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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The dynamics of wealth transfer and taxation of inheritances in the European Union – E-002551/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002551/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Arash Saeidi (The Left)

    In 2022 and 2024, the Joint Research Centre published two studies on inheritance tax and wealth transfer (JRC128480 and JRC138223). They estimate that the annual volume of inheritances in Austria will double by 2050 to reach EUR 41 billion, and that only about 0.2 % of heirs will receive more than EUR 1 million. In the five countries studied, taxation of wealth transfers remains very limited (less than 1 % of overall tax revenues), mainly due to tax exemptions for heirs who are direct relatives or for high-wealth transfers. In Austria, even a modest tax, with an exemption threshold of EUR 1 million, could generate up to EUR 1.8 billion per year, without affecting the overwhelmingly vast majority of wealth transfers.

    European data shows that 50 % to 60 % of the wealth in the Union is inherited. Intergenerational accumulation of wealth exacerbates inequalities and undermines equal opportunity. The EU has no comprehensive, up-to-date assessment of the scale, dynamics and socio-economic consequences of inheritance at EU level.

    • 1.Does the Commission intend to apply the inheritance taxation simulation model (INTAXMOD), based on data from the Household Finance and Consumption Survey, to all Member States?
    • 2.Does the Commission intend to carry out a comprehensive study on the impact of wealth transfers on wealth inequality, intergenerational mobility and access to housing?

    Submitted: 25.6.2025

    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The Commission’s position on an EU-funded propaganda campaign that is manifestly unfair to fathers – P-002649/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-002649/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Branko Grims (PPE)

    In Slovenia, the Women’s Counselling Association (Association for Nonviolent Communication) has for some time been running a campaign featuring posters showing violence committed by fathers against children, which has generated a highly negative response. Roadside posters show pictures of a child with a birthmark on one side of his face, which is described as the ‘mother’s mark’. Also on the child’s face is the trace of a blow, which is referred to as the ‘father’s mark’. This clearly insinuating, manipulative and grossly misrepresentative campaign is unfair to all fathers who have never been violent towards their children. At the same time, it conceals and grossly distorts the reality, as statistics show that it is by no means only men who are violent in the home.

    At the bottom of the poster the Commission is listed as one of the sponsors of the campaign. I would therefore like to ask the Commission:

    • 1.On the basis of what criteria does it fund NGOs using taxpayers’ money to carry out such insidious, one-sidedly manipulative and manifestly unfair propaganda campaigns against fathers, and why?
    • 2.How would it comment on such posters, and on the biased insinuation that this violence against children is committed by fathers?

    Submitted: 1.7.2025

    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – For digital independence from third countries – E-002537/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002537/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Catherine Griset (PfE), Pierre Pimpie (PfE), Aleksandar Nikolic (PfE), Marie Dauchy (PfE), Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Virginie Joron (PfE), Jean-Paul Garraud (PfE), Pascale Piera (PfE)

    Two Danish municipalities, Copenhagen and Aarhus, are switching away from some Microsoft services to reduce costs after Microsoft increased its prices, and also to reduce their technological dependence on the United States[1].

    On the issue of reducing technological dependence, the risk is that US tech companies could be instructed by their government to suspend electronic messaging systems, by way of a sanction.

    The president of Microsoft has, however, announced that if its cloud activities were to be suspended in Europe, by order of the US authorities, it would quickly take the legal steps required to re-establish those services.

    • 1.Does the Commission believe that the company being prepared to take such legal steps offers sufficient assurance?
    • 2.If messaging systems or data hosting is suspended by US companies, by order of their government, for example, as a form of blackmail in trade negotiations, what retaliatory measures are envisaged?
    • 3.Have tests been conducted to facilitate the migration of messaging and data hosting services to European set-ups?

    Submitted: 24.6.2025

    • [1] https://www.usine-digitale.fr/article/souverainete-numerique-copenhague-et-aarhus-enclenchent-leur-divorce-avec-microsoft.N2233228
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Deteriorating working conditions and labour rights violations – P-002609/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-002609/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Marlena Maląg (ECR)

    This year’s Global Rights Index report published by the International Trade Union Confederation reveals an alarming trend of deteriorating working conditions and violations of trade union rights. Europe has not seen such bad results since 2014, yet there was time until November 2024 to implement Directive (EU) 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages, which should improve the situation in this area. The report unfortunately also includes Poland, which is mentioned alongside countries such as Senegal and Lesotho in the context of action taken against trade unions at PKP Cargo. Meanwhile, in recent days the management of PKP Cargo have announced further group redundancies – 4 000 people have already been made redundant, and a further 2 000 are set to go in 2025-2026. In addition, the trade unionists say the company is planning to sell or scrap 10 000 wagons, including those designed to transport military equipment, which is of economic and strategic importance.

    • 1.Does the Commission recognise the problem of labour rights violations at PKP Cargo?
    • 2.Has Poland applied for support under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in connection with the further waves of redundancies at PKP Cargo?
    • 3.Is the sale or scrapping of rolling stock suitable for transporting military equipment in line with the EU’s strategy to strengthen its competitiveness, autonomy and defence capabilities?

    Submitted: 27.6.2025

    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Education on legal awareness and protecting the land in the cross-border Alpine environment – E-002506/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002506/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Giuseppe Antoci (The Left)

    The municipality of Borgo San Dalmazzo (Cuneo), located in a mountainous area near the French border and affected by extreme weather events like Storm Alex, has launched an initiative to create the ‘Cittadella a protezione del territorio delle Alpi Marittime’ (‘Citadel for the protection of the land in the Maritime Alps’). The aim is to host facilities for civil protection teams and the AIB volunteer corps[1].

    At the same time, the municipality plans to run educational projects to promote legal awareness and active citizenship, aimed particularly at young people, through interinstitutional partnerships, including at cross-border level.

    In the light of the above, can the Commission please answer the following:

    • 1.Are there any EU programmes and/or structural funds that can support local initiatives to promote legal awareness and active citizenship in mountain communities?
    • 2.Is there any funding for integrated projects for preventing hydrogeological instability, managing natural risks and enhancing natural capital in cross-border areas such as the Maritime Alps?

    Submitted: 23.6.2025

    • [1] Corpo Volontari Antincendi Boschivi (‘Forest Fire Volunteer Corps’).
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on North Macedonia – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    North Macedonia gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. The country applied for EU membership in March 2004 and was granted EU candidate status in December 2005. As part of the June 2018 Prespa Agreement, the country changed its name to Republic of North Macedonia (‘North Macedonia’ in short), in exchange for Greece ending its veto on the country’s EU and NATO accessions. The first intergovernmental conference on 19 July 2022 marked the beginning of accession negotiations. The newly elected president took office in May 2024 and, in June, a new government was formed; led by the chair of the right-wing VMRO–DPMNE party, Hristijan Mickoski, it continues accession negotiations and, at a slower pace than previous governments, the reform agenda. The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the European Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on North Macedonia on 24 June 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held during the July plenary session.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Bulgaria to adopt the euro on 1 January 2026 – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    On 1 January 2026, Bulgaria will become the 21st EU Member State to have joined the euro area and adopted the euro. Assessments by both the European Commission and the European Central Bank have concluded that Bulgaria meets the requirements for accession to the euro area. On 25 June, Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) adopted its report on the adoption by Bulgaria of the euro as planned. Parliament is due to vote on its opinion on Bulgaria’s euro-area membership during the July plenary session.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Dramatic deterioration of mental health services – E-001684/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. According to Article 168(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union[1], the responsibility for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care, including mental health services, rests with the Member States.

    The Commission adopted a communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health[2] in June 2023 with 20 flagship initiatives and EUR 1.3 billion in funding opportunities. It has the main objective of addressing mental health issues through a holistic, prevention-oriented and cross-sectoral approach. Through one of the flagship initiatives, Member States receive tailored support from the World Health Organisation to reform mental health systems[3]. The Commission also regularly discusses the challenges and progress of mental health policies in the Member States in the subgroup on mental health of the Public Health Expert Group[4].

    2. The Commission is aware of the mental health challenges faced by young people[5] and is supporting Member States in capacity-building through the implementation of best practices targeting young people[6], a multidisciplinary training and exchange programme for health and other professionals working with young people, and the development of a prevention toolkit together with Unicef[7].

    The mission letter to the Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare includes the priority of addressing the impact of social media and excessive screentime on wellbeing and mental health of young people.

    Based on this, the Commission plans to launch an EU-wide inquiry to start an evidence-based debate on the issue. The specific scope, methodology, and timeline of the inquiry are being discussed.

    • [1]  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:12012E/TXT&from=en.
    • [2]  https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-06/com_2023_298_1_act_en.pdf.
    • [3]  https://www.who.int/europe/activities/partnering-with-the-european-union-(eu)-to-tackle-mental-health-challenges#:~:text=WHO%20is%20partnering%20with%20the%20European%20Commission%20to,to%20take%20a%20comprehensive%20approach%20to%20mental%20health.
    • [4]  https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/expert-group-public-health_en.
    • [5]  https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/dyna/bp-portal/submission/search?call=Mental%20Health.
    • [6]  https://eu-promens.eu/eu-promens.
    • [7]  https://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/european-commission-and-unicef-announce-new-partnership-improve-health-outcomes#:~:text=The%20three-year%20partnership%20%E2%80%93%20Promoting%20a%20comprehensive%2C%20prevention-oriented,consumption%20among%20children%20in%2029%20countries%20across%20Europe.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Supporting the development and standardisation of dementia registries across the EU – E-001733/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. The Commission is supporting collaborative action between Member States on dementia (JADE Health[1]) with funding of EUR 4.5 million under the EU4Health programme. The focus of the action which started on 1 January 2025 is on prevention, improving the management of dementia, promoting health equity, reducing health inequalities and the improvement of data availability. A stakeholder-led project[2] is supporting the development of innovative practices to tackle dementia and eliminate stigma. This is in the context of the ‘Healthier together’ EU non-communicable diseases (NCDs) initiative[3] which is the strategic framework at the EU level aiming to support Member States in reducing the burden of NCDs.

    2. The mission letter to the Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare[4] tasks the Commissioner to step up the Commission’s work on preventive health and to consider initiatives on degenerative illnesses, such as dementia, to improve knowledge sharing. The ongoing collaborative work under JADE Health will be the basis for the Commission to consider developing a European network of registries.

    3. The Commission does not plan to develop a dedicated inequalities registry. The Knowledge Gateway on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, hosted by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre, provides data on prevalence, information on risk factors and implemented policies and recommendations for NCDs, including on dementia[5].

    • [1]  https://jadementia.eu/#:~:text=JADE%20Health%20Joint%20Action%20is%20an%20EU%20initiative,dementia%20through%20prevention%2C%20early%20detection%2C%20and%20person-centered%20care.
    • [2]  https://care4elders.eu/.
    • [3]  https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/healthier-together-eu-non-communicable-diseases-initiative_en#:~:text=The%20European%20Commission%20has%20launched%20in%20December%202021,major%20NCDs%20and%20improve%20citizens%E2%80%99%20health%20and%20well-being.
    • [4]  https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/b628b5a2-ac1e-4b9c-bbdd-35b82da0ac6b_en?filename=mission-letter-varhelyi.pdf.
    • [5]  https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/health-promotion-knowledge-gateway/dementia-prevention_en.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022 and received candidate status on 14 December 2023, under certain conditions. Since then, the severe democratic backsliding brought about by the ruling Georgian Dream party has resulted in the de facto halt of Georgia’s EU accession process. Additionally, the country is currently embroiled in a political crisis following the contested October 2024 parliamentary elections. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the 2023 and 2024 enlargement Commission reports on Georgia on 4 June 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in July.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Albania – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Albania has been an EU candidate country since June 2014. On 25 March 2020, the Council decided to open accession negotiations with the country, based on its progress in meeting the political criteria and fulfilling the five priorities that are key for EU membership. Accession negotiations effectively started in July 2022, when the first intergovernmental conference was held. The main challenges are flaws in the functioning of the judiciary, in the fight against corruption, and in the safeguarding of media freedoms and minority rights. The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the European Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on Albania on 4 June 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in July.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Team of North Korean Remote IT Workers Indicted in Theft Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    FBI Atlanta Warns Public to Increase Hiring Scrutiny

    FBI Atlanta is warning the public about the threat of hiring Remote IT workers who use false identifications to conceal their true North Korean identities.

    Today, the Northern District of Georgia unsealed a five-count wire fraud and money laundering indictment charging four North Koreans, Kim Kwang Jin (김관진), Kang Tae Bok (강태복), Jong Pong Ju (정봉주) and Chang Nam Il (창남일), with a scheme to steal from two companies virtual currency, valued at over $900,000 at the time of the thefts, and to launder proceeds of those thefts. The defendants concealed their North Korean identities from their employers by providing the employers with false identification documents that contained stolen and fake identity information.

    In approximately December 2020 and May 2021, respectively, Kim Kwang Jin (using victim P.S.’s stolen identity) and Jong Pong Ju (using the alias “Bryan Cho”) were hired by a blockchain research and development company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and a virtual token company based in Serbia. Both defendants concealed their North Korean identities from their employers by providing false identification documents containing a mix of stolen and fraudulent identity information. Later, on a recommendation from Jong Pong Ju, the Serbian company hired “Peter Xiao,” who in fact was Chang Nam Il.

    After gaining their employers’ trust, Kim Kwang Jin and Jong Pong Ju were assigned projects that provided them access to their employers’ virtual currency assets. In February 2022, Jong Pong Ju used that access to steal virtual currency worth approximately $175,000 at the time of the theft, sending it to a virtual currency address he controlled. In March 2022, Kim Kwang Jin stole virtual currency worth approximately $740,000 at the time of theft by modifying the source code of two of his employer’s smart contracts, then sending it to a virtual currency address he controlled.

    To launder the funds after the thefts, Kim Kwang Jin and Jong Pong Ju “mixed” the stolen funds, using the virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash, and then transferred the funds to virtual currency exchange accounts controlled by Kang Tae Bok and Chang Nam Il but held in the names of aliases. These accounts were opened using fraudulent Malaysian identification documents.

    According to the indictment, the defendants traveled to the United Arab Emirates on North Korean travel documents, along with other individuals, and worked together as a co-located team.

    Neither of the victim companies in this investigation would have hired the individuals had they known they were North Korean citizens. FBI Atlanta is warning the public about the threat of North Korean citizens who often apply for Remote IT roles as blockchain developers. These individuals often use multiple fake names, identity cards, and social media accounts to gain employment at numerous companies. Companies looking to hire Remote IT workers, especially for blockchain development, are encouraged to apply additional layers of scrutiny to their interview and hiring processes.

    Recommendations for Strengthening Remote-Hiring Processes

    • Implement identity-verification processes during interviewing, onboarding, and throughout the employment of any remote worker. Cross-check HR systems for other applicants with the same resume content and/or contact information. The FBI has observed in other instances that North Korean IT workers use artificial intelligence and face-swapping technology during video job interviews to obfuscate their true identities.
    • Educate HR staff, hiring managers, and development teams regarding the North Korean IT worker threat, specifically focusing on changes in address or payment platforms during the onboarding process.
    • Review each applicant’s communication accounts as North Korean IT workers have reused phone numbers (particularly voice-over-IP numbers) and email addresses on multiple resumes purportedly belonging to different applicants.
    • Verify third-party staffing firms conduct robust hiring practices and routinely audit those practices.
    • Use “soft” interview questions to ask applicants for specific details about their location or educational background. North Korean IT workers often claim to have attended non-US educational institutions.
    • Check applicant resumes for typos and unusual terminology.
    • Complete as much of the hiring and onboarding process as possible in person.

    Reporting: If you suspect you have been approached or victimized by a North Korean IT worker, the FBI recommends taking the following actions:

    • Report the suspicious activity to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.IC3.gov as quickly as possible.
    • Evaluate network activity from the suspected employee and their assigned device(s), and use internal intrusion-detection software to capture activity on the suspected device(s).

    Reference

    In 2022 and 2023, the United States, along with foreign partners, issued public advisories regarding how North Korean IT workers operate and provided red-flag indicators and due diligence measures for businesses to avoid hiring North Korean freelance developers. In May 2024, the FBI provided further guidance regarding North Korean IT workers and their use of witting and unwitting US-based individuals.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Amendment of the Gas Storage Regulation – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Gas storage provides a valuable reserve in case of strong demand or supply disruption, reducing the need to import additional gas and helping stabilise energy prices. In March 2025, the European Commission proposed an amendment to the Gas Storage Regulation, adopted during the 2022 energy crisis, to extend its validity until the end of 2027. During its July plenary session, the European Parliament will vote on the text agreed in trilogue negotiations with the Council.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Draft amending budget No 1/2025: 2024 surplus – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Draft amending budget No 1/2025 (DAB 1/2025) to the EU’s 2025 general budget seeks to enter the €1.35 billion surplus from implementation of the 2024 budget as revenue into the 2025 budget. Including this surplus would lead to a corresponding reduction in Member States’ gross national income (GNI) contributions to the 2025 budget. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the Council’s position on DAB 1/2025 during the July plenary session.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Crimes

    Source: US FBI

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CARDELL GLOVER, (“GLOVER”), age 24, was sentenced on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, by United States District Judge Darrel J. Papillion, after previously pleading guilty to a three-count indictment.  Count One charged GLOVER with being a felon in possession a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).  Count Two charged GLOVER with possession of a stolen firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(j) and (a)(2).  Count Three charged GLOVER with possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o) and 924(a)(2).

    GLOVER was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment as to each of the three counts of the indictment, to be served concurrently.  Judge Papillion also ordered that GLOVER be placed on supervised release for three years as to each of the three counts, to be served concurrently, and pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, on July 9, 2024, a rideshare driver reported to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) that her weapon had been stolen.  She also works as a security guard and had placed her work firearm, a Glock Model 19 Gen 5, nine-millimeter pistol, in her trunk earlier that afternoon prior to starting her rideshare work.  She reported to law enforcement that she had picked up a fare, a male and a female passenger, at the Dollar General and allowed them to place their groceries in the trunk of her car.  When they arrived at the passengers’ destination, an apartment complex in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, the passengers retrieved the groceries from the trunk and went to an unknown second floor apartment.  The rideshare driver then looked in the trunk of her vehicle to discover her firearm missing.  She had said that the first name of the passenger who ordered the ride was “Dell.”

    GLOVER pled guilty to the entire indictment and admitted that he stole the Glock pistol.  GLOVER also admitted that, at the time of its recovery, the Glock pistol, was equipped with machinegun conversion device, making it a machinegun as defined by the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5845(b)).

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Product safety and regulatory compliance in e commerce and non-EU imports – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The problems posed by the increasingly high numbers of online purchases made by EU consumers, particularly from third-country traders, have risen to the top of the political agenda. During the July part-session, Parliament will vote on the report adopted by the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marrero Woman Guilty of Cares Act Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, LINDA TRIGGS (“TRIGGS”), age 73, a resident of Marrero, pleaded guilty to making a false statement related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).

    On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  One of the  primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

    According to the charging documents, on or about April 18, 2021, TRIGGS, on behalf of a non-profit corporation that she owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $59,065 for PPP loans.

    TRIGGS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.  United States District Judge Brandon S. Long will sentence TRIGGS on September 30, 2025.

    For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Measures against countries that do not cooperate on shared fish stocks – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    During the July plenary session, the European Parliament is expected to vote on an agreement with the Council aimed at addressing third countries’ unsustainable practices in relation to shared fish stocks. The agreed text resulting from interinstitutional negotiations would amend existing EU legislation in order to make the rules for penalising non-cooperative third countries clearer and more transparent. The aim is to ensure the sustainability of shared fish stocks and to protect EU fishers from unfair competition.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convenience Store Robber Sentenced to 57 Months’ Imprisonment

    Source: US FBI

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Andrew Armani Deionte Rowe, 29, of Salt Lake City, was sentenced today to 57 months’ imprisonment, and a term of three years’ supervised release after he robbed multiple 7-Eleven stores across the Salt Lake Valley in 2023.  

    The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parish, comes after Rowe pleaded guilty in September 2024 to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery.

    According to court documents and statements made at Rowe’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Rowe admitted that from September 12, 2023, through September 27, 2023, he robbed multiple 7-Eleven stores and threatened the clerk at each location. First, on Sept. 12, 2023, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Salt Lake City and locked the doors behind him. Rowe handed the clerk a note that stated, “Do as I say, or you will lose your life.” The clerk complied and gave Rowe the money from the register. On the same day, in a separate robbery, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Millcreek, Utah, with a gun and ordered the clerk to give him all the cash in the register. On Sept. 14, 2023, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Salt Lake City. Rowe pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded all the cash from the register. On Sept. 27, 2023, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Millcreek, threatened the clerk and demanded money from the register. See former press release here.

    On October 11, 2023, Rowe was arrested. During the investigation, law enforcement seized clothing that matched the clothing worn by Rowe during the robberies. Law enforcement also seized a black firearm with an extended firearm that matched the description of the firearm used in the robberies. It was later determined the firearm was a BB gun designed to look like a Glock.

    “No individual should feel unsafe while at work,” said Acting U.S Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. “Mr. Rowe threatened and intimidated others for his personal gain and then repeated his criminal behavior three more times. Community safety is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners and we will continue to prosecute and seek justice against those who harm our communities.”  

    “It’s fortunate Mr. Rowe didn’t physically hurt or kill anyone during his crime spree, although the emotional toll on the victims will be long-lasting,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed with the Salt Lake City FBI. “Opportunistic crimes don’t pay. The FBI and our partners are committed to keeping our communities safe from violent offenders.”

    The case was investigated jointly by the Salt Lake City Police Department, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – EU fisheries agreement with Greenland: Conclusion of a new protocol (2025-2030) – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    During the July plenary session, Parliament is due to vote on giving its consent to the conclusion of a new protocol implementing the EU fisheries agreement with Greenland. This agreement is valuable for EU fisheries relations in the north-east Atlantic. Not only does it allow EU vessels to continue fishing in Greenlandic waters, it enables the EU to exchange a significant part of the quotas it receives from Greenland with Norway.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Juan County Man Indicted for Second-Degree Murder

    Source: US FBI

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a San Juan County man with second degree murder after he allegedly shot a man to death in San Juan County, Utah.

    Chevel Cottonwood, 34, of San Juan County, was charged by complaint on June 11, 2025, and ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge.  

    According to court documents, on June 10, 2025, Navajo Police Department Officers responded to a 911 call reporting gunfire near the Hovenweep area north of Aneth, Utah, within the Navajo Nation. Upon arrival at a residence, officers spoke with a woman who was allegedly at the residence at the time of the shooting and described hearing gunshots from the living room. She recalled hearing Cottonwood and the victim arguing and then heard another gunshot and saw the flash of the discharge. The woman then went to the living room and saw the victim laying on the floor bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound.

    As alleged in court documents, responding officers entered the residence and found the victim deceased with a gunshot wound and an empty shell casing next to him. Cottonwood was found hiding in nearby bushes with a loaded magazine and ammunition. A search warrant was executed, and officers seized a 9mm pistol and two 9mm shell casings. Agents also observed bullet holes through the roof of the house that appeared to have occurred at some point during the incident.

    Cottonwood is charged with second degree murder while within Indian Country and being a restricted person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Cottonwood will have his initial appearance on the indictment on June 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated jointly by the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 3.2 million, became independent from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992, following a referendum that was boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The country was offered an EU membership perspective at the EU–Western Balkans summit in Thessaloniki in 2003. Building on the European Commission’s recommendation of 12 March 2024, the European Council decided on 21 March to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the European Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina on 4 June 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in July.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of regional cultures (ECI) – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    A European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) provides EU citizens with an opportunity to get involved in EU policymaking and put issues that matter to them onto the European agenda. The ECI: ‘Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures’ was submitted to the European Commission on 4 March 2025 after obtaining 1 269 351 validated statements of support from EU citizens and having reached the necessary thresholds in eight countries. It is the 11th initiative to be examined by the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Votes Against Republicans’ Catastrophic Budget Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after she voted against the Republicans’ budget bill:
    “Today, I voted against rigging our tax code in favor of the biggest corporations and ultra-wealthy – all on the backs of working families who are just trying to get by and want a fair shot at success. As I travel across Wisconsin, I hear from families who are worried about paying for groceries, covering the cost of their medications, and keeping the lights on. Instead of standing up for these working families, my Republican colleagues jammed through a bill that guts Medicaid, kicks 17 million Americans off their health insurance, shutters rural hospitals, and takes food from families in need. And why? All to rig our already unfair tax code even more to help the rich get richer. This bill does not solve the problems that Wisconsin families are facing – in fact, it makes them worse. I am disappointed. I am disgusted. But, I am also fired up and ready. Ready to keep fighting alongside every Wisconsinite who believes we can do better to give hard-working families a fair shot and stop tilting the scales for the wealthy and well-connected. It’s not the people in Washington with power; it’s the people across this country. The people who keep speaking up and speaking out, who are emailing and calling, who are marching in the streets, and who are telling their stories. This fight isn’t over, and together, we can still beat this thing.”
    Senator Baldwin introduced the following amendments to the bill to block cuts to Medicaid that would rip away health care from Americans and also close a tax loophole that allows Wall Street investment managers to often pay almost half the tax rate compared to most other Wisconsin workers:
    Preventing seniors from having their health care ripped away, including those in nursing homes;
    Preventing children from having their health care ripped away, including those on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP);
    Preventing health care for those battling addiction and substance use disorder from being ripped away;
    Preventing cuts to funding for rural Americans, including essential funding for hospitals;
    Preventing pregnant women from having their health care ripped away; and
    Closing the carried interest loophole that benefits wealthy money managers on Wall Street, something that President Trump also supports.
    The Republicans’ bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of [51-50], will terminate health care for 17 million Americans, including 250,000 Wisconsinites. In Wisconsin, Medicaid provides care for more than 1.2 million people, including four in seven nursing home residents, one in three children, and one in three adults with disabilities. While over 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid for health care, severe cuts to Medicaid will also jeopardize rural hospitals and clinics’ ability to keep their doors open.
    The legislation also makes the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history. Approximately 700,000 Wisconsin residents rely on SNAP for food assistance.
    Over the past several months, Senator Baldwin has been speaking out against the harmful impact this bill will have on Wisconsinites – in the press, on the Senate floor, and in Wisconsin communities.
    Senator Baldwin hosted roundtables in La Crosse, Milwaukee, Wausau, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Racine, Waukesha, Superior, Beloit, and twice in Madison, convening Wisconsinites whose health care coverage is in jeopardy under the Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid to pay for corporate tax breaks.
    VIDEO: Senator Baldwin spoke on the Senate floor, condemning the Republicans’ budget bill.
    VIDEO: Senator Baldwin held a virtual press conference with impacted Wisconsinites ahead of Senate Republicans bringing up their bill for a vote. 
    VIDEO: Senator Baldwin highlighted Congressional Republicans’ efforts to barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood on the Senate floor.
    Senator Baldwin slammed republicans’ planned cuts to Medicaid, which will devastate our country’s fight against the opioid and fentanyl epidemic and jeopardize treatment for thousands of Wisconsinites. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Statement on Passage of GOP Tax Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans passed their “Big Ugly Bill” by a vote of 51-50, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The legislation will kick over 16 million Americans off their health care, including 750,000 Georgians, raise premiums for 1.2 million Georgians, and threaten 66 rural Georgia hospitals.
    “The Senate just voted for legislation that will kick millions off their health care, close rural hospitals, and increase health care costs for everyone, all to give billionaires a tax break. Today’s vote is a disappointing reminder that Washington politicians aren’t working for ordinary people.”
    “But the power of the people is more powerful than the people in power. As the pastor of Dr. King’s church, I understand that our fight is not about any one vote, but about a moral vision for a world where all of God’s children can succeed.”
    “This is not over. Talk to your neighbors, call your U.S. House Representative, and continue to show up and use your voice.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Johnson Releases Statement on Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) released the following statement on his vote to pass Cal. #107, H.R.1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
    “With President Biden in the White House and majorities in both chambers of Congress, Democrats had every opportunity to repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and increase taxes on ‘the rich.’ They did not do so. Instead of returning to a reasonable pre-pandemic level of spending and deficits, once the economy recovered, they incurred deficits averaging $1.9 trillion over four years. If that wasn’t bad enough, President Biden also left office with open borders and raging wars.  
    “By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we have avoided a $4 trillion automatic tax increase and a default on our debt. Due to the enormous messes Biden and congressional Democrats left us, we are also providing additional funding for border security and defense.   
    “While the bill is a step forward, we have only just begun the difficult task of reducing spending, and there is still a long way to go. A rigorous effort will soon be announced to review every program and every line of the federal budget, looking for ways to reduce spending to a reasonable pre-pandemic level. I look forward to being fully involved in that effort to put America on a path to fiscal sustainability.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Votes Against Republicans’ Budget Bill That Strips Health Care from Americans, Closes Rural Hospitals, Explodes National Deficit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    Republicans’ legislation will increase prices for Coloradans, strip health care from 17 million Americans, increase the deficit, and give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy
    Republicans blocked Hickenlooper-backed amendments to protect funding for Medicaid and clean energy
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after he voted against Republicans’ Senate budget bill:
    “This is pure lunacy, and downright cruel.
    “Republicans have voted to kick 17 million Americans off their health care, push hundreds of rural hospitals toward closure, wipe out millions of American clean energy careers, and add trillions to our national debt. And for what? For lavish tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.”
    Hickenlooper voted NO on the budget resolution after Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments to prevent cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Inflation Reduction Act clean energy funding. While Hickenlooper was successful in working with his colleagues to eliminate devastating public lands provisions and alter a few of the worst clean energy proposals, he joined a bipartisan group of senators in opposition to the final bill. The reconciliation bill now heads to the House for final passage. Hickenlooper will continue fighting against it and urge every member of the House to stop it from becoming law.
    HICKENLOOPER AMENDMENT:
    Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor in support of his amendment to protect the Inflation Reduction Act’s residential clean energy credit – which covers 30% of the cost of purchasing and installing residential solar, battery backup, or geothermal heat pumps. Hickenlooper’s amendment would protect the program from Republican cuts for one year, giving clean energy small businesses in Colorado and across the nation a runway (at bare minimum) to weather the storm the Republicans are causing and prepare for the loss of federal funding, in addition to  preserving more than 85,000 American jobs. Watch his full remarks about his amendment HERE.
    “They’re also taxing clean energy and cutting larger energy credits, which will create more expensive energy and more blackouts,” Hickenlooper said. “We should create jobs, cut costs, and boost energy production, not sacrifice working families so that the richest Americans pay less taxes.”
    Click to download full video
    WHAT’S IN THE BILL:
    The Republican-led Senate reconciliation bill includes a $3 trillion tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. It pays for those tax cuts by:
    Taking Health Care Away from 17 Million Americans
    The Republican budget proposal calls for extreme Medicaid cuts of more than $900 billion, which would take away people’s health benefits; make it harder for them to see their health care providers; and prevent seniors from getting nursing home care.
    The budget also fails to extend the Affordable Care Act expanded premium tax credits, which expire at the end of 2025.
    The latest CBO estimates that the combined cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act would result in 17 million Americans losing health insurance by 2034, and increase our national debt by $3.3 trillion.   
    The cuts would hit rural hospitals the hardest:
    According to initial estimates, more than 338 rural hospitals across the country are at an acute risk of closure as a result of these Medicaid cuts. Including 6 hospitals in Colorado:
    Delta County Memorial Hospital – Delta (CO-03)
    Conejos County Hospital – La Jara (CO-03)
    Grand River Hospital District – Rifle (CO-03)
    Prowers Medical Center – Lamar (CO-04)
    Southwest Memorial Hospital – Cortez (CO-03)
    Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center – La Junta (CO-03)

    Slashing Investments in Clean Energy and Driving up Energy Bills
    The Republican budget bill guts hundreds of billions in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) clean energy investments, including tax credits for wind and solar. The results: over a million jobs lost, hundreds of billions in lost GDP and lost wages, electricity price inflation, and killing new renewable energy needed to prevent blackouts.
    Increasing Our National Debt by Trillions
    Even after gutting over $1 trillion from Medicaid and other services, the Senate reconciliation bill will still increase our national debt by more than $3.3 TRILLION.
    The Senate version of the bill adds $900 billion moreto the national debt than the previous House version of the bill.
    Hickenlooper recently took to the Senate floor to slam the bill as “fiscal madness.”
    ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS:
    In total, Hickenlooper introduced and joined 16+ amendments to the 2025 Senate reconciliation bill to oppose Republican provisions that would harm Coloradans. Specifically, he introduced and joined amendments to:
    Prevent Americans from Losing Health Care
    Protect Nursing Homes and Medicaid Patients: Hickenlooper-led amendment to strike any provision that cuts funding for Medicaid, which covers care for 60% of all nursing home residents.
    Safeguard Small Businesses and Medicaid: Hickenlooper-led amendment to strike any provision that cuts funding for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which protects access for the 7,000,000 small businesses workers who depend on Medicaid coverage; and protects access for the 4,000,000 small businesses who depend on the ACA exchanges.
    Protect Medicaid: Led by Senator Wyden, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike any provision that cuts funding for Medicaid; and would ensure big corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay a fair share in taxes.
    Extend ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits: Led by Senator Jon Ossoff, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to permanently extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced Premium Tax Credits.
    Protect Safety Net Programs
    Safeguard SNAP-Education: Led by Senator Angela Alsobrooks, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike the section that eliminates the SNAP Education Program, which provides free nutrition education to SNAP recipients.
    Expand Pell Grant Eligibility: Led by Senator Tim Kaine, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike the workforce Pell section in the budget bill and replace it with the bipartisan JOBS Act to expand Pell Grant eligibility to include short-term workforce training programs.
    Protect Public Lands
    Block Sale of Public Lands: Hickenlooper-led amendment to block the sale of our public lands. The amendment ensures that public lands cannot be sold if they hold any of the multiple values our public lands offer, including benefits for watershed health, hunting, fishing, recreation, and critical wildlife habitat. It also excludes sale of lands with cultural or historic significance, areas sensitive for national security, areas within an Indian reservation, or lands to which Tribes hold reserved rights.
    Non-Competitive Leasing: Hickenlooper-led amendment to strike provision that would reauthorize non-competitive leasing on federal public lands.
    Maintaining National Park Service Staffing: Led by Senator Angus King, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike the repeal of ~$267M in Inflation Reduction Act funding for the National Park Service staffing.
    Address our Climate Crisis + Invest in Renewable Energy
    Protect the solar industry:Hickenlooper-led amendment to change the termination date of the 25D Residential Clean Energy Credit from December 31, 2025 to December 31, 2026 to save jobs and small businesses and help American households power their homes and reduce energy costs with solar, battery storage, and geothermal heat pumps. It is paid for by increasing the top tax bracket to 39.6%.
    RECA Expansion: Hickenlooper-led amendment that adds Colorado to the list of states that benefit from an expanded downwinder provision under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
    Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit: Led by Senator Michael Bennet, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike all changes to the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit, but retain foreign entities of concern rules, and strike changes to 48C advanced energy tax credit.
    Maintaining Parity for Wind and Solar Facilities: Led by Senator Jacky Rosen, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to restore parity for solar and wind with other technologies under the Production Tax Credit (45Y) and Investment Tax Credit (48E), paid for with an increase to the top rate at $1 million for individual filers and $1.3M for married filing jointly.
    Eliminating the tax on wind and solar: Led by Senator Adam Schiff, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike the new excise tax on wind and solar, paid for with an increase to 39.6 percent for individuals making $10 million.
    Repeal of Termination of Certain Clean Energy Credits: Led by Senators Jean Shaheen and Peter Welch, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike provisions that would terminate the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C), the Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D), the New Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit (45L), and the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction (179D).
    Maintaining Modernized Royalty Rates: Led by Senator Jacky Rosen, Hickenlooper joined this amendment to strike the repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act royalty rate modernization for oil and gas.
    Budget resolutions guide federal spending and revenue policies for the year. This is the third budget resolution the Senate has voted on during the reconciliation process. Hickenlooper voted against the first package in February, and the second package in April. The Senate and the House must pass identical versions of the budget for the reconciliation bill to become law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: DOJ/FTC Host Listening Session on Lowering Americans’ Drug Prices Through Competition, part 2

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    DOJ/FTC Host Listening Sessions on Lowering Americans’ Drug Prices Through Competition: Anticompetitive Conduct by Pharmaceutical Companies Impeding Generic or Biosimilar Competition

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQTsHAZNUlw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Country Threat Assessment – E-002552/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002552/2025
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Alexander Sell (ESN)

    The European External Action Service provides a categorisation of the threat status of all states. The country threat assessment (CTA) categorises the threat status of countries as ‘low’, ‘moderate’, ‘significant’, ‘high’, and ‘critical’.

    • 1.What specific data, and from which organisations, does the European External Action Service use to produce the CTA?
    • 2.What assessment categories are there and how are the individual countries assigned to a category?
    • 3.Since when and on what basis has the threat status of Germany been classified as ‘significant’ and what was the previous classification?

    Submitted: 25.6.2025

    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – The Danish Parliament and EU affairs – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a representative parliamentary system. According to the Constitutional Act (section 3), the monarch and the Parliament jointly constitute the legislative authority, the monarch exercises executive authority, and the courts of justice represent the judicial authority. The monarch, however, mainly has a ceremonial role and appoints the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers, who are responsible for governing the country. The government is formed through the system of ‘negative parliamentarism’, meaning that the government must not be opposed by a majority in the Parliament. The government and its ministers are accountable to the Parliament. General elections must be held at least every four years, while the Prime Minister can dissolve the Parliament and call for new elections. Powers are separated, but a close link exists between the Parliament and the government due to parliamentarism, with political parties playing a key role. Most of the ministers are usually members of parliament, even if this is not a requirement. The Folketing is the unicameral Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is composed of 179 members elected by general and direct ballot for a period of four years: 135 members are elected through party-list proportional representation in ten constituencies; 40 seats are allocated to ensure proportionality at national level; and, as part of the Danish Realm, Greenland and the Faroe Islands each elect two members.

    MIL OSI Europe News –