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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Public Hearing with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board – NEW – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    Public Hearing with Dominique Laboureix © European Union (2025) – European Parliament

    The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) will hold a public hearing with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) on Tuesday, 15 July 2025.

    Dominique Laboureix, the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) which is tasked with dealing with distressed banks in the Banking Union, will appear for the second time in 2025. The exchange of views is expected to focus, inter alia, on the execution of the resolution tasks conferred on the Board by the SRM Regulation and on the agreement reached recently on the legislative package on crisis management and deposit insurance (CMDI).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Public Hearing with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board – NEW – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    Public Hearing with Dominique Laboureix © European Union (2025) – European Parliament

    The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) will hold a public hearing with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) on Tuesday, 15 July 2025.

    Dominique Laboureix, the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) which is tasked with dealing with distressed banks in the Banking Union, will appear for the second time in 2025. The exchange of views is expected to focus, inter alia, on the execution of the resolution tasks conferred on the Board by the SRM Regulation and on the agreement reached recently on the legislative package on crisis management and deposit insurance (CMDI).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – ECON-EMPL Economic Dialogue on the 2025 European Semester Spring Package – NEW – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    On Tuesday 15 July 2025, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and the Committee on Employment (EMPL) will hold an Economic Dialogue.

    Ms Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, and Mr Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, Implementation and Simplification, will present the Spring Package of the 2025 European Semester.

    The 2025 Spring Package reviews the main EU economic and social challenges and delivers policy guidance with the aim of strengthening competitiveness, prosperity and resilience within the European Union, while ensuring fiscal sustainability and macroeconomic stability. The package makes the first assessment of Member States’ progress under the revised economic governance framework and of their fiscal-structural plans and includes country-specific recommendations to drive reforms and investments. This Dialogue forms part of the scrutiny role of the European Parliament laid down in the revised economic governance framework.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Appointment of the Chair of the Financial Reporting Board of EFRAG – NEW – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    EFRAG logo © EFRAG, 2022

    ECON will hold a public hearing with Dr Wolf Klinz in the framework of his renewal as Chair of the Financial Reporting Board (FRB) of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG).

    The FRB is responsible for all positions taken at EFRAG on financial reporting, in particular in the context of the endorsement of IFRS Accounting Standards from a European perspective. The Chair of the FRB is nominated by the Commission after having heard the Parliament and Council, and appointed by the EFRAG General Assembly for a three-year term, renewable for a further three years. As the term of Mr Klinz as FRB Chair comes to an end on 16 November 2025 and in view of his proposed renewal, ECON will hold a public hearing on 14 and a vote on 15 July.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus – RC-B10-0335/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    pursuant to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of the Rules of Procedure
    replacing the following motions:
    B10‑0335/2025 (Verts/ALE)
    B10‑0344/2025 (Renew)
    B10‑0345/2025 (ECR)
    B10‑0346/2025 (PPE)
    B10‑0347/2025 (S&D)

    Sebastião Bugalho, Ingeborg Ter Laak, David McAllister, François‑Xavier Bellamy, Andrzej Halicki, Wouter Beke, Željana Zovko, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Andrey Kovatchev, Tomas Tobé, Ioan‑Rareş Bogdan, Tomáš Zdechovský, Davor Ivo Stier, Sander Smit, Elissavet Vozemberg‑Vrionidi, Eleonora Meleti, Vangelis Meimarakis, Georgios Aftias, Dimitris Tsiodras, Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, Antonio López‑Istúriz White, Matej Tonin, Massimiliano Salini, Łukasz Kohut, Loránt Vincze, Seán Kelly, Mirosława Nykiel, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Inese Vaidere, Michalis Hadjipantela, Miriam Lexmann
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Marco Tarquinio, Hana Jalloul Muro, Evin Incir, Nikos Papandreou
    on behalf of the S&D Group
    Adam Bielan, Reinis Pozņaks, Alexandr Vondra, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Guillaume Peltier, Marion Maréchal, Nicolas Bay, Laurence Trochu, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Aurelijus Veryga, Bogdan Rzońca, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Assita Kanko, Marlena Maląg, Carlo Fidanza, Alberico Gambino, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Nathalie Loiseau, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Engin Eroglu, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Jan‑Christoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar
    on behalf of the Renew Group
    Hannah Neumann
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
    Nikolas Farantouris

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus

    (2025/2798(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria,

    – having regard to the statements by the VP/HR and EEAS Spokesperson of 11 March, 7 May and 23 June 2025 on Syria,

    – having regard to the Council conclusions of 23 June 2025 on Syria and the European Council conclusions of 26 June 2025 on the Middle East,

    – having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas Syria’s religiously and ethnically diverse society suffered for over a decade at the hands of the violent and divisive Assad regime and terrorist groups, especially Daesh, affecting all communities, including Arabs, Kurds, Sunnis, Shias, Alawites, Christians, Druze and Yazidis;

    B. whereas a spree of widespread violence, including sexual violence, along the Syrian coast targeting the Alawite community began in March 2025 and is still ongoing, with over 1 200 civilian victims;

    C. whereas widespread sectarian clashes in April 2025 killed over 10 Druze civilians;

    D. whereas on 22 June 2025, a suicide terrorist attack on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus killed at least 25 and injured over 60, marking the deadliest attack against Christians in years; whereas a newly formed Islamist terrorist group, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna, claimed this attack;

    1. Strongly condemns the traumatic terrorist attack against the Mar Elias Church and all threats against worship sites, some historically significant; urges the Syrian authorities to improve safety measures and restore the Mar Elias Church;

    2. Strongly condemns all attacks targeting religious and ethnic communities and acknowledges heightened fears among them, seven months into the political transition; expresses solidarity with all victims;

    3. Urges the Syrian transitional authorities to facilitate swift, transparent and independent investigations into these acts, and take all necessary actions to quell sectarian violence, ensure accountability, including by prosecuting perpetrators and enablers of human rights violations such as in the case of Mar Elias, uphold freedom of religion and protect all communities;

    4. Reiterates the EU’s support, including through conditionally lifting sanctions, for a human rights-based political transition in Syria, with transitional justice, the fight against impunity, prohibiting arbitrary violence, inclusive governance and a People’s Assembly required for its success; calls for the EU to create a Syria reconstruction fund, conditional on demonstrable progress on these priorities and in coordination with relevant international institutions, to promote interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution and reconciliation; calls on the Commission to hold the Day of Dialogue Conference in Syria with Syrian civil society as soon as possible;

    5. Highlights the vulnerability of Christian communities in Syria;

    6. Calls on the Council to maintain and impose more targeted sanctions on actors responsible for religious freedom violations in Syria;

    7. Calls for the Syrian transitional authorities, the EU and the Member States to advance efforts against Islamist terrorism, protect all Syrians and tackle the situation in the al-Hol and Roj camps; calls for Syria’s territorial integrity to be respected;

    8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the European External Action Service, the Council and the Syrian authorities.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on tackling China’s critical raw materials export restrictions – RC-B10-0324/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Hildegard Bentele
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Kathleen Van Brempt
    on behalf of the S&D Group
    Beata Szydło
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Bart Groothuis, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Engin Eroglu, Christophe Grudler, Svenja Hahn, Ľubica Karvašová, Michał Kobosko, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Marie‑Pierre Vedrenne, Lucia Yar
    on behalf of the Renew Group
    Ville Niinistö
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
    Mariusz Kamiński

    European Parliament resolution on tackling China’s critical raw materials export restrictions

    (2025/2800(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on China,

    – having regard to the upcoming EU-China summit planned for 24 and 25 July 2025,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020[1], also known as the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724[2](Net-Zero Industry Act),

    – having regard to the G7 Leaders’ statement on the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

    – having regard to the clean trade and investment partnerships being negotiated by the EU, and to the EU’s critical raw material partnerships,

    – having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 20 June 2023 on ‘European Economic Security Strategy’ (JOIN(2023)0020), and to the speeches about de-risking given by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the European Policy Centre on 30 March 2023 and in Parliament on 18 April 2023,

    – having regard to the 13th EU-China Strategic Dialogue, held between the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, in Brussels on 2 July 2025,

    – having regard to the statements made by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the G7 summit held in Kananaskis, Canada from 16 to 17 June 2025,

    – having regard to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, in particular the principles of non-discrimination and of transparency regarding export restrictions,

    – having regard to WTO dispute settlement rulings DS431, DS432 and DS433 on China’s rare earth export restrictions,

    – having regard to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas on 4 April 2025, China started to enact export restrictions on 7 of the 17 rare earth elements (REEs) and on permanent magnets produced from these, introducing a system for non-automatic licences, and cited dual-use and security considerations as justification; whereas the list of items covered by the restrictions includes medium and heavy REEs (samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium);

    B. whereas critical raw materials are essential inputs for a wide array of industrial products and processes, including in critical sectors such as clean technologies, digital technologies, healthcare and defence; whereas a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials is fundamental to achieving the Union’s climate, digital, competitiveness and defence objectives;

    C. whereas export volumes have reportedly decreased by as much as 80 %, having a heavy impact on a wide range of sectors, including electronics and consumer tech, green energy and renewables, the automotive industry, aerospace and healthcare;

    D. whereas the EU’s dependence on China for critical raw materials has continued to grow or, at best, remains stubbornly high; whereas the global REE supply chain is heavily concentrated in China, which has control of around 75 % of mining output and of 85 % of processing capacity, reaching more than 95 % in the case of some REEs such as terbium, yttrium and dysprosium; whereas the EU remains overly reliant on non-EU countries for the supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) and is almost entirely dependent on China for the supply of heavy REEs; whereas the EU covers 98% of its demand for permanent magnets, and 92 % of its demand for NdFeB magnets, with imports from China;

    E. whereas China has significantly expanded its dominance in the global mining, processing and refining of CRMs and intermediate products, creating strategic dependences along key value chains, , which have, at times, been deliberately leveraged through restrictive trade measures; whereas China first restricted the export of REEs in 2010 over a territorial dispute with Japan, and this restriction was declared incompatible with WTO rules by the Appellate Body; whereas China has also applied extensive restrictions on the export of raw minerals classified as strategic and/or critical by the EU, including gallium and germanium since 1 August 2023, graphite since December 2023, antimony products since 15 September 2024, tungsten and bismuth since 4 February 2025, and scandium since 17 April 2025;

    F. whereas the implementation of these export restrictions has already started to cause severe disruptions to industry in the EU, including the automotive industry, with as many as 17 assembly lines experiencing temporary shutdowns in May 2025; whereas a wide array of sectors could face disruption, such as healthcare, space and defence – including fighter jets, frigates, drones and precision-guided weapons systems – wind turbines and batteries, as could the green and digital transitions more generally;

    G. whereas China’s licensing procedure requires applicants to disclose sensitive information to the Chinese authorities, which breaches economic secrecy; whereas China’s updated export control framework of December 2024 gives greater discretionary powers to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the State Council and the Central Military Commission to subject items not formally listed as dual-use goods to export controls; whereas these new regulations include measures with extraterritorial applications;

    H. whereas the EU applies export controls to certain types of critical and advanced materials, but these controls are clearly focused on material types, with precise technical parameters relating to their use in specific military applications, do not affect trade in commercial non-sensitive products and account for only a small share of total exports of the materials in question;

    I. whereas China has deliberately pursued a strategy of undercutting global market prices while keeping its domestic market closed, generally to the benefit of state-owned enterprises, and couples this with huge subsidy schemes, leading to significant distortions in global competition and jeopardising recent efforts by the EU and the Member States to keep the EU’s remaining mining sectors afloat;

    J. whereas the EU adopted the CRMA in April 2024 as the starting point of efforts towards improving the resilience and autonomy of the EU’s supply of CRMs and strategic raw materials (SRMs); whereas the CRMA addresses both the supply side and the demand side, including through production targets, through resource efficiency aimed at moderating consumption, and through the substitution of SRMs; whereas circularity is at the core of the CRMA, which aims to cover 25 % of the Union’s SRM needs through recycling by 2030 and has the objective of recycling substantially larger amounts of each SRM from waste, including for permanent magnets;

    K. whereas the upcoming EU-China summit is an opportunity to engage in dialogue while continuing to stand strong against coercion;

    L. whereas China still has sanctions in place against a former MEP, members of Member State parliaments and European think tanks;

    1. Strongly condemns China’s decision to enact REE export restrictions, which has halted exports and significantly disrupted supply chains vital for the automotive industry, defence manufacturers, semiconductor companies, green technologies, healthcare applications and many other sectors in the EU and across the world; considers that China’s action is unjustified and has a coercive intent, building on the enormous leverage its quasi-monopolistic position on the global market provides;

    2. Believes that China is using these export restrictions to strengthen its negotiating position; stresses that the EU must firmly reject any attempts by China to use these restrictions to force concessions on other ongoing trade irritants, and believes that any concessions to China in this respect would harm the EU’s ability to protect itself from current and future coercion;

    3. Underlines the importance of expressing concern regarding China’s export restrictions on REEs and the broader implications of these restrictions for global supply chains at the upcoming EU-China summit; is convinced that export controls should be part of a multilateral approach designed to protect international security and ensure a global level playing field, insists that unilateral controls must be limited to those made strictly necessary by national security considerations, with transparent and clearly defined rules, and therefore stresses that making China’s actions run counter to multilateral rules and practices, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to take a firm and unified stance, engage with China to find a structural solution and continue dialogue with China in this regard;

    4. Urges the Chinese authorities to follow up tangibly on their proposal and fully lift the export restrictions; takes note, in the meantime, of the recent proposal by the Chinese authorities to establish so-called ‘green lanes’ aimed at simplifying procedures for European companies;

    5. Stresses the urgent need for the EU to enhance its strategic leverage and indispensability by identifying, operationalising and strengthening areas in which it holds critical advantages over China in essential goods and technologies, with the objective of strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy, or by limiting access to the EU internal market for high-risk Chinese vendors in accordance with EU and international trade law;

    6. Considers China’s measures to be an unjustified weaponisation of its CRM supply lines, rendering it an untrustworthy source of input for critical sectors and a threat to the Union’s economic and essential security interests;

    7. Expresses deep concern over the requirements, imposed by Chinese authorities, that applicants must disclose sensitive data when applying for export permits, and over the considerable risk of technology leaks associated with this as regards the defence industrial base value chain and national security secrets, stressing that this may be used for future coercion; considers it essential for the Commission and the Member States to assess and mitigate the security implications of such data transfers, in line with the European economic security strategy;

    8. Urges the Commission and the Member States to accelerate the implementation of the CRMA; stresses the important role of the European Raw Materials Board and its sub-groups for the rapid and efficient implementation of the CRMA; recalls the clear and ambitious targets set to reinforce EU capacities to extract, process and recycle SRMs domestically by 2030; highlights the selection of the first 60 strategic projects under the CRMA;

    9. Regrets the fact that the CRMA was not accompanied by a dedicated EU budget, despite the lack of funding being the main bottleneck; stresses the urgent need to secure investments in the strategic projects approved under the CRMA and in other projects to boost extraction, refining, processing and recycling that contribute to de-risking from China and to achieving the CRMA benchmarks; urges the Commission to dedicate further EU-level support to the diversification of the REE and CRM supply, and to guarantee that the forthcoming multiannual financial framework will include a budget line to foster investment in extraction, processing, circularity, research and innovation, including for the substitution of CRMs;

    10. Underlines the need for the EU to mine domestically and re-establish processing capacity; underlines that increasing the efficiency of resource use through technological innovation is one of the objectives of the CRMA; emphasises the potential of recycling and urban mining to alleviate supply constraints in the short term and asks the Commission to take immediate measures to improve the collection and retention of REEs in the internal market;

    11. Underlines the need to ensure the long-term business case for and the viability of investments in CRM value chains, including through financial support such as price floors, offtake support and strategic stockpiling; calls on the Member States to request that large companies producing technologies in strategic sectors duly and regularly carry out risk-preparedness activities and measures to mitigate supply shortages, including via stockpiling;

    12. Calls on the Commission, together with the Member States, to assess the minimum level for the EU of strategic stocks of REEs listed as SRMs (neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium and cerium) and the corresponding end-use applications, including those linked to the defence industry;

    13. Calls, furthermore, for stronger engagement to conclude clean trade and investment partnerships (CTIPs) and bilateral strategic partnerships on raw materials that are based on true win-win partnerships and meet high sustainability and human rights standards; insists on the need to move towards binding agreements on CRMs to ensure the long-term security of the EU’s supplies, guarantee more transparency and ensure that Parliament has scrutiny powers; underlines the importance of free trade agreements and the Global Gateway initiative in enhancing access to CRMs;

    14. Encourages the use of preference clauses for sourcing REEs from EU suppliers and trusted partners in relevant procurement legislation; calls for greater coordination with like-minded international partners, particularly within the G7 and NATO frameworks and with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, in order to improve knowledge transfer, align supply chain security, joint investments and stockpiling strategies, and develop trusted-source standards for strategic sectors and projects;

    15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Government and Parliament of the People’s Republic of China.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Morocco Reopens its Embassy in Damascus

    Source: APO


    .

    Upon High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco reopened its Embassy in Damascus last Sunday, with all its administrative services resuming their activities.

    HM the King had announced in His speech to the 34th Summit of the League of Arab States, held on May 17 in Baghdad, the Kingdom’s decision to reopen its Embassy in Damascus, which was closed in 2012, affirming that this move “will contribute to opening up broader prospects for the historical bilateral relations between our countries and our peoples in the two brotherly nations”.

    The Sovereign also reiterated the Kingdom’s unchanging historic position on Syria, as expressed in the letter sent by His Majesty the King to President Ahmed Acharaa, namely support for the valiant Syrian people in their quest for freedom, security and stability, and commitment to the preservation of Syria’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    On the same day, Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad Al-Chaibani expressed his country’s thanks and gratitude for the decision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to reopen the Moroccan Embassy in Damascus.

    The reopening of the Embassy took place with a view to completing the administrative procedures and rehabilitation work necessary for its transfer to a new headquarters, in line with the new momentum of Moroccan-Syrian ties.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The Liberian Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bids Farewell to Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, After Three Years of Dedicated Service in Sierra Leone

    Source: APO

    The Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia to the Republic of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Madam Angie Lavela von Ballmoos, has officially taken leave of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio after three years of dedicated service in Sierra Leone.

    Reflecting on her time in the country, Ambassador von Ballmoos noted that it was with a heavy heart that she bids farewell, marking the end of a fulfilling tenure in what she described as a beautiful and welcoming nation. She expressed deep appreciation for the warm hospitality she received and remarked that she would greatly miss the people, the shared cultural heritage, and the local cuisine.

    Ambassador von Ballmoos also extended her heartfelt congratulations to President Bio on his recent election as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    “Your appointment brings hope not only to Sierra Leone but to the entire sub-region and Africa at large,” she stated. “We in Liberia are humbled and proud of your achievement, especially because of the personal and historical ties we share.”

    She further commended President Bio’s leadership, particularly his role in the African Union’s Committee of Ten (C-10), his commitment to human capital development, and his advocacy for gender equality.

    “We are optimistic about what ECOWAS can achieve under your leadership. The people of the region stand to benefit immensely from your efforts in fostering peace and building capacity across the sub-region,” she added.

    In his response, President Julius Maada Bio thanked the outgoing ambassador for her outstanding service and contribution to strengthening ties between the two countries.

    “Your service in Sierra Leone has been impactful. You have championed Liberia’s interests with distinction, and as the exemplary public servant that you are, I am confident you will continue to make Liberia proud—and should be proud of yourself as well,” he stated.

    President Bio added that Ambassador von Ballmoos would be deeply missed and assured her that Sierra Leone, especially Freetown, would always be home.

    “You are always welcome to return anytime,” he concluded warmly.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cameroon: United States (U.S.) Embassy in Yaoundé Announces Changes to Visa Procedures and Fees

    Source: APO


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    Effective immediately, and in keeping with the U.S. Government’s global efforts to tighten U.S. immigration requirements, the U.S. Embassy Yaoundé is revising its visa procedures, as well as the validity periods and issuance fees for most visa classifications. Cameroonian citizens who successfully apply for a tourist, business, exchange, or student visa are now issued a single-entry, three-month validity visa, with a significantly reduced issuance fee of $35 or its equivalent in FCFA (down from $215) to be paid if the visa is approved. Temporary work visas now also have a single-entry, three-month validity, with a reduced issuance fee of $45.

    A U.S. visa permits the visa holder to travel to the United States up until the visa’s expiration date. The traveler’s authorized duration of stay in the United States is distinct from the visa validity and is determined by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (that is, the U.S. immigration authorities travelers encounter upon arrival at port of entry).

    In addition, the Embassy is suspending indefinitely the nonimmigrant visa interview waiver program that allowed some visa applicants who had had prior visas to apply without coming into the Embassy for an interview. Henceforth, all nonimmigrant visa applicants applying in Cameroon are now required to appear for an in-person interview at the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé.

    The Embassy remains committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States while maintaining the integrity of its visa adjudication and issuance process. We strongly encourage all applicants to visit the Embassy’s website at https://cm.usembassy.gov/ for detailed procedural information and to schedule a visa interview accordingly. Applicants should also carefully review the legally-established visa eligibility criteria prior to paying for an appointment to try to assess objectively whether they are likely to qualify for the desired visa under U.S. law. Doing an objective self-assessment against the legal criteria will save applicants time, effort, and money on a visa application that is likely to be denied.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Cameroon.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salazar and Meng Introduce Resolution Recognizing the Role of the U.S. in Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    span>WASHINGTON, DC – Following the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on June 19th, U.S. Reps. Maria Salazar (FL-27) and Grace Meng (NY-06), introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives reaffirming the role of the United States in eliminating sexual violence in conflict. 

    Throughout history, sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war. In 2023, women and girls accounted for 95% of the reported cases of conflict-related sexual violence, enduring rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, and forced marriage. Sexual violence is considered a war crime, a crime against humanity, and an act of genocide and torture under international law. Despite this, it continues around the world with little accountability for its perpetrators.

    The resolution aims to underscore the need for the United States to continue to play a leading role in addressing conflict-related sexual violence and strengthening legal reforms and justice for all survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. It also seeks to recognize the need for all peace agreements to address conflict-related sexual violence and calls on the United States to ensure mechanisms to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable are included in peacebuilding resolutions. The resolution further emphasizes the importance of women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, as outlined in the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017. Additionally, the resolution would uplift and recognize the survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and those working to support them, to ensure they are not forgotten.

    “Rape should never be a weapon of war. It is an act of evil, used by tyrants and terrorists to break the human spirit,” said Congresswoman Salazar. As the world’s leading democracy, the United States will stand with the survivors, punish the perpetrators, and demand justice. I’m proud to join Congresswoman Meng in this bipartisan effort to make clear that we will defend human dignity, and sexual violence in conflict will not be ignored, excused, or forgotten.”

    “Conflict-related sexual violence is an unspeakable crime that women and children worldwide continue to endure,” said Congresswoman Meng. “We have tools and resources to eradicate this violence and hold perpetrators accountable and now is the time to take action. This resolution affirms the important and leading role the United States plays in addressing conflict-related sexual violence, namely through our efforts to promote women’s participation in economic, civic, and security decision-making and peace processes. Eliminating sexual violence in conflict should never be a partisan issue and I will continue working with my colleagues across the aisle to find commonsense solutions to end this crisis.

    In 2023, there were 3,688 confirmed cases of sexual violence linked to conflict—a 50% rise from previous years. However, the real number is likely higher because many victims don’t report these crimes due to social stigma, limited support, and lack of accountability for offenders.

    “At World Vision, we commend the recent introduction of this resolution, which highlights the need to prevent conflict-related sexual violence, hold perpetrators accountable, and provide adequate resources and health care to survivors,” said Margaret Schuler, Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at World Vision US. “In conflict areas such as Sudan, millions of women are at risk of becoming victims of physical or sexual violence. This resolution moves us one step closer to ending sexual violence in conflict zones and toward ensuring that all women and girls are protected and empowered, no matter where they live.”

    “Too often, sexual violence is used as a weapon of war to repress or terrorize civilians, and women and girls often pay the biggest price.” said Melanie Nezer, Vice President of Advocacy and External Relations at the Women’s Refugee Commission. “Women in conflict zones live in fear of sexual assault, yet are rarely able to access the protection, healthcare, or justice they deserve. Nobody should have to live this way. The Women’s Refugee Commission is grateful to Representative Meng and Representative Salazar for their bipartisan leadership on this issue of basic human rights. We urge all members of Congress to support the Resolution Affirming the Role of the US in Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict, and take a stand for the dignity, safety, and futures of women and girls and all who are at risk of conflict related sexual violence.” 

    Every year on June 19th, the international community marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict to raise global awareness of the urgent need to end conflict-related sexual violence, to honor the victims and survivors, and to pay tribute to all those who have devoted their lives to standing up for the eradication of these crimes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The bill on regulating the platform economy was adopted by the State Duma in the first reading

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The State Duma deputies adopted the draft federal law “On Certain Issues of Regulating the Platform Economy in the Russian Federation” in the first reading, as well as a package of amendments to industry legislation required in connection with the new regulation. These measures are designed to ensure transparency and stability of the market, protect the interests of consumers and entrepreneurs, and create conditions for the further growth of the platform economy.

    The new regulation was developed on the instructions of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin and under the supervision of the Deputy Chairman and Chief of Staff of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Grigorenko.

    “The President has instructed to speed up the adoption of the law on the platform economy, and together with the deputies we have already begun to implement this task. Last week we submitted an initiative to the State Duma, and today the draft law was adopted in the first reading. Such efficiency proves that we and the deputies see the goal of regulation in the same way. This is the protection of the rights and interests of our citizens: buyers, sellers, owners of order pick-up points and, in general, all participants in the platform economy,” commented Deputy Prime Minister – Chief of Staff of the Government of Russia Dmitry Grigorenko.

    The main focus of the developed regulation is on intermediary digital platforms that combine information about goods and services, allow transactions and payments, noted Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Economic Development of Russia, in a report to the lower house of parliament. A unified conceptual apparatus is also introduced, the rights and obligations of platform operators, sellers, buyers and service providers are clearly defined.

    “Over the past four years, online sales have quadrupled, and their share in retail trade has reached 15%. About 80% of Internet users access platforms every month – 6 billion orders were placed in 2024. Business is actively moving online: today, more than a million sellers work on platforms, and 80% of them are representatives of small and medium businesses,” Maxim Reshetnikov emphasized.

    The new regulation will increase trust in the platform economy. Every day, more than half of the country’s population becomes buyers, sellers, and orders various services through platforms – from grocery delivery to taxi rides, the minister emphasized.

    A number of measures are aimed at increasing the responsibility of platforms to buyers. Now operators are required to check data on sellers through the public services portal and official registers. Product cards without safety confirmation (labeling, certification or declaration of conformity) will not be published. Additionally, requirements for the storage of goods are established, including compliance with sanitary standards.

    Agreements between operators and sellers must include clear grounds for sanctions, changes in the position of the product card in search results, the procedure for changing prices and calculating the operator’s remuneration for providing services. Platform operators, in turn, are required to notify partners of changes in essential conditions at least 45 days in advance. Fines and blocking are possible only after a reasonable notice of three days. The use of discounts at the expense of the seller is allowed only with his consent, which can be revoked at any time. Also, platforms are required to provide reconciliation statements of mutual settlements upon request within seven days and update them monthly.

    “Such detailing will make it easier for businesses to defend their rights. Moreover, it will be possible to resolve disputes with platforms not only through the courts, but also out of court. For this purpose, a special system will become mandatory on platforms, through which a compromise can be found with the operator,” Maxim Reshetnikov emphasized, adding that initiatives of State Duma deputies, as well as proposals from businesses, industry associations and experts, were taken into account when developing the bills. This made it possible to create a balanced regulatory system that will contribute to the sustainable development of the platform economy.

    Digital platforms are a fast-growing segment of the economy, and its regulation requires a serious, balanced approach, says Denis Kravchenko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy.

    “Today, the State Duma supported the bill on the platform economy in the first reading. We have been working on this bill together with the government for over a year. During its preparation, the text of the law underwent significant changes taking into account the position of market players, the expert community and deputies. Yesterday, the bill was unanimously supported by deputies of the Committee on Economic Policy. Today, during the discussion, consolidated support was also born. This is very important for us. This is a new sector of the economy, which will be defined in the near future. It is growing rapidly, so it requires serious legislative regulation. We will finalize the text for the second reading,” Denis Kravchenko commented.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak held a meeting of the headquarters on the situation on the domestic oil products market

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held a meeting of the headquarters on the situation on the domestic oil products market with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Energy, the Federal Antimonopoly Service, the Ministry of Agriculture, Russian Railways, heads of the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange, oil companies, and State Duma deputies.

    The parties discussed the current situation on the oil products market during the period of increased summer demand, the terms of their sales on the St. Petersburg Exchange, as well as the supply of fuel to agricultural producers.

    According to the Ministry of Energy, prices for diesel fuel and gasoline remain stable, within the inflation rate. Deliveries to agricultural producers during the harvesting campaign are going according to plan, all requests from farmers are being satisfied. A representative of the Federal Antimonopoly Service noted the need to increase gasoline supplies to exchange trading to ensure market balance.

    Alexander Novak instructed the Ministry of Energy and the Federal Antimonopoly Service to assess the marginality of gas stations taking into account the mandatory costs of gas stations, and Russian Railways to solve the problem of empty wagons standing idle after unloading goods. This will help ensure timely loading and removal of petroleum products by oil companies to consumers. Oil companies have been instructed to promptly remove refineries from repairs and meet planned fuel production targets.

    “We cannot allow a sharp increase in gasoline prices. I ask the Ministry of Energy, together with oil companies, to keep their finger on the pulse and manually balance the supply of fuel to the market in order to meet the increased demand of consumers in the summer and early autumn months. To do this, it is necessary to ensure its uniform sale on the exchange, and also not allow oil companies to purchase goods from each other on the exchange. They must purchase petroleum products under direct contracts,” said Alexander Novak.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Latest news – Ordinary meeting of 9 July 2025, Strasbourg – Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

    Source: European Parliament

    The delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the ASEAN has elected its 1st and 2nd vice chairs:

    1st Vice Chair: MENDIA Idoia, S&D, Spain

    2nd Vice Chair: VASILE-VOICULESCU Vlad, Renew, Romania

     

    © European Union, 2025 – EP

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev: 3 billion rubles will be allocated for the implementation of the national project “Ecological Well-being” in Kuzbass by 2030

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    During a working visit to Kemerovo Oblast, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev met with the head of the region, Ilya Seredyuk, and visited a number of large industrial enterprises in Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk. At the meeting, the parties discussed the socio-economic development of the region, the performance indicators of the agro-industrial complex, and the implementation of the activities of the national project “Environmental Well-Being”.

    Dmitry Patrushev noted that the Kemerovo Region is among the leaders of the Siberian Federal District in terms of gross regional product. The main contribution is made by the extractive industry. The region strives to create favorable conditions for economic development. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, an important mechanism for socio-economic development is the implementation of the relevant Strategies for the socio-economic development of the Siberian Federal District (SFD) until 2035, approved by the Russian Government, which in the long term will create more than 20 thousand jobs.

    “Speaking about agriculture, I would like to note that Kuzbass is a major producer of grain and oilseed crops in Siberia. We expect that the unfavorable weather that accompanies field work will not seriously affect the final harvest. As for environmental activities, Kuzbass is participating in the relevant national project. The Government has allocated more than 3 billion rubles for this until 2030. The funds will be allocated, among other things, for reforestation, reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere in Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk, developing a waste management system and improving the health of water bodies. We expect high-quality implementation of all planned projects,” said Dmitry Patrushev.

    During his trip to Kemerovo, the Deputy Prime Minister visited the mineral fertilizer plant of KAO Azot. The company ranks fifth in Russia in terms of nitrogen fertilizer production. At the same time, much attention is paid to the implementation of environmental protection measures. Dmitry Patrushev inspected the liquid carbon dioxide production workshop, the selective cleaning construction site, and the engineering and design center.

    “Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of mineral fertilizers and is a leader in their export. Without fertilizers, it is impossible to talk about a systematic increase in crop yields. Therefore, the Government is taking measures that have allowed a significant increase in fertilizer supplies to the domestic market in recent years. Your plant is one of the country’s leaders in the production of nitrogen fertilizers,” he noted.

    In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister familiarized himself with the history of the development of the coal industry in the Kemerovo Region in the historical and architectural museum-reserve “Krasnaya Gorka”. The coal industry has historically played a key role in the economy of Kuzbass; in the Kemerovo Region, the industry provides jobs for about 100 thousand people. The museum was founded at the site of the discovery of the Kuznetsk coal basin and preserves evidence of the formation of the industrial center of Siberia.

    Dmitry Patrushev also visited the largest industrial enterprises of Novokuznetsk and got acquainted with the progress of environmental projects aimed at reducing the negative impact on the environment within the framework of the federal project “Clean Air”. Thus, the Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of construction of the sulfur gas purification unit of the Evraz metallurgical plant. The modern powerful unit will ensure a high degree of purification of flue gases from sulfur dioxide and reduce its emission into the atmosphere by 70%. The commissioning of the complex is expected in 2026.

    In addition, Dmitry Patrushev inspected the dry gas cleaning facility under construction at the Kuznetsk Ferroalloys plant. The enterprise is the country’s largest producer of ferrosilicon – an alloy of silicon and iron used in ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering and the chemical industry. The best available technology for environmentally friendly modernization of production is the installation of dry gas cleaning complexes for ferroalloy furnaces. Currently, emissions of pollutants into the city’s atmosphere have been reduced by 30% from the 2017 level.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Peste des petits ruminants: A race against time for livelihoods and livestock – 09-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Peste des petits ruminants (PPR, also known as sheep and goat plague) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting goats, sheep, camels and wild ruminants. With a mortality rate of up to 90 %, the disease causes severe economic losses, threatening food security and livelihoods. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates annual global losses to stand at €1.3 billion to €2 billion. Since its first occurrence in Bulgaria in 2018, PPR has caused significant losses in Greece, Romania and, more recently, Albania. To address this worrisome situation, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the FAO launched a strategy aimed at eradicating the disease by 2030. The strategy, which was officially launched in 2015 and endorsed by 70 countries, integrates vaccination, diagnostics and veterinary system strengthening. While live-attenuated vaccines (vaccines using weakened live disease-causing pathogens) are available and offer three or more years of protection, it is not possible to serologically distinguish vaccinated from infected animals, which is a crucial difference in eradication strategies. PPR has profound economic and trade impacts, and recent outbreaks within the European Union (EU) have underscored the urgency of transboundary disease management. Effective collaboration between global and EU frameworks, alongside community engagement and innovation, remains critical to achieving PPR eradication and safeguarding smallholder livelihoods. The European Parliament has been advocating for robust policies to address animal health threats.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ministry of Economic Development: monitoring the quality of public services covers all services in the country.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation has approved a new regulation on the Information and Analytical System for Monitoring the Quality of Public Services (IAS MKGU). The key innovation of the document was a significant expansion of the system’s functionality. Now, not only are citizen reviews on the quality of state and municipal services collected and processed, but they are also analyzed using the BI analytical module. This allows for continuous monitoring of service quality in automatic mode, analyzing objective data from information systems regardless of the form in which they are provided.

    The monitoring tracks the life cycle of the provision of services and electronic services. Monitoring is carried out on more than 20 indicators: refusals, delays, technical errors, level of complaints, assessment, level of satisfaction, feedback conversion and others. Based on the results, ratings of services, departments and subjects of the Russian Federation are formed. Last year, modern public opinion research tools were integrated into the system, including monitoring of social networks, a service for sending notifications and collecting feedback from applicants via the VK social network was launched.

    Currently, 57 subjects of the Russian Federation are connected to the system. More than 5.3 million notifications were delivered to citizens, of which more than 1.17 million contained a feedback collection questionnaire. By May 2025, the conversion rate of feedback collection in VK through the Vashkontrol service was 82.1%.

    “All these changes will allow us to promptly identify problem areas in the provision of public services and respond to them promptly, which will ultimately increase citizens’ satisfaction with the work of government agencies. The updated IAS MKGU has become another step in the digital transformation of public administration on the way to increasing the efficiency of interaction between the authorities and society,” said State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Alexey Khersontsev.

    IAS MKGU was created in 2012 to collect feedback and calculate the level of citizen satisfaction with the quality of services. Initially, the system was limited to monitoring 63 of the most popular services, but now all services and electronic services in the country will be covered.

    Currently, representatives of ministries and departments of federal and regional government levels and MFCs are registering to gain access to personal accounts of the IAS MKGU, where they will be able to monitor the quality of their services in real time, receive information on deviations from target values and recommendations for eliminating deficiencies identified during monitoring.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Package travel and linked travel arrangements: Improving protection for travellers – 09-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    On 29 November 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive amending Directive (EU) 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements, to improve protection for travellers and simplify and clarify certain aspects of the current directive. The Commission announced in a 2020 communication on a new consumer agenda that it would look into revising the directive following the turmoil caused by the mass cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal is the result of two years of stakeholder consultations and a reassessment of the current rules. The main changes focus on securing travellers’ rights and improving insolvency protection. Other key changes include extending the directive’s scope to lay down rules on contracts between package organisers and service providers. In the European Parliament, the file was referred to the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). The Council adopted its negotiating mandate on 18 December 2024. IMCO adopted its report on 26 June 2025. Following a vote on the negotiating mandate in plenary, trilogue negotiations can begin. Third edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Ministry of Economic Development and the leadership of the Omsk region discussed the development of the territory of the SEZ “Avangard”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Svyatoslav Sorokin held a meeting on the development of the territory of the special economic zone (SEZ) “Avangard” during a working visit to Omsk Oblast.

    To date, 11 residents have registered in the SEZ, who have already invested 5.7 billion rubles and created 108 jobs.

    The plans for the development of the SEZ include the placement of new investment projects. The key project will be the construction of a tire plant of JSC Avangard (part of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, UMMC). The total investment in the project will amount to 41.5 billion rubles. The start of production is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028. The enterprise will produce up to 10.5 thousand extra-large tires per year – for quarry equipment, dump trucks and heavy machines operating in the mining industry. Each such tire is designed for a load of over 20 tons. The products are oriented, among other things, to the needs of Kuzbass and the Far East. About half of the volume will be consumed within UMMC’s own contour, which ensures guaranteed demand.

    It was noted at the meeting that in order to continue working to attract investment to the SEZ territory, it is necessary to carry out measures to develop water supply and sanitation networks, the estimated cost of which is 3.044 billion rubles. The possibility of financing was announced by Svyatoslav Sorokin through the mechanism of providing the region with a treasury infrastructure loan. Following the meeting, the Government of Omsk Region sent a corresponding application to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.

    “Development of the territory of the SEZ “Avangard” opens up opportunities for the placement of new high-tech production facilities. The company’s tire plant project is a large-scale investment initiative with an import-substituting effect and a significant contribution to the regional budget. Such projects form a new industrial profile of the Omsk Region,” said Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Svyatoslav Sorokin.

    SEZ “Avangard” was created in December 2020 on the territory of Omsk. The total area is 165 hectares, of which 116 are intended for the placement of residents, 73% have already been leased or owned.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – 2023 Discharge: Exchange of views with EU- Agencies – Committee on Budgetary Control

    Source: European Parliament

    2023 Discharge: Exchange of views with Agencies © Image used under the license from Adobe Stock

    On 15 July 2025, in the framework of the 2023 discharge cycle of the general budget of the EU- Agencies, the Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) will hold an exchange of views following the postponement of the discharge to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).

    The CONT Committee will hold an exchange of views with invited Members from the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in the presence of Mr Salla Saastamoinen, OLAF Deputy Director-General, Evelina Gudzinskaitė, Chair of EUAA Management Board, Ms Nina Gregori, EUAA Executive Director, and Ms Beate Gminder, Director-General of DG HOME.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov met with the head of the Republic of Adygea Murat Kumpilov

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Denis Manturov met with the head of the Republic of Adygea Murat Kumpilov.

    First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with the head of the Republic of Adygea Murat Kumpilov, with whom he discussed the development of the region’s industry.

    The head of the republic reported to Denis Manturov on the status of the implementation of the investment project to create the Enem industrial park.

    In addition, Denis Manturov and Murat Kumpilov discussed the progress of the execution of the instructions given by the First Deputy Prime Minister during his working visit to Adygea in March 2025. Let us recall that at that time, Denis Manturov, among other things, instructed the transfer of drones from one of the leading Russian brands to the Military Training Center at the Maikop State Technological University for training cadets.

    On the instructions of the First Deputy Prime Minister, support was provided to the project of PAO Zarem to modernize the production of gearboxes through the federal Industrial Development Fund. In addition, work is underway to deepen cooperation between the Maikop Machine-Building Plant and the Kovrov Mechanical Plant. Currently, the enterprises, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, are working on the issue of localizing the production of vane rotators and hydraulic distributors.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Partial renewal of the European Court of Auditors – LU and NL Nominees – Committee on Budgetary Control

    Source: European Parliament

    Partial renewal of the European Court of Auditors – LU and NL Nominees © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

    On 15 July 2025, the Budgetary Control Committee will hold a hearing and vote on the nominations of Ms Joëlle Elvinger as the Luxembourg Member, and Mr Stephanus Blok as the Netherlands Member of the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

    Following nomination by the governments of Luxembourg and Netherlands, the Budgetary Control Committee has invited the two nominees to a hearing. During the hearing, CONT Members will ask questions and evaluate their credentials as nominees to the ECA, in particular in view of the requirements laid down in Article 286(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. CONT will give an opinion for the appointment of the candidates in the form of a recommendation to the Plenary. Appointment of the Members of the European Court of Auditors is defined in the Rules of Procedures of the European Parliament under Rule 129.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vitaly Savelyev: Development of checkpoints across the state border is a systemic task, the implementation of which is envisaged by the national project “Efficient Transport System”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Vitaly Savelyev at a meeting on the development of checkpoints across the state border.

    At a meeting on the development of checkpoints across the state border of the Russian Federation, the results of the movement of goods and freight vehicles on the main sections of the border were summed up.

    The positive dynamics of freight vehicle traffic through automobile checkpoints is sustainable. Thus, the number of freight vehicles that passed through automobile checkpoints located on priority sections of the state border has increased by almost 70% over the past seven years and reached more than 6.5 million units in 2024.

    At checkpoints on the Russian-Chinese section of the state border, the growth was almost 130% (from 229 thousand to 523 thousand units). In turn, the volume of transported goods increased by 34% and reached 46 million tons by the end of 2024.

    High dynamics are also maintained in the movement of freight vehicles at checkpoints on the Russian-Mongolian section: 65% of the 2018 level, an increase from 34 thousand units in 2018 to 56 thousand units in 2024.

    High rates are also observed on the Russian-Azerbaijani, Russian-Kazakh, and Russian-Georgian sections of the state border.

    As part of the implementation of the order of the President of Russia to reduce the inspection time of freight vehicles to 10 minutes, the implementation of a pilot project at the Tagirkent-Kazmalyar automobile checkpoint on the Russian-Azerbaijani border continues. Thanks to the elimination of paperwork, the introduction of an intelligent checkpoint system and equipping the site with modern portal inspection and screening systems, the inspection time in test mode was just over 9 minutes.

    By 2030, the implemented solutions will be scaled up to 55 priority checkpoints.

    In implementing the plans of the “road map” for the introduction of smart checkpoints, the Russian Government is working closely with state control bodies: the Border Service of the FSB of Russia, the Federal Customs Service of Russia, Rosselkhoznadzor, and Rospotrebnadzor.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Presentation of ECA Review 04/2025: The Future of EU Cohesion Policy – Committee on Budgetary Control

    Source: European Parliament

    Presentation of ECA Review 04/2025: The Future of EU Cohesion Policy © Image used under the license of AdobeStock

    On 15 July 2025, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) Review 04/2025: “The Future of EU Cohesion Policy: Drawing lessons from the past” will be presented to Members of the Committee of Budgetary Control (CONT) and of the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) by reporting ECA Member Alejandro Blanco Fernández. The presentation will also be followed by an exchange of views with invited Members of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI).

    The review aims to inform the future of EU cohesion policy by drawing on insights from ECA’s previous audit experience. It identifies strengths, weaknesses, and lessons from past and current implementation, and, where relevant, it compares ECA’s previous findings on cohesion policy with its conclusions on the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The review is intended to contribute to post-2027 cohesion policy discussions.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak: REW-2025 will become a key platform for discussing current energy issues

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held the second meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the international forum “Russian Energy Week”. The meeting was attended by representatives of federal authorities, energy companies, and industry communities.

    REW-2025 will be held from October 15 to 17 in Moscow. The forum will traditionally bring together representatives of government, business, science and the expert community to discuss global trends and challenges in the energy industry.

    Opening the meeting of the organizing committee, Alexander Novak emphasized the importance of intensifying the invitation campaign and filling the business program. “REW-2025 will become a key platform for discussing current energy issues, demonstrating technological achievements and strengthening international cooperation. This year, we will pay special attention to the 80th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry and the integration of energy sovereignty topics,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    Adviser to the President of Russia, Executive Secretary of the REW Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov noted that preparations for the forum are proceeding as usual. “Invitations to take part in REW-2025 events have been sent to more than 6.3 thousand participants, including heads of Russian and foreign businesses, as well as representatives of official delegations. Representatives of 65 companies from nine countries have confirmed their participation, including Azerbaijan, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Zambia, Kazakhstan, Côte d’Ivoire, Serbia, and South Africa. The Organizing Committee is actively working to attract foreign partners, especially from Asian, African, and Arab countries,” Anton Kobyakov added.

    As part of REW-2025, in parallel with the demonstration of stands of the forum’s key partners in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall, a specialized exhibition will once again be organized at the Gostiny Dvor site, which will demonstrate the industry’s achievements in the field of import substitution and innovative development of the country in the context of the Energy Strategy of Russia until 2050.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Public Hearing on the role of customs authorities – Committee on Budgetary Control

    Source: European Parliament

    CONT public hearing: The role of customs authorities in protecting the financial interests of the Union © Image used under the license from Adobe Stock

    On 15 July 2025, the Committees on Budgetary Control (CONT) and on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will hold a public hearing on “The role of customs authorities in protecting the financial interests of the Union – ensuring the complete collection of traditional own resources”.

    Customs authorities in the Member States play a central role in protecting the financial interests of the Union. In the area of traditional own resources (TOR), they contribute to EU revenue through the collection of customs duties. As a result of customs duties at risk of either not being declared or being declared incorrectly to national authorities by importers, the actual amount collected is lower than it should be, leading to a “customs gap”. In its Annual Report 2023, the European Court of Auditors noted weaknesses in EU action to reduce the customs gap and to mitigate the risk that TOR are incomplete.
    The aim of the public hearing would therefore be to hear the European Commission, Member States’ customs authorities and other stakeholders on best practices in detecting financial risks in customs and on the effective application of customs controls, with a view to identifying actions for improving the level of TOR paid to the EU and the functioning of the Customs Union overall.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Heirs will be exempted from penalties for late payments on loans of their relatives for six months

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    From September 1, 2025, banks and microfinance organizations will not be able to charge penalties, fines and fines on the debts of a deceased borrower while his relatives are processing the inheritance. law adopted by the State Duma.

    The ban will be in effect for 6 months, unless another period for entering into inheritance rights is established by law or a court decision. This rule applies to both consumer credit or loan agreements of the deceased, and mortgage loans.

    Preview photo: Songsak C / Shutterstock / Fotodom

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Public Hearing on the Interlinkage between Migration and Development Cooperation – Committee on Development

    Source: European Parliament

    Hearing on Interlinkage between Migration and Development Cooperation © ITCILO

    This hearing on 15 July will present two panels with invited speakers. The first panel will focus on how to tackle root causes of migration, such as conflict, food insecurity and climate change, through development cooperation. The second panel will address the coherence between EU migration and development policies in light of among others the 2030 agenda. The invited experts and stakeholders will present their analyses and data, followed by a debate with Members of the European Parliament.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Hearings – DEVE Public Hearing on the Interlinkage between Migration and Development Cooperation – 15-07-2025 – Committee on Development

    Source: European Parliament

    This hearing on 15 July will present two panels with invited speakers. The first panel will focus on how to tackle root causes of migration, such as conflict, food insecurity and climate change, through development cooperation. The second panel will address the coherence between EU migration and development policies in light of among others the 2030 agenda. The invited experts and stakeholders will present their analyses and data, followed by a debate with Members of the European Parliament.

    Experts and Members will analyse and discuss two main themes. One panel will focus on how to tackle root causes of migration, such as conflict, food insecurity and climate change, through development cooperation. The other panel will address the coherence between EU migration and development policies, particularly in light of the 2030 agenda. The Hearing will be chaired by Barry Andrews, Chair of the DEVE Committee and moderated by Lukas Mandl. Panellists include Arif Husain, Chief Economist, WFP; Zein Abidine Al-Mounir Talba, Member of Parliament, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Migration and Refugee Affairs, Mauritania; a representative of IOM; Anna Knoll, ECDPM; Vít Novotný, Senior Research Officer, Martens Centre and Raffaella Vicentini, Head of the Global Issues Unit a.i., UNHCR. Takeaways from the Hearing will feed into the DEVE committee’s report on “Reinforcing development cooperation to address irregular population movements and their root causes in partner countries”.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Impact of heatwaves on the availability of nuclear power plants – E-002711/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002711/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Nicolás González Casares (S&D)

    The increase in extreme temperatures could seriously affect the functioning of energy infrastructure, especially thermal power plants that require large volumes of water for cooling. Although ENTSO-E’s report on electricity supply outlook for this summer – drawn up in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/941 – rules out general risks, this summer’s first heatwave has already led to the closure of nuclear power plants in the European Union[1]. The possibility of partial or complete closures of other nuclear installations during the summer therefore cannot be ruled out, which would jeopardise the security of supply and cause price spikes.

    In this context:

    • 1.Can the Commission provide information on whether it has additional contingency plans in place to tackle extreme climate events and to ensure a supply of affordable electricity?
    • 2.Is better cooperation at EU level being considered in relation to demand flexibility, reinforcement of interconnections and solidarity mechanisms between Member States?
    • 3.What measures does the Commission intend to take to mitigate the impact of such events on electricity prices?

    Submitted: 2.7.2025

    • [1] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/edf-shuts-down-golftech-nuclear-plant-due-high-river-temperature-2025-06-30/
    Last updated: 9 July 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Rechanneling of RRP funds towards maintaining scholarships and ensuring equitable access to education in Romania – E-002703/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002703/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Nicolae Ștefănuță (Verts/ALE)

    The Romanian Ministry of Education has announced that it may cut grants for students and schoolchildren. According to the data submitted by student organisations, reducing the scholarship fund by around 40 % would mean fewer beneficiaries and much lower amounts per student or schoolchild, when those from disadvantaged backgrounds already experience major difficulties in accessing education.

    Given the crucial role of education in the development of society and the principles of equal opportunities, promoted at EU level, I would like to put the following question:

    Can funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) or other sources of EU funding be redirected or supplemented in order to support scholarships for students and schoolchildren in Romania, so as to ensure continuity and equity in access to education for all young people, regardless of their backgrounds?

    I believe that such a measure would make a significant contribution to preventing early school and university leaving, to reducing poverty and to supporting Romania’s objectives on social inclusion and human capital development within the ambit of the European Union.

    Submitted: 2.7.2025

    Last updated: 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –