5 million, up from 146,9 million in 2022) covered the interim payments for the ongoing Horizon 2020 projects and the significant pre-financing payments for the grant agreements and contracts planned by the end of 2023 under the Horizon Europe programme;

     

    2. Highlights that by the end of 2022, EU and the JU’s private members met their operational contribution targets, while Eurocontrol committed only 70% of its target; notes that this shortfall prevented SESAR 3 JU from receiving all planned contributions necessary for the full implementation of its part of the Horizon 2020 programme; further notes that by the end of 2023, the JU had EUR 36,8 million (6,6%) in outstanding payments for incomplete projects and contracts, and needed to validate in-kind contributions of EUR 105,1 million;

     

    3. Regrets that at the end of 2023, SESAR 3 JU still lacked a policy on the management of sensitive functions, essential to prevent or mitigate the risk of inappropriate actions and corruption, in accordance with the European Commission’s Internal Control Principles; notes that in 2023, the Commission’s Internal Audit Service observed that the JU’s business continuity plan (BCP) and the related disaster recovery plan (DRP) had not been updated since 2016; calls on SESAR 3 JU to regularly update its BCP and DRP1b[138];

     

    4. Welcomes the successful closure in 2023 of the remaining projects funded under the SESAR 2020 programme, integrating their outcomes into the new Digital European Sky (DES) programme; points out that the 2023 exploratory and industrial research calls under DES resulted in 50 projects, covering the nine SESAR flagship areas; welcomes three new Digital Sky Demonstrator projects funded under the Connecting Europe Facility along to the five already managed by the SESAR 3 JU; notes that 58 DES projects that involve more than 300 different beneficiaries, represent a total investment of more than EUR 600 million;

     

    5. Welcomes the update of the European ATM Master Plan, commenced by SESAR 3 JU in order to set out the vision and prioritize the digital solutions necessary to deliver DES; points out that the update campaign includes extensive consultations with stakeholders to ensure a collaborative and aligned approach towards achieving the strategic objectives leading to ATM modernization; expects the Governing Board to have it adopted by December 2024.

     

     

    Part III – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail)

     

    1. Notes that the reduced commitment and payment budgets for 2023 (respectively, EUR 102,6 million and 120,3 million, down from EUR 171,4 million and 180,8 million in 2022) reflected the lower value of calls for Horizon Europe projects and the diminishing level of payments related to Horizon 2020 projects;

     

    2. Observes that the members’ commitments for the JU’s operational and additional activities under the Horizon 2020 programme exceeded their operational contribution targets, noting that at the end of 2023, EU-Rail still had to pay around EUR 40,5 million (or 10.8%) for projects and contracts yet to be completed, and to validate in-kind contributions to its operational activities of EUR 44,7 million;

     

    3. Remarks that although the 2023 implementation rate for operational payment appropriations of Horizon 2020 programme increased to 67% (from 47% in 2022), it remained below expectations; points out that EU-Rail postponed final payments to 2024 due to technical issues experienced by beneficiaries; takes notice of the several projects that did not fully claim their budgets, reducing the need for operational payments by approximately EUR 4,1 million; calls on EU-Rail to take action to improve the implementation rate for operational payment appropriations and to elaborate a plan on how to improve the accounting reporting obligations1c[139];

     

    4. Commends the strong cooperation of the JU with the European Union Agency for Railways to ensure the interoperability of the developed projects; commends the collaboration with the sectoral associations, third country programmes and other programmes, partnerships, and bodies, to establish further synergies;

     

    5. Welcomes the commitment of the JU to facilitate R&I activities to deliver an integrated European railway network by design, eliminating interoperability barriers and delivering smart, sustainable, and resilient railway system to ensure a harmonized approach to the evolution of the Single European Rail Area; commends the integrated EU-Rail programme for its continued efforts to disseminate information on the benefits of rail transportation and travel to European citizens, and recognizes the complementarity between its R&I output, particularly in fostering interoperability, and the key objectives outlined in the European Green Deal and the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy; acknowledges the progress made under the programme, based on its System Pillar, the “generic system integrator” for the future of the EU rail, providing governance, resources, and outputs to support a coherent and coordinated approach to railway system development, as well as on its Innovation Pillar, which encompasses advanced operational and technological solutions aimed at creating a more efficient railway system, including large-scale demonstrations and exploratory research; takes notice of the 2023 decision of the Governing Board to establish the Deployment Group to advise on the market uptake of rail innovation developed by EU-Rail and to support the deployment of innovative solutions;

     

    6. Welcomes the 2023 achievements under the European Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC) Delivery Programme that facilitated cooperation among rail stakeholders, enhancing the implementation of DAC for European rail freight;

     

    7. Congratulates the JU for its continued, active reporting on its contributions to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as its contribution to completing the Single European Railway Area;

     

    8. Highlights the importance of supporting the JU given rail’s inherent advantages in terms of environmental performance, land use, energy consumption, and safety.

     

    ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
    FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

    The rapporteur for the opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

     

    INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    Date adopted

    29.1.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    31

    6

    6

    Members present for the final vote

    Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Daniel Attard, Tom Berendsen, Rachel Blom, Nikolina Brnjac, Nina Carberry, Benoit Cassart, Carlo Ciccioli, Anna Maria Cisint, Vivien Costanzo, Johan Danielsson, Valérie Devaux, Siegbert Frank Droese, Gheorghe Falcă, Jens Gieseke, Borja Giménez Larraz, Sérgio Gonçalves, Roman Haider, Sérgio Humberto, Dariusz Joński, François Kalfon, Martine Kemp, Sophia Kircher, Elena Kountoura, Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus, Julien Leonardelli, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Alexandra Mehnert, Ştefan Muşoiu, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Philippe Olivier, Matteo Ricci, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Stanislav Stoyanov, Kai Tegethoff, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Kosma Złotowski

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Alberico Gambino, Jutta Paulus, Dario Tamburrano, Kris Van Dijck, Ana Vasconcelos

    Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

    Elisabeth Grossmann

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    31

    +

    PPE

    Tom Berendsen, Nikolina Brnjac, Nina Carberry, Gheorghe Falcă, Jens Gieseke, Borja Giménez Larraz, Sérgio Humberto, Dariusz Joński, Martine Kemp, Sophia Kircher, Alexandra Mehnert, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi

    Renew

    Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Benoit Cassart, Valérie Devaux, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Ana Vasconcelos

    S&D

    Daniel Attard, Vivien Costanzo, Johan Danielsson, Sérgio Gonçalves, Elisabeth Grossmann, François Kalfon, Ştefan Muşoiu, Matteo Ricci, Rosa Serrano Sierra

    The Left

    Elena Kountoura, Dario Tamburrano

    Verts/ALE

    Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Jutta Paulus, Kai Tegethoff

     

    6

    –

    ESN

    Siegbert Frank Droese, Stanislav Stoyanov

    NI

    Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus

    PfE

    Rachel Blom, Julien Leonardelli, Philippe Olivier

     

    6

    0

    ECR

    Carlo Ciccioli, Alberico Gambino, Kris Van Dijck, Kosma Złotowski

    PfE

    Anna Maria Cisint, Roman Haider

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

     

    INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    Date adopted

    18.3.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    20

    4

    2

    Members present for the final vote

    Georgios Aftias, Arno Bausemer, Damian Boeselager, Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Caterina Chinnici, Tamás Deutsch, Dick Erixon, Daniel Freund, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Virginie Joron, Kinga Kollár, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Fidias Panayiotou, Jacek Protas, Julien Sanchez, Jonas Sjöstedt, Carla Tavares, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Bert-Jan Ruissen, Annamária Vicsek, Michal Wiezik

    Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Gaetano Pedulla’

     

    FINAL VOTES BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    Final votes on proposals for decisions

     

    Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking

     

    21

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    4

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking

     

    22

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    4

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking

     

    21

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    3

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    3

    0

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking

     

    21

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    4

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking

     

    22

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    3

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    3

    0

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy

     

    20

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    5

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

     

    3

    0

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking

     

    22

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    4

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking

     

    20

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager

     

    4

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Chips Joint Undertaking (before 21.9.2023: Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking)

     

    21

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    3

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    3

    0

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking

     

    23

    +

    ECR

    Dick Erixon, Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    3

    –

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking

     

    21

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    The Left

    Gaetano Pedulla’, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    3

    –

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    3

    0

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    Final vote on motion for a resolution

     

    20

    +

    ECR

    Bert-Jan Ruissen

    NI

    Fidias Panayiotou

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Caterina Chinnici, Esteban González Pons, Niclas Herbst, Monika Hohlmeier, Kinga Kollár, Jacek Protas, Tomáš Zdechovský

    Renew

    Gilles Boyer, Olivier Chastel, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Giuseppe Lupo, Marit Maij, Csaba Molnár, Carla Tavares

    Verts/ALE

    Damian Boeselager, Daniel Freund

     

    4

    –

    ECR

    Dick Erixon

    ESN

    Arno Bausemer

    PfE

    Virginie Joron, Julien Sanchez

     

    2

    0

    PfE

    Tamás Deutsch, Annamária Vicsek

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Türkiye – A10-0067/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Türkiye

    (2025/2023(INI))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the European Council conclusions of 17 and 18 April 2024, 30 June 2023, 23 June 2022, 24 June 2021 and 12 December 2019, and to all relevant previous Council and European Council conclusions,

    – having regard to Türkiye’s membership of the Council of Europe and NATO,

    – having regard to the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Turkey on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation[1] (EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement),

    – having regard to the statement of the members of the European Council of 25 March 2021 on Türkiye,

    – having regard to the ‘EU-Turkey statements’ of 18 March 2016 and 29 November 2015,

    – having regard to the ‘Turkey Negotiating Framework’ of 3 October 2005,

    – having regard to the declaration issued by the European Community and its Member States on 21 September 2005 following the declaration made by Turkey upon its signature of the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement on 29 July 2005,

    – having regard to the Council conclusions of December 2006 and March 2020, and to the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council in Copenhagen of 21-22 June 1993, also known as the Copenhagen Criteria,

    – having regard to the Council conclusions on Enlargement of 17 December 2024 and of 12 December 2023,

    – having regard to the International Law of the Sea and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 on EU enlargement policy (COM(2024)0690) and to the accompanying Türkiye 2024 Report (SWD(2024)0696),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 on EU enlargement policy (COM(2023)0690) and to the accompanying Türkiye 2023 Report (SWD(2023)0696),

     

    – having regard to Special report 06/2024 of the European Court of Auditors of 24 April 2024 entitled ‘The Facility for Refugees in Turkey – Beneficial for refugees and host communities, but impact and sustainability not yet ensured’,

    – having regard to the joint communications from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Council of 29 November 2023 (JOIN(2023)0050) and of 22 March 2021 (JOIN(2021)0008) on the state of play of EU-Türkiye political, economic and trade relations,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 19 December 2024 entitled ‘Eighth Annual Report of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey’ (COM(2024)0593),

    – having regard to the fundamental principles of international law and to the Charter of the United Nations, the 1977 and the 1979 High-Level Agreements between the leaders of the two communities, and the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council on Cyprus, including Resolution 186 (1964) of 4 March 1964, which reaffirms the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, Resolution 550 (1984) of 11 May 1984 on secessionist actions in Cyprus, Resolution 789 (1992) of 25 November 1992, and Resolution 2537 (2020) on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),

    – having regard to Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which states that the contracting parties undertake to abide by the final judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in any case to which they are parties, and to the ensuing obligation of Türkiye to implement all judgments of the ECtHR,

    – having regard to the relevant resolutions of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,

    – having regard to the 2025 Freedom in the World report published by Freedom House,

    – having regard to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders,

    – having regard to the January 2025 prison statistics report published by the Civil Society in the Penal System Association (CISST) and to the 2024 country profile for Türkiye published by Prison Insider,

    – having regard to the Global Gender Gap Report 2024 published by the World Economic Forum,

    – having regard to recent reports of the We Will Stop Femicide Platform (Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu),

    – having regard to the UNESCO statement on Hagia Sophia of 10 July 2020, and to the relevant UNESCO World Heritage Committee decisions 44 COM 7B.58 (2021) and 45 COM 7B.58 (2023), adopted in its 44th and 45th sessions respectively,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on Türkiye, in particular those of 13 September 2023 on the 2022 Commission Report on Türkiye[2], of 7 June 2022 on the 2021 Commission Report on Turkey[3], and of 26 November 2020 on escalating tensions in Varosha following the illegal actions by Türkiye and the urgent need for the resumption of talks[4],

    – having regard to its resolution of 29 February 2024 on deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement[5],

    – having regard to its resolution of 15 April 2015 on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide[6],

    – having regard to its resolutions of 5 May 2022 on the case of Osman Kavala in Turkey[7], of 10 October 2024 on the case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye[8] and of 13 February 2025 on recent dismissals and arrests of mayors in Türkiye[9],

    – having regard to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Ankara in December 2024,

    – having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0067/2025),

    A. whereas Türkiye remains a candidate for EU accession, and EU membership remains the repeatedly declared political goal of the Turkish Government, although the gap with the values and interests of the EU is growing; whereas EU accession negotiations have effectively been at a standstill since 2018, owing to the deterioration of the rule of law and democracy in Türkiye;

    B. whereas any accession country is expected to respect democratic values, the rule of law and human rights, and to abide by EU law; whereas Türkiye needs to credibly demonstrate its commitment to closer relations and alignment with the European Union in order to reinvigorate its European perspective; whereas being a candidate country presumes a willingness to progressively approach and align with the EU in all aspects, including values, interests, standards and policies, inter alia with its common foreign and security policy, to respect and uphold the Copenhagen criteria, and to pursue and maintain good neighbourly relations with the EU and all of its Member States without discrimination; whereas the tensions between the EU and Türkiye in relation to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean have de-escalated but not ceased; whereas Türkiye has repeatedly been asked to refrain from all actions which violate the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all EU Member States and are in breach of international and EU law;

    C. whereas the 2023 Commission progress report on Türkiye painted a picture of continued backsliding, while its latest progress report of 2024 appears to present a slightly more positive overall picture of progress on enlargement-related reforms in Türkiye, such as in the area of economic and monetary policies; whereas this cannot, however, be applied to the core matters related to democracy and fundamental rights, which have deteriorated even further since the release of the Commission’s latest report; whereas the gap between Türkiye and the EU’s values and normative framework has therefore remained unaddressed during the recent period with the persistent use of laws and measures aimed at curtailing the rule of law and human rights, fundamental freedoms and civil liberties;

    D. whereas the joint communication on the state of play of EU-Türkiye relations of 29 November 2023 struck a more positive note, putting forward a set of recommendations on cooperating in areas of joint interest in a phased, proportionate and reversible manner and based on the established conditionalities; whereas only a few concrete steps in line with the commitments therein have been taken so far; whereas the April 2024 European Council mandated Coreper to advance in the implementation of this joint communication; whereas nevertheless this joint communication has not yet received a clear political endorsement by the Council;

    E. whereas Türkiye is a member of the Council of Europe and is therefore bound by the judgments of the ECtHR; whereas owing to its failure to apply landmark ECtHR rulings, Türkiye is currently facing historical infringement proceedings; whereas Türkiye consistently ranks among the countries most frequently found in violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms protected by the European Convention on Human Rights; whereas as of late November 2024, Türkiye had the highest number of pending cases before the ECtHR, with 22 450 applications, representing 36.7 % of the Court’s total caseload of 61 250 applications;

    F. whereas Türkiye is classified as ‘not free’ by Freedom House and has experienced one of the worst declines in the level of freedom in the world in the past 10 years; whereas Türkiye ranks 158th out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index; whereas the Turkish Government has closed dozens of media outlets, routinely blocks online articles, is reported to control 85 % of national media and uses its state agency Anadolu as an organ of propaganda;

    G. whereas the Turkish constitution provides for sufficient protection of fundamental rights, but the practice of the institutions and the critical state of the judiciary, including the lack of respect for Constitutional Court rulings, are the main reasons for the dire situation of the rule of law and human rights in the country, issues repeatedly described in the reports of the EU, the Council of Europe and international organisations;

    H. whereas Türkiye has the highest incarceration rate and the largest prison population of all Council of Europe Member States, with an overcrowded prison population that has grown by 439 % between 2005 and 2023 and currently represents more than a third of all inmates of Council of Europe countries;

    I. whereas Türkiye is ranked 127th out of 146 countries in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, underscoring severe gender inequality and systemic failures in protecting women’s rights; whereas according to the 2024 report of the We Will Stop Femicide Platform (Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu), 394 women were murdered by men and 259 women were found dead in suspicious circumstances in Türkiye in 2024, the highest number recorded since the civil society group started collecting data in 2010; whereas in its 2023 report, the platform noted that 315 women were killed by men, and 248 women were found dead in suspicious circumstances;

    J. whereas in recent months, Türkiye has taken steps towards the resumption of a process for a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish question; whereas on 27 February 2025 jailed militant leader Abdullah Öcalan called on his Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm and disband, providing a historic opportunity to end the Turkish-Kurdish conflict; whereas these efforts have been accompanied by increasing repression and the curtailment of the powers of democratic local governments, including the dismissal of elected Kurdish and other opposition mayors;

    K. whereas, alongside being a candidate for EU accession, Türkiye is a NATO ally and a key partner in the areas of trade, economic relations, security, the fight against terrorism, and migration; whereas Türkiye continues to play a key role in the region, acts as a bridge between Europe and Asia, and remains a key partner for the stability of the wider East Mediterranean region; whereas Türkiye continues to play a significant role in the Syrian conflict and maintains a military presence in northern Syria;

    L. whereas Türkiye has not aligned with EU sanctions against Russia; whereas trade between Türkiye and Russia has nearly doubled since the EU’s imposition of sanctions against Russia; whereas despite some steps taken, Türkiye has not prevented its territory from being used to circumvent EU sanctions against Russia;

    M. whereas the 2024 Commission progress report on Türkiye states that, as at 30 September 2024, the country maintained a very low alignment rate of 5 % with relevant statements of the High Representative on behalf of the EU and with relevant Council decisions, compared to 9 % in 2023;

    N. whereas Türkiye is the EU’s fifth largest trade partner, and the EU is Türkiye’s largest trading partner by far, as well as its primary source of foreign direct investment;

    O. whereas in the past year, the level of engagement between the EU and Türkiye has increased in terms of both technical and high-level meetings in sectoral areas;

    P. whereas Türkiye has applied for membership of BRICS+ and shown interest in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO);

    Q. whereas following a period of unorthodox economic policy, Türkiye has implemented a tighter monetary policy over the past year leading to a reduction in external imbalances and a moderation of inflationary pressures;

    R. whereas Türkiye hosts the largest refugee population in the world, with around 3.1 million registered refugees, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan; whereas since 2011 the EU has directed more than EUR 10  billion to assisting refugees and host communities in Türkiye; whereas according to a credible investigative report by Lighthouse Reports and eight media partners, the EU is funding removal centres in Türkiye implicated in the detention, abuse and forced deportations of refugees under the guise of voluntary return;

    S. whereas in addition to the emergency assistance coordinated via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, with an estimated financial value of EUR 38 million, the EU provided EUR 78.2 million in humanitarian aid for the earthquake response in 2023, and EUR 26 million in humanitarian aid in 2024; whereas the EU signed an additional EUR 400 million in assistance under the EU Solidarity Fund to finance recovery operations following the devastating earthquake;

    T. whereas Türkiye has systematically misused counterterrorism laws to target elected officials, opposition politicians and human rights defenders, among others;

    Commitment to EU accession

    1. Recognises the long-standing aspirations of Turkish civil society regarding accession to the European Union; welcomes the Turkish Government’s recent statements reiterating its commitment to EU membership as a strategic goal amid an effort to revitalise EU-Türkiye relations in line with relevant European Council conclusions in a phased, proportionate and reversible manner; recognises the EU’s commitment to fostering this engagement through enhanced dialogue and cooperation;

    2. Stresses that EU membership is contingent on fulfilling the accession (Copenhagen) criteria, which require stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and the protection of minorities, good neighbourly relations, respect for international law and alignment with the EU CFSP; further notes that these are absolute criteria, not issues subject to transactional strategic considerations and negotiations; stresses that recognition of all Member States is a necessary component of the accession process;

    3. Regrets, in this regard, that the aforementioned positive statements have not been accompanied by any concrete actions by the Turkish authorities to close the persistent and vast gap between Türkiye and the EU on values and standards, particularly with regard to the fundamentals of the accession process; reiterates its previously adopted conclusion that the Turkish Government continues to show, as it has done for the past few years, a clear lack of political will to carry out the necessary reforms to reactivate the accession process and continues to pursue a deeply entrenched authoritarian understanding of the presidential system;

