Category: Economy

MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system – A10-0091/2025

Source: European Parliament

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system

(2025/2006(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 194 thereof,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 July 2020 entitled ‘Powering a climate-neutral economy: An EU Strategy for Energy System Integration’ (COM(2020)0299),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 28 November 2023 entitled ‘Grids, the missing link – An EU Action Plan for Grids’ (COM(2023)0757),

– having regard to the Commission report of January 2025 entitled ‘Investment needs of European energy infrastructure to enable a decarbonised economy’[1],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘Action Plan for Affordable Energy – Unlocking the true value of our Energy Union to secure affordable, efficient and clean energy for all Europeans’ (COM(2025)0079),

– 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 Commission communication of 5 March 2025 entitled ‘Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector’ (COM(2025)0095),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014 [2] (the CEF Regulation),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/869 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2022 on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure, amending Regulations (EC) No 715/2009, (EU) 2019/942 and (EU) 2019/943 and Directives 2009/73/EC and (EU) 2019/944, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 [3] (the TEN-E Regulation),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on common rules for the internal market for electricity and amending Directive 2012/27/EU [4],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/943 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the internal market for electricity [5],

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2023/2413 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001, Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and Directive 98/70/EC as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources, and repealing Council Directive (EU) 2015/652 [6] (the Renewable Energy Directive),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings [7],

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1711 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Directives (EU) 2018/2001 and (EU) 2019/944 as regards improving the Union’s electricity market design [8],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1747 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2019/942 and (EU) 2019/943 as regards improving the Union’s electricity market design [9] (Electricity Market Design (EMD) Regulation),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council [10], which reflects the EU’s electricity interconnection targets,

– having regard to the Council conclusions on ‘Advancing Sustainable Electricity Grid Infrastructure’, as approved by the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council at its meeting on 30 May 2024,

– having regard to its resolution of 10 July 2020 on a comprehensive European approach to energy storage [11],

– having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2021 on a European strategy for energy system integration [12],

– having regard to the report of January 2023 by the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) on electricity transmission and distribution tariff methodologies in Europe,

– having regard to the report of 19 December 2023 by ACER entitled ‘Demand response and other distributed energy resources: what barriers are holding them back?’,

– having regard to the report of April 2025 by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) entitled ‘Bidding Zone Review of the 2025 Target Year’[13],

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0091/2025),

A. whereas electricity grids are essential for the Union to achieve its clean energy transition and to deliver renewable energy while supporting economic growth and prosperity; whereas inefficiencies and lack of full integration negatively impact energy prices for consumers and companies;

B. whereas in light of the growing demand for electricity, significant investments and upgrades are required, along with regulatory oversight, to increase cross-border and national-level transmission capacity and modernise infrastructure, ensuring a decarbonised, flexible, more decentralised, digitalised and resilient electricity system;

C. whereas poor connectivity and grid bottlenecks are among the main reasons the EU cannot fully benefit from the significant installed capacities of wind and solar energy, thereby ensuring affordable prices for households and industry; whereas the lack of strong interconnection between regions with different natural and climatic characteristics leads to the overproduction of energy and administrative limitation on renewable production in some regions, while other regions are struggling with insufficient supply and high prices;

D. whereas transmission system operators (TSOs) are essential for integrating offshore renewable energy into the EU grid, in particular for those connected to more than one market; whereas, if TSOs fail to provide the agreed grid capacity, compensation should be paid to developers for lost export capacity, funded by congestion income; whereas such compensation should be shared fairly among TSOs and align with principles of non-discrimination and maximising cross-border trade; whereas this highlights the importance of maintaining a functioning interconnector backbone, as failures in interconnector capacity may result in costs for both producers and TSOs;

E. whereas Europe will only reach its decarbonisation objectives if there is a coordinated, pan-European approach to electricity system planning, connecting borders, sectors and regions;

F. whereas the planning of electricity transmission and distribution networks must be coordinated to ensure the effective development of the EU electricity system;

G. whereas the EU electricity grid was built for a 20th century economy based on centralised, fossil fuel-fired electricity generation, and must be modernised to meet the demands of a digitalised economy with increased levels of electrification and a higher share of decentralised and variable renewable energy sources;

H. whereas cross-border interconnectors, transmission and distribution grid infrastructure are critical for integrating renewables, reducing costs for European consumers and increasing the security of energy supply;

I. whereas distribution level grid projects are already eligible for funds under the Connecting Europe Facility – Energy (CEF-E); whereas, however, only a small share has been allocated to distribution grids under the most recent Projects of Common Interest (PCI) list; whereas CEF-E should better reflect the role of distribution grids for the achievement of EU energy and climate targets;

J. whereas ENTSO-E has calculated that cross-border electricity investment of EUR 13 billion per year until 2050 would reduce system costs by EUR 23 billion per year;

K. whereas the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle is a fundamental principle of EU energy policy and is legally binding; notes that the correct implementation of this principle will significantly reduce energy consumption, thereby lowering the need for investment in electricity grids and interconnectors;

L. whereas keeping the EU energy policy triangle of sustainability, security of supply and affordability in balance is key to a successful energy transition and to a reliable European energy system;

M. whereas energy network planning is a long-term process closely linked to investment stability;

N. whereas energy system flexibility needs are expected to double by 2030, in light of an increased share of renewables; whereas demand-side flexibility is therefore crucial for grid stability; whereas individual citizens, businesses and communities participating in the electricity market may bring manifold benefits to the grids, such as enhanced system efficiency, resilience, investment optimisation, improved social acceptance and lower energy costs; whereas serious delays and inconsistencies in implementing existing EU provisions on citizens’ energy, demand flexibility and smart network operations remain a concern;

O. whereas although recycling meets between 40 % and 55 % of Europe’s aluminium and copper needs, further measures to extend recycling capacity, waste collection and supply chain efficiency must be considered;

P. whereas the Commission and High Representative’s joint communication entitled ‘EU Action Plan on Cable Security’ highlights the importance of ensuring the secure supply of spare cable parts and the stockpiling of essential material and equipment;

Q. whereas the electricity system blackout experienced in the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France on 28 April 2025 illustrated how important it is to increase the energy grid’s resilience by ensuring that it is well maintained, protected and balanced at all times, including through flexible system services and enhanced cross-border interconnections, to allow for an agile recovery in the event of system failure;

R. whereas national and regional level system operators hold important responsibilities, particularly in the area of energy supply security; whereas all tasks of a regulatory nature should be performed by regulatory agencies acting in the public interest; whereas, however, alongside these responsibilities, a strengthened role for regulators and ACER in the planning processes can contribute to addressing shortcomings, such as ENTSO-E’s current 10-year network development plan (TYNDP) grid planning, as identified in the grid monitoring report; whereas, while acknowledging the TSOs’ responsibilities in drawing up these scenarios, ACER’s early involvement in the drawing-up process could help to ensure that the guidelines for the drawing-up of the scenarios are followed in accordance with the TEN-E Regulation;

S. whereas interconnection development will contribute to further integrating the EU electricity market, which not only increases system flexibility and resilience, but also unlocks economies of scale in renewable electricity production;

T. whereas the energy workforce will need to increase by 50 % to deploy the requisite renewable energy, grid and energy efficiency technologies [14];

U. whereas small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the EU’s economy, entrepreneurship and innovation, comprising 99 % of businesses, providing jobs to more than 85 million EU citizens and generating more than 58 % of the EU’s GDP;

V. whereas increasing decentralised electricity generation and demand response are important to reduce reliance on centralised production, which may be easily targeted by physical threats or cyberthreats, or compromised by climate-related events;

1. Calls on the Member States to fully explore, optimise, modernise and expand their electricity grid capacity, including transmission and distribution; considers electricity grids to be the central element in the EU’s transition to a competitive, net zero economy by 2050, one that is capable of accommodating high volumes of variable renewable energy technologies and/or evolving demand sources driven by increased levels of electrification and the advancement of digital technologies; notes the Member States’ prerogative to determine their own energy mix;

2. Calls on the Commission, the Member States, ACER, EU DSO Entity [15] and ENTSO-E [16] to implement the actions of the EU grid action plan, the action plan for affordable energy, the reform of the EU’s electricity market design and the Renewable Energy Directive without delay;

3. Points out that the completion of the EU’s energy market integration will save up to EUR 40 billion annually, and that a 50 % increase in cross-border electricity trade could increase the EU’s annual GDP by 0.1 %[17];

Relevance of electricity grids for the European energy transition

4. Welcomes the Commission’s communication on grids [18]; underlines the expected increase in electricity consumption of 60 % by 2030, the rising need to integrate a large share of variable renewable power into the grid, and the need for grids to adapt to a more decentralised, digitalised and flexible electricity system, including the optimisation of system operations and the full utilisation of local flexibility resources, demand response and energy storage solutions to complement wholesale markets and enhance grid resilience, resulting in an additional 23 GW of cross-border capacity by 2025 and a further 64 GW of capacity by 2030; notes that over 40 % of the Union’s distribution grids are over 40 years old and need to be updated [19];

5. Reiterates that, by 2030, the Union needs to invest around EUR375 to 425billion in distribution grids, and, overall, EUR 584 billion, in transmission and distribution electricity grids [20], including cross-border interconnectors and the adaptation of distribution grids to the energy transition;

6. Notes with concern that in 2023 the costs of managing transmission electricity grid congestion in the EU were EUR 4.2 billion [21] and continue to rise, and that curtailment is an obstacle to increasing the share of renewable energy sources; notes that this figure does not include the distribution electricity grid; stresses that in 2023 nearly 30 TWh of renewable electricity were curtailed across several Member States due to insufficient grid capacity; further notes the sharp increase in annual hours of negative electricity prices, rising from 154 in 2018 to 1 031 as of September 2024 [22], largely driven by grid congestion at borders, and the lack of sufficient storage, flexibility and demand response in the electricity market to temporally match variable renewable electricity supply with electricity demand; stresses that addressing these issues could help to absorb surplus supply, thereby maximising the use of existing grid infrastructure, but that existing market and regulatory frameworks often fail to provide adequate incentives for achieving this;

7. Highlights that a failure to modernise and expand the EU’s electricity grid, alongside the rapid deployment of the high volumes of variable renewable energy required to deliver on its targets, has and will continue to result in high levels of dispatch-down (instructions to reduce output); believes that the dispatch-down of renewables, caused by grid congestion and curtailment, represents an unacceptable waste of high-value renewable electricity and money; calls on the Commission, as part of its forthcoming European Grids Package, to set out an EU strategy to vastly reduce the dispatch-down of renewable electricity;

8. Highlights the role of smart grids in improving congestion management and optimising the electricity distribution of renewables; stresses their contribution to network flexibility by integrating digital tools that facilitate demand-side response and collective self-consumption; underlines that better grid management enhances energy resilience, reduces curtailments and secures supply during peak demand periods;

9. Highlights that the electricity grid infrastructure is a priority for achieving the EU’s strategic autonomy and its climate and energy targets; notes the Clean Industrial Deal’s commitment to electrification with a key performance indicator of a 32 % economy-wide electrification rate by 2030, which would necessitate a significant and continuous update and deployment of grids; regrets that delays in responding to requests for connection to grids result in a slower pace of electrification, even in Member States where generation from renewables is rapidly increasing;

10. Highlights, in particular, the crucial role that energy communities can play in supporting local economies; regrets that energy communities and smaller operators face disproportionate barriers to grid access and grid funding access due to regulatory hurdles and resource constraints; calls, therefore, on the Member States that are lagging behind in this regard to fully implement the Clean Energy Package, Fit for 55 and Renewable Energy Directive provisions, empowering citizens, municipalities, SMEs and companies to actively participate in the electricity market, in particular by developing enabling frameworks for renewable energy communities and the promotion of energy-sharing schemes; calls for grid-related EU and national level funding to take into account the specific needs of projects promoted by energy communities;

Regulatory situation and challenges

11. Is convinced that regulatory stability is a key condition for unlocking private investments in the electricity grid and, where feasible, enabling the affordable electrification of the EU’s economy, and reiterates the need to implement already adopted legislation before assessing potential new reviews;

12. Underlines that integrated grid planning across sectors at local, regional, national and EU levels will lead to increased system efficiency and reduced costs; calls, therefore, on the Commission and on the Member States to work towards integrated planning and to ensure that electricity network development plans are aligned with the 2021-2030 national energy and climate plans (NECPs) for all voltage levels; notes that a strengthened governance framework would help to ensure alignment between grid development plans and national and EU level policy objectives; recognises that, while the Member States are required to report on their contributions to EU targets through the NECPs, there is currently no equivalent obligation on TSOs to systematically report at EU level;

13. Underlines that the TEN-E Regulation and the Projects of Common Interest (PCI) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI) are powerful tools in the development of the Union’s cross-border energy infrastructure; regrets the shortcomings in the current TYNDP for European electricity infrastructure, which results in investment interests falling short of cross-border needs [23], and that grid planning does not fully leverage cross-border and cross-sectoral savings [24]; further regrets delays regarding to the completion of PCIs; urges the Commission to introduce more coordinated, long-term cross-sectoral planning to deliver the related savings and benefits across the EU; highlights that such coordinated planning could better inform cost sharing of infrastructure across the Member States; notes that, although the TEN-E Regulation enables smart electricity grid projects with a cross-border impact to obtain PCI status, even if such projects do not cross a physical border, the PCI list in 2023 included only five such projects; strongly believes, therefore, that the PCI process needs to be strengthened, simplified and streamlined for more clarity and transparency; calls on the Member States to fully complete the PCIs; calls on the Commission to urgently propose a targeted revision of the TEN-E Regulation in order to (1) introduce a robust planning process that combines system operators’ responsibilities with a strengthened role for ACER by mandating ACER to request amendments to the scenarios and the TYNDP, (2) ensure scenarios are drawn up in line with the decarbonisation agenda and enable easier access for smart electricity grid projects, and (3) introduce a simplified application process for small and medium-sized distribution system operators (DSOs);

14. Emphasises that network planning is a long-term process closely linked to investment stability; proposes, therefore, extending the time frame for network development plans to 20 years; highlights that grid investment is urgently required by the EU’s competitive agenda and should not be delayed;

15. Additionally notes that the EU will continue to have strong electricity links with its neighbouring countries and therefore believes the Commission should enhance such cooperation with neighbouring countries through PMIs with non-EU countries, as provided for in the TEN-E Regulation;

16. Strongly emphasises that CEF-E has proven to be the crucial instrument for co-financing cross-border energy infrastructure and insists on its continuation; welcomes the inclusion of offshore electricity grid projects in the Commission’s most recent allocation of grants under CEF-E;

17. Considers the lack of detailed, reliable and comparable data on national and EU grid planning an obstacle to more efficient grids; calls therefore on the Member States to thoroughly implement the relevant provision in the Electricity Directive [25], in particular Article 32, and to encourage smaller DSOs to apply this Article’s provision;

18. Welcomes the EU DSO Entity’s report on good practices on Distribution Network Development Plans [26] (DNDPs), which calls on the Member States to include cost-benefit analyses in their DNDPs, in order to evaluate investment opportunities; urges the Commission to develop guidelines based on this report, in cooperation with the EU DSO Entity, to harmonise and increase transparency of national development planning for distribution grids, to publish a European overview of the DNDPs and to require all transmission and distribution operators to provide energy regulators with the necessary data about their current and future grid hosting capacity information and grid planning, to enable energy regulators to properly scrutinise grid planning; calls on the Member States to implement Article 31(3) of Directive 2024/1711, which requests grid operators to publish information on the capacity available in their area of operation, in order to ensure transparency and enable stakeholders to make informed investment decisions; calls on the Commission to develop a centralised online repository for all transmission plans and DNDPs;

19. Highlights the significant risk posed by curtailment to the viability of renewable energy investment, especially considering that many Member States fail to compensate market participants for curtailed electricity volumes, despite the requirements set out in Articles 12 and 13 of Regulation (EU) 2019/943; regrets the lack of transparency, availability and data granularity regarding curtailed renewable energy volumes and congestion management costs;

20. Highlights the value of putting clear metrics in place to measure whether the EU is on track to deliver the grid expansion and reinforcements needed to meet its 2050 objectives; notes that such metrics could include reductions in renewable energy curtailment, lower grid development costs relative to the amount of capacity delivered, increases in the efficient use of existing infrastructure, a reduction in losses and lower raw material intensity;

21. Notes the work done by ENTSO-E and the EU DSO Entity on harmonised definitions of available grid hosting capacity for system operators and to establish an Union-wide overview thereof; believes that national regulatory authorities (NRAs) could benefit from clear legislative provisions as to how Member States can prioritise grid connections, so as to abandon the ‘first-come, first-served’ principle; therefore asks the Commission to amend Article 6 of Directive (EU) 2019/944 on the internal market for electricity, as part of the implementation review that the Commission must complete by 31 December 2025, and to consequently introduce transparent priority connection criteria to be chosen and further defined by the Member States for (1) generation connection, such as quality and maturity of the project, level of commitment, contribution to decarbonisation, social value, and for (2) consumer connection, such as quality and maturity of the project, level of commitment, contribution to decarbonisation, public interest or its strategic and/or social value, and grid optimisation; calls on the NRAs and the Member States to provide clear prioritisation rules according to their local and national specificities to allow the ‘first-come, first-served’ approach to be abandoned by disincentivising applications for connection that are not substantiated by a solid project, that are speculative or where the developer cannot show sufficient commitment to the realisation of a project;

22. Underlines that improved cross-border interconnections offer substantial cost-saving potential at the system level, with annual reductions in generation costs estimated at EUR 9 billion up to 2040, while requiring annual investments of EUR 6 billion in cross-border infrastructure and storage capacity;

23. Regrets that some Member States did not achieve the 10% interconnection target by 2020 and urges them to strive to achieve the current 15% interconnection target for 2030, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, since interconnection capacity is crucial for the functioning of the EU’s internal electricity market, leading to significant cost savings at system level and decreasing generation costs by EUR 9 billion annually to 2040 [27]; regrets that the 32 GW of cross-border capacity needed by 2030 remains unaddressed [28]; deplores the delays and uncertainties regarding several interconnection projects; calls, therefore, on the Commission to propose, by June 2026 at the latest, a binding interconnection target for 2036 based on a needs assessment; stresses the need for cooperation with non-hosting Member States and for the EU and its neighbouring countries to be involved in negotiations, in order to ensure the projects’ finalisation;

24. Highlights the need to accelerate permitting procedures for electricity infrastructure; stresses that grid expansion should not be delayed by lengthy permitting procedures or excessive reporting requirements; therefore welcomes the positive progress made regarding provisions adopted in the latest revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, specifically Article 16f thereof, and the Emergency Regulation on Permitting [29] to accelerate, streamline and simplify permit-granting procedures for grid and renewable energy projects, especially the principle of public overriding interest for grid projects; notes, however, that some of the Member States have not seen a material improvement in project permitting timelines, despite the ambitious frameworks set out at EU level; therefore urges the Member States to implement these measures without delay and calls on the Commission to closely monitor the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive, and regularly assess if revised permitting provisions are sufficient to deliver on the EU’s objectives; additionally calls on the Commission to set out guidelines for the Member States to include a principle of tacit approval in their national planning systems, as described in Article 16a of the Renewable Energy Directive; stresses that reinforcing administrative capacity, including through adequate staffing of planning and permitting authorities, will accelerate permitting procedures;

25. Encourages the Member States to draw up plans to designate dedicated infrastructure areas for grid projects, as outlined in Article 15e of the Renewable Energy Directive; stresses that such plans are essential to account for local specificities and ensure respect for protected areas; emphasises that these plans should be closely coordinated with the designation of acceleration areas for renewables, to ensure a streamlined, efficient and integrated approach to energy infrastructure development;

26. Notes that often documents need to be submitted in paper form; calls on the Member States to increase the digitalisation of these processes in order to accelerate permitting procedures; calls on the Commission and the Member States to revise all EU legislation relevant to permitting, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive [30], with a view to introducing mandatory digital application, submission and processing requirements;

27. Highlights the importance of public acceptance and public engagement when developing new grid projects and calls on the Commission to develop a set of best practices to be shared among the Member States in this regard; highlights the critical importance of effective communication with citizens and communities regarding grid projects and reinforcement; notes that local-level support can help to accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure and thus meet national and EU level objectives; urges the swift implementation of the EU’s pact for engagement with the electricity sector and coordination with national signatories (TSOs, DSOs, NRAs) to guarantee early, meaningful and regular public participation in grid projects;

28. Calls for the convening of a TAIEX [31] Group on Permitting within the forthcoming European Grids Package to support the Member States in addressing administrative bottlenecks, enhancing regulatory capacity and accelerating project approvals through the sharing of best practices and cross-border coordination;

29. Welcomes the initiatives announced under the Action Plan for Affordable Energy; recommends that the Commission extend the ‘tripartite contract for affordable energy for Europe’s industry’ to smaller energy producers, including energy communities, SMEs and businesses, leveraging flexibility and demand response, and link the outcome of these cooperation structures with grid planning processes at national and EU level, in order to optimise planning, investment and grid utilisation from the outset;

30. Highlights the need for improvements to be made to the public procurement framework, in order to tackle the challenges to grid operators regarding supply chains; therefore welcomes the Commission communication on the Clean Industrial Deal and the announcement by the Commission of a forthcoming review of the Public Procurement Directives [32]; stresses public procurement’s potential for the continued development of a strong EU manufacturing supply chain for electricity grid equipment, software and services; encourages the Commission to promote resilience, sustainability and security in public procurement procedures for grid operators; advocates for greater consistency between EU regulations on public procurement; calls on the Commission to adapt EU rules on public procurement with a view to harmonising and simplifying functional tendering specifications, in order to ramp up the production capacities of grid components;

31. Believes that adequate standardisation and common technical specifications are necessary for achieving economies of scale, and to speed up technological development; considers, additionally, that it is essential to ensure the right level of standardisation so that manufacturers’ capacity to innovate is not reduced;

32. Reiterates the need to consider new business models between equipment manufacturers and operators, such as long-term framework agreements that encourage the shift from one-off ‘grid projects’ to sustained and structured ‘grid programmes’, which result in more predictable planning for grid technology manufacturers; calls for the streamlining of tendering processes for the provision of grid equipment and services;

33. Stresses that this forthcoming revision of the Public Procurement Directives will allow the inclusion of sustainability, resilience and European preference criteria in EU public procurement processes for strategic sectors, in line with the provisions set out in Article 25 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 [33]; calls for grids and related technologies to be explicitly recognised as strategic sectors, to ensure their eligibility under the revised framework; underlines that strengthening European preference in public procurement processes is essential for reducing the EU’s dependence on non-EU suppliers, enhancing supply chain security, and fostering a resilient EU industrial base capable of supporting the energy transition; welcomes the introduction by the European Investment Bank (EIB) of a ‘Grids Manufacturing Package’ to support the European supply chain with at least EUR 1.5 billion in counter-guarantees for grid component manufacturers; calls for further similar financial instruments to be developed to provide long-term investment certainty and to accelerate the scaling-up of European production capacity;

Financing

34. Notes that over the past five years, global investment in power capacity has increased by nearly 40 %, while investment in grid infrastructure has lagged behind; notes that estimates of investment that the EU will need to make in its grid over the 2025-2050 period range from EUR 1 950 billion to EUR 2 600 billion [34];

35. Observes with concern that the budget allocated under CEF-E has been insufficient to expedite all PCI and PMI categories; notes that with a EUR 5.84 billion budget for 2021-2027, the programme has restricted capacity and may struggle to keep pace with investment needs; calls on the Commission and the Member States to significantly increase the CEF-E envelope and the percentage of CEF-E funds dedicated to electricity infrastructure as a separate adequate resource, when proposing the next multiannual financial framework (MFF), and to ensure that projects both at the distribution and at the transmission levels with an EU added value are eligible for budget allocated under CEF-E; encourages the Commission to further explore co-financing possibilities between CEF-E and the Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism;

36. States that EU funding is predominantly allocated to transmission grids with relatively insignificant allocations to distribution grids, despite their significant role in the EU energy transition, demonstrated by the fact that, between 2014 and 2020, CEF-E funded around EUR 5.3 billion worth of projects, of which around EUR 1.7 billion went to transmission grids and EUR 237 million to smart distribution grids; notes that the last PCI list only contained five smart electricity projects;

37. Deeply regrets that, whereas regional funds such as the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund or the Recovery and Resilience Facility provide for grid investments in principle, in practice they are underutilised for grid projects; regrets also that the evaluation criteria applied to the assessment of projects submitted in response to the EU Innovation Fund’s calls for proposals prevent funding for the demonstration and manufacturing of grid technologies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that a proportionate amount of such funding is also spent on grid investment;

38. Calls on the Member States to simplify access to the EU funds managed by the Member States for grid operators, for instance through the establishment of a one-stop-shop in those Member States in which a large share of DSOs are of a small or medium size;

39. Calls on the Commission to propose a dedicated funding instrument, such as one based on revenues from the market-based emission reduction scheme, to allow the Member States to support decentralised and innovative grid projects with a clear EU added value, including smaller projects, ensuring its effective use by the Member States for these purposes;

40. Emphasises the need for regulatory frameworks to attract private investment and ensure cost-reflective tariffs, in addition to public funding mechanisms;

41. Is convinced that anticipatory investments and forward-looking investments will help to address grid bottlenecks and prevent curtailment; points out that the EMD Regulation sets out regulatory elements for anticipatory investments but lacks a harmonised definition and implementation across the Union; calls on the Member States to swiftly implement the aforementioned provisions of the EMD Regulation and remove national legal barriers, on NRAs to remove barriers as regards regulatory incentives and disincentives, and on the Commission to urgently provide guidance regarding the approval of anticipatory investments, as announced in its Action Plan for Grids [35]; believes that further harmonisation in this respect might be beneficial; calls for detailed cost-benefit analyses and scenario-based planning to assess the likelihood of future utilisation, and recommends a two-step approval process for projects with a higher risk level by first approving smaller budgets for studies or planning, followed by a second approval for the more costly steps, in order to reduce the risk of stranded assets;

42. Acknowledges that grid investments from capital markets can be incentivised by providing market-oriented conditions, such as suitable rates of return and a robust regulatory framework; emphasises that the EU and the Member States should encourage private investments by providing risk mitigation tools or Member State guarantees; calls on the Commission and the EIB to further strengthen financing and de-risking initiatives and tools, such as counter-guarantees, to support additional electricity grid expansion and modernisation at affordable rates for system operators; emphasises the relevance of ensuring that the EU’s electricity grid is financed and therefore owned by public and private capital only from EU actors, or previously screened non-EU investors, in view of the criticality of the infrastructure;

43. Underlines that, while investment decisions should be guided by efficiencies, including energy and cost efficiency, investments should not only be focused on capital expenditure, and that investments optimising, renewing and modernising the existing infrastructure should be equally considered; therefore welcomes Article 18 of the EMD Regulation, which calls for tariff methodologies to give equal consideration to capital and operational expenditure, and remunerate operators to increase efficiencies in the operation and development of their networks, including through energy efficiency, flexibility and digitalisation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to thoroughly implement its provisions and to focus on ensuring fair and timely compensation to system operators for the costs borne by them;

44. Notes that the electrification of the EU economy, where technically and economically feasible, would help to drive down network tariffs by spreading the costs across a wider range of users; highlights, therefore, the importance of ensuring that the development of the future network is fully aligned with demand projections driven by increases in the level of electrification; is concerned by experts’ forecasts of network tariff increases of around 50% to 100% by 2050 [36]; stresses, therefore, the need for instruments and incentives that support grid operators in efficiently managing available grid capacity, including through procuring flexibility services, with a view to reducing imminent grid investment needs; highlights that flexible connection agreements, flexible network tariffs and local flexibility markets contribute to grid efficiency; invites NRAs to promote these flexible tariffs that allow consumers to easily react to price signals while shielding vulnerable households and businesses from price peaks; calls on the Commission and the Member States to actively address bottlenecks in tariffs, connection fees and regulations to facilitate cross-border and offshore hybrid grid investment;

45. Calls on the Member States to implement the relevant EU legal framework to unlock demand-side flexibility by accelerating the deployment of smart meters, enabling access to data from all metering devices and ensuring efficient price signals, to allow industries and households to optimise their consumption and reduce their electricity bills, and at the same time help reduce operational costs and the need for additional grid investment;

46. Stresses that the relaxation of network tariffs and certain charges, which could have the effect of lowering electricity prices, as proposed in the Affordable Energy Action Plan, has to be accompanied by a plan to replace the sources of the funds needed for grid investment with alternatives, in order to avoid facing underinvestment of the grids in the future;

47. Highlights the importance of minimising the additional costs on consumers’ bills resulting from the investments required to deliver the grid modernisation and expansion needed to meet the EU’s climate and competitiveness goals; asks the Commission to work with the Member States to develop a coordinated set of best practices for investments and equitable network tariff composition, with a strong emphasis on increasing transparency and removing non-energy related charges from the tariffs;

48. Points out that transmission infrastructure and availability of cross-zonal capacities are vital for an integrated market and for the exchange of low-marginal cost renewable energies, while respecting system security; notes that the EMD Regulation sets a minimum 70 % target of capacities available for cross-zonal trade by 2025 but Member States are far from reaching it; therefore urges the Member States and their TSOs to speed up their efforts to maximise cross-zonal trading opportunities, to ensure an efficient internal electricity market, appropriate investment decisions and renewable energy integration; regrets that achieving this target has often resulted in re-dispatch costs; notes that existing cost sharing mechanisms, such as cross-border cost allocation (CBCA), inter-transmission system operator (TSO) compensation and re-dispatching cost sharing, are limited and difficult to implement, which does not encourage cross-border investments, such as in offshore grids; calls on the Commission to holistically review and improve these mechanisms to ensure that they reflect the shared benefits of infrastructure and address the diversity of electricity flows, whether internal or cross-border, including a fair and balanced cost-benefit sharing mechanism for cross-border infrastructure projects that is based on objective criteria;

49. Takes note of the report of April 2025 by ENTSO-E on potential alternative bidding zone configurations based on location marginal pricing simulations provided by TSOs;

Grid-enhancing technologies, digitalisation, innovative solutions and resilience

50. Underlines that grid-enhancing technologies, digital solutions, ancillary services and data management technologies, as well as smart energy appliances, often leveraging artificial intelligence, can significantly increase the efficiency of existing grid capacities and maximise the use of existing assets, reducing the requirement for new infrastructure, for instance by providing real-time information on energy flows; therefore insists that these technologies and innovative solutions must be explored; urges NRAs to incentivise TSOs and DSOs to rely more on such technologies, weighing up the costs and benefits of their use versus grid expansion and by using remuneration schemes based on benefits rather than costs, and to benchmark the TSOs and DSOs on their uptake of such technologies; invites the Commission to further promote such innovative technologies when assessing projects that apply for EU funding;

51. Welcomes the work accomplished by ENTSO-E and the EU DSO Entity in developing the TSO/DSO Technopedia [37] so far, and calls on the Commission to mandate the biannual updating of the Technopedia to accurately reflect the technology readiness levels (TRLs) of technologies included;

52. Urges the Commission and the Member States to further enable and increase the digitalisation of the European electricity system, enabling the optimisation of the operation of its power system and reducing pressure on the supply chain; underlines that data sharing and data interoperability are essential for grid planning and optimisation; encourages the Member States, the NRAs, the EU DSO Entity and ACER to continue to accelerate their work on the monitoring system based on indicators measuring the performance of smart grids (‘smart grid indicators’), as set out in the Electricity Directive;

53. Stresses the urgent need to enhance the security of critical electricity infrastructure, including interconnectors and subsea cables at risk of sabotage, and increase its resilience to extreme weather events, climate change and physical and digital attacks; highlights the need to strengthen cooperation at national, regional and EU levels;

54. Stresses the growing risk of coordinated cyberattacks targeting the EU’s entire electricity network; recalls the importance of the rapid implementation of cybersecurity and other related network codes and the related legislation, such as the NIS 2 Directive [38] and the Cybersecurity Act [39], and encourages the Commission to correct, in upcoming legislative reviews, the status of physical grid equipment, including remotely controllable grid equipment, such as inverters, which is currently not held to a high enough cybersecurity standard, especially in cases where the manufacturer is required, under the jurisdiction of a non-EU country, to report information on software or hardware vulnerabilities to the authorities of that non-EU country; calls for enhanced EU level cooperation between all parties to strengthen preparedness and resilience; considers that NRAs should acknowledge the costs incurred by operators in adopting cybersecurity and resilience measures, and provide incentives for investments pertaining to increasing the resilience of the energy infrastructure to cyberthreats, and physical and hybrid threats, including climate adaptation measures;

55. Underlines the need to step up efforts to protect existing and future critical undersea and onshore energy infrastructure; considers that the EU should play a broader role in preventing incidents that threaten this infrastructure, in promoting surveillance and in restoring any damaged infrastructure using state of the art technologies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to find solutions to increase the protection and resilience of critical infrastructure, including solutions to financing such measures and technologies;

56. Recognises that new high-voltage electricity grid projects provide a multifunctional and cost-efficient opportunity to integrate additional security measures (i.e. sensors, sonar, etc.) and environmental solutions (i.e. bird deflectors, fire detectors, nature corridors, etc.) if planned in a holistic manner; asks the Commission to develop guidelines for NRAs to ensure that initial grid project planning is carried out and financed with these elements in mind;

57. Urges the Commission, DSOs and TSOs to develop an EU-owned Common European Energy Data Space, based on technical expertise and practice utilising the available data [40] and based on a common set of rules ensuring the secure, transparent portability and interoperability of energy data, where harmonised data is safely managed, exchanged and stored in the EU; stresses that this Common European Energy Data Space should facilitate data pooling and sharing through appropriate governance structures and data sharing services, supporting critical energy operations including transmission and distribution; underlines that European TSOs, DSOs and other previously screened electricity grid actors must be able to securely and smartly operate the grid, optimising its use by integrating flexibility and innovative technologies, in line with key principles of interoperability, trust, data value and governance; notes that data exchange arrangements must also take into account interactions with non-EU parties;

58. Recognises the potential of flexibility as a necessary tool for optimising system operations, maintaining the stability of the system and empowering consumers by incentivising them to shift their consumption patterns; stresses the importance of implementing appropriate measures to guarantee efficient price signals that incentivise flexibility, including from all end-consumers, and ensuring that all resources contribute to system security, including by accelerating the deployment of smart meters, smart energy-efficient buildings, and enabling access to data from all metering devices; asks NRAs to recognise flexibility innovations and pilot projects in the system, insofar as these do not negatively impact the grid’s overall balance and stability, in order to continue incentivising innovation;

59. Calls on NRAs to work closely with TSOs and DSOs to assess the flexibility potential, and needs of the national systems in current and future planning, taking into consideration the presence of industry, large consumers, large generators and storage; highlights in particular the critical role that storage assets, including long-duration electricity storage, capable of providing up to 100 hours of electricity, can play in providing congestion management services to the grid; notes that in order to provide these essential system services, investors in storage assets require stable, long-term revenue models, similar to the way in which support schemes have successfully provided revenue certainty for renewable generation assets;

Supply chain, raw materials and the need for skills

60. Notes with concern that global growth in the demand for grid technologies has put pressure on supply chains and the availability of cables, transformers, components and critical technologies; highlights the findings in the February 2025 International Energy Agency report, ‘Building the Future Transmission Grid’[41], that it now takes two to three years to procure cables and up to four years to secure large power transformers, and that average lead times for cables and large power transformers have almost doubled since 2021;

61. Is concerned about the long lead times for many grid technology components and remains determined to maintain European technology leadership in grid technology, emphasising the need for innovation to develop, demonstrate and scale European high-capacity grid technologies and innovative grid-enhancing technologies;

62. Stresses that critical and strategic raw materials are essential for grid infrastructure, with aluminium and copper demand set to rise by 33 % and 35 % respectively by 2050 [42]; takes note of the Commission decision recognising certain critical raw materials projects as strategic projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act [43], in order to secure access to these key materials and diversify sources of supply; calls on the Commission and the Member States to enhance recycling, and support strategic partnerships and trade agreements to this end;

63. Highlights the need to strengthen grid supply chains to increase the supply of grid technologies at affordable costs, and thereby limit the costs borne by consumers via network charges; calls for a strategic approach to acquiring energy technologies, components or critical materials related to grids, in order to avoid developing dependencies on single suppliers outside of the EU;

64. Believes that holistic, coordinated, long-term grid planning across the entire European energy system is needed to solve the supply chain capacity bottleneck, and that such planning provides manufacturers with essential transparency and predictability for adequately planning manufacturing capacity increases; considers that such planning must be reliable and enable new business models, such as long-term framework agreements and capacity reservation contracts;

65. Urges the maximum standardisation of key electricity grid equipment, insofar as is technically possible, via a joint technical assessment by the Commission, DSOs, TSOs and industry, covering all voltage levels in order to scale up production, lower prices and delivery times, and promote the interoperability of systems;

66. Stresses the urgent need to address labour shortages in the energy sector; notes that the Commission has projected that the energy workforce needs to significantly increase in order to deploy renewable energies, upgrade and expand grids, and manufacture energy efficiency, grid and other relevant technologies; regrets the shortages of electrical mechanics and fitters reported in 15 of the Member States, increasing the staffing needs of DSOs and TSOs; highlights that the energy workforce must grow by 50 % by 2030 to support the deployment of renewables [44], grid expansion and energy efficiency, with an estimated 2 million additional jobs required in electricity distribution by 2050; calls for training, upskilling and reskilling initiatives, prioritising grid-related skills to close skills gaps; welcomes university-business partnerships and targeted EU skills academies for strategic sectors, including grids; encourages DSOs and TSOs to diversify their workforce, including by increasing women’s participation;

67. Reiterates that the Member States and the EU should cooperate to adapt the relevant skills programmes and develop best practices to fulfil the growing skills demand across all educational levels, with a strong emphasis on encouraging gender balance in the sector;

68. Highlights the crucial role of SMEs and EU businesses in supplying the technology sector for the electricity grid; points out the need to access affordable electrification, limiting the costs related to the supply chain and ensuring a skilled workforce;

Offshore

69. Acknowledges the strategic relevance of offshore development in delivering the EU’s objectives of energy autonomy, increased use of renewable energy, a resilient and cost-effective electricity system and climate neutrality by 2050; stresses the importance of fully utilising the potential of Europe’s five sea basins for offshore energy generation; highlights the particular significance of the North Seas (covering the geographical area of the North Seas, including the Irish and Celtic Seas), which offer favourable conditions and the highest potential, with an agreed target of 300 GW of installed offshore generation capacity by 2050 within the framework of the North Seas Energy Cooperation; welcomes the progress made in this regard; emphasises the need to develop a meshed offshore grid, including hybrid interconnectors, particularly in the North Seas, to fully harness offshore potential and improve electricity market integration; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen regional cooperation on grid planning and energy cooperation across all sea basins with the EU’s neighbouring countries, in particular the UK and Norway, specifically in offshore wind energy development and the planning and manufacturing of electricity grids;

70. Highlights the need for a stable and predictable regulatory framework that ensures the most optimal trading arrangements to provide the required investor confidence to support the development and interconnection of offshore grid and offshore wind projects, ensuring market efficiency and efficient cross-border flows, including with non-EU countries; underlines the necessity of strengthening national grids where required to maximise the benefits of offshore energy; acknowledges that combining offshore transmission with generation assets (offshore hybrids) will be an integral part of an efficient network system, as this comes with several advantages for the European energy system but still lacks the right regulatory framework to incentivise necessary investment;

Cooperation with non-EU countries

71. Calls on the Member States to increase cooperation and coordination with like-minded non-EU countries such as Norway and the UK; recalls that the development of electricity infrastructure to harness the offshore wind potential of the North Seas is a shared priority for both the EU and the UK;

72. Highlights the need for a pragmatic and cooperative approach to EU-UK electricity trading; calls on the Commission to work closely with the UK administration to agree on a mutually beneficial trading arrangement that strengthens security of supply and the pathway to net zero for both jurisdictions; additionally, believes that efficiencies of trading arrangements can be improved further; calls on the Commission to engage with its UK counterparts constructively on this matter;

Outermost regions

73. Stresses the unique challenges faced by the EU’s outermost regions and other areas not connected to the European electricity grid; highlights their reliance on imports and high vulnerability to electricity blackouts and extreme climate hazards; notes the importance of developing resilient and autonomous energy systems through local grid development and cleaner energy production; calls on the Commission to address these regions’ specific needs in the European Grids Package and to propose additional financial support to improve the autonomy of their energy systems, and address their lack of interconnection and absence of broader grid connection benefits;

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74. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union – A10-0094/2025

Source: European Parliament

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT NON-LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union

(05673/2025 – C10‑0012/2025 – 2024/0245M(NLE))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 2 October 2024 for a Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union (COM(2024)0446),

– having regard to the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union (C10‑0012/2025),

– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10-0012/2025),

– having regard to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT)[1],

– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community [2],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market [3] (EU Timber Regulation),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 [4] (EU Deforestation Regulation),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640),

– having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal [5],

– having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2020 on the EU’s role in protecting and restoring the world’s forests [6],

– having regard to its resolution of 22 October 2020 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation [7],

– having regard to the Paris Agreement and to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on halting and reversing nature loss,

– having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part [8],

– having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,

– having regard to the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use,

– having regard to its legislative resolution of [XXXX][9] on the draft Council decision,

– having regard to Rule 107(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A10-0094/2025),

A. whereas the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union (FLEGT) entered into force on 1 December 2011 and is one of the first agreements of this kind to be concluded; whereas the VPA’s objective is to provide a framework of legislation, systems, controls and verification procedures to ensure that all timber exports from Cameroon into the EU market have been acquired, harvested, transported and exported legally;

B. whereas Cameroon has over 18 million hectares of forest, which accounts for approximately 40 % of its national territory; whereas Cameroon is Africa’s largest exporter of tropical hardwoods to the EU; whereas illegal logging and forest conversion, enabled by poor forest governance and driven by trade, are major contributors to deforestation in Cameroon; whereas 900 000 hectares of forest cover were lost between 2011 and 2022, representing 5 % of the country’s forest cover during this period;

C. whereas nearly half of the total exports from Cameroon are directed to European markets, with timber as the third most important product after oil and cocoa; whereas all three of these sectors generally contribute to deforestation, and the growth of their production is part of Cameroon’s national development strategy for 2020-2030;

D. whereas all shipments of timber and timber products from Cameroon destined for the EU market should comply with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) requiring operators to perform due diligence checks to ensure the timber products they place on the EU market are legal; whereas since 2015, Cameroon has been developing a timber legality assurance system (TLAS), as required by the VPA; whereas to date, Cameroon has not fully established the TLAS and thereby cannot qualify for a FLEGT licence; whereas the TLAS is based on a legality definition, supply chain controls, verification of compliance, FLEGT licensing and an independent audit; whereas this legality verification system is not yet operational;

E. whereas the purpose and expected benefits of FLEGT VPAs go beyond the facilitation of trade in legal timber, as they are also designed to bring about systemic changes in forest governance, law enforcement, transparency and the inclusion of various stakeholders in the political decision-making process, including indigenous and local communities and civil society organisations;

F. whereas the FLEGT licensing scheme, which forms an integral part of the VPA, was expected to be in place within five years of the reform of the legal framework; whereas this licensing scheme is not yet in place, implying that the VPA between the EU and Cameroon is not operational to date; whereas the EU FLEGT VPA programme, coordinated by the French Development Agency, was not implemented in Cameroon as planned for the years 2021-2025;

G. whereas the forest reform, launched in 2008 with the aim of revising the 1994 forest code, was finalised in July 2024 with the publication of the new Forest Code; whereas illegal logging is conducted partly on the basis of small logging titles (ventes de coupe) that do not require management plans and are more difficult to control compared to the oversight of large-scale concessions; whereas the national control systems are not operational, due to corruption and insufficient resources, so enforcement and governance remain weak, making it possible for illegal and unsustainable logging operations to continue;

H. whereas the development of the legality verification module in the traceability system is still pending, and the little progress made so far has not been independently audited, which would help build its credibility;

I. whereas Cameroon has not been able to meet its VPA obligations over the last 10 years and the governance of the forest sector has worsened despite the existence of the VPA;

J. whereas timber exports have shifted to Asian markets, particularly China and Vietnam diluting the economic incentive of the VPA, and consequently the relevance of the FLEGT licence; whereas Vietnam has become the second largest market for Cameroonian timber (after China), while Cameroon has become the largest supplier of tropical logs to Vietnam (accounting for 25 % of the logs imported between 2016 and 2019, in value); whereas a large part of timber trade flows concerns illegal logging, which deprives the Government of Cameroon of revenue and local communities of shared benefits; whereas the United States and the EU supported discussions between Cameroon and Vietnam to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of improving the transparency of the timber trade between both countries; whereas transparency and traceability in timber trade flows are essential for the credibility of legality assurance schemes; whereas, in this context, the EU should continue encouraging partner countries to strengthen import controls and ensure that timber sourced from them complies with legal requirements under national and VPA frameworks;

K. whereas the Cameroon-EU VPA entered into force in 2011; whereas, despite the initial positive impacts on legal reform, multi-stakeholder participation, access to information and transparency, the VPA process was stalled in 2018; whereas the parties agreed in 2023 to undertake a joint VPA review, with the resulting report presenting four options for next steps, one of which was termination of the VPA by consensus; whereas this report was not made public until after the Commission notified the Council of the decision to terminate; whereas the Commission made the unilateral call to end the partnership;

L. whereas key exports from Central Africa to the EU include timber, cocoa and tropical fruits; whereas the EU and the Republic of Cameroon signed a provisional Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in 2009, which remains in force as an interim arrangement while negotiations on a full regional EPA for Central Africa are ongoing; whereas future EU-Cameroon cooperation should aim to align trade policy instruments with sustainability goals, particularly under the EU Deforestation Regulation, in order to promote consistency, mutual benefit and predictability for operators on both sides;

M. whereas the VPA is tacitly renewed every seven years, unless one party terminates it by notifying the other party of its decision at least 12 months before the expiry of the current seven-year period; whereas each party may terminate the VPA at any time by notifying the other party; whereas the VPA is terminated 12 months following that notification;

N. whereas the continuation of the VPA could affect the credibility of the EU as a global champion of forest protection, sustainable and multifunctional agroforestry, soil and landscape protection, biodiversity, local rural economy and human rights standards and the integrity of VPAs as EU trade instruments; whereas the unilateral termination of the agreement could also tarnish the reputation of the EU as a reliable forestry actor and defender;

O. whereas in its communication of 7 November 2024 on a strategic framework for international cooperation engagement, the Commission suggests that forest partnerships could build on or even replace VPAs; whereas, despite the challenges, VPAs have proven to be a key instrument in laying the groundwork for improved forest governance; whereas VPAs are legally binding agreements that can be complemented by forest partnerships; whereas there is a lack of information regarding the impacts of existing forest partnerships on the improvement of governance; whereas the Commission has not informed Parliament of the criteria underpinning its engagement in forest partnerships; whereas this failure to involve Parliament prior to developing partnerships with third countries has already occurred in the past; underscores the need for the EU to remain firmly committed to other existing VPAs;

P. whereas a move away from the VPA model towards more extractive agreements such as raw materials partnerships or non-binding memoranda of understanding will undermine the EU’s credibility when it comes to the protection of biodiversity and the fight against deforestation;

Q. whereas civil society in Cameroon is increasingly confronted with hostility and a shrinking space; whereas a circular published on 13 August 2024 obliges NGOs active in the forest sector to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife;

1. Highlights that deforestation and forest degradation are key environmental challenges and are among the main drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss, while also having major negative social and economic impacts on producing communities and countries, especially on the more vulnerable parts of society and groups such as indigenous communities;

2. Highlights that the environmental damage caused by deforestation will have hugely negative social and economic consequences for communities engaged in forestry;

3. Recalls that the Samoa Agreement [10] between the EU and its Member States, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States reaffirms that the parties must promote a multi-stakeholder approach, enabling the active engagement of a wide variety of actors in partnership dialogue and cooperation processes, including parliaments, local authorities, civil society and the private sector, that inclusive partnership dialogue and action tailored to the specificities of the parties are the main tools to achieve these objectives, and that there is a need for a high level of environmental protection, while committing to halting deforestation and forest degradation as a means of protecting ecosystems as well as vulnerable communities and indigenous people, preserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change;

4. Recalls that sustainable and inclusive forest management and governance are essential for achieving the objectives set out in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on halting and reversing nature loss;

5. Recalls that in the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, the EU and Cameroon reaffirmed their commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030;

6. Recalls Team Europe’s efforts in promoting political stability and economic development through sustainable and resilient territorial development in response to climate change;

7. Underlines that the Global Gateway strategy should support Cameroon in promoting sustainable, inclusive and green development throughout its territory;

8. Recalls that trade is an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction that helps to promote sustainable development; believes that VPAs provide an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries, but that this requires effective multi-stakeholder dialogue and good cooperation with and commitment from the countries concerned; recalls that in its early stages, the EU-Cameroon VPA resulted in concrete improvements, including on stakeholder participation and access to information, but that unfortunately this progress has stalled over the past 10 years; deplores the lack of progress in the implementation of the VPA with Cameroon, especially with regard to the enforcement, transparency and traceability of commitments, and is highly concerned about the ongoing deforestation and forest degradation not only by illegal logging, but also by other key drivers of deforestation, such as forest conversion for agricultural use and mining;

9. Highlights the fact that addressing the root causes of deforestation, such as weak governance, ineffective law enforcement, insecure land tenures, lack of access to finance, shrinking civic space and corruption, requires the EU and its partner countries to carry out joint assessments based on the meaningful engagement of relevant stakeholders, such as indigenous people and local communities, with a view to overcoming regulatory implementation hurdles regarding transparency and traceability;

10. Stresses that a robust and credible TLAS offers forest businesses greater legal certainty, simplified controls and more transparent processes, discouraging informal payments and corruption, while increasing revenues for both communities and the state;

11. Underlines the importance of including civil society and local authorities in decision-making processes, of benefit-sharing with local communities and of reinforcing security and accountability;

12. Regrets the need to end the legally binding VPA with Cameroon; agrees with the Commission that, in the light of the VPA’s shortcomings, this is the best policy option for the time being and stresses the need for the Commission to keep engaging with the Government of Cameroon on forestry; expresses concern about the impact of the termination of the VPA on diplomatic and economic relations between Cameroon and the EU and on the EU’s capacity to build meaningful future partnerships with the country; points out the potential negative impact on civic space, as the VPA facilitated dialogue between the Government of Cameroon and civil society; calls on the Commission to assess the impact of this decision on European businesses operating in or sourcing from Cameroon and to explore support mechanisms to preserve responsible trade channels and to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources;

13. Underlines that the EU remains a committed partner of Cameroon in fostering economic growth and comprehensive human development; calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to engage in dialogue with the authorities of Cameroon to explore possibilities for constructive cooperation based on areas of mutual interest, combat illegal logging, support forest conservation and boost economic cooperation and trade;

14. Notes with concern that Cameroon ranks 140th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index; urges the Government of Cameroon to work towards stopping widespread corruption and to address other factors fuelling illegal logging and forest degradation, with particular regard to customs, in cooperation with other authorities; stresses the importance of protecting human, labour and indigenous people’s rights, notably by respecting the principle of free, prior and informed consent in all circumstances when sourcing goods and products for the EU market; calls, in this context, on local authorities to extend special protections to children and indigenous communities; emphasises the importance of ensuring that civil society actors are given the necessary space and possibilities to engage with governmental actors;

15. Highlights the fact that joint consultations with local authorities in Cameroon should be strengthened to drive positive change and reinforce and boost the credibility of local governance;

16. Stresses that countries all over the world that either have or aim to have regulated import markets for legal timber would benefit from cooperating with and, where possible, endorsing each other’s rules and systems, such as the EU’s FLEGT and VPAs; emphasises that international standards would be more effective and would promote long-term legal security for businesses and consumers;

17. Recognises the shortcomings of the current forestry zoning system; acknowledges that forest management plans, intended to ensure sustainability, have largely failed due to corruption and weak governance; calls for renewed cooperation between the EU and its partner countries in order to develop new practices and governance mechanisms to address these challenges;

18. Calls on the Commission to explore alternatives in close dialogue with Cameroon to ensure the legality of timber and timber products originating from Cameroon and to properly address the problem of illegal timber logging; considers that a forest partnership, as outlined in the EU Deforestation Regulation, could be a possible option for cooperation between the EU and Cameroon; emphasises the importance of conducting a thorough diagnostic and independent evaluation of forest governance and trade trends in Cameroon, building on existing assessments, prior to entering into negotiations on a forest partnership; underlines that in order to be effective, any potential future partnerships would have to be developed through an open, transparent, inclusive, deliberative and non-discriminatory process with meaningful participation from civil society, trade unions and local and international NGOs, the private sector including microenterprises and other small and medium-sized enterprises, local authorities, local and indigenous communities, and farmers; stresses that ending impunity in the forest sector is a cornerstone of this process, which requires the protection of environmental defenders as well as an effective system to tackle human rights violations; calls for the EU to continue supporting and engaging in dialogue with Cameroon in order to tackle the challenges arising from deforestation in a spirit of equal partnership, and to promote sustainable and inclusive development throughout its territory including by establishing the robust and transformative timber traceability systems that are necessary to comply with the expanding requirements of consumer market regulations worldwide, whether under the EU Deforestation Regulation or other foreign legislation;

19. Stresses the importance of the parliamentary oversight and monitoring of the VPA by Parliament’s Committee on International Trade; underlines the need for the meaningful and timely involvement of Parliament with regard to the assessment of the implementation of existing VPAs, as well as the negotiation, signing and implementation of any future forest partnerships; stresses the need to also include consultations with civil society organisations, the private sector and particularly indigenous communities, environmental and human rights defenders and trade unions; asks the Commission to regularly report to Parliament on the implementation of the VPAs and forest partnerships, including on the work of the joint implementation committees and on the strategies to be pursued in the coming years; highlights the need for an in-depth diagnostic and independent assessment of forest governance in Cameroon and for the relevant experiences and lessons learnt from the VPA process to be integrated into any future forest partnership;

20. Underlines that despite the unprecedented unilateral termination of the VPA with Cameroon, VPAs continue to provide an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries, which has been made possible through good cooperation with and commitment from the countries concerned; stresses that the EU should remain fully committed to existing VPAs and that new VPAs with additional partners should be promoted, as they play a crucial role in facilitating transparent and accountable forest management, addressing the root causes of illegal logging, combating climate change, strengthening local people’s land tenure rights and providing a tool for civil society and forest communities to be involved in decision-making processes;

21. Calls on the Commission to ensure coherence between the EU’s trade and sustainability frameworks when engaging with Cameroon and the broader central African region; encourages the Commission to ensure that the requirements and objectives of the EU Deforestation Regulation and related legislation are adequately taken into account in the context of the ongoing negotiations on a full regional economic partnership agreement; underlines the importance of providing technical assistance and regulatory guidance to partner countries to help align trade practices with environmental standards, particularly in sectors such as timber, cocoa and tropical agriculture;

22. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Cameroon and all relevant stakeholders in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement process.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT) entered into force on 1 December 2011 and is one of the first agreements of this kind that was concluded. The rapporteur regrets that Cameroon has not been able to honour its VPA obligations over the last 10 years and the governance of the forest sector has worsened despite the existence of the agreement. While the rapporteur believes that FLEGT VPAs provide an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries, they can only work properly when both sides are willing to cooperate and to adhere to their commitments. In the present case, the rapporteur believes that the best alternative is to terminate the agreement.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Montenegro – A10-0093/2025

Source: European Parliament

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Montenegro

(2025/2020(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Montenegro, of the other part [1], which entered into force on 1 May 2010,

– having regard to Montenegro’s application for membership of the European Union of 15 December 2008,

– having regard to the Commission opinion of 9 November 2010 on Montenegro’s application for membership of the European Union (COM(2010)0670), the European Council’s decision of 16-17 December 2010 to grant Montenegro candidate status and the European Council’s decision of 29 June 2012 to open EU accession negotiations with Montenegro,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 September 2021 establishing the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance (IPA III)[2],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans [3],

– having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council meeting of 19-20 June 2003,

– having regard to the Sofia Declaration of the EU-Western Balkans summit of 17 May 2018 and the Sofia Priority Agenda annexed thereto,

– having regard to the declarations of the EU-Western Balkans summits of 13 December 2023 in Brussels, and of 18 December 2024 in Brussels,

– having regard to the Berlin Process launched on 28 August 2014,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘An Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0641),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy’ (COM(2023)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Montenegro 2023 Report’ (SWD(2023)0694),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘New growth plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2023)0691),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (COM(2024)0146),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 24 July 2024 entitled ‘2024 Rule of Law Report’ (COM(2024)0800), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘2024 Rule of Law Report – The rule of law situation in the European Union: Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Montenegro’ (SWD(2024)0829),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Montenegro 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0694),

– having regard to the Commission’s overview and country assessments of 31 May 2023 and of 13 June 2024 of the economic reform programme of Montenegro, and to the joint conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans and Türkiye adopted by the Council on 16 May 2023 and to the joint conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans Partners, Türkiye, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine adopted by the Council on 14 May 2024,

– having regard to the EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Accession Conferences of 22 June 2021, 13 December 2021, 29 January 2024, 26 June 2024 and 16 December 2024,

– having regard to the 11th EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council on 14 July 2022,

– having regard to the declaration and recommendations adopted at the 22nd meeting of the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, held on 31 October and 1 November 2024,

– having regard to Montenegro’s accession to NATO on 5 June 2017,

– having regard to Special Report 01/2022 of the European Court of Auditors of 10 January 2022 entitled ‘EU support for the rule of law in the Western Balkans: despite efforts, fundamental problems persist’,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention), ratified by Montenegro in 2013, and to the recommendations of the Commission on gender equality and combating gender-based violence,

– having regard to the World Press Freedom Index report published annually by Reporters Without Borders,

– having regard to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) data on the Ukraine Refugee Situation as of April 2025,

– having regard to its recommendation of 23 November 2022 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning the new EU strategy for enlargement [4],

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Montenegro,

– having regard to its resolution of 29 February 2024 on deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement [5],

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0093/2025),

A. whereas enlargement is a key EU foreign policy tool and a strategic geopolitical investment in peace, stability, security and prosperity;

B. whereas the new enlargement momentum, sparked by the changing geopolitical reality and the EU membership applications by several Eastern Partnership countries, has prompted the EU to accelerate its efforts towards delivering on its long-overdue commitments to the Western Balkans; whereas the future of the Western Balkan countries lies within the EU;

C. whereas each country is judged on its own merits in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria, including full respect for democracy, the rule of law, good governance, fundamental EU values and alignment with EU foreign and security policy; whereas the implementation of necessary reforms in the area of ‘fundamentals’ determines the timetable and progress in the accession process;

D. whereas Montenegro has gone furthest in the accession process, with all 33 chapters of the EU acquis open and six provisionally closed, and has significant public support therefor;

E whereas the EU is Montenegro’s largest trading partner, investor and provider of financial assistance;

F whereas Montenegro is exposed to malign foreign influence, disinformation campaigns and other forms of influence, including election meddling, hybrid warfare strategies and unfavourable investments from non-EU actors, particularly Russia and China, which are trying to influence Montenegro’s political, economic and strategic trajectory and threaten democratic processes and media integrity, jeopardising the country’s prospects for EU accession;

G. whereas on 8 June 2024, an ‘All-Serb Assembly’ took place in Belgrade with the participation of high-ranking parliamentarians under the slogan ‘One people, one Assembly’;

Commitment to EU accession

1. Recognises Montenegro’s firm commitment to EU accession and reaffirms its full support for the country’s future EU membership; welcomes Montenegro’s leading regional position in the EU accession process as well as the overwhelming support of Montenegro’s citizens and the majority of political actors for joining the EU in 2028;

2. Welcomes Montenegro’s positive progress in enacting EU-related reforms and measures, underpinned by an ambitious timeline and calls for collective efforts of political actors, civil society and citizens; commends Montenegro for meeting the interim benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24, which continue to determine the overall pace of negotiations, and for receiving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report; welcomes the closure of three more negotiating chapters, bringing the total to six;

3. Encourages all political actors to stay focused on EU integration and the required reforms; stresses the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement in consensus building across party lines in order to move swiftly and more effectively towards closing additional chapters in 2025, so as to achieve the country’s ambitious timeline; stresses that the reforms adopted must be implemented effectively and consistently to ensure genuine progress and full alignment with EU legislation; calls for a strengthening of the functioning of, and coordination between, state institutions in order to achieve political stability and advance the country’s substantial progress in implementing key EU-related reforms, in particular electoral and judicial reforms and the fight against organised crime and corruption;

4. Underlines that the credibility of the EU, including its enlargement policy as a whole, would be affected if tangible progress achieved by certain Western Balkan countries does not translate into clear advancements on the EU accession path;

5. Welcomes Montenegro’s sustained full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP), including EU restrictive measures, inter alia, those related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and those targeted against cyberattacks, as well as its support for the international rules-based order at UN level; encourages Montenegro to strengthen the enforcement of restrictive measures and avoid their circumvention and to seize the assets of those sanctioned; calls on all government representatives to respect and promote CFSP alignment and EU values and refrain from any activities that may threaten Montenegro’s strategic path towards EU membership and its sovereignty; is highly concerned, in this context, by public high officials’ statements in support of the President of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, who is undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina; regrets the participation of high-ranking parliamentarians from Montenegro in the ‘All-Serbian Assembly’ in Belgrade as well as their support for the declaration adopted on that occasion undermining the sovereignty of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo;

6. Underlines the strategic importance of Montenegro’s NATO membership and welcomes its active involvement in EU common security and defence policy missions and operations, such as EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, and in NATO and other international and multilateral missions; welcomes the decision of Montenegro’s Council for Defence and Security to approve the participation of its armed forces in the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine and NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine and calls on the Montenegrin Parliament to adopt these decisions, thereby reinforcing the country’s commitment to collective security;

7. Commends Montenegro for its humanitarian and material support to Ukraine and for extending the temporary protection mechanism that grants persons fleeing Ukraine the right to stay in Montenegro for one year; recalls that Montenegro is among the Western Balkan countries hosting the largest number of Ukrainian refugees, with over 18 800 refugees from Ukraine registered in Montenegro as of 31 January 2025, according to UNHCR statistics;

8. Remains seriously concerned by malign foreign interference, destabilisation efforts, cyberattacks, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns, including attempts to influence political processes and public opinion, by third-country actors, which discredit the EU and undermine Montenegro’s progress on its accession path; urges Montenegro to adopt countermeasures in stronger cooperation with the EU and NATO and through increased regional cooperation among the Western Balkan countries; notes that religious institutions can be used as a tool for external influence and condemns any undue interference by the Serbian Orthodox Church in this regard; reiterates the importance of building resilience capacity against foreign information manipulation and interference, including through greater oversight of the media landscape, public awareness campaigns and media literacy programmes; recommends that Montenegro establish a dedicated hybrid threat task force;

9. Urges the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Delegation of the EU to Montenegro and the Montenegrin authorities to boost strategic communication to Montenegrin citizens on the benefits of the enlargement process and EU membership, as well as on the concrete accession criteria that Montenegro still needs to fulfil to align with EU requirements; urges them, furthermore, to improve the EU’s visibility in the country, including as regards EU-funded projects; calls for StratCom monitoring to be expanded in order to concentrate on cross-border disinformation threats in the Western Balkan countries and their neighbours; calls on the Commission to further support the efforts of the EEAS and the Western Balkans Task Force so as to expand outreach activities by increasing visibility in local media, fact-checking reports and partnering with civil society organisations to counter false narratives more effectively;

10. Welcomes the Montenegrin Parliament’s renewed engagement in the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee;

Democracy and the rule of law

11. Recognises the Montenegrin Parliament’s key role in the accession process, notably as regards passing accession-related legislation, and underlines the importance of parliamentary cooperation in this regard; reiterates the European Parliament’s readiness to use its political and technical resources to advance the EU-related reform agenda, including through democracy support activities; notes, with concern, the re-emerging tensions and ethnic polarisation, which are slowing the reform process; calls for constructive dialogue and consensus building across the political spectrum, prioritising legislative quality, and strongly urges that solutions be found through parliamentary dialogue; calls for preventing identity politics from diverting attention from the EU agenda or straining relations with its neighbours, ensuring that Montenegro remains firmly on the EU path; welcomes the agreement between the Montenegrin Prime Minister and opposition leaders to request an opinion from the Venice Commission regarding the termination of the mandate of Constitutional Court judge Dragana Đuranović and for the opposition to return to the parliament;

12. Expresses its concern about attempts to amend the law on Montenegrin citizenship in the Montenegrin Parliament, which could have serious and long-term implications for the country’s decision-making processes and identity, while emphasising that any discussions on identity politics must be handled with the utmost sensitivity to avoid further polarisation and should aim for broad societal consensus; encourages the Montenegrin authorities to consult and coordinate with the EU on any possible changes to the law on citizenship and stresses the importance of achieving consensus on any matters relating to this subject of crucial importance for the identity and independence of Montenegro;

13. Strongly encourages the Montenegrin Parliament to hold inclusive and transparent public consultations and regular and meaningful engagement with civil society in decision-making from an early stage in the legislative process, notably for key legislation in the EU reform process; encourages a more active role for the Montenegrin Parliamentary Women’s Club;

14. Calls on Montenegro to fully align its electoral legal framework with EU standards, notably as regards harmonising electoral legislation, voting and candidacy rights restrictions, transparency, dispute resolution mechanisms, campaign and media oversight, and political party and election campaign financing, and to implement the recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights [6]; urges Montenegro to increase transparency and control of political party spending and prevent the abuse of state resources by bringing the relevant legislation into line with EU standards, as well as enhancing the enforcement of third-party financing rules and strengthening sanctions for violations; highlights the role of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption (APC) in this regard, and calls for increased cooperation between the APC and financial intelligence authorities to detect and prevent foreign influence in political campaigns; calls, furthermore, on Montenegro to implement the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on gender parity on electoral lists;

15. Reiterates its call on the Montenegrin authorities to establish a single nationwide municipal election day, as provided for in the Law on Local Self-Government, in order to enhance governance efficiency, reduce political tensions and strengthen the stability and effectiveness of municipal and state institutions; recalls that future disbursement of funds under the Reform and Growth Facility is contingent on the fulfilment of this reform, in line with Montenegro’s commitments in its reform agenda, and should be pursued as a matter of priority; welcomes the fact that, in 2022, elections in 14 municipalities were held on the same day; calls for a robust legislative framework in this regard; is concerned by the misconduct of the electoral process in the municipality of Šavnik;

16. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to adopt the Law on Government that should enable an improved governance framework and the optimisation of public administration;

17. Underlines the importance of a professional, merit-based, transparent and depoliticised civil service; calls on Montenegro to amend and implement the relevant legislation to provide a framework for the professionalisation, optimisation and rationalisation of state administration, including procedural safeguards against politically motivated decisions on appointments and dismissals, as well as high standards for managerial positions; regrets the lack of significant progress in adopting and effectively implementing such legislation and highlights that this allows for public service recruitment to remain subject to political influence;

18. Welcomes Montenegro’s inclusion in the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report; notes, with concern, the identified deficiencies, including judicial appointments and the independence of the prosecutor’s office;

19. Welcomes the progress made in implementing key judicial reforms, adopting a new strategic framework and completing long-outstanding judicial appointments; calls on Montenegro to fill the remaining high-level judicial positions;

20. Urges Montenegro to further align its legal framework, including the constitution, in particular on the composition and decision-making process of the Judicial Council, with EU laws and standards on the independence, accountability, impartiality, integrity and professionalism of the judiciary, and to further depoliticise appointments to bolster independence, implement outstanding international recommendations, and determine criteria for the retirement of judges and prosecutors in line with European standards and in full compliance with the Constitution; regrets the pending case backlog and calls on Montenegro to take measures to reduce the duration of legal proceedings, particularly for serious and organised crime cases, notably on money laundering; recommends that Montenegro adopt the amendments to the Constitution in the final stage of the country’s EU accession negotiations;

21. Notes the steps taken in the fight against corruption, including new laws and provisions on the protection of whistleblowers, the creation of a new National Council for the fight against corruption and a new anti-corruption strategy for 2024-2028; encourages Montenegro to further align with the EU acquis and EU standards and address recommendations by the Commission, the Venice Commission and the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO); encourages the Montenegrin authorities to continue addressing existing deficiencies in the handling of organised crime cases and the seizure and confiscation of criminal assets;

22. Urges Montenegro to step up its criminal justice response to high-level corruption, including by strengthening the effective enforcement of existing criminal legislation and imposing effective and deterrent penalties, and to create conditions for judicial institutions and independent bodies dealing with corruption to function effectively, free from political influence;

23. Notes the work of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and calls for it to be provided with sufficient funding and for it to be depoliticised; expects the Agency to deliver tangible results and act non-selectively to strengthen its integrity and enhance its authority in carrying out its competences effectively; calls for a stronger corruption prevention framework;

24. Urges Montenegro to align its weapons legislation with EU law and international standards, particularly as regards technical standards for firearm markings, deactivation procedures and regulations for alarm and signal weapons, as well as to establish a standardised and effective data collection and reporting system for firearms; is appalled by the tragic mass shooting in Cetinje and expresses its condolences to the victims’ families; expresses its concern over the exploitation of this tragedy for disinformation and ethnic polarisation; urges Montenegro to strengthen its crisis communication to counter disinformation and ensure responsible media reporting in the aftermath of violent incidents; calls for systematic actions in the areas of security, mental well-being and institutional transparency, as well as in civic education and public awareness, outreach and educational initiatives, on the dangers and risks of firearms, in line with citizens’ expectations and societal needs;

25. Calls on Montenegro to urgently fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially as regards countries posing irregular migration or security risks to the EU; expresses its concern that, contrary to expectations, two additional countries have been added to the visa-free regime and that Russian and Belarusian passport holders continue to benefit from a visa-free regime; notes that the harmonisation of the visa policy is also provided for in Montenegro’s reform agenda under the Reform and Growth Facility;

26. Welcomes the ongoing cooperation between Montenegro and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), Europol, Eurojust and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL), and notes the importance of this cooperation in tackling cross-border crime, including the trafficking of weapons, drugs and human beings, and in combating terrorism and extremism; welcomes the entry into force of the upgraded agreement on operational cooperation in border management with Frontex on 1 July 2023 and encourages further cooperation between Montenegro and Frontex to strengthen border management, support asylum procedures, fight smuggling and enhance readmission;

Fundamental freedoms and human rights

27. Regrets that the most vulnerable groups in society still face discrimination; calls on Montenegro to adopt a new anti-discrimination law and relevant strategies, through an inclusive, transparent and meaningful process that actively involves those most affected, to improve vulnerable groups’ access to rights; underlines that respect for the rights of all national minorities is an integral part of the EU acquis; calls for stronger implementation to ensure equal treatment of all ethnic, religious, national and social groups so that they are guaranteed equal rights and opportunities and can fully participate in social, political and economic life;

28. Welcomes Montenegro’s multi-ethnic identity and calls for the further promotion of and respect for the languages, cultural heritage and traditions of local communities and national minorities, as this is closely intertwined with Montenegro’s European perspective;

29. Underlines the multi-ethnic identity of the Bay of Kotor; stresses that Montenegro’s European perspective is closely intertwined with the protection of minorities and their cultural heritage; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to nurture the multi-ethnic nature of the state, including the traditions and cultural heritage of the Croatian community in the Bay of Kotor;

30. Expresses its grave concern over the endangered heritage sites in Montenegro such as the Bay of Kotor and Sveti Stefan; stresses that Sveti Stefan, along with Miločer Park, was listed among the ‘7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe’ for 2023;

31. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the difficult living conditions of Roma people in Montenegro and the discrimination they face, and calls for more measures to promote intercultural understanding in schools; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to also take measures to improve the climate of societal inclusion for LGBTI persons;

32. Welcomes that Montenegro has aligned its legislative and institutional framework with the EU acquis and international human rights standards regarding compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols; urges the authorities to address shortcomings in implementation, namely related to accountability and monitoring;

33. Calls for the effective implementation of strategies to uphold the rights of persons with disabilities across all sectors and policies;

34. Condemns all hate speech, including online and gender-based hate speech, and hate crimes; welcomes the criminalisation of racism and hate speech;

35. Emphasises the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms for gender quality and calls on the Montenegrin authorities to address the gender pay gap, to improve women’s participation in decision-making – in both the public domain, particularly public administration, and judicial and security sectors, and in business – to ensure the increased political participation of women, to introduce gender responsive budgeting, and to combat gender stereotypes and strengthen efforts to combat discrimination against women, particularly in rural areas; welcomes recent efforts aimed at boosting women’s representation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and encourages further efforts in technology sectors;

36. Is deeply concerned by the high rates of gender-based violence, including domestic violence and femicide; calls on Montenegro to fully align its definitions of gender-based violence and domestic violence with the Istanbul Convention, and with recommendations of international bodies, and to set up effective protection and prevention mechanisms and support centres, and ensure effective judicial follow-up for victims of domestic and sexual violence as well as a more robust penal policy towards perpetrators; calls for the collection of disaggregated data on gender-based violence and gender disparities to improve policy responses;

37. Regrets that the draft law on legal gender recognition was not adopted in 2024, despite it being a measure under Montenegro’s EU accession programme; urges Montenegro to adopt the law without delay;

38. Welcomes Montenegro’s new media laws and its strategy for media policy aimed at strengthening the legal framework to effectively protect journalists and other media workers; insists on a zero-tolerance policy with regard to pressure on, harassment of, or violence against journalists, particularly by public figures; underlines the need for effective investigations, the prosecution of all instances of hate speech, smear campaigns and strategic lawsuits against journalists, and follow-up of past cases; stresses the need to ensure journalists’ rights to access information and maintain a critical stance; notes a significant improvement in Montenegro’s press freedom, demonstrated by its progress on the World Press Freedom Index;

39. Expresses its concern over cases where journalists, academics and civil society organisations have faced pressure for exercising free speech, including instances where the police have initiated misdemeanour proceedings against them; is concerned by the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to target journalists;

40. Regrets the prevailing high level of polarisation in the media and its vulnerability to political interests and foreign influence as well as foreign and domestic disinformation campaigns that spread narratives that negatively impact democratic processes in the country and endanger Montenegro’s European perspective; calls on Montenegro to further develop improved media literacy programmes and include them as a core subject in education; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to ensure the editorial, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster RTCG, as well as the legality of the appointment of its management and full respect for court rulings concerning RTCG; recalls that it needs to comply with the law and the highest standards of accountability and integrity; regrets that the independence of public media is being weakened and undermined; calls on all media entities to comply with legal requirements on public funding transparency;

41. Welcomes the publication of the 2023 population census results; calls on the authorities to avoid any politicisation of the process; encourages stakeholders to use these results in a non-discriminatory manner;

42. Welcomes Montenegro’s vibrant and constructive civil society and underlines its importance in fostering democracy and pluralism and in promoting good governance and social progress; expresses its concern over the shrinking space for civil society organisations with a critical stance, and condemns all smear campaigns, intimidation and attacks against civil society organisations, notably by political figures in the context of proposals for a ‘foreign agent law’; notes that such laws have the potential to undermine fundamental freedoms and the functioning of civil society and are inconsistent with EU values and standards; calls for a supportive legal framework and clear and fair selection criteria in relation to public funding; calls for the Council for Cooperation between the Government and non-governmental organisations to resume work; underlines the importance of building collaborative relationships and genuinely consulting civil society on draft legislation from an early stage onwards;

Reconciliation, good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation

43. Recalls that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation are essential elements of the enlargement process; commends Montenegro’s active involvement in regional cooperation initiatives; recalls that good neighbourly relations are key for advancing in the accession process;

44. Regrets that Chapter 31 could not be closed in December 2024; calls on all engaged parties to find solutions to outstanding bilateral issues in a constructive and neighbourly manner and prioritise the future interests of citizens in the Western Balkans; recalls that using unresolved bilateral and regional disputes to block candidate countries’ accession processes should be avoided; welcomes bilateral consultations between the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro on the status of unresolved bilateral issues; encourages the authorities to continue pursuing confidence-building measures;

45. Notes Montenegro’s amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code to address legal and practical obstacles to the effective investigation, prosecution, trial and punishment of war crimes in line with relevant recommendations; calls on Montenegro to apply a proactive approach to handling war crimes cases, in line with international law and standards, to identify, prosecute and punish the perpetrators and the glorification of war crimes and ensure access to, and delivery of justice, redress and reparations for victims, and clarify the fate of missing persons; calls on Montenegro to allocate sufficient resources to specialised prosecutors and courts and proactively investigate all war crime allegations and raise issues of command responsibility, as well as to review past cases that were not prosecuted in line with international or domestic law; calls for regional cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of individuals indicted for war crimes; recognises that addressing these issues and safeguarding court-based facts are an important foundation for trust, democratic values, reconciliation and strengthening bilateral relations with neighbouring countries, and encourages Montenegro to step up these efforts;

46. Warns against the dangers of political revisionism, which distorts historical facts for political purposes, undermines accountability and deepens societal divisions; strongly condemns the glorification of war criminals and widespread public denial of international verdicts for war crimes, including by the Montenegrin authorities; considers that President Jakov Milatović’s statement expressing regret over the participation of Montenegrin forces in the bombardment of the city of Dubrovnik was a valuable contribution to regional peace and reconciliation;

47. Reiterates its support for the initiative to establish the Regional Commission for the establishment of facts about war crimes and other gross human rights violations on the territory of the former Yugoslavia (RECOM);

48. Reiterates its call for the archives that concern the former republics of Yugoslavia to be opened and for access to be granted to the files of the former Yugoslav Secret Service and the Yugoslav People’s Army Secret Service in order to thoroughly research and address communist-era crimes;

Socio-economic reforms

49. Welcomes Montenegro’s inclusion in SEPA payment schemes, lowering costs for citizens and businesses; underlines that this opens up opportunities for business expansion, increased competitiveness, innovation and improved access to foreign direct investments;

50. Welcomes the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to integrate the region into the EU’s single market, promote regional economic cooperation and deepen EU-related reforms, and which includes the EUR 6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; welcomes Montenegro’s adoption of a reform agenda and encourages its full implementation; notes that the implementation of the defined reform measures under Montenegro’s reform agenda for the Growth Plan would provide access to over EUR 380 million in grants and favourable loans, subject to successful implementation; stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder consultations, including local and regional authorities, social partners and civil society, in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases;

51. Encourages Montenegro to make best use of all EU funding available under the Pre-accession Assistance Instrument (IPA III), the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, the IPARD programme and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, to accelerate socio-economic convergence with the EU and further align its legislation with the EU on fraud prevention; recalls the conditionality of EU funding, which may be modulated or suspended in the event of significant regression or persistent lack of progress on fundamentals;

52. Calls for the EU and the Western Balkan countries to establish a framework for effective cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the accession countries in order to facilitate close cooperation and the prosecution of the misuse of EU funds, including through the secondment of national liaison officers to the EPPO; encourages Montenegro to fully implement working arrangements with the EPPO; calls for the EU to make the necessary legal and political arrangements to extend the jurisdiction of the EPPO to EU funds devoted to Montenegro as a candidate country;

53. Positively notes Montenegro’s economic growth; calls for more steps to reduce the budget deficit and public debt, and to further remove indirect tax exemptions that do not align with the EU acquis; welcomes the efforts to reduce these fiscal vulnerabilities; reiterates the need for increased public investment in the education system for sustainable social and economic development;

54. Notes Montenegro’s public debt to foreign financial institutions and companies that can be used as a tool to influence its policy decisions, in particular those related to China and Russia; welcomes the efforts to reduce these vulnerabilities and calls on the authorities to further reduce economic dependence on China and to continue making use of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, the EU Global Gateway initiative and the Reform and Growth Facility, with a view to finding greener and more transparent alternatives for financing infrastructure projects; calls on Montenegro to increase transparency in future infrastructure projects, ensure competitive bidding and avoid excessive debt dependence on foreign creditors;

55. Calls on the Montenegrin authorities to take measures to counter depopulation and emigration, in particular through investments in education and healthcare, especially in the north of the country, as well as through decentralisation by investing in medium-sized cities;

56. Encourages the Montenegrin authorities to boost the digital transformation and pursue evidence-based labour market policies to address the persistently high unemployment rate, in particular among women and young people, while bolstering institutional capacity and enhancing the underlying digital policy framework, and to effectively implement the Youth Guarantee and the new Youth Strategy; urges the authorities to address brain drain as a matter of urgency; encourages the development of targeted preventive measures and incentives to legalise informal businesses and employees, as a large informal sector continues to hinder economic and social development in Montenegro;

57. Welcomes the calls for the prompt integration of all Western Balkan countries into the EU’s digital single market before actual EU membership, which would crucially enable the creation of a digitally safe environment;

58. Calls for more transparency in public procurement, notably for procedures via intergovernmental agreements, and for full compliance with EU rules and principles; calls on Montenegro to reduce the number of public procurement procedures without notices; expresses its concern over the financial burden and lack of transparency surrounding the construction of the Bar-Boljare motorway financed by a Chinese loan; stresses that the secrecy surrounding loan agreements and construction contracts raises accountability concerns;

59. Expresses its concern over any agreements or projects that circumvent public procurement rules, transparency obligations and public consultation requirements, as set out in national legislation and EU standards; calls on the Government of Montenegro to ensure full respect for the principles of transparency, accountability, inclusive decision-making and the rule of law in all public infrastructure and development initiatives;

Energy, the environment, biodiversity and connectivity

60. Urges Montenegro to advance the green transition, with the support of EU funding, improve its institutional and regulatory framework and enhance energy resilience by finally adopting and implementing the long-overdue National Energy and Climate Plan, adopting energy efficiency laws and integrating further with EU energy markets; calls for all new green transition projects to be implemented in line with EU standards on the environment, State aid and concessions;

61. Regrets the lack of progress on key sector reforms in the area of transport policy; calls on the Montenegrin authorities to align the country’s transport development with the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy for the Western Balkans, focusing on railways, multimodality and reducing CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts, and to further implement its Transport Development Strategy and strengthen administrative capacities for the implementation of trans-European transport networks;

62. Welcomes the reduction of data roaming charges between the EU and the Western Balkan countries and calls on the authorities, private actors and all stakeholders to take all necessary steps towards the goal of bringing data roaming prices close to domestic prices by 2028; welcomes the entry into force of the first phase of the implementation of the roadmap for roaming between the Western Balkans and the EU;

63. Encourages the adoption of sectoral strategies for waste management, air and water quality, nature protection and climate change, ensuring strategic planning for investments; notes the lack of progress and associated rising costs in building essential waste water treatment plants to prevent sewage pollution in rivers and the sea in seven municipalities;

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64. 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 Commissioner for Enlargement, the Commissioner for the Mediterranean, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and to the President, Government and Parliament of Montenegro, and to have it translated and published in Montenegrin.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ10: Lei Yue Mun Park

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ10: Lei Yue Mun Park
Question:

The Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration announced last month the implementation of nine new tourist hotspot projects. There are views that the Lei Yue Mun Park, a holiday camp located in Chai Wan under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which covers an area of nearly 23 hectares and offers fine views overlooking Lei Yue Mun Channel, has great potential to become one of the next tourist hotspots to attract tourists. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of visits to the Park in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by type of booking (i.e. residential camp and day camp);

(2) of the respective staffing expenses and other administrative costs incurred in operating the Park in each of the past three years;

(3) as it is learnt that the basketball court and football pitch of the Park remain close to date due to temporary quarantine camps set up there during the pandemic which are yet to be demolished, when the Government will reopen these facilities for public use;

(4) of the reasons why the catering services at the canteen and the fast food kiosk of the Park remain suspended since November 21 last year, and when the catering services will resume;

(5) given that the Park is all along accessible only to members of the public who book the holiday camp, whether there are other means through which non-local tourists may gain access to the Park to visit the monuments therein; whether it has formulated special plans or promotional measures at present to attract tourists to visit the Park; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(6) as there are views that while the Park houses a number of historic buildings of significant value, its operating mode fails to keep pace with changes in people’s lifestyles over the years since it came into operation as early as 1988, and its facilities have become dilapidated and unappealing, whether the authorities have considered plans to enhance the attractions in the Park; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(7) whether it has considered repositioning the Park by upgrading it into one of the next tourist hotspots, so as to provide more recreational space for locals while attracting more visitors, thereby achieving better operational efficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

In consultation with relevant policy bureaux and departments, my consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Edward Leung is as follows:

(1) In the past three years, the attendances at the Lei Yue Mun Park of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) are tabulated below:

Note 2: The holiday camp offers day camps, residential camps and evening camps with the following check-in schedules:
day camp: 9.30am to 4.30pm;
evening camp: 4.30pm to 10.30pm; and
residential camp: 2.30pm to 1pm on check-out day.

(2) In the past three financial years, the operational expenses of the Park are tabulated below:

Issued at HKT 11:54

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ18: Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Lam San-keung and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):

Question:

It is learnt that at present, there are stops at the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange (the Interchange) for most of the bus routes running from the Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai areas to various places on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon via the Tai Lam Tunnel (TLT) to facilitate transfer to other bus routes. There are views that with the gradual completion of a number of development projects in Yuen Long, the passenger and bus flows at the Interchange are expected to increase continuously, causing traffic bottleneck and congestion problems. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has estimated the number of bus routes using the Interchange in the next five years;

(2) whether it has studied converting the toll plaza of TLT into a major transport node to facilitate transfer to various modes of public transport for travelling to and from various districts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) whether it has plans to construct a large car park (with motorcycle parking spaces) and cycle parking area in the vicinity of the Interchange to facilitate transfer to public transport, thereby reducing the vehicular flow of TLT?

Reply:

President,

In respect of the questions raised by Hon Lam San-keung about the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus-Interchanges (TLTBBIs), having consulted the Transport Department (TD), my reply is as follows.

(1) There are over 50 franchised bus routes observing the TLTBBIs. In the coming two years, two more franchised bus routes are expected to be introduced, and they will also observe the TLTBBIs for the convenience of passengers. TD and franchised bus operators will continue to closely monitor the actual usage of the TLTBBIs arising from changes in population in North West New Territories, and review the arrangements in a timely manner to meet the travelling needs of passengers.
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(2) and (3) The Government has all along been promoting the provision of park-and-ride facilities at suitable railway stations or nearby locations to encourage drivers to park their vehicles and switch to public transport, thereby reducing the flow of vehicles entering congested areas. Currently, there are approximately 590 parking spaces outside the Kam Sheung Road MTR Station near the TLTBBIs, offering park-and-ride discounts. There are also motorcycle and bicycle parking spaces next to the Station. Also, private car and motorcycle parking spaces are available near the TLTBBIs, facilitating the residents of Yuen Long and the North District in transferring to public transport for travel to urban areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

The proposed development of a large-scale transport hub, parking facilities and bicycle parking as mentioned in the question requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including seamless public transport transfers, connectivity to nearby roads and cycling networks, and whether there are other development opportunities that make the proposal more cost-effective and financially sustainable. As part of the Traffic and Transport Strategy Study, the Government is exploring the concept of a new generation of Transport Interchange Hub (TIH) under the “single site, multiple use” principle. This initiative aims to suitably provide park-and-ride facilities, bicycle parking spaces and storage facilities for electric mobility devices at TIHs. The TD is looking into suitable locations, including New Development Areas, for implementing the TIHs.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Development of fintech

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Robert Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):

Question:

     It is learnt that there are currently over 1 100 fintech companies in Hong Kong, including eight licensed digital banks, four virtual insurers and 10 virtual asset trading platforms. Regarding the development of fintech, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the plans in place to assist licensed fintech companies in expanding their operations and developing products, such as assisting them in expanding their service scope to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promoting the asset-under-management size and turnover of Exchange Traded Funds on Virtual Asset (VA), enhancing the international competitiveness and attractiveness of VA-related products, as well as developing more futures and options products for VAs, etc;

(2) whether it will urge the regulators to allow institutional and retail investors to participate in more VA transactions of different types and currencies and relax the eligibility requirements for professional investors, as well as include VAs as assets under the Securities and Futures (Financial Resources) Rules, so as to facilitate the development of the VA market; and

(3) how the Government will formulate enhancement measures in the three aspects of regulatory statute, tax concessions as well as publicity and promotion, so as to further attract large-scale international fintech companies to establish presence in Hong Kong, and of the plans in place to assist the financial services industry in introducing fintech in order to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs, thereby promoting the upgrading and transformation of the industry?

Reply:

President,

     As an international financial centre with a robust regulatory environment and abundant business opportunities, Hong Kong is an ideal location for promoting the development of fintech. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the financial regulators maintain close communication with the industry to understand their development needs, with a view to formulating appropriate measures to facilitate the development of fintech.

     My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:

(1) To facilitate the continuous and vibrant development of fintech enterprises in Hong Kong, we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy including enhancing Hong Kong’s financial infrastructure, building a vibrant fintech ecosystem, nurturing fintech talents, and strengthening our connection and co-operation with the industry in the Mainland and overseas, with a view to creating and providing a conducive environment, thereby promoting fintech innovation and application.

     On advancing investment products related to virtual assets (VAs), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) authorised the first batch of VA futures exchange traded funds (ETFs) for retail investor trading in December 2022, Asia’s first batch of VA spot ETFs in April 2024, as well as Asia’s first VA futures inverse product in July 2024. These products have broadened the product diversity of the Hong Kong market, further enhancing Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading ETF market.

     Besides, in February 2025, the SFC promulgated the “ASPIRe” roadmap, aspiring to strengthening the security, innovation and growth of the market in Hong Kong. One of the focuses of the roadmap is to expand the range of VA products and services, so as to fulfil the need of various types of investors under the prerequisite of investor protection, while enhancing the international competitiveness and attractiveness of Hong Kong’s VA market.

     The specific measures of the roadmap includes allowing staking services involving VA within systems with sufficient protection measures, to enable for investors to earn additional returns. In this regard, the SFC provided regulatory guidance respectively to licensed VATPs (virtual asset trading platform) on their provision of staking services, and to SFC-authorised funds with exposure to VA (VA Funds) on their engagement in staking. On April 10, 2025, the SFC allowed two licensed VATPs to provide staking services to clients through the imposition of relevant licensing conditions, which was followed by two SFC-authorised VA spot ETFs updating their fund documents in April and May 2025 for their engagement in staking activities.

     The SFC is also considering introducing VA derivatives trading for professional investors and will put in place robust risk management measures. These measures will further enrich the product options available in the Hong Kong market while ensuring that transactions are conducted in an orderly, transparent and safe manner.

     In light of the latest development of the VA market, the FSTB will promulgate the second Policy Statement on development of VA, articulating the next-step policy vision and direction, including exploring how to leverage the advantages of traditional financial services and innovative technologies in the area of VAs, enhance security and flexibility of real economy activities, and encourage local and international companies to explore the innovation and application of VA technologies.

     As for assisting fintech companies in expanding business, the Invest Hong Kong works closely with industry players to conduct publicity and promotion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including participating in major fintech events in the region, as well as connecting with local government departments, regulators, industry associations and innovation and technology parks, with a view to promoting advantages of Hong Kong fintech companies and further expanding into the Mainland market.

(2) Currently, before including any VAs for trading, licensed VATP operators should perform all reasonable due diligence on these VAs, and ensure that these VAs continue to satisfy all criteria. Before providing any VA for retail trading, VATPs should take all reasonable steps to ensure the selected VAs are of high liquidity. The relevant requirements seek to provide sufficient protection for investors (especially retail investors). The SFC will continue to asset the potential risks of VAs in respect of volatility, liquidity, and market manipulation, etc, and keep a close watch of relevant international regulatory development, so as to review the aforementioned requirements. Further, in light of VAs’ nature, characteristics and risks, we will continuously evaluate whether the requirements relating to prudential treatment of VA exposures are in line with those in other jurisdictions.

     In respect of professional investors’ qualifying criteria and minimum monetary threshold requirements, the SFC has conducted a review during 2019/20. The outcome of the review was that the current minimum monetary thresholds were simple and easy-to-interpret and appropriately reflected an investor’s loss absorption ability, as well as being in line with those in comparable jurisdictions (such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Australia). We will continue to evaluate whether the professional investor qualification requirements are in line with those in comparable jurisdictions.

     It should be noted that with the International Organization of Securities Commissions’ (IOSCO) publication of its Final Report with Policy Recommendations for Crypto and Digital Asset Markets in November 2023, the IOSCO recommends that regulatory frameworks should seek to achieve regulatory outcomes for investor protection and market integrity that are the same as, or consistent with, those required in traditional financial markets, which is an approach adopted by the SFC since as early as 2018.

(3) To attract more large-scale international fintech companies to establish presence in Hong Kong, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) offers one-stop services and special facilitation measures. On regulation, the OASES assists companies in understanding the licensing and regulatory framework of the relevant sectors and co-ordinates with the financial regulators when necessary to facilitate the licence applications. Regarding tax benefits, the OASES shares with companies information of applicable tax benefits and funding schemes and connects companies with the higher education institutions, research and development institutions and innovation and technology parks, with a view to expediting their business development in Hong Kong. Separately, we will further enhance the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest, including the inclusion of VAs as qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions. As for publicity and promotion, the OASES actively engages overseas and the Mainland strategic enterprises to introduce the advantages and policies in relation to fintech in Hong Kong through organising regular duty visits and enterprise exchange activities, thereby attracting more high-potential fintech companies to Hong Kong.

     The Government has been working closely with the financial regulators and industry players to actively promote the financial services sector to adopt fintech through multi-pronged measures. According to a survey in 2023, the adoption rate of generative AI in Hong Kong was the highest (38 per cent) among all markets and well above the global average (26 per cent). In October 2024, we issued a policy statement on the responsible application of AI in the financial market. Since the policy statement was issued, we have introduced various initiatives to assist the financial institutions in seizing the opportunities and adopting AI responsibly, including publishing practical guidelines, launching sandbox schemes, as well as organising seminars and talks.

     The Government and financial regulators will continue to maintain close liaison with the industry and assess their needs for fintech, with a view to formulating the corresponding support measures for facilitating the development of new quality productive forces.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government welcomes passage of Banking (Amendment) Bill 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Government welcomed the passage of the Banking (Amendment) Bill 2025 by the Legislative Council today (June 4) to facilitate the sharing of account information among banks under specified conditions to enhance the efficiency in detecting and preventing crime in Hong Kong.

The Amendment Ordinance introduces a voluntary mechanism for banks and relevant law enforcement agencies to share with each other, swiftly and safely via electronic means, information of corporate and individual accounts through secure platforms designated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), when banks become aware of suspected prohibited conduct (i.e. money laundering, terrorist financing or financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction). The Amendment Ordinance also provides legal protection for banks that disclose relevant information. The mechanism will enable banks and relevant law enforcement agencies to act swiftly to intercept illicit funds and expedite intelligence gathering so that the public will be better protected from fraud and associated money laundering activities.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “The new mechanism not only enhances Hong Kong’s ability to combat fraud and associated money laundering activities, providing better protection for citizens, but also helps maintain the stability of Hong Kong’s banking system and showcases the efforts made by Hong Kong, as an international financial centre, in international collaborations to combat relevant illegal activities.”

The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “The new information sharing mechanism will further enhance the ability of the banks to detect and prevent fraud and other financial crime. The HKMA will continue to work closely with the Hong Kong Police Force and the banking sector to take forward the preparation work, including the upgrade of systems and formulation of practical guidelines, with a view to implementing the new mechanism as soon as practicable.”

The Amendment Ordinance will come into effect this year. The commencement date will be announced separately.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Italy : EIB, with SACE and InvestEU guarantees, provides €150 million for Piedmont water services

Source: European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €150 million loan to Acqua Novara.VCO to improve the efficiency and resilience of water infrastructure in the Italian provinces of Novara and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. The EIB financed is backed by SACE’s Archimede guarantee – which covers two-thirds of the funding – and the European Union’s InvestEU programme – which covers the remaining €50 million.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – Macroeconomic surveillance – 03-06-2025

Source: European Parliament

Over the past decade, the EU has experienced major macroeconomic imbalances and serious divergences in competitiveness. These have both exacerbated the negative effects of the financial crisis that began in 2008 and prevented the effective use of common monetary policy measures to resolve them. In 2011, the EU set up the macroeconomic imbalance procedure to identify and correct such imbalances at national level, particularly those with the potential to spill over and affect other EU countries.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – Innovation policy – 03-06-2025

Source: European Parliament

Innovation plays an increasingly important role in our economy. As well as benefiting the EU’s consumers and workers, it is essential to creating better jobs, building a greener society and improving our quality of life. It is also key in maintaining the EU’s competitiveness on global markets. Innovation policy is the interface between research and technological development policy and industrial policy. It aims to create a framework conducive to bringing ideas to market.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – Banking Union – 03-06-2025

Source: European Parliament

The Banking Union is based on a proposal that the European Commission presented in 2012, a few years after the severe financial crisis had started to unfold in the EU. The key innovation was to transfer responsibility for the day-to-day supervision of the largest banks in the euro area from national to European level. From then on, the European Central Bank (ECB) was put in charge of supervisory tasks, which it needed to keep strictly separate from its activities on monetary policy. Another institution – the Single Resolution Board (SRB) – was set up at European level to deal with the failure of large banks. The Commission had proposed a third element – a European deposit insurance scheme – but so far this has not found the necessary political support.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Resolutions of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Aktsiaselts Infortar

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Aktsiaselts Infortar (registry code 10139414, seat and address Liivalaia 9, 10118 Tallinn), held its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (hereinafter the General Meeting) on June 4, 2025 at 11:00 (Estonian time) at the conference centre of Tallink SPA & Conference Hotel at Sadama 11a, Tallinn.

45 shareholders were registered as attending at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, who owned 17,562,509 votes/shares (the amount of represented share capital 1,756,250.90 EUR), forming 85,91% of Aktsiaselts Infortar share capital.

1. Approval of the 2024 Annual Report
Approve the 2024 Annual Report of Aktsiaselts Infortar submitted by the Management Board.

In favour of the resolution voted 100% of the votes represented at the meeting (17,561,838 votes).

2. Deciding on the distribution of profit
Approve the following proposal for the distribution of profit submitted by the Management Board of Aktsiaselts Infortar:
2.1. Approve the net profit for 2024 in the amount 193,670 thousand euros;
2.2. Pay the Shareholders dividend 3 euros per share. Dividend shall be paid in two parts as follows:
2.2.1. 1.5 euros per share shall be paid to the Shareholders who have been entered in the list of Shareholders on 4 July 2025 at the end of the business day of the settlement system of the securities registrar (record-date). Consequently, the day of change of the rights related to the shares (ex-date) is 3 July 2025. Dividend shall be paid to the Shareholders on 15 July 2025 by transfer to the bank account of the Shareholder;
2.2.2. 1.5 euros per share shall be paid to the Shareholders who have been entered in the list of Shareholders on 4 December 2025 at the end of the business day of the settlement system of the securities registrar (record-date). Consequently, the day of change of the rights related to the shares (ex-date) is 3 December 2025. Dividend shall be paid to the Shareholders on 15 December 2025 by transfer to the bank account of the Shareholder.

In favour of the resolution voted 99,99% of the votes represented at the meeting (17,561,561 votes).

3. Appointment of an auditor for the 2025 financial year and determination of the procedure of remuneration of an auditor
Appoint the company of auditors KPMG Baltics OÜ to conduct the audit of Aktsiaselts Infortar in the financial year 2025 and to remunerate the work according to the audit contract to be concluded with the auditor.

In favour of the resolution voted 99,99% of the votes represented at the meeting (17,561,388 votes).

4. Deciding on conduction of the Option Plan
Terminate the share option plan of Aktsiaselts Infortar approved by resolution no. 6 of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders held on 15 June 2021 and the conclusion of option agreements under this plan prematurely as of 30 June 2025. To approve the implementation of a new share option plan of Aktsiaselts Infortar and to grant the Supervisory Board the right to establish the new share option plan under the following principles (“Option Plan”):
4.1. The purpose of the Option Plan is to motivate the management and employees of Aktsiaselts Infortar by involving them as Shareholders, thereby enabling them to benefit from the increase in the value of the shares as a result of their work. The Option Plan applies to Aktsiaselts Infortar and its group entities in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Poland. The Supervisory Board of Aktsiaselts Infortar may decide to extend the Option Plan to group entities in other countries.
4.2. The term of the Option Plan is four (4) years, and options (“Options”) may be granted and option agreements concluded under the Option Plan from 1 July 2025 until 1 July 2029. Should an Entitled Person (as defined below) fail to conclude an option agreement within the aforementioned period, they shall lose the right to acquire the Options made available to them.
4.3. Under the Option Plan, Aktsiaselts Infortar shall have the right to issue up to 400,000 Options for the acquisition of 400,000 shares, representing up to 1,89% of the share capital of Aktsiaselts Infortar.
4.4. Entitled Persons under the Option Plan (“Entitled Persons”) shall be:
(a) Members of the Supervisory Board of Aktsiaselts Infortar, whereby the granting of Options and the number of Options to be granted to specific members of the Supervisory Board shall be determined annually by the General Meeting by a separate resolution, provided that no Supervisory Board member shall acquire more than 4000 Options per year during the term of the Option Plan;
(b) Members of the Management Board of Aktsiaselts Infortar appointed by the Supervisory Board, whereby the number of Options to be granted to each Management Board member shall be determined annually by the Supervisory Board by a separate resolution, provided that no Management Board member shall acquire more than 4000 Options per year during the term of the Option Plan;
(c) Employees of Aktsiaselts Infortar and members of management bodies and employees of group companies, as designated by the Supervisory Board, or by the Management Board if so delegated by the Supervisory Board, whereby the number of Options to be granted to each such person shall be determined annually by the Supervisory Board or the Management Board (in case of delegation) by a separate resolution, provided that no such Entitled Person shall acquire more than 4000 Options per year during the term of the Option Plan.
4.5. Generally, Options issued under the Option Plan cannot be exercised, and the underlying shares cannot be acquired, before the 3-year vesting period has passed from the grant of the Option. A prerequisite for exercising the Option is that the Entitled Person remains a member of a management body or an employee of Aktsiaselts Infortar or any of its subsidiaries at the time of exercising the Option.
4.6. Each Option granted under the Option Plan entitles the Entitled Person to acquire one (1) share of Aktsiaselts Infortar upon fulfilment of the preconditions for exercising the Option. In the event of a change in the nominal value of shares, the number of shares granted under each Option shall be adjusted accordingly. The price payable for the shares upon exercising the Options shall be determined annually by decision of the Supervisory Board before the issuance of Options and the conclusion of option agreements for the respective year, provided that the price of the share option must be at least 26 euros per share and represent at least 50% of the weighted average stock exchange price of the share option over the six-month period preceding 1 June of the calendar year in which the option agreement is concluded. In the case of Options being granted to members of the Supervisory Board, the price per share shall be determined by the General Meeting based on the same principles.
4.7. The implementation and administration of the Option Plan shall be managed by the Supervisory Board of Aktsiaselts Infortar which shall establish the terms and conditions of the Option Plan by its resolution, following the principles approved by this resolution. The Supervisory Board may delegate decision-making and actions related to the implementation of the Option Plan to the Management Board of Aktsiaselts Infortar.
4.8. For the fulfilment of the Option Plan and the acquisition of shares to be transferred to Entitled Persons upon exercise of Options:
(a) New shares may be issued under the authorisation granted to the Supervisory Board by resolution no. 5 of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders, which shall be issued to the Entitled Persons; or
(b) Own shares held by Aktsiaselts Infortar may be used, including own shares acquired by Aktsiaselts Infortar under the authorisation granted by resolution no. 6 of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders.

In favour of the resolution voted 99,99% of the votes represented at the meeting (17,561,331 votes).

5. Amendment of the Articles of Association and exclusion of the pre-emptive subscription right of the Shareholders
Decide to grant the Supervisory Board the right to increase the share capital for the purpose of issuing new shares necessary to fulfil the conditions of the Option Plan approved by resolution no. 4 of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders and to amend the Articles of Association accordingly and to exclude the pre-emptive subscription right of Shareholders upon each increase of the share capital if the Supervisory Board increases the share capital of Aktsiaselts Infortar under the authorisation given by the Articles of Association for the implementation of the Option Plan:
5.1. Amend clause 2.1.2 of the Articles of Association with the following wording:
„The supervisory board of the company has the right, within three (3) years from 1 July 2025, to increase the share capital through contributions by up to 500,000 euros in accordance with the procedure set out by law.“
5.2. Shareholders shall exclude their pre-emptive subscription right in respect of shares issued by the Supervisory Board pursuant to the authorisation granted in clause 5.1 of this resolution, in accordance with § 345 (1) of the Commercial Code, and the right to subscribe for shares shall be granted to the Entitled Persons to the share option under the Option Plan approved by resolution no. 4 of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders for the purpose of ensuring the implementation of the Option Plan.

In favour of the resolution voted 99,99% of the votes represented at the meeting (17,561,357 votes).

6. Deciding on the acquisition of own shares
Grant Aktsiaselts Infortar the right to acquire its own shares under the following conditions:
6.1. Aktsiaselts Infortar shall have the right to acquire its own shares within five (5) years from the adoption of this resolution under a buy-back programme as defined in Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (Market Abuse Regulation) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2016/1052, by purchasing the shares through Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange. The acquired shares may be used for fulfilling obligations arising from the Option Plan approved by resolution no. 4 of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders;
6.2. The maximum number of shares to be repurchased shall be 250,000 shares, the total nominal value of which corresponds to 1,18% of the share capital of Aktsiaselts Infortar;
6.3. The minimum price per share to be paid by Aktsiaselts Infortar shall be no less than 0 euros and the maximum price shall not exceed the average stock exchange price of the share of Aktsiaselts Infortar of the last 30 trading days preceding the relevant buy-back transaction by more than fifty percent (50%); and
6.4. The acquisition of own shares by Aktsiaselts Infortar must not cause the net assets to become less than the total of share capital and reserves which pursuant to law or the Articles of Association shall not be paid out to shareholders.
6.5. To authorise the Management Board to decide and execute share buy-backs in accordance with this resolution and applicable laws, to determine the buy-back price, procedure and other conditions, and to carry out all necessary actions.

In favour of the resolution voted 99,99% of the votes represented at the meeting (17,561,308 votes).

Infortar operates in seven countries, the company’s main fields of activity are maritime transport, energy and real estate. Infortar owns a 68.47% stake in Tallink Grupp, a 100% stake in Elenger Grupp and a versatile and modern real estate portfolio of approx. 141,000 m2. In addition to the three main areas of activity, Infortar also operates in construction and mineral resources, agriculture, printing, and other areas. A total of 110 companies belong to the Infortar group: 101 subsidiaries, 4 affiliated companies and 5 subsidiaries of affiliated companies. Excluding affiliates, Infortar employs 6,296 people.

Additional information:

Kadri Laanvee
Investor Relations Manager
Phone: +372 5156662
e-mail: kadri.laanvee@infortar.ee
www.infortar.ee/en/investor

The MIL Network –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Hyperscale Data Subsidiary Bitnile.com Accepting Nile Coin in its Social Casino

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LAS VEGAS, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hyperscale Data, Inc. (NYSE American: GPUS), a diversified holding company (“Hyperscale Data” or the “Company”), today announced indirectly owned subsidiary Bitnile.com, Inc. (“Bitnile.com”) is now accepting the Nile Coin (NILE) (“Nile Coin”) as a form of payment for a package (the “Nile Package”) of Bitnile.com’s virtual in-game currency, Nile tokens (the “Tokens”). Bitnile.com officially launched the Nile Coin on the Solana Blockchain on May 3, 2025.

The Tokens are used to enter a wide range of casino-style social games on Bitnile.com, including slots, poker and blackjack. The Tokens cannot be redeemed for cash or prizes. In addition to the Tokens, purchases of the Nile Package receive Nile sweeps coins (the “Coins”). The Coins, which cannot be purchased, give the holder sweepstakes entries, the winners of which can receive prizes or cryptocurrency (in the form of currency used to purchase the Nile Package that gifted the Coins).

Joe Spaziano, Chief Executive Officer of Bitnile.com, stated, “Nile Coin brings real utility to our gaming ecosystem, and we are excited to accept it on the Bitnile.com platform. We are confident that this will expand the opportunities for users to utilize the Nile Coin and to enjoy the product offerings within the Bitnile.com platform. The acceptance of the Nile Coin along with other recently announced cryptocurrency is a major step forward in the development of the Bitnile.com platform.”

The Nile Coin is part of a broader digital asset initiative driven by Hyperscale Data and its subsidiaries, aiming to merge blockchain innovation with real world applications across gaming, finance, and artificial intelligence (“AI”) infrastructure.

This press release is for information purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of Nile Coins in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale or such assets or securities would be unlawful under the laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

For more information on Hyperscale Data and its subsidiaries, Hyperscale Data recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read Hyperscale Data’s public filings and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at hyperscaledata.com or available at www.sec.gov.

About Hyperscale Data, Inc.

Through its wholly owned subsidiary Sentinum, Inc., Hyperscale Data owns and operates a data center at which it mines digital assets and offers colocation and hosting services for the emerging AI ecosystems and other industries. Hyperscale Data’s other wholly owned subsidiary, Ault Capital Group, Inc. (“ACG”), is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact.

Hyperscale Data expects to divest itself of ACG on or about December 31, 2025 (the “Divestiture”). Upon the occurrence of the Divestiture, the Company would solely be an owner and operator of data centers to support high-performance computing services, though it may at that time continue to mine Bitcoin. Until the Divestiture occurs, the Company will continue to provide, through ACG and its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including an AI software platform, social gaming platform, equipment rental services, defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, medical/biopharma and hotel operations. In addition, ACG is actively engaged in private credit and structured finance through a licensed lending subsidiary. Hyperscale Data’s headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 190, Las Vegas, NV 89141.

On December 23, 2024, the Company issued one million (1,000,000) shares of a newly designated Series F Exchangeable Preferred Stock (the “Series F Preferred Stock”) to all common stockholders and holders of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis. The Divestiture will occur through the voluntary exchange of the Series F Preferred Stock for shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of ACG (collectively, the “ACG Shares”). The Company reminds its stockholders that only those holders of the Series F Preferred Stock who agree to surrender such shares, and do not properly withdraw such surrender, in the exchange offer through which the Divestiture will occur, will be entitled to receive the ACG Shares and consequently be stockholders of ACG upon the occurrence of the Divestiture.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company’s business and financial results are included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at hyperscaledata.com.

Hyperscale Data Investor Contact:
IR@hyperscaledata.com or 1-888-753-2235

The MIL Network –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: DIAGNOS Welcomes Former White House Economic Adviser Dr. Tomas J. Philipson to its Advisory Board for the US Market

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BROSSARD, Quebec, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diagnos Inc. (“DIAGNOS” or the “Corporation”) (TSX Venture: ADK, OTCQB: DGNOF, FWB: 4D4A), a pioneer in early detection of critical health issues using advanced technology based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), is thrilled to announce that Dr. Tomas J. Philipson has joined the Corporation’s Advisory Board.

Dr. Tomas J. Philipson is considered an expert in US economic policy, particularly health care policy and appears often on major media outlets, including Forbes, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, BBC, CBS, ABC, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, Newsmax, Yahoo Finance, American Voice, Bloomberg, and CSPAN.

He currently serves as Managing Partner of the VC firm MEDA Ventures, serves on several corporate boards, and has co-founded several companies, including Precision Health Economics LLC, with an exit in 2015 (currently owned by Blackstone).

His government service includes a full-time position as vice chairman and acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers 2017-20. He previously served as a senior economic adviser to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a senior economic advisor to the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Dr. Philipson was appointed to the Key Indicator Commission by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2012. He was a scientific advisor to the House of Representatives initiative 21st Century Cures in 2015 and The Biden Cancer Initiative in 2017. He served as a healthcare advisor to Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.

He received numerous worldwide research awards while he was a chaired professor at the University of Chicago. He is a two-time winner of the Arrow Award of The International Health Economics Association, the highest honor in health economics. Other awards include the Garfield Award for Economic Research, the Prêmio Haralambos Simeonidis from the Brazilian Economic Association, and the Milken Institute’s Distinguished Economic Research Award.

He received a B.A. in mathematics from Uppsala University in Sweden, an MA in Mathematics from Claremont Graduate School, and an MA and Ph.D. in Economics from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Philipson to our Advisor Board,” said André Larente, President and CEO of DIAGNOS. “His extensive experience at the highest levels of government and business savvy brings a vital perspective to today’s policy challenges, from healthcare innovation to long-term economic competitiveness.”

Mr. Larente added, “DIAGNOS has built an AI platform to analyze retina images, these images are taken by thousands of optometrists worldwide. According to the VisionWatch data, the US saw approximately 111 million routine eye exams and 60 million medical eye exams in 2020. DIAGNOS, along with its partners, can address this growing market.” DIAGNOS recently opened its US office in south Florida to support its prospects and clients.

About DIAGNOS
DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical eye-related health problems. By leveraging Artificial Intelligence, DIAGNOS aims to provide more information to healthcare clinicians to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline workflows, and improve patient outcomes on a global scale.

Additional information is available at www.diagnos.com and www.sedarplus.com.

This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The MIL Network –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Red Route installation incoming

Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

Published: Wednesday, 4th June 2025

Installation work will start on a new red route in the city early next month.

Installation work will start on a new red route in the city early next month.

The red route will be installed on Broad Street, Hanley between Potteries Way and Victoria Square from Monday, June 9.

The work will take three days to complete and will include the removal of double yellow lines and the installation of new signage, double red markings and cameras.

The installation follows a public consultation in 2024 which outlined the proposed restrictions on the corridor, in relation to concerns about illegal parking in the area. The aim of the scheme is to help with traffic flow across the city, support the economy, improve air quality, address road safety concerns.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, regeneration and infrastructure at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Day after day, drivers have been ignoring the double yellow lines here, causing disruption and putting pedestrians at risk.

“Our enforcement teams have been out to the location multiple times a day, but enough is enough.

“This red route will put some order back on our streets and make it clear that parking restrictions aren’t optional. They’re there for the safety of all road users, and often, to ensure traffic—especially buses—can flow freely.

“If you park where you shouldn’t, there will be consequences.”

City Council parking officers have visited this particular site 1,333 times in the last 12 months to tackle incessant parking issues.

The Red Route penalty is £70, discounted to £35 if paid within 14 days.

The project is funded by the city council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and forms part of the wider network of strategic red routes being introduced across the city to help make bus journey times more reliable.

While the work is being carried out, disruption will be kept to a minimum.

Works will be carried out between 9am and 3.30pm each day. The red route will be enforceable from Monday 16 June.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greater Oxford: One council. Local decisions. A better place to live.
Source: City of Oxford

A Greater Oxford Council would bring decisions closer to the people they affect and enable improved services, more affordable homes, better transport connections, protected green spaces, and new, secure jobs.

The government has asked councils across England for proposals on simplifying the structure of local government in their regions.

In March, Oxford City Council put forward outline proposals that would see Oxfordshire’s six councils abolished and replaced with three new councils:
- Greater Oxford Council – covering Oxford and its Green Belt
- Northern Oxfordshire Council – covering most of the existing Cherwell and West Oxfordshire districts
- Ridgeway Council – covering most of the existing South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts combined with existing West Berkshire unitary (based on the proposals being developed by those councils, but with those villages within the Green Belt closest to the city becoming part of Greater Oxford)
All three councils would have natural geographic and demographic connections, local accountability to residents, and would be viable under the government’s plans.

Today, Oxford City Council has announced new details of its proposals, including a new boundary map for Oxfordshire, ahead of public engagement on the plans in June and July.

The last time local government was reorganised in Oxfordshire was in 1974.

For more information about the Greater Oxford proposals, visit greateroxford.org.

Greater Oxford boundaries

A Greater Oxford Council would cover Oxford and the communities within its Green Belt that are naturally linked to the city by work, transport and leisure.

View an interactive map showing the proposed Greater Oxford Council and the Green Belt.

Greater Oxford would cover a region with a population of about 240,000 people today, rising to about 345,000 by 2040.

The Greater Oxford boundary closely follows the line of Oxford’s Green Belt.

Currently, almost all of Oxford’s Green Belt – which was created in 1975 – sits outside the city’s administrative boundaries.

The Greater Oxford proposals would give local residents control of the Green Belt for the first time.

The government has been clear that some of the ‘Grey Belt’ – defined as “poor quality” areas of the Green Belt – in England should be developed to help deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

This will be a big change for Oxfordshire.

Rather than incrementally building around every town and village across the county, as is currently the case, Greater Oxford can ensure that high-quality, suitably dense and sustainable developments are built near to existing jobs and community facilities, with good public transport.

Benefits to Greater Oxford

New homes

Oxford is one of the least affordable places to live in the country. Average house prices are 13 times average salaries, and 3,500 households are on the waiting list for council homes. It’s little different in the villages around the city, where house prices are linked to the Oxford housing market and 100s of households also wait for affordable social housing.

The city’s current administrative boundaries are tightly drawn around existing homes and businesses, meaning there is little space to deliver the number of homes needed.

Greater Oxford would enable genuinely affordable homes, including new council homes, to be built at appropriate densities near to existing jobs and community facilities that have good public transport.

It would also mean that Oxford could tackle the housing crisis without the need to build homes in neighboring authorities, giving the Northern Oxfordshire and Ridgeway councils full control of their own housing needs.

The proposals would see over 40,000 new homes built within Greater Oxford by 2040.

If the new council follows Oxford City Council’s current planning policies, 40% of these new homes – over 16,000 homes – would be required to be new council homes.

Economic growth

Oxford has one of the fastest growing and most successful local economies in the UK.

Oxford is a net contributor to the UK’s economy – generating £7.6bn annually – has been ranked on of country’s top performing cities by PwC, including attraction of overseas investment, for many years.

The city has huge unmet demand for labs, innovation space, offices and hotels, but the current administrative boundaries – which are tightly drawn around existing homes and businesses – means Oxford’s economy is being artificially restricted.

The Greater Oxford proposals would see the creation of 5.9m–9.6m sq ft of research and development space and 2.1m–3.2m sq ft of other commercial space. This would create between 17,900 and 29,100 new jobs in Greater Oxford, which would generate up to £2bn a year for the UK’s economy.

The Greater Oxford proposals would also bring decision-making on apprenticeships and skills training back to the local level. The new council would look to increase apprenticeship and training opportunities in Greater Oxford, so local people have a proper share in the area’s growing success.

Transport

The transport system in the Greater Oxford region is in crisis.

There is chronic congestion in and around Oxford, which is impacting the financial sustainability of the city’s bus companies.

Greater Oxford would give local residents full control over Oxford’s transport for the first time in 50 years. The transport network has been run by Oxfordshire County Council since 1974.

The proposals would provide additional bus services to villages around the city by extending existing routes.

Having one council for Greater Oxford would also mean planning and transport could be properly integrated. Currently, the services are run by separate councils.

Environment

The Thames and Cherwell rivers and their tributaries flow through the heart of Greater Oxford, surrounded by vast green spaces and natural beauty. It is key that we protect and enhance these spaces.

The creation of a Greater Oxford Council would strengthen the control that Oxford and the main population centres around it have over the Green Belt. We would work to strengthen protection for valuable green spaces, proposals that would help wildlife to flourish, enhance biodiversity, improve the quality of our air and water, and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. This will build on the successes of the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership, recently expanded to Oxfordshire, which came out of the pioneering Citizen’s Assembly on Climate Change.

Our proposal would see the creation of a more resilient, more connected, network of nature and wildlife corridors, as well as continued support of the vital conservation and nature recovery initiatives – such as those in the Bernwood-Otmoor-Ray area at Bernwood Forest, the River Ray, and the Otmoor Basin.

It would also facilitate wider ecosystem benefits, including flood regulation, nature recovery and carbon storage, which are essential in protecting our homes and environment from the increasing impacts of climate change.

Green spaces are also just as important as urban spaces in fostering healthy communities and improving well-being. The Greater Oxford proposals would also give residents improved access to nature and the landscapes of our region, ensuring they can be enjoyed by everyone.

Communities

At the moment, only city residents can take advantage of Oxford City Council’s community services offer, which includes:
- Free swimming for under 17s in Oxford’s swimming pools – Barton Leisure Centre, Ferry Leisure Centre, Leys Pools and Leisure Centre, and Hinksey Outdoor Pool
- Free youth clubs and activities, including summer holiday activities, as part of the Oxford Youth Ambition programme
- Heavily discounted leisure centre membership for people on qualifying benefits, including those on carer’s allowance, foster carers and those on disability allowance
Under the proposals, all Greater Oxford residents – including residents of Berinsfield, Botley, Kennington, Kidlington and Wheatley – will be able to take advantage of the offer.

The aim would also be to extend the offer to Abbey Sports Centre in Berinsfield, Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centre, and Park Sports Centre in Wheatley.

Next steps

Oxford City Council will carry out public engagement on its Greater Oxford proposals in June-July, including public events in Berinsfield, Botley, Kennington, Kidlington and Wheatley.

Following the public engagement, Oxford City Council will draw up its final Greater Oxford proposals, which will be submitted to the Government in November.

The final decision on local government reorganisation across England, including in Oxford and Oxfordshire, will be made by the Government in 2026.

New councils are expected to be created in 2028.

Oxford City Council carried out an initial survey on its proposals in February, which found 82% think the current two-tier local government arrangements could be improved, and 67% think councils should not be too large, so they can better meet the needs of local residents.

Comment

“Oxford’s council services are currently split between Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council. This is confusing for residents and means decisions affecting the Greater Oxford area can be made by councillors from Chipping Norton or Henley.

“Greater Oxford will bring local decisions under one roof and closer to the people they affect – helping us build more affordable homes, provide new bus connections, protect green spaces and enhance biodiversity, and create new, secure jobs for our children and grandchildren.

“Our proposals will bring better services and help make Greater Oxford a fairer place to live, work and visit.”

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Young Architects Are Changing the Face of Moscow” — Hussam Shakuf on New Principles in Organizing the Urban Environment

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Monumentality, modern technologies and movement into the future – this is how British architect and urban designer Hussam Shakuf sees Moscow. He visited the capital in 2021, and when he returned four years later, he did not recognize it at first – and does not hide his delight at the changes.

Hussam Shakuf visited the 6th Moscow Interior and Design Week, which took place in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall. There he gave a lecture entitled “Beyond Borders: Creating Inspiring Interiors and Public Spaces”. And in an interview with a correspondent from the mos.ru portal, the architect talked about what he likes about the Russian capital, whether new buildings should be combined with cultural heritage monuments, and what his vision of a smart city is.

From old to new

Hussam Shaqouf is best known for the projects he worked on with the renowned British firm Zaha Hadid Architects for 17 years. Among others, he designed an asymmetrical diamond-shaped shell in North Africa and the ellipsoidal headquarters of a major smartphone manufacturer in Shenzhen. Hussam Shaqouf also participated in the design of a business center in the southeast of Moscow, consisting of flat squares stacked on top of each other.

The specialist highly praised the changes that have taken place in the capital’s architecture in recent years.

“In Moscow, there are more buildings created by young architects who use parametrics in their design – computer modeling based on mathematical algorithms. These buildings feel dynamic, moving into the future,” the architect believes.

From his point of view, there is also dynamism in the proximity of cultural heritage sites to modern buildings – this is a hint at the transition from the past to the present and future.

“On the one hand, it is important when the city has buildings that are reminiscent of past eras. In those distant times, they were also a symbol of progress, and, of course, they need to be restored and maintained. On the other hand, when planning new objects, we always look ahead, asking ourselves: how will they fit into the metropolis in five years? Is it worth building retro-style buildings now just so as not to violate the concept of the street? I admit, I am for contrast. Let old mansions and avant-garde towers stand next to modern houses. After all, the future belongs to the new. Of the old that I see in Moscow now, Stalinist architecture is closest to me: these houses, although built in the middle of the 20th century, seem to be a foundation, a model for creating ultra-modern buildings, they have a sense of monumentality,” says Hussam Shakuf.

He calls himself a bearer of the avant-garde DNA. At the same time, the architect admits that even in postmodernist projects it is important to take into account the cultural characteristics of the country and the city and organically integrate them into fantastic ideas and new technologies. Such is, for example, the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, created by Zaha Hadid Architects: the outlines of its roof reflect the waves of the Caspian Sea, and the swaying flames, referring to the ancient cult of fire that existed in Azerbaijan, and geometric figures – a triangle, a rectangle, a trapezoid.

A city built with intelligence

According to Hussam Shakuf, a modern city should be comfortable to live in. However, despite the architect’s commitment to everything modern, he is against a metropolis consisting entirely of roads and cars.

“It’s healthier to walk. If you walk for 35 minutes, you’ll quickly relieve stress, which means you’ll be happier and more productive. I’d also install smart traffic lights everywhere, which would reduce car traffic,” says our interlocutor.

Another thing is that the size of Moscow and other world capitals hardly allows for walking. But Hussam Shakuf knows how to solve this problem.

“Large cities need large multifunctional complexes where people can live, study, work, and have fun, then they won’t have to go anywhere, and the economy of the area where such a complex is built will develop. And this is exactly the concept I call a smart city,” the architect notes.

He also does not support the widespread launch of air taxis, as is planned in some cities in the future. “This means that passengers will land on roofs and enter buildings from above. What is the point of having a ground floor then? If this is the method of moving around the city that wins in the future, we will have to design buildings completely differently,” says Hussam Shakuf.

Places for communication

According to Hussam Shaqouf, the interior structure of a building is what connects architecture with man.

“I recently worked on a project for a business center for a Chinese smartphone manufacturer in Shenzhen. First of all, I tried to put myself in the shoes of the company’s employees and understand what could inspire them when they come to work. Firstly, it is a view of the city and the Shenzhen Bay, so the walls are glass. Secondly, convenient passages from one tower to another, and you can get into the buildings both from the street and from the interior. Thirdly, spacious rooms where people communicate with each other and drink coffee,” the architect says.

In his opinion, the most important thing in the interior is accessible and at the same time isolated public spaces. In particular, he would like to build houses in Moscow where the courtyard is at the level of the second floor and is a podium: so residents could walk with their children and talk to each other without being distracted by passers-by and what is happening on the streets.

“We currently discuss business and personal interests mainly on social networks. But is it really possible to really get to know a person this way? If every home or office had a place to meet with neighbors and colleagues, there would be no need for online correspondence,” Hussam Shakuf sums up.

More than 50 applications have already been submitted for the competition “Best Implemented Project in the Field of Construction”A Round Kindergarten, a Ribbon Roof, and a “Flying” Metro. The Laureates of the City’s Architectural Prize in Different Years — in Detail From Denmark with Love. Urbanist and Architect Jan Gehl Shares His Impressions of Moscow Firm determination. French urbanist Nicolas Bouchaud on changes in Moscow, similarities with Paris, and climate strategy David Adjaye’s Utopia and Zaha Hadid’s Curves: Architecture of the Future in Moscow

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154800073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE study identifies pathways for digital and green energy transition in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

The transition to clean energy in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia necessitates a comprehensive overhaul of power systems, with investment needs estimated at $150 billion by 2030. However, by embracing digitalization across all sectors – from generation and transmission to distribution and end-use – and integration with renewable energy, these countries could reduce their carbon emissions by up to 70% and energy costs by as much as 80%, subject to system-wide optimization, outlines the UNECE study “Integrating twin transition with legacy energy systems”

The study analyses opportunities and challenges for a digital transformation of energy systems in Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, where about 60% of the total energy mix today comes from natural gas and coal.

The study underscores that digital solutions and innovations such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Digital Twins, and Virtual Power Plants, offer significant opportunities in managing and integrating distributed, often variable renewable energy-based resources. It also highlights potential to optimize legacy systems and enhance both cybersecurity and grid resilience.

This will require robust policy measures and initiatives to boost investments in advanced, resilient grids. It will also necessitate increased support for innovation and research, strategic planning and massive professional training.

Overcoming challenges

The study identifies key challenges to be addressed in the region’s largely outdated energy systems:
- Ageing energy infrastructure, much of which was built during the Soviet era. For example, in Belarus, over 60% of the thermal power plants are over 30 years old, resulting in high maintenance costs; in Georgia, the average age of electricity transmission lines exceeds 30 years, resulting in transmission losses estimated at 12%.
- Energy security risks due to dependence on fossil fuel imports. For example, the Republic of Moldova imports approximately 70% of its electricity, primarily from Romania and Ukraine; in Belarus, about 50% of energy needs are met through natural gas imports from the Russian Federation.
- Limited financial resources to invest in modernizing energy systems. For instance, Albania has struggled to secure funding for proposed solar and wind projects totalling approximately $300 million; in Belarus only about 5% of the necessary investments have been secured for planned RE installations; financial constraints limit modernization of ageing hydropower infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan.
- Lack of skilled workforce. For example, in Georgia, around 30% of energy sector professionals lack formal training in RE technologies.
- Climate and health impacts. For instance, Belarus emits approximately 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually from its energy sector alone, with coal-fired plants being significant contributors. North Macedonia’s reliance on coal contributes to air pollution levels among the highest in Europe.
Key strategies identified in the study include:
- Cross-border infrastructure projects, such as Trans-Caspian high-voltage direct current lines, are vital for enhancing regional energy trade and digital connectivity;
The report identifies three priority action areas: (1) scaling energy efficiency through retrofitting that embraces digital technologies; (2) promoting hybrid energy models that combine gas with hydrogen; and (3) advancing smart grids, standardization, and regional integration.

Importantly, the study promotes a human-centered approach to digitalization that balances innovation with ethical considerations and prioritizes equity, social considerations, and long-term sustainability for a just transition.

From research to action

The study was showcased during a workshop “Assessing the readiness of the energy sector to implement smart digital energy-efficient technologies in Belarus in view of climate change mitigation” held in Minsk, Belarus, and online on 22 May 2025. The hybrid workshop, organized by UNECE in cooperation with UNDP Belarus and the Department of Energy Efficiency of the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus, brought together over 100 participants including government officials, energy sector representatives, and international experts, to explore how smart digital tools can support energy efficiency, clean mobility, and climate action in Belarus.

For more information about UNECE work on Energy Efficiency, please visit: https://unece.org/sustainable-energy/energy-efficiency

Photo credit: Adobe Stock Images by Sergii.

MIL OSI United Nations News –
June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Unlocking billions in private capital to tackle climate change

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Case study

Unlocking billions in private capital to tackle climate change

The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) mobilises billions in public and private funding for clean energy projects in developing countries.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks at the Climate Investment Funds roundtable at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Picture by Simon Dawson, No 10 Downing Street.

Public finance alone is not going to fund the global energy transition. That’s why we need innovative solutions to mobilise private investment to tackle climate change.

The Climate Investment Funds’ Capital Market Mechanism (CCMM) demonstrates how the UK is playing a leading role in mobilising the necessary finance to support developing countries in their efforts to cut carbon emissions, build renewables and adapt to climate change.

Launched by the UK Prime Minister at COP29, the mechanism is designed to unlock billions in climate finance by leveraging future loan repayments from previous investments. It could mobilise up to $75 billion in public and private funding for new clean energy projects in developing countries and reduce global emissions.

Read more about UK International Climate Finance.

Updates to this page

Published 4 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Protecting mangroves in Madagascar and Indonesia

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Case study

Protecting mangroves in Madagascar and Indonesia

The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) supports mangrove conservation to reduce the impacts of climate change, protect biodiversity and boost livelihoods.

Mangrove monitoring in Madagascar for the Blue Forest Initiative. Source: Leah Glass, Blue Ventures.

Mangrove forests, found in tropical and sub-tropical coastal areas, are a vital home for endangered species such as the white breasted sea eagle and olive ridley turtles. They also support coastal communities that depend on them for their livelihoods.

Crucially, mangroves play a key role in tackling climate change, with the ability to store up to 4 times more carbon than rainforests.

However, mangrove forests have been in severe decline for decades. To address this, the UK government is funding the Blue Forest Initiatives programme, led by the UK non-profit Blue Ventures, to protect, restore and sustainably manage mangrove forests in Madagascar and Indonesia.

The community-led programme is working to prevent deforestation and overfishing while supporting the livelihoods of up to 70,000 people.

With a goal of protecting approximately 80,000 hectares of mangrove forests – an area larger than the size of 100,000 football pitches, the programme is expected to save 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released.

By securing the future of these critical ecosystems, the UK is not only combatting climate change but also safeguarding biodiversity and tackling extreme poverty.

Read more about UK International Climate Finance.

Updates to this page

Published 4 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Helping communities adapt to storms in Bangladesh

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Case study

Helping communities adapt to storms in Bangladesh

The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) supports AI-based forecasting to boost extreme weather preparedness in Bangladesh.

UK International Climate Finance supports AI-based forecasting to increase extreme weather preparedness in Bangladesh.

Extreme weather events such as storms are getting more frequent and intense all over the world due to a more unstable climate. For many Bangladeshi coastal communities, tidal surges can be devastating for people’s livelihoods.

CLARE (Climate, Adaptation and Resilience), a research programme on climate adaptation and resilience jointly run by the UK and Canada, is piloting an innovative AI-based forecasting system to provide early warnings and help with long-term planning against storms.

When Cyclone Remal hit in 2024, displacing over 120,000 people, the project was able to provide timely information by identifying 30 at-risk embankment points. This allowed local people to effectively mobilise resources in real-time and strengthen embankments to limit damage.

Once completed, the AI model is set to be adopted by government and humanitarian groups across the country.

The project shows how we’re providing value for money by helping communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. Using data from tide stations and drone surveys, the project will aim to provide highly accurate forecasts for tidal surges.

Read more about UK International Climate Finance.

Updates to this page

Published 4 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting farmers to go green in Zambia

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Case study

Supporting farmers to go green in Zambia

The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) backs sustainable farming and eco-tourism in Zambia to cut emissions and create jobs.

People working on Zambia Integrated Forest Landscapes Project.

Since 2018, the UK has been supporting the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscapes Project (ZIFL Programme) to support rural communities in the Eastern Province of Zambia, one of the poorest regions of Africa.

In June 2024, Zambia signed an ERPA (Emission Reductions Purchase Agreements). This agreement will ensure local people receive payments in exchange for reducing emissions.

With a goal to cut emissions by 30 million tonnes, equivalent to the UK’s annual emissions from livestock farming, the project has already trained over 100,000 farmers in sustainable techniques like crop rotation and agroforestry.

As well as cutting carbon, the project is also working with the Luambe and Lukusuzi National Parks to help build roads and campsites, creating rural jobs through eco-tourism and ensuring the protection of wildlife.

UK International Climate Finance supports the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscapes Project.

People working on Zambia Integrated Forest Landscapes Project.

Read more about UK International Climate Finance.

Updates to this page

Published 4 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: Georgia: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

Source: IMF – News in Russian

June 4, 2025

A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

Tbilisi: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Alejandro Hajdenberg conducted discussions for the 2025 Article IV consultation with Georgia from May 21 to June 4, 2025, in Tbilisi. At the end of the visit, Mr. Hajdenberg issued the following statement:

Georgia’s economy has been remarkably resilient despite heightened domestic and geopolitical uncertainty. Growth approached double digits in 2024, is projected at 7.2 percent this year, and is expected to converge to its long-term trend of 5 percent. Inflation has ticked up but remains close to its 3 percent target. Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves have recovered from last year’s lows and continued fiscal discipline has contributed to a further decline in public debt. However, risks to the outlook are elevated and challenges persist due to still high structural unemployment and income inequality. In this context, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) should prioritize building additional reserve buffers while monitoring potential financial sector risks. Strengthening NBG’s governance and independence remains central to macroeconomic stability. Fiscal reforms should aim to raise additional revenues to finance development priorities, improve spending efficiency, and contain fiscal risks. Structural reforms should focus on sustaining strong growth and making it more inclusive, including by enhancing labor market opportunities and outcomes.

Recent economic developments, outlook, and risks

Economic activity has remained robust. Real GDP grew by 9.4 percent in 2024 despite domestic political tensions. Growth was driven by consumption, marking a shift from previous years when investment and net exports were the main contributors. Tourism rebounded to pre-Covid levels, while the information and communications technology (ICT) and transport sectors remained key drivers of growth, continuing to benefit from high skilled migrants and transit trade. The unemployment rate continued to decline, albeit remaining structurally high. With strong momentum continuing in the first four months of 2025, growth is projected to moderate slightly to 7.2 percent for this year before converging to its medium-term potential rate of 5 percent.

Inflation has returned to target after undershooting for two years. Headline inflation averaged 1.8 percent over 2023 and 2024 but rose to 3.5 percent year-on-year in May 2025, mainly due to increasing food prices. Core inflation, however, remains subdued, with the NBG keeping the policy rate unchanged at 8 percent since May 2024. Inflation is projected to average 3.4 percent in 2025 and to converge to the NBG’s 3 percent target in 2026 along with easing domestic demand.

The current account deficit narrowed in 2024 to 4.4 percent of GDP, with a similar projection for 2025, but reserve coverage remains below adequate levels. The improvement in 2024 was driven by lower imports, partly reflecting lower oil prices. Foreign direct investment (FDI) declined for the second straight year, in part reflecting the absence of new large greenfield projects. Gross international reserves have fallen from a peak of $5.4 billion in August 2023 to $4.5 billion as of April 2025––equal to 80 percent of the Fund’s Assessment of Reserve Adequacy (ARA) metric. Recent favorable inflows have allowed the NBG to offset the sizeable foreign exchange sales made before the October parliamentary elections.

The fiscal deficit held steady at 2.4 percent of GDP in 2024, despite it being an election year, and is expected to remain unchanged in 2025. Robust tax revenues––supported by strong growth, tax policy measures in the financial and gambling sectors, and improved revenue administration––have helped finance social and capital spending. Amid stronger-than-expected economic activity, the 2025 budget target of 2.5 percent of GDP deficit is well within reach. Public debt, at 36 percent of GDP, has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with an increasing share denominated in local currency. The USD 500 million Eurobond maturing in April 2026 is expected to be rolled over smoothly.

While uncertainty remains exceptionally high, risks to the outlook appear broadly balanced. The direct impact from tariffs imposed by the U.S. is limited as the U.S. accounts for only 2 percent of total exports—mainly ferroalloys, which are exempt. However, the indirect effects of heightened global trade tensions could be more significant. Weaker investor confidence and slower trading partner growth pose negative risks, but Georgia could benefit from lower oil prices and sustained trade diversion through its territory. A resolution of the war in Ukraine could unwind some gains linked to migration and transit trade but increased regional stability and reconstruction in Ukraine could be offsetting positive factors. Persistent domestic political uncertainty and sanctions affecting Georgia could dampen FDI, discourage tourism, and further pressure the lari. Healthy fiscal and financial sector buffers mitigate these risks.

Monetary and exchange policies

The NBG should maintain a broadly neutral policy stance while remaining flexible and data driven to ensure inflation expectations remain anchored. Although wage and employment growth have moderated and business confidence has weakened, heightened global uncertainty warrants caution in considering further policy rate cuts, particularly as the recent increase in domestic food prices may not prove transitory. Should inflationary pressures persist, a tightening of the policy stance may be warranted.

Exchange rate flexibility, opportunistic reserve accumulation, and monetary policy communication should be enhanced. Efforts to rebuild reserve buffers should be sustained while allowing the exchange rate to act as a shock absorber. The NBG should continue to strengthen monetary policy transmission, effectiveness, transparency, and credibility. Communication of monetary policy should be strengthened by clarifying the NBG’s assessment of the balance of risks and how this informs policy decisions.

Strengthening NBG governance and independence remains central to macroeconomic stability. The filling of the board vacancies and the governor position is a welcome first step. Efforts should now focus on amending the NBG law to: (i) ensure a non-executive majority on the NBG’s oversight board, (ii) limit the possibility of discretionary financial transfers to the government, and (iii) clarify and further strengthen [the NBG succession framework and] board member qualification criteria. Moving from a presidential to a collegial decision-making model is also advisable.

Fiscal policy

With public debt at sound levels, maintaining a broadly neutral policy stance over the medium term is appropriate. A fiscal deficit of 2.3–2.5 percent of GDP would help stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio near its current level. The shift toward domestic debt should proceed carefully, avoiding crowding out the private sector and monitoring borrowing costs and risks linked to a stronger sovereign-bank nexus. While good progress has been made, further tax policy and administration reforms that broaden the tax base and streamline tax expenditures—supported by a stronger medium-term revenue strategy—are needed to secure revenue for spending priorities.

There is considerable scope to enhance spending efficiency and further strengthen public investment management (PIM). Despite elevated levels of public investment, infrastructure quality remains below that of many emerging market peers, highlighting the need for more effective implementation of PIM processes, building on recent years’ improvements. Spending on education and health could be more efficient, to achieve better outcomes at similar expenditure levels. Spending reviews could help in this regard. Social assistance is relatively generous but targeting could be improved to prioritize the most vulnerable households.

Sustained efforts are needed to manage fiscal risks and increase fiscal transparency. The authorities have taken significant steps in enhancing the Ministry of Finance’s financial oversight of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and maintaining this momentum will be important. Efforts should focus on legislation that would separate the state’s shareholder, regulatory, and policy functions beyond the energy sector, where implementation has recently taken place, and strengthen the corporate governance of SOEs. The authorities should address gaps in the coverage of fiscal reporting, particularly from non-market SOEs with significant fiscal risks.

Financial sector

Continued vigilance and reforms will help address long-standing and emerging financial sector risks. The banking system remains well capitalized and profitable, and the implementation of the IMF’s 2021 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) recommendations is nearly complete. Key priorities going forward include enhancing the consolidated supervision of financial groups—particularly non-bank subsidiaries and cross-border activities, operationalizing a fully-fledged bank resolution framework, and improving competition in financial services. The NBG continues to implement its long-term dedollarization policy to support financial stability, and recently raised the FX loan threshold for unhedged borrowers further to GEL 750,000. Nevertheless, the share of unhedged foreign currency bank loans is still high, and the deposit dedollarization trend was interrupted amid heightened political uncertainty. Banks—especially smaller ones—have faced lari funding pressures, and the cost of funding has risen, potentially weighing on profitability. Consumer loans have grown rapidly, while riskier nonbank financing—including foreign currency bond issuances by real estate developers—has increased considerably. Neither risk is assessed to be systemic at this stage, but continued close monitoring is warranted.

Structural reforms

Structural reforms are needed to sustain high growth and make it more inclusive and job rich. Potential growth remains constrained by structurally high long-term and youth unemployment, low educational attainment, infrastructure bottlenecks in the transport and logistics sectors, and low sectoral productivity, especially in agriculture. An aging population, outward migration, and informality pose challenges for the labor market, along with persistent income inequality. Better targeting of agricultural support, improving teacher quality, and expanding vocational training would help raise rural labor force participation and facilitate the integration of workers into the formal economy. Remittances and return migration could be better leveraged to boost productive investments and knowledge transfers from returning migrants. Continued investment in transport and logistics infrastructure, as well as coordination with regional partners to harmonize fees and procedures, are important to support long-term competitiveness. Finally, the authorities should enhance judicial independence and strengthen the autonomy of the Anti-Corruption Bureau to improve the business environment.

The mission team would like to thank the Georgian authorities and other counterparts for their close collaboration, candid and informative discussions, and warm hospitality.

Table 1. Georgia: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2024–28

	2024	2025	2026	2027	2028
	Actual Projections

National accounts and prices	(annual percentage change; unless otherwise indicated)
Real GDP	9.4	7.2	5.3	5.0	5.0
Nominal GDP (in billions of laris)	91.9	102.5	111.7	121.5	131.9
Nominal GDP (in billions of U.S. dollars)	33.8	36.7	39.2	41.4	43.6
GDP per capita (in thousands of U.S. dollars)	9.1	9.9	10.6	11.2	11.8
GDP deflator, period average	3.8	4.1	3.5	3.5	3.5
CPI, period average	1.1	3.4	3.1	3.0	3.0
CPI, end-of-period	1.9	3.6	3.0	3.0	3.0

Consolidated government operations	(in percent of GDP)
Revenue and grants	28.0	27.7	27.8	27.7	27.6
o.w. Tax revenue	25.3	25.0	25.6	25.6	25.6
Total Expenditure	30.3	30.0	30.1	29.9	29.8
Current expenditures	22.5	22.6	22.5	22.5	22.5
Net acquisition of nonfinancial assets	7.7	7.4	7.5	7.5	7.3
Net lending/borrowing (GFSM 2001)	-2.3	-2.3	-2.3	-2.3	-2.2
Augmented net lending/borrowing 1/	-2.4	-2.4	-2.4	-2.4	-2.3
Public debt	36.1	34.7	34.1	34.3	34.5
o.w. Foreign-currency denominated	25.2	23.1	22.0	21.7	20.9

Money and credit	(annual percentage change; unless otherwise indicated)
Credit to the private sector	18.5	13.7	9.0	8.7	8.6
In constant exchange rate	17.0	15.5	8.5	7.4	7.3
Broad money	14.5	13.3	11.5	11.3	11.2
Excluding FX deposits	10.4	13.7	11.9	11.7	11.6
Deposit dollarization (in percent of total)	52.7	52.1	51.9	51.7	51.4
Credit dollarization (in percent of total)	42.9	42.5	42.1	41.7	41.3
Credit to GDP (in percent) 2/	66.0	67.4	67.4	67.4	67.4

External sector	(in percent of GDP; unless otherwise indicated)
Current account balance (in billions of US$)	-1.5	-1.6	-1.8	-2.0	-2.1
Current account balance	-4.4	-4.4	-4.6	-4.8	-4.8
Trade balance	-19.2	-18.9	-19.1	-19.2	-19.3
Terms of trade (percent change)	-2.8	-0.2	0.1	-0.3	0.5
Gross international reserves (in billions of US$)	4.4	4.7	4.9	5.5	6.2
In percent of IMF ARA metric 3/	79.6	81.1	82.4	88.0	95.5
In months of next year’s imports	2.7	2.6	2.6	2.7	2.9
Gross external debt	66.8	62.4	58.5	55.9	53.0

Sources: Georgian authorities; and Fund staff estimates.
1/ Augmented Net lending / borrowing = Net lending / borrowing – Budget lending.
2/ Banking sector credit to the private sector.
3/ IMF’s adequacy metric for assessing reserves in emerging markets.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Mayada Ghazala

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/04/06042025-mcs-georgia-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv-mission

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI: XTERA Introduces Managed Wealth-Growth Platform

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York City, NY, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

XTERA, a new financial platform built for everyday individuals, has launched its professionally managed wealth-building service, designed to provide steady, daily returns without requiring users to become financial experts or take on unnecessary risk.

In a time when side hustles and high-risk trading platforms dominate personal finance conversations, XTERA offers a more practical alternative: a way to grow money in the background, with oversight from experienced professionals and complete transparency.

“We built XTERA for people who are tired of having to choose between financial growth and free time,” said a spokesperson for XTERA. “Our goal is to give users a simple way to participate in modern financial markets without needing to constantly check charts or learn investing on their own.”

How It Works:

XTERA allocates user funds into a diversified portfolio, managed by real traders with expertise in today’s key sectors—such as AI, Web3, and other emerging industries. Users do not need to take any active role. Returns are calculated daily, and members have access to a live dashboard to track performance in real time. Funds are accessible at all times with no holding periods, penalties, or lock-ins.

XTERA is available exclusively within The Code, a private community focused on accessible and sustainable financial tools. An invite is required to join, keeping the platform focused on members who are genuinely looking for long-term, stable financial growth.

Built for Regular People

XTERA is specifically designed for individuals with full-time jobs, family commitments, or limited bandwidth to explore complex financial products. It requires no prior investing experience, and the setup is simple. Most importantly, it doesn’t rely on users spending extra hours working to earn more.

About XTERA

XTERA is a financial platform designed to give everyday people a smarter, more accessible way to grow their wealth. Built exclusively for members of The Code, it offers daily earning potential through expertly managed portfolios, without the stress of doing it all yourself. With real traders behind the scenes and full transparency through live dashboards, XTERA puts the user in control while doing the hard work for them. No lock-ins. No complicated setups. Just a modern, flexible path to building your financial future.
Join the community today.

Company Number: 4047 LLC 2025
Richmond Hill, P.O. Box 2897, Kingstown St. Vincent and The Grenadines Prisha Elgouhari
pr@xtera.org

Attachment

The MIL Network –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Mauritius charts bold new course as government targets investment, growth, and global appeal

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, June 4, 2025/APO Group/ —

With a new government at the helm, Mauritius is setting its sights on economic revival and sustainable growth. As the island nation gears up for the high-profile API Mauritius & Indian Oceans Property Investment Forum, industry experts are calling for bold reforms and streamlined investments.

Mauritius is at a pivotal moment as the newly elected government embarks on a mission to stabilise the country’s economy and chart a renewed path for sustainable growth.

The government has three fiscal challenges: it spends more than it earns in trade, in its budget, and in payments with other countries. To fix these problems, the new Mauritian government aims to create new sources of economic growth and attract important investments from foreign players, especially in real estate.

Mauritius’ economic outlook and investment opportunities will be a central focus at the third instalment of the annual API Mauritius & Indian Oceans Property Investment Forum, which will take place on 26 June at the InterContinental Hotel in Mauritius. The forum is set to expand on its two previous successes and provide more insights about investment opportunities in Mauritius.

The government’s emphasis on infrastructure development, climate resilience, and supportive fiscal policies positions Mauritius as an increasingly attractive destination for international capital. Industry players highlight that Mauritius’ new government has committed to a path of sustainable growth and transparency, which reinforces investor confidence.

Kevin Teeroovengadum, board and advisor to various listed and non-listed companies in Mauritius and in Africa including South Africa, says the government faces the daunting task of stabilising the economy and averting a downgrade to junk status by credit rating agencies.

“Mauritius urgently needs a bold, forward-looking strategic plan — one that mirrors the ambition and clarity of vision seen in Dubai’s transformation. The government must set clear targets, not only in terms of the number of foreigners it aims to attract but also the profile and quality of these individuals and, a focused strategy is essential to position Mauritius as a premier destination to live, work, and retire” says Teeroovengadum.

As a board director and advisor with over 25 years of hands-on experience across the African continent, Teeroovengadum brings deep expertise in deal-making in sectors such as real estate, hospitality, telecoms, and others, which puts him in good stead regarding the drivers of investments.

Mauritius boasts several unique advantages, including a stable political environment, a safe and appealing lifestyle, and a resilient tourism sector. However, experts stress that unlocking the island’s full economic potential will require greater openness to foreign developers and institutional investors, especially in emerging asset classes such as green buildings, logistics hubs, and affordable housing. A clear regulatory framework, streamlined processes, and robust public-private collaboration are seen as essential to ensuring that development aligns with national priorities and delivers long-term value to the local economy.

Wayne Godwin, CEO of JLL Africa, says Mauritius has hallmarks that are already beneficiary to its potential in the African continent.

“The ease of doing business, sophisticated local capital markets, and low taxation make Mauritius an attractive destination for foreign direct investment, but there are still barriers that can be removed, particularly around the sale of directly held real estate, which incurs higher transfer taxes and a lengthy approval process.

“As JLL, we expect to see more focus from international investors into Mauritius in the next few years, particularly from the Middle East and India, while the trend of Mauritian investors expanding into Africa will likely continue on a similar path,” says Godwin, who leads JLL’s business in Africa that has exposure to some of the fastest-growing cities in the continent.

Godwin also leads JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group division in Africa, the largest and most successful hotel advisor and broker in Africa. This places him in the best position to opine about investment opportunities in Mauritius’s hospitality and tourism industry at the upcoming API Mauritius & Indian Oceans Property Investment Forum.

In the face of rising climate risks, financial innovation, and climate-resilient public-private partnerships are also taking center stage. The use of green building standards, real estate investment trusts, and green bonds is gaining momentum, with early issuances by EnVolt and Cim Finance demonstrating the potential to mobilise green capital at scale. EnVolt and Cim Finance have emerged as early leaders in the green finance movement in Mauritius, playing a pivotal role in mobilising capital for sustainable development and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Recycling capital from mature assets into eco-certified, resilient developments is fast becoming essential for long-term value creation in coastal tourism and mixed-use projects.

But beyond sustainability, there is a pressing need to ensure that development also delivers inclusive economic opportunity.

“Mauritius has a strong foundation in residential real estate and hospitality, but the time has come to evolve and diversify the development model. We must channel foreign investment into industries that create meaningful employment for our skilled, bilingual youth—sectors like advanced manufacturing, tech-enabled services, and sustainable construction. Real estate remains central to this vision, not as an end in itself, but as a platform to support innovation, green industry, and a more inclusive economy. The opportunity is to build an economy where young Mauritians can thrive at home—not feel compelled to leave in search of better prospects”, says Bernard Forster, Managing Director, Elevante Consulting, part of the Elevante Group. Elevante is a leading independent real estate advisory and property services firm in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean region, known for its deep market insight, strategic guidance, and regional transaction expertise across all asset classes.

As Mauritius prepares to unveil its national budget in June, all eyes are on the government’s roadmap for economic recovery and long-term growth. The coming months will be critical in shaping a more resilient, competitive and sustainable future – positioning the country as a global destination for investment, innovation, and climate-smart development.

The 3rd annual API Mauritius & Indian Ocean’s Property Investment Forum with the theme of ‘A resilient new dawn’ will take place on Thursday, 26 June 2025 at the InterContinental Hotel, Mauritius. Fror more information and to register visit https://apo-opa.co/43AgyUY

MIL OSI Africa –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting small food and drink businesses

Source: Scottish Government

Funding to promote local and regional products.

Food and drink festivals, farmers markets and culinary masterclasses are just some of the projects from across Scotland set to benefit from grants of up to £5,000.

The latest round of the Regional Food Fund will support 15 local and collaborative projects helping small food businesses to thrive while promoting local produce.

Scotland Food & Drink manages the fund aimed at elevating the food and drink industry, enhancing food tourism and showcasing the best the country has to offer.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:

“Scotland’s food and drink industry is worth £15 billion to the economy; it is one of the country’s largest employers and is already well-recognised and established across the world.

“Engaging with regional markets is vital in achieving our industry strategy and growth ambitions for the next ten years. That’s why, through initiatives like the Regional Food Fund, we are providing much-needed support to small projects to showcase the best products that their regions have to offer.

“A wonderful range of projects will be supported through this round, including foraging experiences and masterclasses at Isle of Bute food and drink festival, learning about the turnip being a climate-friendly crop in Fife, or improving their culinary skills at Huntly Hairst’s celebration of local food and drink. I look forward to hearing how each of these exciting projects develops.”

Scotland Food & Drink Head of Regional Food Fiona Richmond said:

“We are pleased to be able to support 15 more collaborative food and drink projects around the country with the latest round of the Regional Food Fund.

“Our judging panel were impressed with the level of commitment and creativity shown by the successful applicants, who represent the true passion that makes our vibrant food and drink industry so special.

“We know that local food and drink initiatives play a vital role in the continued growth of Scotland’s food, drink, and tourism sectors. Congratulations to this year’s recipients – we can’t wait to see the projects we have supported come to life.”

Background

Regional Food Fund | Scotland Food & Drink (foodanddrink.scot)

Since 2021, the Scottish Government has provided over £500,000 to the Fund, which has supported 104 collaborative projects, varying from creative artwork to increase customer numbers, new equipment and regional marketing campaigns.

The successful applicants in this round are:

Huntly Hairst, Aberdeenshire. Celebration of local food and drink £2,975

Established 2012, this year will be a collaboration’ theme, producers will prepare meal plans and menus to guide visitors around the stalls, gathering fresh ingredients, listening to masterclasses and demonstrations. Funding will support production of campaign materials and promotion.

Angus Farmers Market, Angus. Appetite for Angus                                £3,000

The project aims to rescue and revitalise the farmers’ markets in Forfar, Carnoustie and Montrose which are due to close in their current form. Markets provide a vital source of income in the area. Funds will contribute to market rebrand.

Argyll and the Isles. Virtual Farmers’ Market                                           £5,000

Creation of innovative digital farmers’ market to help local producers increase their sales and show their contribution to the local economy, both to visitors and locals. This project will off support to rural businesses struggling with rising costs with funds going towards the creation of assets and campaign delivery.

Alloa, Clackmannanshire. First Sound Bites Festival 2026                     £5,000

Collaborative, community festival to promote sales of local produce. Funding will help expand food and drink offer following successful trial last year and will contribute to marketing material and stall hire.

Dumfries and Galloway. Nurture from Nature – Local Food Outlet £5,000

Project aims to create a permanent retail outlet for local producers on this working farm. Funding will contribute to development of marketing and promotional costs.

Fife. Food from Fife – Retail Display Project                                           £5,000

Following the successful trial in November 2024 by regional food group, Food From Fife, roll out of more branded units and point of sale material to a wider range of Fife food and drink businesses, providing dedicated in-store marketing and sales space.

North Fife and Tayside. From Tree to Glass                                            £4,500

Delivered by Bioregioning Tayside, creation of producer group to promote and grow the area’s craft cider and perry production, preserving its apple, pear and plum heritage. Funds will support delivery of business to business, consumer and education events and materials.

Fife. Turning the Tide for Turnip Revolution                                           £5,000

led by East of Scotland Growers will deliver a series of partnerships with chefs, retailers and communities to raise awareness and sales of turnip as a modern, delicious, climate-friendly crop. Funding will contribute to branding, marketing and chef costs.

Forth Valley. Forth Valley Five                                                                 £4,993

Led by regional food group, Forth Valley Food & Drink, this collaborative project will encourage restaurants, cafes, retailers and locals to add feature five local products on menus; stock five new local products on shelves and add five local products to shopping baskets. Funds will support creation of marketing materials and delivery.

Isle of Bute. Isle of Bute Food & Drink Festival                                       £3,240

Three-day celebration of the island’s food and drink via producer stalls; masterclasses; foraging and other experiences, delivered by regional food group, Bute Kitchen, in collaboration with other organisations and businesses.

Love Loch Lomond – A Taste of Loch Lomond Marketing Campaign    £4,500

Marketing campaign to promote a new publication, ‘A Taste of Loch Lomond: Stories & Flavours from the Bonnie Banks’, that showcases stories, products and recipes from the area’s local producers and hospitality businesses. Funding will support campaign material production and promotion.

Orkney. Orkney Food and Drink Festival                                                 £5,000

Delivered by regional food group, Orkney Food and Drink, this two-day festival will bring together the island’s businesses to sell their products to visitors and locals. Funding will support venue and promotional costs.

Outer Hebrides. Hebridean Fine Food & Drink Festival                          £3,000

Regional food group, Eat Drink Hebrides, will deliver branding and marketing assets for two food fairs and two networking events including a Food and Drink Awards, increasing sales, promoting local businesses and supporting local supply chains.

Fine Cheesemakers of Scotland – Promoting Scottish Artisanal Cheese £5,000

Project from this collaborative artisan cheese network to improve digital presence and tell a more compelling and cohesive story to increase sales and promotion. Funding will support professional content rebrand including video/photos/Instagram and website.

The Scottish Cider Festival                                                                      £5,000

New annual event to promote Scotland’s emerging cider industry, delivered by Fife-based cider pioneers, Aeble. Hosted in Edinburgh, it will provide a platform for the country’s producers to sell their craft products, partnering with other local food and drink producers. Funding will support venue, branding and marketing costs.

TOTAL          15 Applicants         TOTAL GRANT CLAIM FUNDING     £66,208

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Biggest ever investment in city region local transport as Chancellor vows the ‘Renewal of Britain’

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Press release

Biggest ever investment in city region local transport as Chancellor vows the ‘Renewal of Britain’

Working people in cities and towns from Sunderland to Solihull will benefit from the biggest investment in regional transport, as every part of the country prospers under Plan for Change.

Chancellor more than doubles investment in local transport in England’s city regions, delivering the biggest ever investment over the next five years.
Announcement comes ahead of next week’s Spending Review focused on investment in the Government’s priorities, in Britain’s renewal, and in what matters to you in the place that you live.

Working people across the North, Midlands and the South West will benefit from the biggest ever investment in buses, trams and local train infrastructure in city regions as the Chancellor today promises the renewal of Britain to make all parts of the country better off.

In a speech in Greater Manchester, Reeves is expected to say that “a Britain that is better off cannot rely on a handful of places forging ahead of the rest of the country,” adding that the “result of such thinking has been growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns.”

Reeves will say the Spending Review next week will take different choices, with investment in a “new economic model – driven by investment in all parts of the country, not just a few.”

She will unveil the first investment announcements from the Spending Review, with £15.6 billion of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions – including South Yorkshire, the North East, the East Midlands and Tees Valley. The funding – a more than double real-terms increase in capital spending on local transport in city regions by 2029/30 compared with 2024/25 – will empower local leaders to invest in transport projects that will make a difference to their local area.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, said:

Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change.

For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of Government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off.

This long-overdue investment outside of London and the South East will see projects like the Metro extension linking Washington to Newcastle and Sunderland and the renewal South Yorkshire’s tram network linking employment and housing areas in Sheffield and Rotheram get off the ground – creating jobs, better commutes, bigger labour markets and more opportunity.

The game-changing funding comes ahead of next week’s Spending Review when the Chancellor will set out how this government is investing in the country’s future and the priorities of working people to make every part of Britain better off.

The five-year settlements will mean the Mayor of West Yorkshire can commit to delivering the West Yorkshire Mass Transit, which will be fully integrated with cycling, walking, bus and rail, making journeys quicker, more accessible and more reliable across the region.

The funding will also mean the Mayor of the West Midlands can build a metro extension to Birmingham’s sports quarter, making a start on his ambitions to deliver mass transit from East Birmingham to North Solihull.

It will also allow the Mayor of Greater Manchester to transform the Metrolink tram network, with new stops in Bury, north Manchester and Oldham and a Metrolink extension to Stockport town centre.

The Chancellor is also expected to confirm “a step change in how government approaches and evaluates the case for investing in our regions” following a review of the Treasury’s Green Book and how it is used, “to make sure that this government gives every region a fair hearing when it comes to investments”.

The full conclusions of the Green Book review will be published on June 11, alongside the wider Spending Review.

Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said:

This government’s decision to back major local transport projects with serious, long-term investment will be critical to driving regional growth. The economic revival of Greater Manchester, enabled by sustained investment in the tram network in particular, has already begun to close the productivity gap with London. To build on that success and replicate it across all our regions in the North, we need to see key projects delivered – including the extension of the Metro to Washington, the replacement of the Sheffield tram fleet, and the extension of Metrolink to Stockport.

Too many times in the past, a trade-off was made – due to limited funding – between connectivity within and between our regions. The spending rules adopted last autumn mean this government can invest in both at the same time, unlocking far greater productivity gains than prioritising one at the expense of the other.

Jonny Haseldine, Head of Business Environment at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

The pathway to the strong and consistent growth the UK economy needs has to come through investment in our regions.

That means developing regional infrastructure, including transport projects and grid connectivity, improved rail capacity and electrification of key sections of the network.

These projects can then give firms involved in the supply chains real confidence to start planning and investing in their local economies.

But it is critical that no corner of the UK gets left behind and regional development works in alignment with national goals.

More information

Mayoral breakdown of Transport for City Regions funding:

Mayoral Combined Authority	Funding allocation (27/28-31/32) (1)	Projects likely to be taken forward by mayors
West Midlands	£2.4 billion	Metro extension connecting Birmingham City Centre to new sports quarter, unlocking £3bn investment from private investors. This is the first phase of new mass transit from East Birmingham to North Solihull.
West Yorkshire	£2.1 billion	Spades in the ground to start building West Yorkshire Mass Transit by 2028, with aim for first services by mid-2030s. Transforming six transport corridors in West Yorkshire not covered by the mass transit routes, including through new bus stations at Bradford and Wakefield
Greater Manchester	£2.5 billion	Major infrastructure projects to unlock new homes, jobs and better connect communities, including growing and transforming the Metrolink tram network, with new tram stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham and Metrolink extension to Stockport. A fully electric Bee Network, with zero emission public transport network across bikes, bus and tram by 2030, including purchase of 1,000 new electric buses. £530m to renew the tram network, providing a fleet of new, replacement vehicles, modernising tram stops, as well maintenance to improve reliability.
South Yorkshire	£1.5 billion	£350m to reform South Yorkshire’s buses, with franchised buses operating in Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027 and across the whole of South Yorkshire by 2029.
Liverpool City Region	£1.6 billion	£100m for 3 new bus rapid transit routes, to the Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Everton stadium and Anfield. Buying a brand-new fleet of buses for the city region’s franchised bus network, beginning with St Helens and the Wirral in 2026 and then Sefton, Knowsley, North and South Liverpool in 2027.
North East	£1.8 billion	Metro extension linking Newcastle and Sunderland via Washington, serving one of the largest advanced manufacturing zones in the UK.
West of England	£0.8 billion	£150m to improve rail infrastructure across the region, including funding to support WECA’s ambitions for increased frequency of services between Brabazon and the city centre. £200m for Mass transit development between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
Tees Valley	£1.0 billion	£60m for the Platform 3 extension at Middlesborough station, unblocking the local network.
East Midlands	£2.0 billion	Designing a new mass transit system to connect Derby and Nottingham, encompassing road, rail and bus improvements across the Trent Arc corridor.

(1): Some of this funding will be brought forward to 2025/26 and 2026/27 to ensure communities see the benefit of this significant investment even earlier.

Ben Plowden, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said:

It’s great to see the Government investing in the local transport infrastructure that will tangibly improve the lives of millions across our city regions and particularly good to see trams being prioritised in several areas. Fast, frequent and reliable public transport is essential to unlocking opportunity and driving inclusive economic growth.

We hope to see similar commitments to revenue funding in next week’s Spending Review, alongside support for local authorities to plan, deliver and run the high-quality transport services their communities need.

Mark Casci, Head of Policy and Representation at West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said:

This commitment to fund mass transit in West Yorkshire can be a game changer for the region.

West Yorkshire is home to a world-class business community, but the region is held back by poor connectivity which impacts upon our productivity.

By delivering this much needed infrastructure upgrade to the region, West Yorkshire can finally punch its weight and deliver enhanced returns for UK PLC.

Published 4 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Banking bill passed

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today welcomed the Legislative Council’s passage of the Banking (Amendment) Bill 2025, which enables sharing of account information among banks under specified conditions in order to facilitate the detection and prevention of crime in Hong Kong.

The amendment ordinance introduces a voluntary mechanism allowing banks and law enforcement agencies to share information with each other – swiftly and safely, via secure platforms designated by the Monetary Authority – relating to corporate and individual accounts, when banks become aware of suspected activities such as money laundering, or the financing of terrorist activities or of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The bill also provides legal protection for banks that disclose relevant information.

The mechanism will enable banks and law enforcement agencies to act swiftly to intercept illicit funds and expedite intelligence gathering with a view to protecting the public from fraud and associated money laundering activities.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said the new mechanism not only enhances Hong Kong’s ability to combat fraud and associated money laundering activities, thereby providing better protection for citizens, but also helps maintain the stability of Hong Kong’s banking system and underscores the city’s efforts, as an international financial centre, to combat illegal activities.

The amendment ordinance will come into effect this year. The commencement date will be announced separately.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Winterberry Group Research Unveils How Marketers Can Improve the Effectiveness Of $1.12 Trillion of Global Media Spend
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Creative, labeled as “non-working” media, is responsible for driving 40-70% of an advertising campaign’s performance, yet it has been deprioritized and undervalued. Global advertising spend is projected to reach $1.12 trillion by 2026, so investment in creative and content is expected to surpass $140 billion. Winterberry Group, a strategic growth consultancy, today released the findings of a new report that details how to collapse the artificial siloes of “working” and “non-working” media and achieve marketing effectiveness with media, audience and creative intelligence.

The report defines creative intelligence as the ability to collect, structure and analyze creative decisions against performance data to continuously optimize assets for effectiveness and engagement.

“It is time to overhaul outdated thinking that the billions spent on creative production is non-working,” said Bruce Biegel, senior managing partner of Winterberry Group. “To truly unlock the full potential of modern marketing effectiveness with greater financial discipline, media, audience and creative data have to converge into a full-funnel, personalized and measurable experience at scale.”

Brands and agencies can connect every stage of the creative and campaign process to outcomes. Creative intelligence empowers smarter briefings, pre-flight analysis, real-time activation and optimization as well as creative lifetime value (Creative LTV).

With the pace of AI advancements and budgets under pressure, Winterberry predicts creative intelligence will be widely adopted by leading marketers in the next 24-36 months. Starting in channels with the most accessible creative data – social, email and mobile messaging, and then expand into programmatic digital formats such as display, video, audio, and connected TV (CTV).

Other key findings from the report include:
- Nearly half of marketers (49%) still equate “creative intelligence” with ideation alone, rather than recognizing it as a system for measurement and optimization.
- Nearly all marketers (99%) view measuring creative LTV as important – with 72% calling it very important.
  - However, only 54% say their organization measures creative LTV very effectively.
- Creative intelligence is most impactful for understanding brand awareness (41%) and performance outcomes (38%).
- Creative quality is universally valued as the most important metric for understanding creative intelligence followed by brand lift by both brands (49%) and agencies (38%).
  - Brands then are more interested in measuring conversions (33%), while agencies lean into audience relevance (31%) and engagement (28%).
- Overall, brands and agencies expect creative intelligence to be led by marketing strategy and operations (but agencies favor external advisory roles more than brands).
- Brands prioritize agencies for executional support in the evolving creative intelligence ecosystem, while agencies see themselves having more of a focus on technology and strategic integration.
“Intelligent creative isn’t an emerging trend, it’s the new standard,” said Laura Desmond, CEO of Smartly. “With audience data in place, AI accelerating, and content demands at an all-time high, brands that harness creative intelligence are turning what was once marketing guesswork into a performance engine. The shift isn’t coming, it’s already here, and it’s redefining how we drive growth with speed, precision, and impact.”

“Winterberry Group’s research powerfully validates what we see every day: for too long, creative has been under-leveraged as a driver of marketing effectiveness,” said Wesley ter Haar, Chief AI and Revenue Officer at Monks. “At Monks, we’re focused on building the AI-powered connective tissue that unifies creative, media and audience data, enabling brands to drive measurable and scalable marketing effectiveness everywhere they show up.”

“Creative Intelligence isn’t a theory—it’s a system,” said Rob Rakowitz, head of marketing at VidMob. “What makes this whitepaper so valuable is its attention to the mechanics: the inputs, outputs and feedback loops that turn creative into a measurable asset across the entire marketing lifecycle.”

“This valuable research aligns with over two decades of Analytic Partners’ ROI Genome findings: Creative is the #2 driver of marketing effectiveness—right after spend,” said Nancy Smith, President and CEO of Analytic Partners. “Advertisers must incorporate creative within their optimization and measurement programs to maximize commercial impact.”

For this research report, Winterberry Group surveyed over 200 senior brand marketing and agencies executives, data, analytics and technology thought leaders across the United States and United Kingdom, conducting in-depth interviews with over 50 industry experts and influencers from customers and users of creative intelligence solutions.

This is the first research report in the Winterberry Group series on creative intelligence – “Demystifying Creative Intelligence: Enhancing Marketing Effectiveness at the Intersection of Media, Audience and Creative.”

This report was made possible with the support of IAA North America, Analytic Partners, Smartly.io, VidMob, Monks, APR and ContinuumGlobal.

The full research report is available for download: https://winterberrygroup.com/demystifying-creative-intelligence-enhancing-marketing-effectiveness-at-the-intersection-of-media-audience-and-creative.

About Winterberry Group
Winterberry Group is a growth consultancy specializing in the intersecting disciplines of marketing, advertising, technology, data and analytics. We collaborate with stakeholders across those ecosystems—agencies, service providers, technology developers, brands, publishers and investor groups—leveraging deep industry expertise to build actionable strategies that spur growth and drive the creation of real and lasting stakeholder value. Learn more at winterberrygroup.com.

Media Contact
Lacy Talton
Evergreen & Oak on behalf of Winterberry Group
lacy@evergreenandoak.com
252.467.5220

Ilisia Shuke
Winterberry Group
ishuke@winterberrygroup.com
917.635.2405

The MIL Network –
June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: The main events of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Yuryevets have begun

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova held a meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the celebration in 2025 in accordance with the decree of President Vladimir Putin of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Yuryevets in the Ivanovo region. The Governor of the Ivanovo region Stanislav Voskresensky, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Rosmolodezh, and Rossotrudnichestvo reported on the program of key events and readiness to celebrate the city’s anniversary.

“Yuryevets has many attractions that are important for the history of the Russian state and the history of the formation of small towns in Russia. Preparatory work for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets has been completed. The program of the main events of the celebration, which started on June 1 and will last until August 30 of this year, has been published. Some events related to restoration and major repairs will be completed in 2026-2027,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the plan to prepare for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets included 75 major events and projects financed from the federal and regional budgets. Among them are the repair of buildings, social infrastructure, street and road network, including repair of access roads, modernization of the city’s housing and utilities engineering system, improvement of urban spaces, restoration of cultural heritage sites, educational and cultural events.

To date, major repairs have been completed at the Yuryevets Secondary School and the Central District Hospital, and all six city kindergartens have been repaired. Gasification of Yuryevets, including its historical part, is underway. The Volga embankment has been completely landscaped. 11 streets in Yuryevets have been repaired, as well as regional roads approaching the city, and street lighting has been updated.

The Governor of Ivanovo Region Stanislav Voskresensky reported in detail on the program of key events for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets.

“There is attention to Yuryevets, people come and are interested. I hope that all this will be converted into sustainable development of a wonderful small town. We do not set a main date in the cultural program; significant events will be held all summer. I would like to draw special attention to and invite everyone to a classical music concert as part of the V International Classical Music Festival “Cantata”, which will be held on June 12, Russia Day, on the embankment, from where a beautiful view of the sights of Yuryevets and the endless Volga opens up,” said Governor Stanislav Voskresensky.

In addition, the governor noted that in accordance with the plan for preparing for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets, it is necessary to complete a major overhaul of the city’s heating networks, a major overhaul of the cultural center and the Vesnin Brothers Museum of Architects, and to implement a new concept for the museum’s exposition.

The program of key events to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Yuryevets in the Ivanovo region included the inter-museum exhibition project “Ancient City on the Great River. For the 800th Anniversary of the Founding of Yuryevets”, exhibitions dedicated to the life and work of famous directors who lived in Yuryevets – Andrei Tarkovsky and Alexander Rowe, the forum “Small Towns. New Territories of Creative Industries”, an exhibition of Palekh icon painting and many other projects.

The Shchusev State Research Museum of Architecture in Moscow will host an exhibition entitled “The Vesnin Brothers Architects. The Beginning,” dedicated to the architectural path of the Vesnin brothers, who were born and began their work in Yuryevets.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 4, 2025

Category: Economy

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