    4. Acknowledges the strategic and geopolitical importance of Türkiye, and its increasing presence and influence in areas critical to international security, such as the Black Sea region, including Ukraine, and the Middle East; reiterates that Türkiye is a strategic partner and NATO ally, and a country with which the EU has close relations in the areas of security, trade, economy and migration; welcomes closer cooperation between Türkiye and the EU, to which the Turkish Government has made frequent reference, but stresses that this cannot in any way be a substitute for the necessary real progress which Türkiye, as a candidate country, needs to make with regard to meeting the fundamental requirements for accession; highlights, in this regard, that there are no shortcuts in the accession process and that no argument can be put forward to avoid discussing the democratic principles which are at the core of the accession process;

    5. Notes that the Commission’s Türkiye report 2024 paints a more positive picture of reform implementation in the context of Türkiye’s accession process than the Türkiye report 2023, shifting from further deterioration to ‘no progress’ with regard to the rule of law and human rights issues; is of the opinion, however, that at least in key areas such as democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights, this is due to the fact that a very low point had already been reached and this situation has remained unchanged;

    6. Further takes note of a nuanced shift in focus of the Türkiye report 2024, by contrast with the 2023 report, away from the accession process towards a strategic partnership between the European Union und Türkiye; is of the opinion that the critical state of the accession process is driving the Commission and the Council to focus merely on the partnership dimension of the EU’s relations with Türkiye, as is also reflected in the joint communication on the state of play of EU-Türkiye relations of 29 November 2023, and of 22 March 2021; highlights the increasing shift towards a different framework for the relationship, which might come at the expense of the accession process;

    The core of the accession process: democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights

    7. Considers that, in terms of human rights and the rule of law, Parliament’s recent resolutions on the matter remain valid in light of the continued dire human rights situation and democratic backsliding in Türkiye over the last year; fully endorses the latest resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the related report by its Monitoring Committee, as well as the resolutions adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which depict in detail the wide range of serious shortfalls in human rights constantly reported by locally and internationally renowned human rights organisations;

    8. Notes the Turkish Government’s stated commitment to judicial reform and the introduction of measures of an organisational nature; highlights, however, the need to introduce structural measures ensuring judicial independence; deeply regrets that, despite a reform strategy with nine judicial reform packages, the state of independence of the judiciary in Türkiye remains desolate following systematic government interference in and political instrumentalisation of the judicial system; deplores, in this regard, the weakening of remaining constitutional review mechanisms, particularly individual applications, and the frequent violations of due process;

    9. Is dismayed by the persecution of legal professionals, including most recently the lawsuit filed by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office that resulted in the removal of the leadership of the Istanbul Bar Association on charges of ‘making propaganda for a terrorist organization’ and ‘publicly disseminating misleading information’ for having asked for an investigation into the murders of two Kurdish journalists in Syria, and in the imprisonment of one of the members of the Istanbul Bar Association’s executive board following his trip to Strasbourg to hold meetings with Council of Europe institutions;

    10. Is alarmed by the blatant lack of implementation of decisions by the Constitutional Court, including in the case of MP Can Atalay, which has turned into a serious judicial crisis, with the Court of Cassation filing a criminal complaint against nine judges of the Constitutional Court; is worried by the recent decision of the Court of Cassation to overturn the sentences of and release the terrorists involved in the ISIS attack at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport, which claimed 45 lives in 2016;

    11. Calls on Türkiye to strengthen its commitment to democratic governance, especially through reforms that ensure an independent judiciary; takes notes of the recent announcement of the Fourth Judicial Reform Strategy, spanning 2025-2029; calls on the Turkish Government to move from the superficial changes made so far through the recurrent reform packages and action plans to a profound and long overdue reform that will address, through real political will, the serious and structural shortcomings of Türkiye’s judiciary; stresses that putting an end to political interference in the judiciary requires no strategy or reform package but merely the political will to do so;

    12. Remains deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of democratic standards and relentless crackdown by the Turkish authorities on any critical voices by means of a growing battery of repressive laws, the regular misuse of counterterrorism laws, including their application in relation to minors (as in the ‘Kız Çocukları Davası’ trial), the disproportionate use of the crime of insulting a public official, the extensive use of secret witnesses and dormant cases in flawed judicial proceedings, and the recurrent practice of exaggerated night arrests and home raids to portray targeted persons as extremely dangerous;

    13. Welcomes the withdrawal in November 2024 of the draft amendment to Türkiye’s espionage laws, known as the ‘agent of influence’ law; urges the Turkish authorities to refrain from reintroducing a similar overly broad and vague law in the future, given the serious risk that it would be used as a tool to further criminalise the legitimate activities of civil society organisations within the country; calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that the recently approved cybersecurity bill will serve its legitimate purpose of protecting data privacy and national security without giving way to potential infringements of fundamental rights or becoming another tool for further repression; stresses that the judicial apparatus remains heavily restrictive, with a complex web of legislation serving as a tool to systematically control and silence any critical voice, such as the 2020 social media law, the 2021 anti-money laundering law and the 2022 disinformation law;

    14. Is concerned by the recent approval of legal provisions granting extraordinary powers to the State Supervisory Council (DDK) and the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), including the possibility for the former to dismiss public officials of all types and levels and appoint trustees, which could be used in an arbitrary manner;

    15. Urges the Turkish authorities to put an end to the current serious restrictions on fundamental freedoms, in particular of expression, of assembly and of association, and to the constant attacks on the fundamental rights of members of the opposition, human rights defenders, lawyers, trade unionists, members of minorities, journalists, academics, artists and civil society activists, among others; strongly condemns the recent waves of mass arrest and imprisonment on politically motivated charges, and on the grounds of suspected terror links, affecting political figures, academics and journalists, including the arrests of Elif Akgül, independent journalist, Yıldız Tar, editor in chief of LGBT+ news site Kaos GL, and Ender İmrek, columnist of Evrensel daily, all well known for their work on human rights issues;

    16. Deplores the continued prosecution, censorship and harassment of journalists and independent media, denying them the freedom to carry out their professional duties and inform the public, which is essential to a functioning democratic society; calls on the Turkish authorities to refrain from further attacks on independent media and to uphold fundamental rights and civil liberties such as freedom of speech and of the press; remains deeply concerned by the existing legislation that prevents an open and free internet, with lengthy prison sentences imposed for social media posts, scores of access blocks and content removal orders, and by the continued use of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) to crack down on media criticism and even on outlets deemed to spread ‘pessimism’ instead of positive news;

    17. Acknowledges the positive developments in relation to the partial lifting by the minister of the interior of restrictions on the weekly vigils of the Saturday Mothers, Cumartesi Anneleri, in Istanbul’s Galatasaray Square, and the recent acquittal of all 46 people prosecuted for more than 6 years in the case surrounding the organisation’s 700th gathering in August 2018; calls for the complete removal of all restrictions on their peaceful protest, in full compliance with the relevant Constitutional Court ruling, and for an end to the ongoing judicial case against several of its members and sympathisers; is concerned by the ongoing trial against prominent human rights defender Nimet Tanrıkulu, who was released on 4 March 2025 after spending 94 days in pre-trial detention; urges the Turkish authorities to ensure the immediate release of all individuals detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms;

    18. Continues to be appalled by the Turkish authorities’, in particular the Turkish judiciary’s, continuous disregard for and failure to apply landmark ECtHR rulings; reiterates its condemnation of Türkiye’s blatant misuse of the judicial system and the refusal to release from detention human rights defender Osman Kavala and opposition politicians Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ,for which Türkiye is facing historical infringement proceedings in the Council of Europe, with long-awaited consequences yet to be determined; calls on Türkiye to fully comply with the ECtHR judgements related to missing persons and properties (inter alia in the Fokas case) in Cyprus; deplores the politically motivated nature of these prosecutions, which form part of a broader pattern of judicial harassment; calls on Türkiye to fully implement all judgments of the ECtHR in line with Article 46 of the ECHR and in line with the unconditional obligations derived from Article 90 of the Turkish constitution; calls on the European Commission and Member States to use all diplomatic channels to urge Türkiye to implement relevant ECtHR rulings and consider implementing relevant funding conditionality in relation to compliance with ECtHR rulings;

    19. Expresses its deep concern about the dire situation in Turkish prisons owing to severe overcrowding and poor living conditions, with reports, including by the Council of Europe, of torture and ill-treatment being widespread, and access to basic needs such as hygiene and information being severely limited; is particularly worried by the conditions of imprisonment of elderly and seriously ill prisoners; is concerned by the continued use of humiliating strip searches in prisons and other places of detention and by the persisting harassment of MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, who is currently facing six proceedings for the removal of his parliamentary seat and immunity, among other reasons for his having denounced this very practice;

    20. Strongly condemns the Turkish Government’s decision to dismiss, following the March 2024 local elections, the democratically elected mayors of at least 13 municipalities and districts (Hakkari, Mardin, Batman, Halfeti, Tunceli, Bahçesaray, Akdeniz, Siirt, Van and Kağızman, won by the DEM Party; and Esenyurt Ovacık and Şişli, won by CHP Party) and to replace them with government trustees appointed by the interior ministry; regards this long-standing practice of appointing trustees as a blatant attack on the most basic principles of local democracy; urges the Turkish authorities to immediately cease and reverse repression of political opposition and to respect the rights of voters to elect their chosen representatives in line with the recommendations of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission; reiterates its call on the VP/HR to consider restrictive measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Turkish officials assuming the role of trustee and those appointing them; denounces the severe repression of protests against the removal of elected mayors, including the arbitrary arrest of hundreds of protesters, some of whom were minors; regards the decision of the Turkish Government to return to this practice after the last local elections of March 2024 as a clear sign of its lack of commitment to addressing the democratic shortcomings within the country and in clear contradiction to the declared willingness to revitalise the accession process, as such actions undermine the prospects for a stronger, more comprehensive partnership with the EU and are detrimental to long-term progress towards closer cooperation;

    21. Deplores the permanent targeting of political parties and members of the opposition, who continue to suffer increasing pressure; is extremely concerned by the recent arrest and removal from office of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality CHP Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, along with the mayors of Şişli and Beylikdüzü, in the framework of two separate investigations on alleged corruption and terrorist-related charges involving a total of 106 suspects; highlights that theses last cases, which are part of a long list of 42 administrative and 51 judicial investigations since İmamoğlu’s election in 2019, were launched just a few days before the internal party election to nominate him presidential candidate and the day after the controverted decision by Istanbul University to revoke his diploma, a requisite for his eligibility to be President; is appalled by the decision to temporarily ban all demonstrations in Istanbul and other provinces across the country, the slowdown on social media, the detention of journalists and the crackdown on peaceful protesters; considers that this is a politically motivated move aimed at preventing a legitimate challenger from standing in the upcoming elections and that with these actions the current Turkish authorities are further pushing the country towards a fully authoritarian model;

    22. Further expresses its concern about the recent separate cases against Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district CHP Mayor Rıza Akpolat, Istanbul’s Beykoz district CHP Mayor Alaattin Köseler, CHP Youth Branch Chair Cem Aydın, and Zafer Party Chair Ümit Özdag; is appalled by the brutal and relentless crackdown on any kind of criticism to which all sectors of Turkish society have recently been subjected by the Turkish authorities, as illustrated, among others, by the case of Ayşe Barım, a well-known talent manager imprisoned since 27 January 2025 for alleged involvement in the Gezi Park protest 12 years ago, the investigation launched against Orhan Turan and Ömer Aras, the president and an executive of TÜSIAD, the country’s main business group, and the indictment, with the aim of imposing hefty prison sentences, of Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş and journalists Seda Selek, Barış Pehlivan, Serhan Asker and Kürşad Oğuz, who have been provisionally acquitted; is concerned by the involvement in these and other cases of recently appointed Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, who has a long record of involvement, in different positions, in high-profile cases against political figures, and which may give grounds for considering the application of restrictive measures under the EU Human Rights sanction regime; is also concerned by the growing financial pressure on opposition municipalities and controversial announcements, such as that made in relation to day-care centres run by opposition municipalities;

    23. Expresses its deep concern at the deterioration in women’s rights, at gender-based violence and at the increase in the incidence of femicide in Türkiye in 2024, which has been the highest since 2010, the year before the signing of the Istanbul Convention; reiterates its strong condemnation of Türkiye’s withdrawal, by presidential decree, from this international agreement and reiterates its call to reverse this decision; urges the Turkish authorities to improve the legislative framework and its implementation, including by fully applying Protection Law no. 6284, in order to effectively tackle all forms of violence against women and the practice of so called ‘honour killings’, end the persistent policy of impunity by holding abusers to account, and advance towards gender equality, particularly with regard to the participation of women in decision-making and policymaking processes;

    24. Strongly condemns the ongoing violations and lack of protection of the fundamental rights of LGBTI+ persons in Türkiye, including the increased incidence of hate speech, hate crimes and discriminatory rhetoric, as well as continued media stereotyping based on sexual orientation and gender identity; deplores the fact that this continued discrimination is often sanctioned by the authorities, as evidenced by the mass arrests made during the Pride March in 2023 and the banning of the march in 2024, while anti-LGBTI+ marches were permitted; urges the Turkish authorities to stop banning activities against homophobia, including Pride marches, with immediate effect;

    25. Welcomes the increased dialogue with Christian minorities, but stresses that no significant progress has been registered with regard to the protection of the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, in particular as regards their legal personality, including those of the Greek Orthodox population of the islands of Gökçeada (Imvros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos); calls for Türkiye to implement the Venice Commission recommendations and all relevant ECtHR rulings in this regard; notes with concern that representatives of different confessions, including non-Muslim and Alevi communities, continue to face bureaucratic obstacles when attempting to register places of worship; highlights that this is a violation of the right to freedom of religion and belief; calls on Türkiye to adopt the long-awaited regulation on the election of board members in non-Muslim minority foundations controlling community hospitals; reiterates its call on Türkiye to respect the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Orthodox Christians all over the world and to recognise its legal personality and the public use of the ecclesiastical title of Ecumenical Patriarch; calls on Türkiye to fully respect and protect the outstanding universal value of Hagia Sophia and the Chora museum, which are inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List; notes with concern that Türkiye has still not implemented two decisions of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee of 2021 and 2023 regarding its obligations to undertake special measures to protect these monuments; deplores the lack of protection of Panagia Soumela Monastery, which has been put forward for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Monuments list; stresses the need to eliminate restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy; welcomes the envisaged reopening of the Halki Seminary and calls for the lifting of all obstacles to its proper functioning; calls on the Turkish authorities to effectively investigate and prosecute people responsible for any hate crimes, including hate speech, committed against minorities; condemns the antisemitic statements made in the media and by high-level officials following the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023; notes that all of these practices against any religious minority are incompatible with EU values;

    26. Welcomes Abdullah Öcalan’s recent call on the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve, and to engage in a peace process, as a historic and long-awaited step that could help end a period of 40 years of violence that has caused more than 40 000 deaths; praises the efforts made by all stakeholders involved to facilitate these developments, including the constructive approach of different political leaders that was started by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, the visits to Imrali prison granted to a delegation of the DEM Party, and the broad consultations that this party has led with other political parties; underlines that this represents a significant opportunity and must be followed by an inclusive political process, with a prominent role for the Turkish Parliament, aimed at the peaceful and sustainable resolution of the Kurdish issue in its political, social, democratic and security-related aspects; stresses the need to uphold human rights, political pluralism, and civil rights for all citizens, including Kurds; regrets the continued political repression, judicial harassment and restrictions on cultural and linguistic rights faced by Kurdish citizens, which undermine democratic principles and social cohesion;

    Regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations

    27. Continues to commend Türkiye for hosting around 3.1 million refugees, including 2.9 million Syrians under temporary protection in 2024, down from 3.2 million in 2023; reiterates the importance of Türkiye’s collaboration for the effective and orderly management of migration flows; further welcomes the fact that since 2011 the EU has contributed close to EUR 10 billion to assist Türkiye in hosting refugees; notes that some EU funding has been allocated to strengthening Turkish border control and containment capabilities; welcomes the EU’s decision to allocate an additional EUR 1 billion in December 2024 to further support the healthcare, education, and integration of refugees in Türkiye since the fall of the Assad regime; at the same time, notes that these funds had already been pledged in May 2024, and therefore do not constitute new funds; calls on the Commission to ensure utmost transparency and accuracy in the allocation of funds and that EU-funded projects, particularly those related to removal centres and border control, comply with all relevant human rights standards; is alarmed by credible reports uncovering grave human rights violations at EU-funded removal centres in Türkiye and calls on the Commission to launch a transparent and independent review into the matter; notes with concern that a continuing increase in asylum applications has been registered in the Republic of Cyprus over recent years; recalls Türkiye’s obligation to take all necessary measures to halt the existing illegal migration routes and prevent the creation of new sea or land routes for illegal migration from Türkiye to the EU, particularly to Greece and the Republic of Cyprus; points out the risks related to any possible instrumentalisation of migrants by the Turkish Government; underlines the need to ensure the protection of all refugees’ and migrants’ rights and freedoms; calls on Türkiye to ensure the full and non-discriminatory implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement of 2016 and the EU-Türkiye Readmission Agreement vis-à-vis all Member States, including the Republic of Cyprus; expresses cautious hope that developments in Syria will gradually allow an increasing number of refugees to return home; reiterates that returns should only be carried out on a voluntary basis and under conditions of safety and dignity; condemns repeated violent attacks against refugees and migrants fuelled by xenophobic rhetoric among politicians and host communities; calls on the European Commission and the EU Member States to increase their efforts to preserve humanitarian and protection space for Syrian refugees in Türkiye and to uphold the principle of non-refoulement as a cornerstone of EU policies;

    28. Reiterates its strong interest in stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean; welcomes the continued de-escalation and positive momentum in the region and the recent climate of re-engagement between Türkiye and Greece, albeit that unresolved issues continue to affect bilateral relations; deplores the fact that Türkiye continues to violate the sovereignty and sovereign rights of EU Member States, such as Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, including through the promotion of the Blue Homeland doctrine; underlines that, although Turkish violations of Greek airspace have drastically decreased, violations of Greek territorial waters have risen compared to 2023, and systematic illegal fishing activities have been conducted by Turkish vessels within Greek territorial waters; deeply regrets that Türkiye also continues to uphold a formal threat of war against Greece (casus belli) at 12 nautical miles; calls on Türkiye to fully respect the sovereignty of all EU Member States over their territorial sea and airspace, and their other sovereign rights, including the right to explore and exploit natural resources in accordance with EU and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is part of the EU acquis; reiterates its view that the memorandum of understanding between Türkiye and Libya on delimitation of the maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranen infringes upon the sovereign rights of third States, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce any legal consequences for third States;

    29. Regrets the fact that the Cyprus problem remains unresolved, and calls for serious reengagement and the political will of all parties involved to bring about peaceful UN-led negotiations, with a view to achieving real progress in the Cyprus settlement talks; welcomes the resumption of informal talks under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General on 18 and 19 March 2025, which were held in a constructive atmosphere in which both sides showed a clear commitment to making progress and continuing dialogue; welcomes the agreement between both sides on opening four crossing points, demining, establishing a youth affairs committee and launching environmental and solar energy projects, as part of a new set of confidence-building measures; encourages all sides to use this momentum to move towards the resumption of negotiations;

    30. Strongly reaffirms its view that the only solution to the Cyprus problem is a fair, comprehensive, viable and democratic settlement, including of its external aspects, within the agreed UN framework, on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality, single sovereignty, single citizenship and political equality, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the agreed areas of convergence and the Framework of the UN Secretary General, as well as in accordance with international law and the principles and values on which the Union is founded; calls, as a matter of urgency, for the resumption of negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General as soon as possible, from the point at which they were interrupted in Crans-Montana in 2017; calls on Türkiye to abandon the unacceptable proposal for a two-state solution in Cyprus and to return to the agreed basis for a solution and the UN framework; further calls on Türkiye to withdraw its troops from Cyprus and refrain from any unilateral action which would entrench the permanent division of the island and from action altering the demographic balance;

    31. Calls on Türkiye to respect the status of the buffer zone and the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP); reiterates its call for cooperation among the Republic of Cyprus, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the UN to implement concrete measures for a demilitarisation of the buffer zone, and to improve security on the island; urges Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot leadership to reverse all unilateral actions and violations within and in the vicinity of the buffer zone and refrain from any further such actions and provocations; condemns the ongoing ‘opening’ of Varosha by Türkiye, as this negatively alters the situation on the ground, undermines mutual trust and negatively impacts the prospects for the resumption of direct talks on the comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem; calls on Türkiye to reverse its illegal actions in violation of UN Security Council resolutions 550(1984) and 789(1992) on Varosha, which call on Türkiye to transfer the area of Varosha to its lawful inhabitants under the temporary administration of the UN, and to withdraw from Strovilia and facilitate the full implementation of the Pyla Understanding;

    32. Reiterates its call on Türkiye to give the Turkish Cypriot community the necessary space to act in accordance with its role as a legitimate community of the island, which is a right guaranteed by the constitution of the Republic of Cyprus; reiterates its call on the Commission to step up its efforts to engage with the Turkish Cypriot community, with a view to facilitating the resolution of the Cyprus problem and recalling that its place is in the European Union; calls for all parties involved to demonstrate a more courageous approach to bringing the communities together; stresses the need for the EU body of law to be implemented across the entire island following a comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus problem;

    33. Takes note of the significant work of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) and calls for improved access to military zones by the Turkish army, access to its military archives and information as to the relocation of remains from former to subsequent burial sites; remains deeply concerned about the education and religious restrictions and impediments faced by the enclaved Greek Cypriots; calls on Türkiye to step up its cooperation with the Council of Europe and its relevant bodies and institutions, to address their key recommendations, to fully implement the European Convention of Human Rights with regard to respecting the freedom of religion and the freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to access and enjoy cultural heritage, and to stop the deliberate destruction of cultural and religious heritage; condemns the repeated attempts by Türkiye to intimidate and silence Turkish Cypriot journalists, trade unionists, human rights defenders and progressive citizens in the Turkish Cypriot community, thus violating their right to freedom of opinion and expression; calls on Türkiye to halt its proclaimed aggressive policy of the sale and exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties, a policy designed to create irreversible effects on the ground and which completely disregards the European Code of Human Rights ruling on this issue;

    34. Regrets Türkiye’s continuing refusal to comply with aviation law and establish a channel of communication between air traffic control centres in Türkiye and the Republic of Cyprus, the absence of which entails real safety risks and dangers as identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations; regrets, too, its denial of access to vessels under the flag of one Member State to the Straits of Bosporus and the Dardanelles; takes the view that these could be areas where Türkiye can prove its commitment to confidence building measures and calls on Türkiye to collaborate by fully implementing EU aviation law; regrets that Türkiye has continued its attempts to impede the implementation of the Great Sea Interconnector, an EU project of common interest, and has persisted in its plans for an illegal electricity interconnector with the occupied area of Cyprus;

    35. Regrets that for 20 years Türkiye has refused to implement the obligations assumed towards the EU, including those in relation to Cyprus, as per the Negotiating Framework of October 2005; stresses that recognition of all Member States is a necessary component of the accession process; reiterates its call on Türkiye to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement in relation to all Member States, including the Republic of Cyprus; further calls on Türkiye  to ensure that the human and political rights of all Cypriots are fully respected and that compliance with the fundamental principles of the European Union and the European acquis is guaranteed;

    36. Affirms its support for a free, secure and stable future for Syria and its citizens and highlights the need for an inclusive and peaceful political transition process that is Syrian-led and Syrian- owned, including the protection and inclusion of religious and ethnic communities; expresses its commitment to constructive cooperation between the EU and Türkiye to that end, on humanitarian aid, promoting a sustainable political solution in Syria, and the fight against DAESH, given that Türkiye has a key role in promoting stability in the region; recalls that Syria’s sovereignty must be restored; acknowledges the importance of rebuilding Syria’s economy as a pillar of long-term stability and prosperity for the region; calls on Türkiye to respect Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and immediately cease all attacks and incursions on and occupation of Syrian territory in full compliance with international law; condemns the attacks carried out in recent weeks, taking advantage of the collapse of the Assad regime, by Turkish-backed militias against Syrian Kurdish forces in the north of Syria; expresses deep concern, as these attacks increase the number of internally displaced persons but also threaten the efficiency and continuity of the fight against Daesh; notes that its ongoing presence risks further destabilising and undermining efforts towards a sustainable political resolution in Syria; further notes that, citing security concerns, Türkiye also illegally occupies areas in Iraq; reiterates that civilian populations should never be the victim of military self-defence; calls for the necessary investigation into the cases in which there have been civilian casualties and to stop the crackdown on journalists working in the area; calls on Türkiye to support the process of implementing the agreement between the Syrian transitional government and the Kurdish-led SDF and refrain from any interference in Syria’s internal processes;

    37. Supports the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Türkiye in the interests of reconciliation, good neighbourly relations, regional stability and security and socio-economic development, and welcomes the progress achieved so far; welcomes the continued efforts to restore links between the two countries; urges Türkiye to ensure the speedy implementation of agreements reached by the Turkish and Armenian Governments’ special representatives, such as the opening of the airspace and the border between the two countries for the third country nationals, and, subsequently, for holders of diplomatic passports; welcomes the temporary opening of the Margara-Alican border crossing between Armenia and Türkiye to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria; expresses the hope that these developments may give impetus to the normalisation of relations in the South Caucasus region, also in terms of security and socio-economic development, and stresses the EU’s interest in supporting this process; encourages Türkiye to play a constructive role in promoting regional stability by facilitating the swift conclusion of the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, inter alia by exerting its influence on Azerbaijan and by deterring Azerbaijan from any further military action against Armenian sovereignty; encourages Türkiye once again to acknowledge the Armenian genocide in order to pave the way for genuine reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian peoples and to fully respect its obligations to protect Armenian cultural heritage;

    38. Notes that Türkiye’s stance in relation to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to affect EU-Türkiye relations, as Türkiye attempts to maintain ties with both the West and Russia simultaneously; notes Türkiye’s diplomatic attempts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, particularly regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as well as its continued support for  the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, including its vote in favour of UN General Assembly resolutions condemning the Russian aggression against Ukraine; regrets that, on the other hand, trade between Türkiye and Russia has risen sharply since the start of the war in Ukraine, making Türkiye Russia’s second largest trading partner despite EU sanctions against Russia, and that Türkiye is the only NATO member state not having imposed any sanctions on Russia; further notes that the European Union’s anti-fraud office, OLAF, has initiated an investigation into a loophole that enables countries like Türkiye to rebrand sanctioned Russian oil and export it to the EU; welcomes, however, positive steps such as Türkiye’s blocking of exports to Russia for certain dual use goods, as well as products originating in the United States and the United Kingdom that are of benefit to Russian military action; reiterates its call on the Turkish Government to halt its plans for the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which will be built, operated and owned by Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom; expresses concern at Türkiye’s ongoing discussions with Russia to establish a gas-trading hub in Istanbul, scheduled to begin operations in 2025;

    39. Welcomes Türkiye’s participation in various crisis management missions and operations (within the framework of the common security and defence policy); regrets, however, the further deterioration in the level of alignment on common foreign and security policy positions, including on sanctions and countering the circumvention of sanctions, which has fallen to a historically low rate of 5 %, the lowest rate for any accession country; recalls that EU candidate countries are required to progressively align with the common foreign and security policy of the European Union and comply with international law; regrets that Türkiye has not undertaken any steps in this regard, notably by failing to align with EU sanctions against Russia, and that in many areas of mutual interest the foreign policies of the EU and Türkiye are worryingly divergent; urges Türkiye to align with and fully implement the EU sanctions against Russia, including on anti-circumvention measures and to cooperate closely with the EU’s Sanctions Envoy;

    40. Stresses the importance of reinforcing EU-Türkiye cooperation in global security matters, particularly in light of the changing geopolitical landscape and potential shifts in US foreign policy; expresses cautious hope that recent informal engagement, such as the participation of the Turkish Foreign Minister in the informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in 2024, may provide an impetus towards better relations; acknowledges Türkiye’s key role as an ally in NATO and welcomes the Turkish Parliament’s decision to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession in January 2024; recalls, in this regard, that Türkiye has a key responsibility to foster stability at both regional and global levels and is expected to act in line with its NATO obligations, especially given the current geopolitical upheavals; encourages constructive engagement in a more structured and frequent political dialogue on foreign, security and defence policy to seek collaboration on convergent interests while working to reduce divergences, particularly with regard to removing persistent obstacles to the enhancement of a genuine relationship between the EU and NATO, including the acquisition from Russia of the S-400 air defence system; remains duly concerned that Türkiye continues to exclude a Member State from cooperation with NATO;

    41. Welcomes Türkiye’s long-standing position in favour of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, its calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, and its ongoing efforts to supply humanitarian aid to Gaza throughout the conflict; deeply regrets, at the same time, the Turkish authorities’, including the President’s, active support for the EU-listed terror group Hamas and their stance on the attack against Israel on 7 October 2023, which the Turkish Government failed to condemn; points out that Türkiye’s open support for Hamas and its refusal to designate it a terrorist organisation is not compatible with the EU’s foreign and security policy; calls, therefore, for a revision of this position;

    42. Notes with concern that Türkiye has asked to be a member of BRICS+ and been offered ‘partner country’ status, and is considering the same for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), where it holds the status of a dialogue partner; expresses serious concern over Türkiye’s increasing interest in an alternative partnership framework, which is fundamentally incompatible with the EU accession process; insists that Türkiye’s new status as a BRICS partner country must not affect Türkiye’s responsibilities within NATO; notes that Türkiye has been cultivating cooperation formats, partnerships and regional alliances beyond the EU; is concerned by Türkiye’s tendency to use this multi-vector approach to advance its interests without committing to a full-fledged cooperation with any of these alliances;

    43. Remains concerned by the Turkish Government’s use of the Turkish diaspora as an instrument for occasional meddling in EU Member States’ domestic policies;

    Socio-economic and sustainability reforms

    44. Welcomes Türkiye’s return to a more conventional economic and monetary policy, while maintaining robust growth and a moderate budget deficit; regrets, however, that the cost of this is yet again being borne by citizens in the form of higher interest rates; highlights that social vulnerabilities have increased, particularly among children and older people, primarily due to the absence of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy and income inequalities; underlines the necessity for the Turkish authorities to implement comprehensive social protection measures, strengthen collective bargaining rights and ensure that economic reforms prioritise reducing inequality and creating decent work opportunities;

    45. Regrets the fact that despite the progress observed in economic and monetary policies, other actions by the Turkish Government affecting the rule of law continue to undermine basic principles such as legal certainty, which impacts negatively on Türkiye’s potential capacity to receive investments; welcomes the removal of Türkiye from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2024, following significant progress in improving its anti-money laundering regime and combating the financing of terrorism;

    46. Welcomes Türkiye’s increased investment activity in the green energy sector and calls on Türkiye to continue improving the compatibility of its energy policy with the EU acquis, exploiting Türkiye’s enormous potential in renewable energy; expresses concern about the lack of any significant progress on climate action, in particular owing to the absence of a comprehensive climate law, a domestic emissions trading system, and a long-term low-emission development strategy, which undermines its 2053 climate neutrality target; highlights the need for a robust legal framework and stricter enforcement mechanisms to safeguard environmental and natural resources; urges Türkiye to align its environmental policies with the EU acquis, including respecting natural habitats when conducting mining projects, and underlines the importance of Türkiye’s adherence to the Aarhus Convention; commends the work of environmental rights defenders in Türkiye and warns against the dire environmental impact of extensive government projects, such as the expansion of its copper mining activities in Mount Ida (Kaz Daglari);

    47. Highlights the fact that Türkiye has taken steps to diversify energy supplies and increase its renewable energy share; notes that the country is the seventh largest LNG market and highlights its potential as a regional energy hub; takes note that Türkiye has subscribed to the global goals on energy efficiency and renewable energy capacity by 2030; calls on the Commission to take into account Türkiye’s potential as a regional energy hub in initiatives to increase the installed renewable capacity in the Mediterranean region and in the development of the New Pact for the Mediterranean, and calls for energy cooperation to be part of the common agenda;

    48. Observes some improvements in labour market conditions and points out a number of pending critical challenges, such as informal employment, the gender gap, and income inequality; is worried about the low coverage of collective bargaining and the lack of recognition of trade union rights for certain public sector employees; believes that more efforts are needed to enhance social dialogue mechanisms and address emerging occupational safety challenges; recalls that trade union freedom and social dialogue are crucial to the development and prosperity of a pluralistic society; deplores, in this regard, the recent detentions of trade unionists including Remzi Çalişkan, vice-president of the DISK confederation, and president of Genel-Iş, who was released after a month in prison, Kemal Göksoy, President of the Mersin Branch of Genel-İş, who remains in prison, and Mehmet Türkmen, chair of the textile sector union BİRTEK SEN, who was detained on 14 February 2025;

    Wider EU-Türkiye relations

    49. Reiterates its firm conviction that, beyond the currently frozen accession process, Türkiye is a country of strategic relevance, a key partner for the stability of the wider region and plays an important role in addressing security challenges, migration management, counterterrorism, and energy security; stresses the importance of maintaining constructive dialogue and deepening cooperation in areas of mutual strategic interest; points to a number of policy areas for future engagement, whether it be the green transition, trade, energy, a modernised customs union and visa liberalisation, among others; reaffirms that the EU is committed to pursuing the best possible relations with Türkiye, based on dialogue, respect and mutual trust, in line with international law and good neighbourly relations;

    50. Stresses the importance of encouraging deeper partnership in all economic sectors, to the benefit of the EU and all of its Member States and Türkiye; notes in particular the importance of cooperation in the fields of energy, innovation, artificial intelligence, health, security and migration management, among others; in this regard, welcomes various high-level dialogues (HLDs) held recently, including the HLD on trade, and the plans for an HLD on economy, as positive steps towards pragmatic forms of cooperation in areas of mutual importance; calls again for the resumption of all relevant HLDs and for the establishment of structured HLDs on sectoral cooperation, to address common challenges and explore opportunities for joint initiatives in fields such as security, climate change, research and innovation; stresses that trade between the EU and Türkiye hit a record high last year and that the EU remains Türkiye’s largest trade and investment partner; calls for the removal of all existing trade barriers and irritants;

    51. Stands ready to support an upgraded customs union with a broader, mutually beneficial scope, which could encompass a wide range of areas of common interest, including digitalisation, Green Deal alignment for green energy policies, public procurement, sustainable development commitments, and due diligence, contributing to the economic security of both sides; supports accompanying this upgraded customs union with an efficient and effective dispute settlement mechanism; underlines the fact that for Parliament to give its consent at the end of the process, such a modernisation would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for international law and good neighbourly relations, including Türkiye’s full implementation of the Additional Protocol on extending the Ankara Agreement to all Member States without exception and in a non-discriminatory fashion;

    52. Notes with deep regret that no progress has been made by Türkiye towards meeting the required benchmarks for visa liberalisation; reiterates its willingness to start the visa liberalisation process as soon as the Turkish authorities fully fulfil the six clearly outstanding benchmarks in a non-discriminatory manner vis-à-vis all EU Member states while aligning with EU visa policy; regrets that Turkish citizens are facing problems with visa requests/applications to EU Member States owing to a marked increase in demand and fears of abuse of the system; recognises, however, the political commitment to improving access to visas and calls for intensified efforts on both sides to address the remaining technical and administrative barriers; calls on the EU Member states to increase the resources allocated to this matter; supports measures on visa facilitation, particularly with regard to business activities and Erasmus students; deeply regrets the constant attempts by the Turkish authorities to blame the EU for not making progress on this dossier, while not taking any necessary steps to comply with the remaining benchmarks; reminds Türkiye that the lack of tangible and cumulative progress on the pending conditions has a direct impact on business activities and Erasmus students; appreciates the invaluable contribution of Erasmus+ exchanges in providing rich cross-cultural educational opportunities;

    The way forward for EU-Türkiye relations

    53. Considers, in view of the above, that the Turkish Government has failed to take the necessary steps to address the existing fundamental democratic shortcomings within the country and therefore reiterates its view that Türkiye’s EU accession process cannot be resumed in the current circumstances, despite the democratic and pro-European aspirations of a large part of Turkish society; recalls that, as in the case of any other candidate, the accession process is contingent on full compliance with the Copenhagen criteria and on the normalisation of relations with all EU Member States;

    54. Urges the Turkish Government and the EU institutions and Member States to continue working, beyond the currently frozen accession process, on the basis of the relevant Council and European Council conclusions and the established conditionality, towards a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership with particular emphasis on climate action, energy security, counter-terrorism cooperation and regional stability; insists on the need to begin a process of reflection on how this new constructive and progressive framework for EU-Türkiye relations can encompass the interests of all parties involved, for example by modernising and enhancing the current Association Agreement;

    55. Considers the joint communication of 29 November 2023 on the state of play of EU-Türkiye relations a good basis on which to move forward in the overall relations between the EU and Türkiye; regrets the lack of a clear political endorsement of this joint communication so far by the Council; reiterates that recognition of all EU Member States is a necessary component of any agreement between the EU and Türkiye; stresses that Türkiye’s constructive engagement, including in relation to the Cyprus problem, remains key to advancing closer cooperation between the EU and Türkiye;

    56. Warns, nevertheless, that a further drift towards authoritarianism by the Turkish authorities, such as we have been witnessing recently, will ultimately have a severe impact on all dimensions of EU-Türkiye relations, including trade and security cooperation, as it prevents the trust and reliability needed between partners and antagonises both sides in the current geopolitical scene;

    57. Continues to acknowledge and commend the democratic and pro-European aspirations of the majority of Turkish society (particularly among Turkish youth), whom the EU will not forsake; regards these aspirations as a major reason for keeping Türkiye’s accession process alive; calls therefore on the Commission to uphold and increase its political and financial support to the vibrant and pro-democratic civil society in Türkiye, whose efforts can contribute to generating the political will necessary for deepening EU-Türkiye relations; highlights, nevertheless, that the resumption of the accession process depends on the unwavering political will of Türkiye’s authorities and society to become a full-fledged democracy, which cannot be forced upon it by the EU;

    58. Reiterates its call to strengthen and deepen mutual knowledge and understanding between our societies, promoting cultural growth, socio-cultural exchanges and combating all manifestations of social, religious, ethnic or cultural prejudice; encourages Türkiye and the EU to promote shared values, particularly by supporting young people; reiterates its utmost commitment to sustaining and increasing support for Türkiye’s independent civil society;

    °

    ° °

    59. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the Council and the Commission; asks that this resolution be translated into Turkish and forwarded to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Türkiye.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grove Woman Sentenced for Strangling 70-Year-Old Neighbor to Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Kellie Lee Crawford, 57, for Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Judge Frizzell ordered Crawford to 180 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, in September 2021, Crawford was drinking with her 70-year-old neighbor, Richard Strade. Crawford was under the influence of methamphetamine and unreasonably believed that Strade was attempting to assault her sexually. She admitted to repeatedly striking Strade in the head with a cookie jar lid and a plastic hanger before strangling him to death.

    Crawford is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Forgotten futures? Canada urgently needs a national discussion about young people’s futures

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By J-C Couture, Adjunct faculty and Associate Lecturer, Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta

    This federal election cycle has seen laudable efforts to raise awareness around neglected issues.

    We’ve heard more about the need for greater co-operation between provincial and territorial governments to respond to chaos triggered by United States President Donald Trump’s policies. In the same time frame, municipal politicans have been calling for climate change action through co-ordinated sustainable infrastructure development.

    For policy experts and pundits alike, a growing consensus is emerging that Canada has for too long ignored deeper economic and political structural problems.

    Some political analysts, (like pundit Andrew Coyne), have framed these issues as being part of Canada’s growth crisis, underscoring problems like a lack of a coherent industrial policy, flat or declining productivity and weak competitiveness.

    Others, including provincial, municipal and First Nations leaders, note Canada also lacks a coherent approach to infrastructure that addresses decades of neglect in cities, towns and Indigenouscommunities alike.

    As researchers committed to advancing more intentional conversations concerning the future of public education, we also see a huge gap in terms of co-ordinated, pan-Canadian federal efforts to support young people’s futures through education.

    Need to knit vision together

    For example, we have a national early learning and child-care strategy, (which could be imperilled, depending on who wins the election). It’s often shorthanded as being about “child care,” which diminishes the long-term significance of paying attention to how we invest in young people and families, and the quality of early education.

    A recent open letter by the chair of the Toronto District School Board called on the leaders of Canada’s federal party leaders to address the growing diversity and complexity of the city’s student population.



    Read more:
    ‘Child care’ or education? Words matter in how we envision living well with children

    We don’t have a federal department for education. While the Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC) serves as a forum to discuss policy issues, as education scholar Jennifer Wallner notes, “effective creativity and co-ordination” is needed.

    In the early 2000s, the Canadian Council on Learning was making ground-breaking contributions towards helping Canada develop comprehensive and coherent approaches to lifelong learning. But the council’s work was hobbled in 2011 when it was defunded by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government.

    Sen. Rosemary Moodie’s introducton of Bill S-282, a “National Strategy for Children and Youth Act,” in November 2023 is one example of a positive effort to develop a pan-Canadian youth development framework.

    There are solid pieces of a puzzle that can contribute to nurturing hopeful young people and a socially healthy and empowered society. But these sorely need to be knit together, as they have in places like like Iceland and Finland
    to name a few.

    Refraining from taking democracy for granted

    The question of what public education actually means is much more than a semantic exercise; it’s a practical and foundational exercise in building a civil society and nation.

    Three decades ago, American cultural and media critic Neil Postman invoked the truism that “public education creates a public” — a reminder that the vibrancy of our communities and democracy can’t be taken for granted. As we look at the U.S. and the rise of neo-liberalism and authoritarian populism, Canadians need to remember Postman.

    Our colleague, David King, former minister of education in Alberta from 1979 to 1986, observes that of all institutions citizens have created, “public school education is the only such institution that remains where we can share common stories, and conventions and imagination.”

    What we should value about public education

    Yet the role of public education in contributing to Canada’s democratic traditions is often taken for granted. A shared sense of what we should value about public education remains elusive — and is played out amid debate about structural and political reforms, around matters like who controls schools.

    Meanwhile, researchers highlight how families continue moving to private schooling. Consider Australians, who see public education as a universal right, yet 35 per cent of students attend private schools..

    In Canada, a network of university researchers and advocacy groups — the Public Education Exchange (PEX) research network —has documented growing privatization and commercialization of public education. Sue Winton, PEX project director and education professor, describes how the privatization of public education in Canada continues to undermine equality and democracy.

    Sue Winton discusses her book ‘Unequal Benefits: Privatization and Public Education in Canada.’

    Across Canada, processes towards privatization involve policies and practices that shift responsibilities from governments to private bodies, with corresponding shifts in lower investment in per-student public school learning.

    Shifts towards privatization go beyond funding private and charter schools. They include underfunding school facilities and movements that promote sloganeering around “parent rights” and “parental choice.”



    Read more:
    ‘School choice’ policies are associated with increased separation of students by social class

    Post-secondary investment declines

    In higher education, privatization has also accelerated. Students, particularly international students, have provided an increasing portion of funding. In Ontario, according to Higher Education Strategy Associates, international students contributed approximately 76 per cent of all tuition fee revenue in the college sector in 2023-24. In the university sector, it’s more than 50 per cent. Other provinces saw similar shifts.

    A decline in per capita public investment has encouraged the growth of the private college and university sector and investments in AI-enabled learning through corporate learning systems. Technology-related fields have developed corporate partnerships that shape what is taught and how.

    The precarity of public higher education in Canada threatens our social and economic future.

    Making futures possible for young people

    Whether it’s through local community schools, a university or college campus or larger community initiatives, we can’t drop the promise of universal access to an inclusive and broad education.

    Keeping this promise is even more pressing given generational inequity. As discusssed by Paul Kershaw, policy professor and founder of “Gen Squeeze” think tank, and Kareem Kudus, research analyst, “generationally unfair policies … have contributed to today’s housing, affordability, medical care and climate crises.”



    Read more:
    Wildfires in Alberta spark urgent school discussions about terrors of global climate futures

    Initiatives established in the 1970s focused on building connections between different regions: Open House Canada was a high-school student exchange program, and Katimavik, a youth service program founded by the visionary author Jacques Hébert, who would later become a senator and champion for intercutural and global travel experiences for our young people.

    Programs like these have presented significant and rich opportunities for building relationships across difference, and an equitable and inclusive sense of social cohesion. But governments at all levels have failed to sustain and expand such programs, or connect them with school learning.

    Broader discussions on what we care about

    The current existential threat to Canada fuelled by Trump’s presidency should mobilize not just an “elbows up” approach, but also “heads up” when it comes to the need for a pan-Canadian a youth policy framework that bolsters public education. As many Americans are also realizing, we need public education to help address current challenges, but it’s under attack.

    As American organizational behaviour expert and writer Margaret J. Wheatley reminds us: “There is nothing more powerful than a community discovering what it cares about.”

    In the aftermath of the federal election, we’d love to see much more dialogue surrounding the “publicness” of public education — to go further in at least deciding on what we really care about as a country.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Forgotten futures? Canada urgently needs a national discussion about young people’s futures – https://theconversation.com/forgotten-futures-canada-urgently-needs-a-national-discussion-about-young-peoples-futures-254883

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hawaii Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Three Adult Women and One Minor

    Source: United States Attorneys General 12

    Isaiah McCoy, 38, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was convicted yesterday of multiple counts of sex trafficking by a federal jury in the District of Hawaii. Specifically, the jury convicted McCoy of four counts of sex trafficking three adults and one minor, two counts of obstructing a sex trafficking investigation, seven counts of interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises, and one count of interstate travel for prostitution purposes.

    “This successful conviction represents this Justice Department’s commitment to putting those who prey on the innocent behind bars,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Human trafficking — which flourished under the prior administration — is a scourge on our country that the Trump Administration will eradicate.”

    “Today’s conviction vindicates the rights of multiple women and girls who the defendant terrorized over several years within the District of Hawaii,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant specifically targeted each victim’s unique vulnerabilities and used false promises, brute physical force, and psychological manipulation to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex for his own profit. There is no place in a civilized society for the defendant’s atrocious conduct, and the Justice Department is committed to standing up for vulnerable human trafficking victims and holding their traffickers accountable.”

    “The conviction of Mr. McCoy is a testament to HSI’s zero tolerance for those who engage in sex trafficking in Hawaii,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Hawaii. “McCoy is a predator who left countless victims in his path while he sought to enrich himself at their expense. HSI will aggressively pursue those, like McCoy, who seek to exploit vulnerable women and girls and mute their voices while believing they will not be held accountable.”

    The evidence presented at the 12-day trial demonstrated that McCoy compelled victims to commit hundreds of commercial sex acts between 2019 and 2021. McCoy made promises of a romantic relationship, a luxurious lifestyle, and financial security to women and girls struggling with low self-esteem, a difficult upbringing, or financial trouble. McCoy’s promises ended up hollow and false, designed to provide him with the opportunity to learn about a victim’s vulnerabilities while misrepresenting himself as caring and empathetic. McCoy’s feigned romantic interest and claimed wealth led him to emotionally manipulate his victims.

    After luring the victims into his orbit with his false promises, McCoy turned violent and abusive if the victims did not provide him with enough money or otherwise violated one of his many rules. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that some of McCoy’s rules included requiring the victims to call him “Daddy” or “Zeus,” requiring the victims to share their cell phone location, and requiring the victims to provide him an update on the amount of money earned through commercial sex work. McCoy required his victims to work all hours of the day and night even when they were sick, hungry, or did not want to engage in commercial sex acts. If not, McCoy would physically assault his victims and leave them battered and bruised.

    Evidence presented in court detailed the extensive violence to which McCoy subjected his victims. For example, McCoy repeatedly burned one of the victims with cigar butts when she did not provide him with enough money. On other occasions, McCoy threw victims to the ground before repeatedly stomping on their head, stomach, or hands with his feet. McCoy even smashed a victim’s head against a car door before carrying her unconscious body through a hotel lobby and into an elevator. McCoy inflicted violence against multiple victims that caused them to seek treatment at local hospitals. All of McCoy’s actions contributed to the creation of a climate of fear where the victims felt they had no way out because McCoy promised them that he had eyes and ears everywhere monitoring the victims’ every move.

    McCoy required the victims to turn over all the proceeds from his commercial sex business to himself because he felt that the money belonged to him. McCoy then spent the money on high-end designer shoes, belts, clothing, and other accessories. In contrast, although McCoy would intermittently buy designer items for the victims as “rewards,” the victims were ultimately left with nothing.

    A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 18. McCoy faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    HSI investigated the case, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department.

    Trial Attorneys Maryam Zhuravitsky and Elizabeth Hutson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

    Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Paying fishers to release sharks accidentally caught in their nets can incentivise conservation action – but there’s a catch

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hollie Booth, Research Associate, Conservation Science, University of Oxford

    An Indonesian fisher safely releases a critically endangered wedgefish. Francesca Page. Francesca Page, CC BY-NC-ND

    Sharks and rays are among the world’s most threatened species, mainly due to overfishing. They are sometimes targeted for their fins and meat, but more often caught as bycatch in nets aiming to catch other fish. Declines in these ocean predators can disrupt food webs, harm tourism income and worsen climate change by undermining the resilience of ocean ecosystems.

    However, halting overfishing of sharks and rays is difficult because the social dynamics around it are complex. Many threatened species are caught in small-scale, mixed-species fisheries in tropical coastal areas, where households depend on the fish they catch – including endangered sharks and rays – for food and income.

    For the past five years, I have been investigating how to support both marine life and the people who rely on catching fish. I’m part of a global team of interdisciplinary researchers focusing on shark and ray conservation in small-scale fisheries in Indonesia.

    Our new study, just published in Science Advances, suggests that paying fishers to release endangered species can incentivise conservation behaviours and promote fisher welfare. However, such payments can also have unintended consequences, which may undermine conservation goals, so it’s really important to design incentives carefully and rigorously evaluate initiatives as they progress.

    Though sharks and rays are not necessarily targeted by small-scale fishers, threatened species such as wedgefish and hammerhead sharks are frequently captured. In our 2020 study, fishers often told us that wedgefish and hammerheads are “just bycatch”. However, further investigation revealed that fishers remain reluctant to reduce catches of these species because they would lose food and income.

    “It brings more money even though it’s not the target” one fisher told us. “It is rezeki” (a gift from God). “If I return it to the ocean, it is mubazir” (wasteful and God will be displeased).

    Knowing this, we explored the different positive and negative incentives that might motivate fishers to change their behaviour. We found that conditional cash payments, which compensate fishers for safely releasing wedgefish and hammerheads back into the sea, could be a cost-effective way to conserve these species without damaging fisher livelihoods.

    Inspired by our results, I worked with students and collaborators to establish a small local charitable organisation to put our findings into practice – Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan (an Indonesian phrase meaning “togetherness for the ocean”). We agreed to compensates fishers with cash payments – typically US$2-7 (£1.50-5) per fish – if they submit videos of wedgefish and hammerhead being safely released.

    Testing the incentive

    However, incentives can change fishing behaviour in unforeseen ways. For example, fishers may increase their catches to receive more payments at the expense of conservation goals. Payments may also end up going to people who would reduce catches anyway, or could release budget constraints allowing fishers to purchase more nets.

    To see if and how the conservation payments worked in practice, we carried out a controlled experiment, randomly splitting 87 vessels from Aceh and West Nusa Tenggara into two groups. One group was offered compensation for live releases while the other was not. We collected data on reported live releases and retained catches of wedgefish and hammerheads, and on fishers’ levels of satisfaction with the programme and life in general. Then we compared the two groups.

    Since we launched the pay-to-release programme in May 2022, more than 1,200 wedgefish and hammerheads have been safely released. All participating fishers and their families felt satisfied.

    “We use the compensation money to cover our daily needs. We hope that the programme continues in the future,” said the wife of one participating fisher.

    Hollie Booth has been collaborating with fishers in Indonesia to reduce bycatch of sharks. Film by Liam Webb.

    However, our experimental data from the first 16 months of the programme (May 2022 – July 2023) revealed a plot twist. Even though the compensation incentivised live releases, results suggested that some fishers had purposefully increased their catches to gain more payments.

    My team and I were initially distressed by the result. However, without the rigorous controlled experiment we would never have detected these unintended consequences. Based on our results, we revised the compensation pricing and limited how many compensated releases each vessel can claim per week. We are also piloting a new gear swap scheme, where fishers trade their nets for fish traps, which have much lower bycatch rates. Preliminary data suggest these changes have boosted the programme’s effectiveness.

    Our team at Oxford works closely with other local researchers and conservation organisations to help them design and assess their own locally appropriate incentive programmes. Another recent study from conservation charity Thresher Shark Indonesia shows that their alternative livelihood programme reduced catches of endangered thresher sharks by over 90%.

    Positive incentives are an important instrument for solving the biodiversity crisis in an equitable way. It is unfair and unjust to expect small-scale resources users in developing countries to bear most of the costs of conservation. Especially when wealthier and more powerful ocean users – such as commercial seafood companies – cause major negative impacts through overfishing while extracting huge profits. However, conservation incentives must be well designed and robustly evaluated to ensure they incentivise the right actions and deliver intended results.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Hollie Booth is the founder and Chair of Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan. The program and this research was funded by Save Our Seas Foundation and the UK Darwin Initiative.

    – ref. Paying fishers to release sharks accidentally caught in their nets can incentivise conservation action – but there’s a catch – https://theconversation.com/paying-fishers-to-release-sharks-accidentally-caught-in-their-nets-can-incentivise-conservation-action-but-theres-a-catch-253797

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is China the new cool? How Beijing is using pop culture to win the soft power war

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Shaoyu Yuan, Research Scientist at the Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers University – Newark

    IShowSpeed, a 20-year-old American YouTuber and internet star, recently livestreamed hourslong tours of Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai, showcasing the locations to some of his nearly 40 million viewers.

    During the March events, IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., marveled at friendly locals, spotless streets and the high-speed Wi-Fi available on the subway; Chinese fans mobbed him for selfies on the Great Wall.

    Beijing’s state media lapped up the attention, with one Chinese blogger proclaiming that the American influencer had “eliminated all Western propaganda about China” in the eyes of a new generation.

    IShowSpeed’s YouTube page attests to this assessment.

    “China is so underrated wtf,” reads one top comment. “After watching this video, I realized how foolish my previous views on China were,” reads another.

    The providence of such comments isn’t clear. Nonetheless, to someone who researches the use of Chinese soft power, I find the spectacle of a young American burnishing China’s image to Western audiences hugely significant. It provides an example of how soft power norms have been upended in recent years – and how China appears to be having some success in winning over the global youth.

    Mixing pop and politics

    Soft power refers to a country’s ability to influence others, not through coercion but through attraction – by shaping preferences through culture, values and public diplomacy. Coined by political scientist Joseph Nye, the term captures how nations project power by making others want what they have, rather than forcing outcomes through military or economic pressure.

    Throughout the Cold War and into the 21st century, U.S. soft power didn’t have to try that hard. It came wrapped in denim, was broadcast on MTV and blasted from boom boxes. Rock music crossed the Iron Curtain when diplomacy couldn’t, with artists like Bruce Springsteen and Madonna reaching Soviet youth more effectively than any ambassador.

    And in China, Michael Jackson became a pop icon well before McDonald’s or Hollywood blockbusters arrived, symbolizing a glamorous, open America that millions dreamed of. To many growing up in China in the 1990s, American culture wasn’t just entertainment – it was persuasion, aspiration, even subversion.

    Beijing’s blockbusters

    The U.S. is, of course, still a cultural powerhouse; American stars of film and music continue to be recognizable around the world.

    But there are signs that China is chipping away at that dominance.

    Take cinema. Not so long ago, Chinese films were considered niche abroad. Yet in January 2025, an animated Chinese feature film, “Ne Zha 2,” smashed box-office records. The movie, a dazzling retelling of a mythic boy-god, has grossed an astonishing US$2 billion worldwide, outperforming many Hollywood releases.

    It’s now the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, and it wasn’t made by Disney or Pixar but by a Chinese studio employing hundreds of local animators.

    An artist paints an image of Ne Zha, a character from the animated blockbuster, on an electricity distribution box in a farm field in southwest China.
    Zhong Min/Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    Beijing lost no time in co-opting “Ne Zha 2” as a symbol of China’s creative rise and cultural “soft power moment.” State media touted the film’s success as proof that Chinese folklore and artistry can captivate the globe just as powerfully as Marvel superheroes.

    “Ne Zha 2” isn’t a one-off. “Detective Chinatown 1900,” released in January by the Beijing-based Wanda Films, is 2025’s third-biggest grossing movie to date.

    Hollywood, once confident in its cultural monopoly, suddenly faces a colossal new competitor on the global stage – one backed by 1.4 billion people and a government eager to topple Western pop-cultural dominance. And the audience isn’t all domestic. “Ne Zha 2” also proved successful when it opened in the U.S.

    Gamers journey to the East

    And it’s not just movies.

    For decades, video games were an American and Japanese stronghold. Yet it is a Chinese-developed game, Black Myth: Wukong – developed by a studio in Hangzhou – that has become the talk of gamers worldwide.

    When its gameplay trailers first appeared in 2020, they went viral, with Black Myth: Wukong promising AAA-level graphics and action rooted in China’s classic “Journey to the West” tale.

    Skeptics wondered whether the final product could really compete with the likes of established franchise God of War or the George R. R. Martin-inspired Elden Ring. But those doubts evaporated when the game finally launched in 2024. Black Myth: Wukong debuted to massive global fanfare in summer 2024, instantly claiming a spot alongside the biggest Western franchises.

    Reviewers around the globe have hailed it as China’s first true blockbuster video game and evidence that the country can produce world-class entertainment.

    Black Myth: Wukong won Best Action Game and Players’ Voice awards at The Game Awards 2024 on Dec. 13, 2024.
    VCG/VCG via Getty Images

    I’d argue that this isn’t just about bragging rights in China’s gaming community; it’s about narrative power for the Chinese state. When millions of young people around the world spend 30 or 40 hours a week immersed in the adventures of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King hero, rather than, say, a Marvel superhero or a Tolkien epic, that subtly shifts the cultural center of gravity eastward.

    It suggests that Chinese myths are becoming as cool as Western ones to a global audience. And that is soft power.

    Small screen, big impact

    Meanwhile, on the smaller screens we carry in our pockets, another Chinese export has embedded itself deeply into global culture: TikTok.

    As of 2025, TikTok boasts over 1.6 billion monthly users worldwide.

    More striking is TikTok’s cultural reach. The app’s algorithm has propelled songs from musicians in South Korea or Nigeria to the top of global charts; it has teenagers in Kansas learning Indonesian dance moves, and grandmothers in Italy trying Mexican recipes they saw on a viral Chinese app.

    In effect, TikTok has built a new transnational pop culture commons – one owned by a Beijing-based company. Yes, the content on TikTok is created by users everywhere, not dictated by the Chinese state, but the platform’s very existence is a triumph of Chinese tech entrepreneurship and global ambition.

    Every minute that Western youths spend scrolling TikTok is a minute they’re within a Chinese-designed cultural sphere. Little wonder the U.S. government has fretted about TikTok’s influence – it’s not just about data security, it’s about cultural security.

    Banning it outright has proven politically difficult, and so TikTok remains, steadily entrenching its position as a staple of global youth culture.

    All these strands – blockbuster films, hit video games, viral apps – tie into a larger truth: China is rapidly building its soft power as America risks letting its own erode. At a time when the U.S. slashes foreign aid, China expands its influence through the Belt and Road Initiative and development loans. And while the U.S. curtails visas for students and scientists, China’s universities – some of which now rank in the global top 20 – become more attractive destinations.

    Can the US maintain a cultural edge?

    Assessing the impact of soft power is notoriously hard – nations that employ it are typically playing a very long game. And Beijing’s soft power push is not guaranteed success everywhere. Many societies remain skeptical of Beijing’s intentions, and China’s authoritarian system limits the appeal of its political model in democratic nations.

    Yet there are clear signs that China’s cultural exports are gaining traction among the younger generation.

    The U.S. once set the global cultural tempo almost by default. But today, as China invests heavily in its creative industries and digital platforms, it is increasingly shaping the soundtrack and storylines for a rising global generation.

    The question is no longer whether China can compete for soft power influence but whether America has a plan to hold its ground.

    Shaoyu Yuan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Is China the new cool? How Beijing is using pop culture to win the soft power war – https://theconversation.com/is-china-the-new-cool-how-beijing-is-using-pop-culture-to-win-the-soft-power-war-254923

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –