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Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Humanitarian aid for Gaza – E-000799/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    In 2024, the Commission allocated EUR 237 million in humanitarian aid to address the needs of vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank[1]. EU humanitarian aid is delivered according to the humanitarian principles of humanity, independence, impartiality and neutrality[2]. These funds were allocated by the Commission to certified non-governmental partners and international organisations, including United Nations organisations[3].

    Humanitarian non-governmental partners are thoroughly assessed by the Commission on their capacity to observe basic principles and obligations, including respect of the relevant EU, international and national law, as well as compliance with transparency, accountability and internal controls, including risk management mechanisms[4].

    Furthermore, humanitarian partners have taken measures to secure aid delivery, such as securing warehouses, ensuring presence during distributions, and coordinating routes used for movement with Israeli security forces through the Humanitarian Notification System. The Commission is in regular contact with its partners on the ground. Despite the dramatic situation, they are doing their utmost to ensure due diligence, monitoring the situation and their activities.

    Reconstruction goes beyond humanitarian aid and requires a long-term ceasefire as well as other conditions, such as governance and security arrangements, to fall in place. With the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas during 2024, the EU was not able to finance any reconstruction activities in Gaza in 2024.

    • [1] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/middle-east-and-northern-africa/palestine_en#how-are-we-helping .
    • [2] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/who/humanitarian-principles_en.
    • [3] Funded partners operating in Palestine in 2024 were the United Nations Children’s Fund (United States), the World Food Programme (Italy), United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (Palestine), Norwegian Refugee Council (Norway), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Switzerland), International Committee of the Red Cross (Switzerland), World Health Organisation, War Child (Netherlands), International Rescue Committee (Denmark), Relief International (France), Humanity and Inclusion (France), Action Against Hunger (Spain), Care International (Austria), Médecins du Monde (France), World Vision (Denmark), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Switzerland), and International NGO Safety Organisation (Netherlands).
    • [4] https://www.dgecho-partners-helpdesk.eu/ngo/humanitarian-partnership-2021-2027/eu-humanitarian-partnership-certificate-2021-2027 .
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Spain’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play – 15-05-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Spain’s national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) is the second largest (in absolute figures) financed by the Next Generation EU (NGEU) recovery instrument and its main spending tool, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Following the October 2023 amendment of the Spanish NRRP, adding a REPowerEU chapter, the plan’s value reached €163 billion (or 13.1 % of national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019), an increase of roughly 135 % compared with the original plan of 2021 (€69.5 billion in grants only). The amended plan comes with an increased grant allocation of €79.8 billion and a freshly requested loan allocation of €83.2 billion. The grant part includes the June 2022 upward revision of Spain’s grant allocation of €7.7 billion and the country’s REPowerEU grant allocation of €2.6 billion. In addition, Spain has requested a transfer of its share from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve of €58 million to its NRRP. So far, €48.3 billion of RRF resources (29.6 % of the amended NRRP) have been received. These have been disbursed by the European Commission in form of pre-financing and four grant instalments. The amended plan focuses on the green transition, devoting almost 40 % of the resources to it, and fosters the digital transformation by committing 25.9 % of the funds (excluding REPowerEU) to digital projects. In the context of the European Semester, the Commission assessed the plan’s implementation as ‘under way’, yet warned about emerging delays hindering effective and swift implementation. The European Parliament participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the European Commission’s work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Sixth edition. The ‘NGEU delivery’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Slovenia to get expressway upgrade with €120 million EIB loan to motorway operator DARS

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • EIB lends Slovenian motorway company DARS €120 million to finance a bypass project near southeastern city of Novo Mesto.
    • Planned Novo Mesto eastern bypass is to improve traffic flow, road safety and air quality in area close to Croatian border.
    • Project includes more than six kilometres of cycling paths as well as bike and pedestrian bridge across river Krka.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €120 million to the Slovenian national motorway company DARS to build a bypass near the southeastern city of Novo Mesto. The planned Novo Mesto eastern bypass is a 9.8-kilometre expressway that will improve traffic flow, road safety and air quality in the region, which is near the border with Croatia.

    The project is expected to boost economic growth in the area by connecting to the A2 motorway, which traverses Slovenia from north to south.

    In line with the EIB’s Climate Bank Roadmap commitments, it continues to invest in road projects such as the one in Novo Mesto, which includes the creation of more than six kilometres of dedicated cycling paths as well as a bike and pedestrian bridge across the river Krka, bolstering actions to promote clean forms of transport and fight climate change.

    “This project reflects our support for sustainable infrastructure development in Slovenia,” said EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris. “It is part of our broader effort to help improve mobility and quality of life for residents in Novo Mesto and the wider region.”

    The Novo Mesto Eastern Bypass is  part of Slovenia’s plan for sustainable urban mobility and aligns with the European Union’s priorities for infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.

    “We welcome the EIB’s decision to grant DARS the credit facilities to implement this key infrastructure project. We are convinced that it will significantly contribute to the development of the municipality and the wider region, while at the same time improving road safety and traffic flow for all users,” said the President of the Board of DARS, mag. Andrej Ribi.

    The EIB’s advisory services, including technical assistance from JASPERS, helped in the project preparation by being involved in feasibility studies and environmental-impact assessments. 

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, the EIB finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. 

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.   

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in the organisation’s Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate-change mitigation, adaptation and a healthier environment. Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the EU is directed towards cohesion regions, where per-capita income is lower than the EU average. 

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of the EIB Group’s headquarters for media use are available here.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Transparency of the Commission’s actions in promoting its CSDP initiatives in Member States – E-001826/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001826/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Michał Dworczyk (ECR)

    The Commission is obliged to ensure transparency in the development and implementation of EU legislation and policies. However, in recent years, there have been numerous reports of a lack of transparency. One need only mention the Commission President’s secret SMS negotiations on the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, or the Commission’s lobbying of MEPs on the Green Deal[1], which violated the principles of sincere cooperation between EU institutions.

    Another example is the Commission’s lobbying activities in Member States to promote its policies in the area of security and defence, including the arms industry. The EU’s competences in these areas are limited, yet more and more proposals put forward by the Commission indicate a systematic drive to secure greater decision-making powers at EU level. In particular, since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the Commission’s initiatives relating to the defence industry, while not formally changing the competences laid down in the Treaties, have de facto extended the EU’s influence in these areas through financial and regulatory instruments. Therefore, the Commission’s actions aimed at shaping public opinion and influencing the public debate in Member States on security and defence issues raise serious legal and ethical concerns.

    In light of the foregoing:

    How many contracts has the Commission concluded, for what amounts and in which countries for lobbying activities for its initiatives in the area of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and the arms industry in the Member States?

    Submitted: 6.5.2025

    • [1] According to the media, the Commission used European taxpayers’ money to commission lobbying activities aimed at influencing the views of MEPs. https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/la-commission-europeenne-a-paye-des-ong-pour-faire-son-lobbying-sur-le-pacte-vert-23-01-2025-2580637_24.php#11
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Calviño: EIB Group to provide €70 billion for tech firms and innovators

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB Group President Nadia Calviño explains how Europe can benefit from the Trump chaos, with the tech sector set to receive a massive financial boost.

    Interview by Carsten Volkery (published by Handelsblatt)

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is launching a new initiative to close Europe’s investment gap with the United States, aiming to provide €70 billion in startup funding by 2027. This will encourage private investors to get on board with projects, unlocking as much as €250 billion in investment for the European tech sector.

    “This is the largest ever programme to exclusively support European innovation and technological leadership,” EIB Group President Nadia Calviño told Handelsblatt. The goal, she explained, is to finance research projects and companies “from idea to IPO.”

    This also includes supporting the exit of company founders and venture capital investors – who often sell their stakes to US investors, who can afford to buy them. In the future, the EIB could help EU firms to acquire promising startups to prevent technologies from being sold out of Europe.

    TechEU platform to launch this year

    Set to launch later this year, the EIB’s TechEU platform is designed to provide researchers and companies with a one-stop shop for all their financing needs. Calviño says that EU support will become “larger, faster and simpler.” The EIB will work closely with the European Commission, and national promotional banks such as Germany’s KfW may also participate.

    The plan still needs to be approved by the Bank’s Board of Governors, which is made up of the finance ministers of the 27 EU Member States. The EIB Group President gave her perspective to a meeting of the finance ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, and hopes for a positive decision in June.

    She also sees an opportunity in US President Donald Trump’s erratic economic policy and the uncertainty it has caused. “The current situation in the United States creates an opportunity for Europe to attract talent, to attract investment, to attract capital,” she said. “We see strong interest in Europe from international investors.”

    Brain drain warning from US researchers

    In recent weeks and months, the US administration has massively cut research funding for institutions such as the elite Harvard and Columbia universities. US researchers are already warning of brain drain as leading scientists leave the country.

    Former President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Leo Rafael Reif wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine that the Trump administration seems intent on destroying one of the United States’ greatest strengths. The recent cuts to university funding, he writes, risk “draining a crucial source of new ideas for industry and the military.”

    Calviño emphasised that Europe is a “beacon of stability, clarity and confidence” in the current geopolitical environment. This is what investors are looking for. The EIB is also the only multilateral development bank whose shareholders are the EU Member States. “We are not confronted with the same sort of uncertainties that other multilateral development banks are going through,” she says. This enhances the international role of the EIB.

    The EIB’s goal is to back EU policy objectives. It catalyses private investment by offering only partial financing for projects, thereby mobilising public and private sector co-investors. It lent €89 billion last year, and plans to provide €95 billion this year.

    Europe’s largest venture capital financier

    Beyond guarantees and loans, the EIB also takes equity stakes in companies. It is Europe’s largest venture capital financier and its biggest venture debt provider. The various EU funding programmes for researchers and startups will be linked together on the new TechEU platform, meaning that each project will only need to be appraised once.

    The EIB’s prominent role in venture capital financing shows just how underdeveloped Europe’s private capital markets really are. Calviño says that this new initiative aims to nurture the private venture capital ecosystem in Europe. The hope is that, in time, European startups will no longer be obliged to go to the United States to meet their growth phase capital needs.

    However, critics accuse the EIB of being too conservative in its investment approach. In his report on EU competitiveness published last year, EU Special Advisor Mario Draghi called on the Bank to take on more risk to foster breakthrough innovation.

    EIB to take on more risk

    Calviño says that the EIB has already become more willing to take risks. It intends to continue on that track with the TechEU programme, supporting an extra 1 000 EU champions and innovators every year. At the same time, the EIB must ensure it preserves its AAA credit rating, which enables it to raise funds cheaply on the capital markets. It can then pass these funds on to companies.

    Calviño also promises to cut red tape, aiming to return decisions on venture capital financing applications within six months. “This would be a gamechanger.”

    The tech sector often complains that response times are too long. In the past, the EIB has always framed its thorough appraisal process as a hallmark of quality, as it keeps loan default rates very low. But it now seems to have been understood that speed is also a critical factor.

    Another innovation driver could be the defence sector. The EIB has recently made defence one of its core strategic priorities and now also finances purely military projects. “Security and defence investments can certainly help the technology agenda,” said Calviño.

    The Bank already has a pipeline of 22 projects in this sector, supporting drone manufacturers and space companies, for example, as well as several defence-focused venture capital funds.

    According to Calviño, Europe already has almost everything it needs to close the technology gap with the United States. “Europe has a very large market, 450 million citizens, excellent universities, excellent research centres and companies, and brilliant startup ecosystems. With deeper and larger capital markets, we can ensure that technologies and startups born in the European Union can be financed and scale up in Europe.”

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – MEPs back new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods

    Source: European Parliament

    The International Trade Committee has approved a 50% increase in tariffs on certain Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods to further reduce EU dependency.

    MEPs in the International Trade Committee have backed a Commission proposal to increase EU tariffs by 50% on those agricultural products from Russia and Belarus that are still excluded from other customs duties. The aim is to reduce EU dependency on the two countries still further. Products to be hit by the new tariffs include sugars, vinegar, flour and animal feed.

    The approved text also provides period. The latter duties would rise to €430 per tonne by 2028. Income from Russian and Belarusian fertilisers is seen as contributing directly to the war against Ukraine.

    The proposed measures will significantly reduce imports into the EU of the goods concerned originating in or exported directly or indirectly from Russia and Belarus. This should result in further diversification of EU fertiliser production, a sector that is currently suffering from the low prices of imported goods.

    The legislation also tasks the Commission with monitoring and acting to mitigate price increases that could damage the internal market and the EU agriculture sector.

    The draft regulation was adopted by 29 votes in favour, 6 against and 2 abstentions.

    Quote

    The standing rapporteur for Russia Inese Vaidere (EPP, LV) said: “This regulation to gradually increase customs duties for products from Russia and Belarus will help to prevent Russia from using the EU market to finance its war machine. It is not acceptable that three years after Russia launched its full-scale war, the EU is still buying critical products in large volumes; in fact, these imports have significantly increased.

    The proposal will also boost EU fertiliser production, which has taken a hit from cheap Russian imports, while giving farmers time to adjust.”

    Next steps

    The proposal will now be put to a vote in Parliament’s next plenary session, which will take place in Brussels, on Thursday 22 May.

    Background

    Imports into the EU of urea and nitrogen-based fertilisers from Russia, already high in 2023, increased significantly in 2024. According to the Commission, imports of the fertilisers covered by this regulation reflect a situation of economic dependence on Russia. If left unchecked, the situation could harm EU food security and, especially in the case of fertilisers, make the EU vulnerable to possible coercive measures by Russia.

    To tackle these issues, on 28 January 2025, the Commission presented its proposal to impose tariffs on fertilisers and certain agricultural products originating in Russia and Belarus.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Humanitarian subsidies or incitement to political regime change? – E-001729/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001729/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Virginie Joron (PfE)

    Saudi Arabia finances 1.6 % of global development aid, as does Switzerland.

    By contrast, in 2023 the Commission and the Member States provided EUR 101 billion, which accounts for 41 % of development aid. According to the European Parliament’s research service, just 3.8 % of this amount was spent on health and 3.3 % on water supply and sanitation[1].

    Since 10 March 2025, the Trump presidency has put an end to 83 % of the US Agency for International Development’s programmes falsely termed as ‘humanitarian’.

    In these circumstances, it is questionable why Brussels uses the term ‘humanitarian’ and what the purpose of this aid actually is.

    • 1.How much is the Commission spending on values, democracy and other non-urgent actions outside Europe?
    • 2.Which are the three main humanitarian NGOs funded by the Commission? What is the annual remuneration of their directors?

    Submitted: 30.4.2025

    • [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2025/769540/EPRS_ATA(2025)769540_EN.pdf
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism – A10-0085/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety
    Rapporteur: Antonio Decaro
    (Simplified procedure – Rule 52(2) of the Rules of Procedure)

    DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    (COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))

    (Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2025)0087),

    – having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C10-0035/2025),

    – having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the budgetary assessment by the Committee on Budgets,

    – having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 29 April 2025[1],

    – after consulting the Committee of the Regions,

    – having regard to Rules 60 and 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinions of he Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (A10-0085/2025),

    1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

    2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

    3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

     

    Amendment  1

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 25 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (25a) The CBAM applies to importation of electricity, but it should not apply to electricity generated entirely in the exclusive economic zone of an EEA Member State and imported directly into the customs territory of the Union ;

    Amendment  2

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b a (new)

    Regulation (EU) 2023/956

    Article 2 – paragraph 3 b (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (ba) the following paragraph 3b is inserted:

     

    3b. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, this Regulation shall not apply to electricity generated entirely in the exclusive economic zone of an EEA Member State and imported directly into the customs territory of the Union.

    Amendment  3

    Proposal for a regulation

    Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)

    Regulation (EU) 2023/956

    Annex IV – point 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 5

     

    Present text

    Amendment

     

    (1a) In point 3, in the notes explaining the formula for SEEg in the first paragraph, the note for EEImpMat is replaced by the following:

    EEInpMat

    EEInpMat

    are the embedded emissions of the input materials (precursors) consumed in the production process. Only input materials (precursors) listed as relevant to the system boundaries of the production process as specified in the implementing act adopted pursuant to Article 7(7) are to be considered. The relevant EEInpMat are calculated as follows:

    are the embedded emissions of the input materials (precursors) consumed in the production process. Only input materials (precursors) listed in Annex I and originating in third countries and territories that are not exempted pursuant to Annex III, Section 1 are to be considered. The relevant EEInpMat are calculated as follows:

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

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

     

     

    28.4.2025BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS

    for the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    (COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))

    Rapporteur for budgetary assessment: Sandra Gómez López 

    The Committee on Budgets has carried out a budgetary assessment of the proposal under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and has reached the following conclusions:

    A. whereas the proposal by the Commission to simplify the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism(CBAM) aims at achieving significant savings in terms of administrative costs for EU importers of CBAM goods;

    B. whereas the proceeds of the CBAM are to become an EU own resource according to the amended Commission proposal of 23 June 2023 for a Council decision amending Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 on the system of own resources of the European Union (COM(2023)0331); whereas Parliament approved this proposal in its legislative resolution of 9 November 2023[2];

    C. whereas the Council has failed to implement the steps set out in the legally binding roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA), the objectives of this roadmap being to introduce sufficient new own resources to at least cover the repayment of NextGenerationEU (NGEU) debt;

    D. whereas the estimated revenue from the CBAM would diminish in proportion to the CO2 emissions captured in the scope of the simplified regulation; whereas this impact would remain modest, presumably within one per cent of the overall estimated revenue;

    E. whereas the Commission proposal entails additional operational expenditure in Heading 3 to be financed by means of redeployment from a budget line in Heading 4 and administrative expenditure for human resources in Heading 7 to be financed by redeployment within Heading 7;

    F. whereas the penalties for CBAM declarants in breach of the regulation are, in principle, to be aligned with excess emission penalties under the Emissions Trading System (ETS); whereas the national competent authorities remain in charge of establishing and enforcing such measures based on implementing acts;

    1. Takes note of the proposal to simplify the CBAM regulation in the context of an overall initiative to improve the EU’s competitiveness;

    2. Recalls that Parliament has repeatedly endorsed a new own resource based on the CBAM and is keenly aware that this own resource is one of the few candidates that also enjoy tangible support from the Member States in the Council; regrets, therefore, that the embedded emissions covered under the reduced scope of the CBAM would lead to proportionately lower own resources revenue from the CBAM; acknowledges, however, that the amounts (in the order of EUR 20 million per year) and share (1 %) concerned are modest compared to the overall figures that the CBAM is expected to produce in terms of revenue;

    3. Confirms that the amending regulation remains compatible with Parliament’s consultative opinion of 9 November 2023, which approves the Commission’s proposal for an amended Council decision on the system of own resources, including a new own resource based on the CBAM;

    4. Considers that there are no provisions in the amending regulation that would fall under Rule 58(4), i.e. covering exclusively budgetary aspects which the committee responsible for the subject matter would not be allowed to amend; considers, furthermore, that no legislative amendments in this regard are necessary at this stage;

    5. Recalls that the amendments or compromises in the course of the negotiations must not lead to any provisions contradicting Parliament’s established position on the use of CBAM revenue as an own resource; considers it necessary, therefore, to take part in the further negotiations, including the trilogues, in order to monitor the consistency with Parliament’s position on own resources and other pertinent budget-related provisions, and to ensure that the final agreement is compatible with the current MFF;

    6. Observes certain flaws and errors in the Legislative Financial and Digital Statement (LFS) that should be rectified in the course of the further process, in a revised version of the Statement; questions, in this respect, the annual amounts listed in the table under Section 3.3 and, in particular, whether there will already be any revenue collected in 2026; also considers that the budget line (which is from the expenditure title) mentioned in this section is incorrect; recalls that in order to be consistent with present practice and the proposed own resources legislation, amounts indicated in this section should be shown ‘net’ of the 25 % collection costs to be retained by Member States and converted into current prices;

    7. Acknowledges that the level of revenue foregone, in the order of EUR 21 million as of 2030, is non-material compared to the cost savings for companies, especially SMEs, and acceptable in view of the overall revenue expected from the CBAM;

    8. Takes note of the necessary additional operational and administrative appropriations as indicated in the LFS; reiterates its long-standing position that new tasks and responsibilities should, in principle, be financed by fresh resources; deplores the limited margins available in the MFF and acknowledges that they could justify a certain level of reallocation; warns that the additional operational amounts will use a sizeable share of the remaining margin under Heading 3; also recognises that the redeployment from the instrument for financial support for customs control equipment (CCEI) implies the creation of some additional margin in Heading 4; determines that the amounts mentioned under points 3.2.1, 3.2.3 and 3.2.6 in the LFS are compatible with the MFF ceilings in Headings 3, 4 and 7, but will require adjustments in the financial programming; questions, nonetheless, whether such redeployment operations are in line with the ring-fencing logic of the MFF headings;

    9. Questions why a reduction of the scope, by an alleged 90 %, of companies to be registered as authorised CBAM declarants does not lead to a lower level of administrative needs under Heading 7;

    10. Acknowledges that any substantive changes in the governance of the implementation and enforcement of the CBAM, such as those related to the penalties for non-compliance, would be beyond the scope of this simplification initiative; considers, however, in light of the planned revision of the CBAM regulation, that the proceeds of the penalties could eventually be considered as general revenue for the EU budget;

    11. Notes that the simplification initiative is also presented as a key enabler for a potential future extension of the scope of the CBAM; expects that such an extension would have significant budgetary implications, including for revenue flows;

    12. Recalls that the Union’s budget is under strain and stresses the need for additional sustainable and resilient revenue; points to the legally binding roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources laid down in the IIA, in which Parliament, the Council and the Commission undertook to introduce sufficient new own resources to at least cover the repayment of NGEU debt; recalls its support for the amended Commission proposal on the system of own resources; is deeply concerned by the complete absence of progress on the system of own resources in the Council; calls on the Council to adopt this proposal as a matter of urgency and urges the Commission to spare no effort in supporting the adoption process; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to continue efforts to identify additional genuine new own resources beyond those specified in the IIA.

    As part of its budgetary assessment, the Committee on Budgets also submits the following amendments to the proposal:

    Amendment  1

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital [10] a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    ([10]a). This Regulation has implications for the Union budget. Accordingly, the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets adopted a budgetary assessment, which forms an integral part of Parliament’s mandate for negotiations.

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

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

     

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT

    Title

    Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    References

    COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD)

    Committee(s) responsible

    ENVI

     

     

     

     Date announced in plenary

    BUDG

    31.3.2025

    Rapporteur for budgetary assessment

     Date appointed

    Sandra Gómez López

    26.3.2025

    Discussed in committee

    31.3.2025

     

     

     

    Date adopted

    23.4.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    23

    9

    1

    Members present for the final vote

    Georgios Aftias, Rasmus Andresen, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Olivier Chastel, Thomas Geisel, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Monika Hohlmeier, Alexander Jungbluth, Fabienne Keller, Giuseppe Lupo, Siegfried Mureşan, Matjaž Nemec, Danuše Nerudová, João Oliveira, Ruggero Razza, Karlo Ressler, Bogdan Rzońca, Julien Sanchez, Hélder Sousa Silva, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs, Lucia Yar, Auke Zijlstra

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Stine Bosse, Rasmus Nordqvist, Jacek Protas

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

    Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Tobias Cremer, Marieke Ehlers, Julien Leonardelli, Philippe Olivier

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
    IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT

    23

    +

    NI

    Thomas Geisel

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Monika Hohlmeier, Siegfried Mureşan, Danuše Nerudová, Jacek Protas, Karlo Ressler, Hélder Sousa Silva

    Renew

    Stine Bosse, Olivier Chastel, Fabienne Keller, Lucia Yar

    S&D

    Tobias Cremer, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Giuseppe Lupo, Matjaž Nemec, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs

    Verts/ALE

    Rasmus Andresen, Rasmus Nordqvist, Nicolae Ştefănuță

     

    9

    –

    ECR

    Bogdan Rzońca

    ESN

    Alexander Jungbluth

    PfE

    Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Marieke Ehlers, Julien Leonardelli, Philippe Olivier, Julien Sanchez, Auke Zijlstra

    The Left

    João Oliveira

     

    1

    0

    ECR

    Ruggero Razza

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

    OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE (24.4.2025)

    for the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    (COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))

    Rapporteur for opinion: Karin Karlsbro

     

     

    The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, as the committee responsible, to propose that Parliament adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal.

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

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

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    Title

    Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    References

    COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD)

    Committee(s) responsible

    ENVI

     

     

     

    Opinion by

     Date announced in plenary

    INTA

    31.3.2025

    Rapporteur for the opinion

     Date appointed

    Karin Karlsbro

    19.3.2025

    Simplified procedure – date of decision

    7.4.2025

    Discussed in committee

    7.4.2025

     

     

     

    Date adopted

    23.4.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    36

    2

    0

    Members present for the final vote

    Manon Aubry, Christophe Bay, Udo Bullmann, Andi Cristea, Raphaël Glucksmann, Markéta Gregorová, Svenja Hahn, Taner Kabilov, Karin Karlsbro, Rihards Kols, Sebastian Kruis, Bernd Lange, Ilia Lazarov, Miriam Lexmann, Thierry Mariani, Gabriel Mato, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Daniele Polato, Kathleen Van Brempt, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Catarina Vieira, Jörgen Warborn, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Petras Auštrevičius, Nicolas Bay, Saskia Bricmont, Markus Buchheit, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Fabio De Masi, Jean-Marc Germain, Hana Jalloul Muro, Sandra Kalniete, David McAllister, Jessika Van Leeuwen

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

    Alexander Bernhuber, Daniel Buda, Fabrice Leggeri

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
    BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    36

    +

    ECR

    Nicolas Bay, Rihards Kols, Daniele Polato

    NI

    Fabio De Masi, Taner Kabilov

    PPE

    Alexander Bernhuber, Daniel Buda, Sandra Kalniete, Ilia Lazarov, Miriam Lexmann, David McAllister, Gabriel Mato, Jessika Van Leeuwen, Jörgen Warborn, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez

    PfE

    Christophe Bay, Sebastian Kruis, Fabrice Leggeri, Thierry Mariani

    Renew

    Petras Auštrevičius, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne

    S&D

    Udo Bullmann, Andi Cristea, Jean-Marc Germain, Raphaël Glucksmann, Hana Jalloul Muro, Bernd Lange, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Kathleen Van Brempt

    Verts/ALE

    Saskia Bricmont, Markéta Gregorová, Catarina Vieira

     

    2

    –

    ESN

    Markus Buchheit

    The Left

    Manon Aubry

     

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

    OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, RESEARCH AND ENERGY (23.4.2025)

    for the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism.

    (COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))

    Rapporteur for opinion: Filip Turek

    (Simplified procedure – Rule 52(2) and (3) of the Rules of Procedure)

     

    SHORT JUSTIFICATION

    The European Commission’ proposals aims at simplifying the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) obligations for small importers—primarily SMEs and individuals—by introducing a new de minimis exemption for imports below 50 tonnes mass. These importers bring in minor volumes of CBAM goods, resulting in negligible levels of embedded emissions entering the EU from third countries. Despite this exemption, approximately 99% of total embedded emissions would remain covered under CBAM, while around 90% of importers would be relieved from its obligations. For those importers who continue to fall within the CBAM scope, the proposal also includes a series of simplifications aimed at easing compliance. These measures involve streamlining the authorisation process for declarants, simplifying emission calculation procedures and improving the management of CBAM-related financial liabilities.

    The initiative takes a more pragmatic approach for improving the overall functioning of CBAM, particularly by easing the obligations placed on smaller economic actors. Thus, the proposed exemption marks a necessary and welcome simplification. This, along with the accompanying set of procedural facilitations, represents a step forward in ensuring that the CBAM can be administratively manageable.

    Within the Omnibus framework, it is appropriate to concentrate on the elements explicitly opened by the Commission, while awaiting the upcoming comprehensive review, which will provide a more suitable occasion to consider structural and far-reaching revisions, including concerns on the effectiveness of CBAM.

    In its current design, CBAM disproportionately affects certain energy-intensive sectors and risks being an ineffective tool to ensure a level playing field for EU industries and to prevent carbon leakage. In fact, it could undermine the EU competitiveness by increasing the production costs and the administrative burdens for EU companies.

    The structural revision is therefore urgent to address the risks of resource reshuffling and circumvention. Equally pressing is the postponement (or the deletion) of the phase out from the ETS free allowances, as well as the need to implement effective solutions for EU exporters. Moreover, the possible extension of CBAM to downstream products should be preceded by a thorough and comprehensive impact assessment. 

    While the ITRE Committee will refrain from tabling amendments to the proposal, the threshold could have merited more in-depth consideration. The de minimis exemption may in fact be too low to reflect meaningfully the reality of many SMEs and micro-enterprises. Data indicates that several businesses, including those officially categorized as “micro,” regularly exceed the threshold of 50 tonnes. Hence, a balanced solution could be raising it to at least 110 tons. This adjustment would strike a more realistic and equitable balance, enhancing the administrative feasibility of the CBAM, while continuing to capture the vast majority of emissions within the scope of the Mechanism (according to Commission estimates, still over 98%). The exemption of more importers from CBAM obligations would also generate additional cost savings, without significantly undermining the ratio of the proposal.

    In conclusion, waiting for the upcoming comprehensive review, which will provide a timely opportunity to address the outstanding issues, the Rapporteur notes the willingness of the ITRE Committee to not table amendments and supports the Commission’s initiative.

     

    *******

    The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy calls on the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, as the committee responsible, to propose that Parliament adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal.

     

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

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

    Entity and/or person

    Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic

    ČEZ Group

    Emerson International

    Italian Confederation of Craft Trades and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

    European Express Association

    Round Table on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition

    Office of the Government of the Czech Republic

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

     

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

     

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    Title

    Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    References

    COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD)

    Committee(s) responsible

    ENVI

     

     

     

    Opinion by

     Date announced in plenary

    ITRE

    31.3.2025

    Rapporteur for the opinion

     Date appointed

    Filip Turek

    25.3.2025

    Simplified procedure – date of decision

    18.3.2025

    Date adopted

    24.4.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    73

    5

    6

    Members present for the final vote

    Wouter Beke, Tom Berendsen, Michael Bloss, Barbara Bonte, Paolo Borchia, Markus Buchheit, Borys Budka, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Elena Donazzan, Matthias Ecke, Sofie Eriksson, Jan Farský, Niels Fuglsang, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Niels Flemming Hansen, Eero Heinäluoma, Ivars Ijabs, Fernand Kartheiser, Seán Kelly, Rudi Kennes, Ondřej Krutílek, Eszter Lakos, Isabella Lövin, Yannis Maniatis, Sara Matthieu, Marina Mesure, Angelika Niebler, Ville Niinistö, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Pascale Piera, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Elena Sancho Murillo, Jussi Saramo, Paulius Saudargas, Diego Solier, Marcin Sypniewski, Beata Szydło, Dario Tamburrano, Bruno Tobback, Matej Tonin, Yvan Verougstraete, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Andrea Wechsler, Elena Yoncheva, Auke Zijlstra, Nicola Zingaretti

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Christophe Bay, Adam Bielan, Marc Botenga, Andi Cristea, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Chiara Gemma, Andreas Glück, Michalis Hadjipantela, Martin Hojsík, Radan Kanev, Katri Kulmuni, Sergey Lagodinsky, András László, Marion Maréchal, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Francesco Torselli, Marie Toussaint

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

    Magdalena Adamowicz, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Krzysztof Brejza, Jaroslav Bžoch, José Cepeda, Vivien Costanzo, Ton Diepeveen, Siegbert Frank Droese, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Svenja Hahn, Andrzej Halicki, Ilia Lazarov, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Axel Voss

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
    BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    73

    +

    ECR

    Adam Bielan, Elena Donazzan, Chiara Gemma, Fernand Kartheiser, Ondřej Krutílek, Marion Maréchal, Diego Solier, Beata Szydło, Francesco Torselli, Mariateresa Vivaldini

    NI

    Elena Yoncheva

    PPE

    Magdalena Adamowicz, Wouter Beke, Tom Berendsen, Krzysztof Brejza, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Jan Farský, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Michalis Hadjipantela, Andrzej Halicki, Niels Flemming Hansen, Radan Kanev, Seán Kelly, Eszter Lakos, Ilia Lazarov, Angelika Niebler, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Paulius Saudargas, Matej Tonin, Axel Voss, Andrea Wechsler

    PfE

    Christophe Bay, Paolo Borchia, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Jaroslav Bžoch, Anne-Sophie Frigout, András László, Pascale Piera, Pierre-Romain Thionnet

    Renew

    João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Andreas Glück, Svenja Hahn, Martin Hojsík, Ivars Ijabs, Katri Kulmuni, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Yvan Verougstraete

    S&D

    José Cepeda, Vivien Costanzo, Andi Cristea, Matthias Ecke, Sofie Eriksson, Niels Fuglsang, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Eero Heinäluoma, Yannis Maniatis, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Elena Sancho Murillo, Bruno Tobback, Nicola Zingaretti

    Verts/ALE

    Michael Bloss, Sergey Lagodinsky, Isabella Lövin, Sara Matthieu, Ville Niinistö, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Marie Toussaint

     

    5

    –

    The Left

    Marc Botenga, Rudi Kennes, Marina Mesure, Jussi Saramo, Dario Tamburrano

     

    6

    0

    ESN

    Markus Buchheit, Siegbert Frank Droese, Marcin Sypniewski

    PfE

    Barbara Bonte, Ton Diepeveen, Auke Zijlstra

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    Title

    Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism

    References

    COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD)

    Date submitted to Parliament

    27.2.2025

     

     

     

    Committee(s) responsible

    ENVI

     

     

     

    Committees asked for opinions

     Date announced in plenary

    BUDG

    23.4.2025

    INTA

    31.3.2025

    ITRE

    31.3.2025

     

    Rapporteurs

     Date appointed

    Antonio Decaro

    10.3.2025

     

     

     

    Simplified procedure – date of decision

    10.3.2025

    Discussed in committee

    18.3.2025

     

     

     

    Budgetary assessment

     Date of budgetary assessment

    BUDG

    23.4.2025

     

     

     

    Date adopted

    13.5.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    85

    1

    1

    Members present for the final vote

    Bartosz Arłukowicz, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Anja Arndt, Thomas Bajada, Barbara Bonte, Stine Bosse, Lynn Boylan, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Pascal Canfin, Laurent Castillo, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Ivan David, Antonio Decaro, Ondřej Dostál, Viktória Ferenc, Pietro Fiocchi, Emma Fourreau, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Heléne Fritzon, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Esther Herranz García, Martin Hojsík, Pär Holmgren, Romana Jerković, Marc Jongen, Ondřej Knotek, Stefan Köhler, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Javi López, César Luena, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Tilly Metz, Dolors Montserrat, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Jana Nagyová, Rasmus Nordqvist, Jacek Ozdoba, Jutta Paulus, Michele Picaro, Jessica Polfjärd, Carola Rackete, Massimiliano Salini, Lena Schilling, Christine Schneider, Günther Sidl, Jonas Sjöstedt, Sander Smit, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Beatrice Timgren, Dimitris Tsiodras, Alexandr Vondra, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik, Tiemo Wölken, Anna Zalewska

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Biljana Borzan, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Stefano Cavedagna, Susanna Ceccardi, Sebastian Everding, Michalis Hadjipantela, Paolo Inselvini, Adam Jarubas, Nora Junco García, Karin Karlsbro, Billy Kelleher, Norbert Lins, Letizia Moratti, Maria Ohisalo, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Manuela Ripa, André Rodrigues, Elena Sancho Murillo, Christine Singer, Liesbet Sommen, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Anna Stürgkh, Bruno Tobback, Raffaele Topo

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

    Javier Moreno Sánchez, Séverine Werbrouck

    Date tabled

    14.5.2025

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    85

    +

    ECR

    Stefano Cavedagna, Pietro Fiocchi, Paolo Inselvini, Nora Junco García, Jacek Ozdoba, Michele Picaro, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Beatrice Timgren, Alexandr Vondra, Anna Zalewska

    ESN

    Anja Arndt, Ivan David, Marc Jongen

    NI

    Ondřej Dostál

    PPE

    Bartosz Arłukowicz, Laurent Castillo, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Michalis Hadjipantela, Esther Herranz García, Adam Jarubas, Stefan Köhler, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Norbert Lins, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Dolors Montserrat, Letizia Moratti, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Jessica Polfjärd, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Manuela Ripa, Massimiliano Salini, Christine Schneider, Sander Smit, Liesbet Sommen, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Dimitris Tsiodras

    PfE

    Barbara Bonte, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Viktória Ferenc, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Ondřej Knotek, Jana Nagyová, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Séverine Werbrouck

    Renew

    Stine Bosse, Pascal Canfin, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Martin Hojsík, Karin Karlsbro, Billy Kelleher, Christine Singer, Anna Stürgkh, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik

    S&D

    Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Biljana Borzan, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Antonio Decaro, Heléne Fritzon, Romana Jerković, Javi López, César Luena, Javier Moreno Sánchez, André Rodrigues, Elena Sancho Murillo, Günther Sidl, Bruno Tobback, Raffaele Topo, Tiemo Wölken

    The Left

    Lynn Boylan, Sebastian Everding, Carola Rackete, Jonas Sjöstedt

    Verts/ALE

    Pär Holmgren, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Tilly Metz, Rasmus Nordqvist, Maria Ohisalo, Jutta Paulus, Lena Schilling

     

    1

    –

    The Left

    Emma Fourreau

     

    1

    0

    PfE

    Susanna Ceccardi

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Pending approval of state aid for the biomass package – E-001850/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001850/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Christine Schneider (PPE)

    Germany’s ‘biomass package’ (Act Amending the Renewable Energy Sources Act for Greater Flexibility and Ongoing Support for Biogas Plants) entered into force on 25 February 2025. Among other things, the act incentivises flexible electricity generation from biomass and fine-tunes requirements for agriculture. These measures can only be implemented once state aid approval is forthcoming from the Commission. The delay in approval is having significant consequences on biomass plant operators’ investment planning and undermining efforts to achieve the EU’s climate targets.

    • 1.At present, how far advanced is the state aid approval procedure for the German biomass package?
    • 2.What is the Commission specifically doing to ensure the approval procedure for the biomass package is completed in time for the new rules to be applied by the forthcoming deadline of 1 October 2025 for applications – applications submitted by the previous deadline of 1 April 2025 had to be processed under the previous legal framework since the state aid law had not yet been approved – and thus eliminate any further investment uncertainty and financial disadvantages that may affect operators in the sector?

    Submitted: 7.5.2025

    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Payday Loans Online: Fast $255 Payday Loans Near Me With Heart Paydays Loans And No Credit Check, Bad Credit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    Reputable lenders like Heart Paydays Loans prioritize fair lending practices and transparent terms, helping you get the funds you need without getting stuck in a debt trap. Always read the fine print, and if something doesn’t seem right, don’t hesitate to look for another lender.

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    Heart Paydays Loans: The Best Payday Loans Online

    When it comes to finding best payday loans online, Heart Paydays Loans stands out as a top choice. With a wide range of loan options and a focus on providing fast and reliable service, Heart Paydays Loans is ideal for those in need of quick cash.

    1. Fast Approval and Funding

    One of the standout features of Heart Paydays Loans is how quickly they process applications. Once you apply, the approval process is fast, often taking only minutes. If you are approved, funds can be transferred directly into your bank account in as little as 1 hour payday loans no credit check—giving you quick access to the money you need without unnecessary delays.

    2. No Credit Check or Bad Credit Accepted

    If you’re worried about your credit score, don’t be. Heart Paydays Loans provides quick payday loans no credit check. They understand that credit scores don’t always reflect your ability to repay a loan. As long as you have a steady income and are able to repay the loan, you can still qualify for the loan you need—even if your credit score is less than perfect. So, for anyone struggling with payday loan bad credit, Heart Paydays Loans offers a chance to get back on track.

    3. Flexible Loan Amounts and Terms

    With Heart Paydays Loans, you can borrow anywhere from $100 to $5,000, depending on your financial needs. Whether it’s a small emergency or a larger unexpected expense, they offer a range of loan options to suit different budgets. Repayment terms are typically flexible, with options ranging from a few weeks to several months, allowing you to select a plan that works best for you.

    4. No Hidden Fees

    One of the common complaints about payday loans is the hidden fees and high-interest rates. With Heart Paydays Loans, transparency is key. They outline all fees and rates upfront, so you can make an informed decision about your loan. There are no surprise charges, and you’ll know exactly what to expect before you sign any agreement.

    How to Apply for Payday Loans Online

    Getting a payday loan through Heart Paydays Loans is simple. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process:

    1. Visit the Website

    Start by visiting the Heart Paydays Loans website. Their platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it simple to find the loan option that fits your needs. Whether you’re looking for payday loans near me or an online loan, Heart Paydays Loans provides a convenient solution.

    2. Fill Out the Application Form

    The application process is quick and straightforward. You’ll need to provide some basic personal details, such as your name, address, phone number, and employment information. You’ll also need to enter details about your income and bank account, so they can deposit the loan funds directly into your account.

    3. Review the Loan Terms

    Before submitting your application, you’ll be given the chance to review your loan offer. You’ll see the loan amount, the repayment terms, and any interest rates or fees. This is your opportunity to make sure the loan terms are right for you.

    4. Submit Your Application and Get Approved

    Once you’ve reviewed the terms, submit your application. Heart Paydays Loans will quickly review your information and give you an answer. If you’re approved, you’ll receive your loan funds within a very short time frame.

    Ready to apply? Click here to fill out your application with Heart Paydays Loans and get your payday loan funds in no time!

    The Advantages of Heart Paydays Loans

    Here are some key benefits of choosing Heart Paydays Loans for your payday loan needs:

    1. Speed and Convenience

    Need a payday loan quickly? Heart Paydays Loans is one of the best options for 1 hour payday loans no credit check. Their fast approval process and rapid funding mean you won’t have to wait long to get the cash you need.

    2. No Credit Checks or Cosigner Requirements

    Heart Paydays Loans doesn’t require a cosigner, and they don’t rely on credit scores alone to approve your application. This makes it a great option for individuals dealing with payday loan bad credit.

    3. Flexibility

    Heart Paydays Loans offers flexibility in both loan amounts and repayment terms, allowing you to tailor the loan to your specific needs.

    4. Safe and Secure

    Your personal and financial information is protected with top-notch encryption. Heart Paydays Loans is committed to keeping your data safe.

    5. Transparent Terms

    With clear and upfront terms, Heart Paydays Loans ensures that there are no hidden fees or unexpected charges. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting before you agree to the loan.

    What to Look for When Choosing Payday Loans Online

    When searching for best payday loans online, it’s important to consider a few key factors to ensure you’re getting the best deal:

    1. Interest Rates and Fees

    Make sure the payday loan provider offers competitive interest rates. While payday loans generally have higher interest rates than traditional loans, you can still find reasonable options. Always check the fees and make sure you understand what you’ll be paying.

    2. Loan Terms

    Look for payday loans with flexible terms that match your financial situation. Some lenders offer short repayment periods, while others may give you up to a year to repay the loan.

    3. Speed of Funding

    If you need money quickly, look for payday lenders who offer fast funding, such as 1 hour payday loans no credit check.

    4. Lender Reputation

    Choose a lender with a good reputation. Heart Paydays Loans is known for its transparent practices, fast service, and customer satisfaction.

    If you have bad credit, click here to see how Heart Paydays Loans can help you get approved for payday loans even with less-than-perfect credit!

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What are payday loans?

    Payday loans are short-term loans designed to cover emergencies or unexpected expenses until your next paycheck. They are usually small loans that are paid back in full on your next payday or over a few months.

    Q: Can I get a payday loan with bad credit?

    Yes, Heart Paydays Loans offers payday loans bad credit options, meaning that even if you have a low credit score, you may still qualify for a loan.

    Q: How fast can I get my payday loan?

    Heart Paydays Loans offers fast approval and disbursement. In many cases, you can receive your loan within one hour after approval.

    Q: Is it possible to get payday loans with no credit check?

    Yes, Heart Paydays Loans offers quick payday loans no credit check, which means your credit score will not be the main deciding factor for approval.

    Q: How much can I borrow with Heart Paydays Loans?

    Heart Paydays Loans offers payday loans ranging from $100 to $5000, depending on your financial needs and eligibility.

    Conclusion

    When searching for best payday loans online, it’s crucial to prioritize lenders offering low interest rates, clear repayment terms, and fast disbursement. By focusing on these factors, you can ensure that the loan meets your immediate financial needs without becoming a long-term burden. Heart Paydays Loans offers fast and flexible loan options, including 1-hour payday loans no credit check, making it a great choice for those in urgent need of funds.

    If you have bad credit, don’t worry—there are still options available. Many online lenders specialize in providing payday loans for bad credit, helping you secure the funds you need without the high fees or stringent requirements of traditional lenders. However, it’s important to avoid predatory lenders with excessive rates or unclear terms that could leave you trapped in debt.

    Ultimately, choosing the best payday loans online is about finding a lender who offers reasonable terms, transparent fees, and quick funding. By researching and applying to trusted providers like Heart Paydays Loans, you can get the financial help you need while maintaining control of your budget. Apply now to see your loan options and get the support you need today!

    Don’t wait! Click here to apply for the best payday loans online with Heart Paydays Loans and get the funds you need today!

    Project name: Heart Paydays

    Email – support@heartpaydays.com

    Full Company address:Floor 2, 1-5 High Street, Romford, RM1 1JU, United Kingdom

    Company website: heartpaydays.com

    Contact person : Chloe Simon

    email : chloe@heartpaydays.com

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. Payday loans, including those offered through Heart Paydays Loans, may carry high-interest rates and fees, which can vary based on your location and the terms of the loan. It’s important to understand the full terms, fees, and repayment schedule before applying. Borrowers should only consider payday loans for short-term financial needs and ensure they are able to repay the loan on time to avoid further financial difficulties. Heart Paydays Loans is not responsible for any financial consequences resulting from the use of payday loans. We encourage you to explore all options, including traditional loans or financial counseling, before proceeding with payday loans. Always read the fine print and consult with a financial advisor if necessary.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7ff1ca3b-e405-4107-8793-a65390cae147

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7dca294-2850-494d-b258-c6ee433e869b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Steel Reef Announces Election of Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, ALBERTA, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp. (“Steel Reef” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the director election results from its 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 15, 2025. 

    All nine nominees recommended by management for election were elected and will hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company or until their successors are elected or appointed.

    The following directors have been re-elected to Steel Reef’s Board of Directors (“Board”): Sarah Borg-Olivier, Rob Duguid, Steve Magus, Gregory J. Smith, Laryssa Topolnytsky and Greg Pollard, who shall continue as Chair. Steel Reef would also like to welcome newly elected directors Matt McDonald, Stephen Simpson and George So to the Board.

    These individuals bring a broad range of cross-border and inter-disciplinary expertise in the areas of finance, energy, equity markets, acquisitions, governance, compensation, people, organizational culture, communications, infrastructure and engineering to Steel Reef. The Board remains committed to providing strong guidance and support for the management’s team strategic direction and future growth.

    For more information on Steel Reef’s Board, please view their biographies on the Company’s website: www.steelreef.ca.

    About Steel Reef

    Steel Reef is a Canadian company that gathers and redistributes wasted emissions, delivering energy to support growing demand. From Saskatchewan roots, the Company provides long-term value to its stakeholders and has grown into a dominant player in energy transition, powering homes, communities and industries. Steel Reef is steadfast in its commitment to safely deliver even more impact tomorrow than it does today, by reducing emissions and powering potential. Learn more at www.steelreef.ca.

    Contact

    Communications Department
    ‎info@steelreef.ca
    ‎(403) 263-8333

    Forward-Looking Information

    Certain statements contained in this release are forward-looking in nature, including with respect to the election of directors and management appointments and the anticipated benefit to the Company, including expectations regarding the Company’s ability to capitalize on potential investments and increase value for investors. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, or future events or are not statements of historical fact should be viewed as “forward-looking statements”. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Steel Reef to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results, and future events could vary or differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made, and Steel Reef undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin, Oklahoma Delegation Sit-Down Interview: “Oklahoma Punches Above Its Weight in Congress”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Mullin, Oklahoma Delegation Sit-Down Interview: “Oklahoma Punches Above Its Weight in Congress”

    “We find ourselves with a really good opportunity to make some big differences for the country right now. I think we can all say this, we feel privileged to be here right now.”
    Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, Oklahoma’s News 9 released a 40-minute roundtable interview featuring U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK), and U.S. Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Tom Cole (R-OK), Kevin Hern (R-OK), and Josh Brecheen (R-OK) for a special congressional delegation sit-down discussion with long-time Washington Bureau Chief, Alex Cameron.
    During the wide-ranging conversation, the members gave an inside look as to how Oklahoma’s seven-member Republican delegation is working with the Trump administration and leveraging their committee assignments to deliver big wins for the Sooner State. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin and the Oklahoma congressional delegation’s interview can be found here.
    On how the Oklahoma delegation punches above their weight:
    “I have no title, and I think James [Sen. Lankford] said it right, you see a problem and you go fix it. For me, I’m a Junior Senator. I don’t have seniority over here. So, what I have to do is, if youwant to get something accomplished, you have to build a coalition to do that. What’s interesting about our delegation is we all punch way above our weight. We all have separate issues, we trust each other, we allow that individual to take the leading position on that. 
    “I don’t care if it’s from Tom [Rep. Cole] on approps [House Committee on Appropriations] or Frank [Rep. Lucas] on ag [House Committee on Agriculture] issues, James being with financial services [Senate Committee on Financial Services] or budget [Senate Committee on the Budget] or you have Stephanie [Rep. Bice] and we have the ability to work together now on armed services [Senate Committee on Armed Services and House Committee on Armed Services] and on approps too, and you have Kevin [Rep. Hern] and you have Josh [Rep. Brecheen] who are all leading in different aspects in the House. What we have to do is build a coalition. What I learned when I went to the Senate real quick is that both chambers worry about the other chamber and most of the time when I’m arguing with my wife, it’s a misunderstanding.”
    On how the senator’s role benefits the Sooner State:
    “The role that I play between the White House, between the Senate, and between the House is breaking down that miscommunication and just bringing the facts to the table.
    “Instead of worrying about what someone’s going to do, build a coalition to figure out how we can accomplish what our common goal is and deliver for the American people. That’s simply having a conversation and putting the right people on the telephone, putting the right people in the room, and having a clear vision on what we’re trying to accomplish.
    “Fortunately, because I served so long in the House and I have those relationships and have been able to maintain those relationships, and have been able to build relationships in the Senate, and obviously have an outstanding relationship with the president, who I call a friend, we find ourselves with a really good opportunity to make some big differences for the country right now. I think we can all say this, we feel privileged to be here right now.”
    On his support for President Trump’s tariff strategy:
    “I have a saying; you’re never going to change anything you’re willing to tolerate. We’ve tolerated it [Unfair trade deals] so long. We’ve known it was wrong. We’ve known we’ve had to do something and finally we’re doing it. It is uncomfortable, but at what point was we going to fix it? At what point was it coming to head where it was going to force us to fix it? There is countries who’ve gotten extremely wealthy by taking trillions of dollars outside of the United States’ economy just turn it back around and sell it to us…
    “A scalpel doesn’t work, nor can you simply take tariffs one country at a time…
    “People have been taking advantage of us way too long, and President Trump is finally fixing it. It’s uncomfortable, but we had to right the ship at some point. This is the time to do it.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Italy affirms Partnership with African Development Bank under the Mattei Plan

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Italy has reaffirmed its partnership with the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and expressed keenness to explore mutual growth opportunities in Africa under the Mattei Plan. 

    Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (FAIC) and Lorenzo Ortona, Head of the Mattei Plan Task Force led a delegation to the Bank’s Abidjan headquarters on Thursday 8 May. The delegation comprised representatives of institutions charged with implementing the Mattei plan for Africa, such as Cassa Depositi e Prestiti(CDP), the Ministry of Finance, as well as important representatives of the business and private sector and civil society organisations. 

    Under the Mattei Plan for Africa, Italy aims to foster economic and strategic partnerships with African nations and institutions. Its Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated that the African Development Bank Group would be (https://apo-opa.co/3FkcLD8) its main strategic financial partner for implementation of the plan on the continent. 

    The delegation was hosted by African Development Bank Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, who was joined by three vice presidents –Nnenna Nwabufo, Beth Dunford and Kevin Kariuki, as well as several directors from the energy, resource mobilization and finance departments, among others. 

    Participants in the meeting exchanged on ways to strengthen public-private sector collaboration with Italy in reducing hunger and boosting agriculture in Africa. The conversation also discussed the importance of the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending arm in addressing the challenges of the continent’s most disadvantaged countries. 

    Akin-Olugbade expressed satisfaction at the progress made since the announcement of the Plan in July 2024, in particular, the Rome Process/Mattei Plan Financing Facility (RPFF), a multi-donor Special Fund aimed at supporting climate aligned sovereign infrastructure projects that help to address the root causes of migration. The RPFF with contributions from Italy and the UAE amounting to over $170 million, is now operational.  

    The senior vice president commended Italy for demonstrating its commitment and thanked the government for its choice of The African Development Bank as partner. “We appreciate, of course, the choice of the African Development Bank to accompany you in your strategy, very ambitious strategy for the continent. We are really very happy to hear that Italy, indeed, is still strongly committed to the continent, and of course, to working with the African Development Fund.” 

    Other instruments under the Plan with the African Development Bank include the Growth and Resilience Platform for Africa (Graf), and a bilateral co-financing facility. Under Graf, CDP and the African Development Bank intend to invest up to EUR 400 million over five years in private equity funds to accelerate private sector development in Africa. 

    “We are grateful for the outstanding job that the bank has done. We really appreciate it,” Ortan said. “We really believe that in order to enhance the Mattei plan in Africa and the visibility of it, we need partners like you.”  

    Concluding the discussions, Akin-Olugbade said the Mattei plan has emerged as a template for future cooperation between Italy and other developed countries and Africa. 

    She said: “I believe that Italy has seen the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund as trusted partners. I believe we have a good track record of providing and achieving results. There’s a leveraging effect that multilateral development banks have that sometime bilateral resources do not have. And we need to take advantage of this.” 

    Italy has been a strong partner to the African Development Fund and pledged EUR 298.88 million to its sixteenth replenishment. Italy has been a partner in Mission 300, as well as advocating for strengthening private sector engagement, especially for youth entrepreneurship.  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Disarming Hezbollah is key to Lebanon’s recovery − but task is complicated by regional shifts, ceasefire violations

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mireille Rebeiz, Chair of Middle East Studies and Associate Professor of Francophone and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Dickinson College

    Slain Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah looms large in Lebanon. Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

    Within a span of two weeks from late April to early May 2025, Israel launched two aerial attacks ostensibly targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon: The first, on April 27, struck a building in Beirut’s southern suburbs; the second, an assault in southern Lebanon, left one person dead and eight others injured.

    While the attacks may not be an aberration in the long history of Israel’s military action in Lebanon, the latest episodes were notable given the context: Israel and Hezbollah have been nominally locked in a truce for five months.

    As an expert on Lebanese history and culture, I believe the latest violations clearly show the fragility of that ceasefire. But more importantly, they complicate the Lebanese government’s mission of disarming Hezbollah, the paramilitary group that remains a powerful force in the country despite a series of Israeli targeted killings of its senior members. That task forms the backbone of a nearly 20-year-old United Nations resolution meant to bring lasting peace to Lebanon.

    The long road to a ceasefire

    In the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Hezbollah vowed solidarity with the Palestinian movement, resulting in a running series of tit-for-tat attacks with Israel that escalated into a full-blown war in the fall of 2024.

    On Oct. 1, 2024, Israel invaded Lebanon – the sixth time since 1978 – in order to directly confront Hezbollah. That operation led to the killing of an estimated 3,800 Lebanese people and the displacement of over 1 million civilians. The damage to Lebanon’s economy is estimated at US$14 billion, according to the World Bank.

    Hezbollah lost a lot of its fighters, arsenal and popular support as a result. More importantly, these losses discredited Hezbollah’s claim that it alone can guarantee Lebanon’s territorial integrity against Israel’s invasion.

    The United States and France brokered a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel on Nov. 27, 2024. The agreement was based in part on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 to end that year’s 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah. The resolution had as a central tenet the disarmament of armed militias, including Hezbollah, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.

    The 2024 ceasefire built on that resolution. It required Hezbollah’s retreat beyond the Litani River, which at its closest point is about 20 miles from northern Israel. In return, and by February 2025, Israel was to gradually withdraw from Lebanese territories in order to allow the Lebanese army to take control of areas in the south and to confiscate all unauthorized weapons – a nod to Hezbollah’s arsenal.

    Yet, Israel maintained the occupation of several posts in southern Lebanon after that deadline and continued to launch attacks on Lebanese soil, the most recent being on May 8, 2025.

    The challenge of disarming Hezbollah

    Despite these violations, large-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah has not resumed. But the next step, a lasting peace based on the laying down of Hezbollah arms, is complicated by a series of factors, not least the sectarian nature of Lebanese politics.

    Since its inception in 1920, Lebanon’s governance has been defined by a polarized and formally sectarian political system, which seeded the roots of a decades-long civil conflict that began in 1975. A series of invasions by Israel in response to attacks from Lebanese-based Palestinian groups exacerbated sectarianism and instability.

    From this mix, Hezbollah emerged and became a powerful force during the late 1980s.

    The Taif Agreement, ending Lebanon’s civil war in 1989, formally recognized the state’s right to resist the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories – and with it Hezbollah’s presence as a force of resistance. An uneasy coexistence between the government and Hezbollah emerged, which often spilled over into violence, including assassinations of important public figures.

    More recently, Hezbollah was responsible for a two-year political vacuum as it mobilized members to repeatedly block opposition candidates for the vacant presidency in the hopes of installing a leader that would support its agenda.

    A view from the southern Lebanese district of Marjeyoun shows smoke billowing from the site of Israeli airstrikes on May 8, 2025.
    Rabih Daher/AFP via Getty Images

    In January 2025 that standoff ended when Lebanon’s parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun, a Maronite Christian, as president.

    The acquiescence of Hezbollah and its allies was in part a sign of how much the power of the Shiite militia had been diminished by Israel during the conflict.

    But it is also the result of a widespread general understanding in Lebanon of the need to end the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s war. The new president has brought much-needed hope to a battered country – one that has been plagued by numerous crises, including a collapsed economy that by 2019 had pushed 80% of the population into poverty.

    But Aoun’s presidency signals the changing political environment in another key way; unlike his predecessors, Aoun has not endorsed Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement.

    Further, Aoun has announced his intentions to disarm the group
    and to fully implement resolution 1701.

    To this end, Aoun has made impressive gains. According to state officials, the Lebanese army had by the end of April 2025 dismantled over 90% of Hezbollah’s infrastructure south of the Litani River and taken control over these sites.

    Yet Hezbollah’s chief, Naim Kassem, doggedly rejects calls to disarm and integrate the group’s fighters into the Lebanese armed forces.

    Even in Hezbollah’s weakened position, Kassem believes only his movement, and not the Lebanese state, can guarantee Lebanon’s safety against Israel. And Israel violations of the ceasefire only play into this narrative.

    “We will not allow anyone to remove Hezbollah’s weapons,” Kassem said after one recent airstrike, vowing that the group would hand over weapons only when Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon and ended it’s air incursions.

    Can Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, untangle the Gordian knot of Lebanese politics?
    Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

    The challenge going forward

    Yet countries including the United States and Qatar – not to mention Israel – consider Hezbollah’s disarmament a prerequisite to both peace and much-needed international assistance.

    And this makes the task ahead for Aoun difficult. He will be well aware that international aid is desperately needed. But pressing too hard to accommodate either Israel’s or Hezbollah’s interests risks, respectively, exacerbating either domestic political pressures or jeopardizing future foreign investment.

    To complicate matters further, the situation in Lebanon is hardly helped by developments in neighboring Syria.

    The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024 has added another element of regional uncertainty and the fear in Lebanon of further sectarian violence. Although Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has vowed to protect all religious groups, he was not able to prevent the massacre of Alawite civilians in several coastal towns – an attack that triggered a fresh wave of refugees heading toward Lebanon.

    The removal of Assad was another blow for Hezbollah, a strong Assad ally that benefited from years of Syrian interference in Lebanon.

    The challenge of international relations

    For now, a return to full-scale war in Lebanon does not appear to be on the table.

    But what comes next for Lebanon and Hezbollah depends on many factors, not least the state of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and any spillover into Lebanon. But the actions of other regional actors, notably Saudi Arabia and Iran, matter too. Should Saudi Arabia be encouraged down the path of normalizing relations with Israel – a process interrupted by the Oct. 7 attack – then it would impact Lebanon in many ways.

    Any deal would, from the Saudi perspective, likely have to include a solution to the question of Palestinian statehood, taking away one of Hezbollah’s main grievances. It would also likely put pressure on Lebanon and Israel to find a solution to its long-standing border dispute.

    Meanwhile, Iran, too, is seemingly turning to diplomatic means to address some of its regional issues, with nascent moves to both improve ties with Saudi Arabia and forge forward with a new nuclear deal with the U.S. This could see Tehran turn away from a policy of trying to impose its influence throughout the region by arming groups aligned with Tehran – first among them, Hezbollah.

    Mireille Rebeiz is affiliated with the American Red Cross.

    – ref. Disarming Hezbollah is key to Lebanon’s recovery − but task is complicated by regional shifts, ceasefire violations – https://theconversation.com/disarming-hezbollah-is-key-to-lebanons-recovery-but-task-is-complicated-by-regional-shifts-ceasefire-violations-255671

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why we’ve fallen out of love with dating apps

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anh Luong, Assistant Professor of Business Analytics, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

    pathdoc/Shutterstock

    Dating apps have transformed how people meet romantic partners. But they seem to be falling out of favour.

    Data shows that last year, four of the biggest dating apps in the UK lost over a million users between them. And research my colleague and I worked on suggested that this is because people have become frustrated and bored with digital matchmaking.

    The frustration is usually the result of inconsiderate behaviour from other app users. And the boredom appears to stem from a growing belief that the AI used by these apps seems to prioritise short-term engagement metrics over meaningful connections.

    This marks a significant shift from earlier online dating websites, which were notably more transparent about how they tried to establish authentic connections. Often this was through detailed answers to compatibility quizzes or personality assessments.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    For example, OkCupid.com (founded 2004) asked users a wide range of multiple-choice questions. It then went further by also asking them to specify the responses to those same questions they wanted to see from prospective partners.

    In contrast, today’s dating apps increasingly rely on less transparent AI which seems to be based on simplistic engagement metrics (number of swipes, frequency of texts, time spent on the app) rather than a path to genuine compatibility.

    The result is often a selection of vague, fleeting connections that do not amount to meaningful relationships. And the business model of today’s dating apps – selling increased visibility and access to matches – creates a challenging environment for many users to find the matches they want.

    Because of this, many users experience a sense of dissatisfaction which manifests itself in four stages.

    It begins with what I call a “boredom cycle”. General boredom prompts many daters to use the app in the first place, but resulting conversations often turn into uninspired and lacklustre exchanges. This adds to the boredom, which then spreads and grows throughout the entire dating app network.

    After that is a general sense of disappointment, as users become jaded from regular “ghosting” (cutting off communication without notice), “flaking” (cancelling dates at the last minute), and mundane message exchanges which don’t lead to actual dates.

    This all leads to a third stage of “algorithmic cynicism”. At this point, users become increasingly sceptical of dating app algorithms, suspecting that their primary function is to encourage the purchase of certain features rather than to establish authentic connections.

    Finally, communication fatigue kicks in. Users go through the motions of swiping and texting with a sense that there are no better alternatives. It all becomes a somewhat hollow experience which ultimately drives many away from the platforms completely.

    Swipe on, swipe off

    Research has also shown that the initial rise of online dating usage among millennials coincided with early enthusiasm about social media. But this enthusiasm has diminished.

    Social media users are now increasingly suspicious (and vigilant) about the risks of misinformation, scams, and offensive content.

    ‘And how’s the algorithm working out for you guys so far?’
    Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

    Despite all of this, people still seek connections through dating platforms – whether for casual or long-term partnerships. So perhaps the issue is not with digital dating itself, but with how the industry uses AI. And an alternative is possible.

    In related research on human-AI joint decision-making, my colleagues and I found that when people interact with an imperfect AI system, but also receive clear feedback about the their own behaviour patterns and how the AI responds, they can help to correct errors.

    That research focused on financial decisions, but dating apps could do a similar thing by openly providing daters with personalised insights about how AI algorithms are responding to their activity. This is something that no dating app currently does.

    Instead, they let users adjust certain filters, such as age, location and ethnicity. But then they use AI to create “revealed preferences” based on people’s patterns of engagement with the app, like swiping and messaging. These “revealed preferences” seem to greatly influence the kinds of profiles that the dating apps’ AI recommends.

    For example, even if someone says they are keen to date people across a wide age range, the app may still end up recommending profiles of a narrower age group, because the user has tended to swipe right on those in the past. Because of this, users have expressed concerns that the AI could be adding unwanted limitations to their potential dating pool.

    In the AI of the beholder

    Indeed, our research shows that a cynical view of dating app algorithms is a key reason why something as potentially exciting as finding a romantic partner can become so dreadfully boring.

    Addressing this issue, by simply explaining to daters how AI interprets their use of the app (the swipes, the matches, and actual dates) could be a valuable selling point. Giving users freedom to adjust other filters besides demographics, such as those related to their values and interests, could further increase interest.

    This would represent a return to the more transparent match-making principles of earlier dating websites, but with the benefits of the latest technology.

    Our research suggests that as dating app users grow ever more discerning, they will demand greater transparency and an improved overall dating app experience. The industry’s future may ultimately depend on whether companies can shift focus from impersonal engagement metrics to fostering authentic connections.

    And platforms which embrace transparency and empower users could make many fall in love with dating apps all over again.

    Anh Luong does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why we’ve fallen out of love with dating apps – https://theconversation.com/why-weve-fallen-out-of-love-with-dating-apps-249333

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The roots of dementia can start in childhood – prevention should be a lifelong goal

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Scott Chiesa, Senior Research Fellow and Alzheimer’s Research UK David Carr Fellow, UCL

    Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock

    More than 60 million people are estimated to be living with dementia, resulting in over 1.5 million deaths a year and an annual cost to the global healthcare economy of around US $1.3 trillion (almost £1 trillion).

    Despite decades of scientific research and billions of pounds of investment, dementia still has no cure. But what of the old saying that prevention is better than cure? Is preventing dementia possible? And if so, at what age should we be taking steps to do so?

    Despite what many believe, dementia is not simply an unavoidable consequence of ageing or genetics. It is estimated that up to 45% of dementia cases could potentially be prevented by reducing exposure to 14 modifiable risk factors common throughout the world.

    Many of these risk factors – which include things like obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking – are traditionally studied from middle age (around 40 to 60 years old) onwards. As a result, several of the world’s leading health bodies and dementia charities now recommend that strategies aimed at reducing dementia risk should ideally be targeted at this age to reap the greatest benefits.

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    We argue, however, that targeting even younger ages is likely to provide greater benefits still. But how young are we talking? And why would exposure to risk factors many decades before the symptoms of dementia traditionally appear be important?

    To explain, let’s work backwards from middle age, starting with the three decades covering adolescence and young adulthood (from ten to 40 years old).

    Many lifestyle-related dementia risk factors emerge during the teenage years, then persist into adulthood. For example, 80% of adolescents living with obesity will remain this way when they are adults. The same applies to high blood pressure and lack of exercise. Similarly, virtually all adults who smoke or drink will have started these unhealthy habits in or around adolescence.

    This poses two potential issues when considering middle age as the best starting point for dementia-prevention strategies. First, altering health behaviour that has already been established is notoriously difficult. And second, most high-risk individuals targeted in middle age will almost certainly have been exposed to the damaging effects of these risk factors for many decades already.

    As such, the most effective actions are likely to be those aimed at preventing unhealthy behaviour in the first place, rather than attempting to change long-established habits decades down the line.

    The roots of dementia

    But what about even earlier in people’s lives? Could the roots of dementia stretch as far back as childhood or infancy? Increasing evidence suggests yes, and that risk factor exposures in the first decade of life (or even while in the womb) may have lifelong implications for dementia risk.

    To understand why this may be, it’s important to remember that our brain goes through three major periods during our lives – development in early life, a period of relative stability in adult life, and decline (in some functions) in old age.

    Most dementia research understandably focuses on changes associated with that decline in later life. But there is increasing evidence that many of the differences in brain structure and function associated with dementia in older adults may have at least partly existed since childhood.

    For example, in long-term studies where people have had their cognitive ability tracked across their whole lives, one of the most important factors explaining someone’s cognitive ability at age 70 is their cognitive ability when they were 11. That is, older adults with poorer cognitive skills have often had these lower skills since childhood, rather than the differences being solely due to a faster decline in older age.

    Similar patterns are also seen when looking for evidence of dementia-related damage on brain scans, with some changes appearing to be more closely related to risk factor exposures in early life than current unhealthy lifestyles.

    Taken together, perhaps the time has come for dementia prevention to be thought of as a lifelong goal, rather than simply a focus for old age.

    A lifelong prevention plan

    But how do we achieve this in practical terms? Complex problems require complex solutions, and there is no quick fix to address this challenge. Many factors contribute to increasing or decreasing an individual’s dementia risk – there is no “one size fits all” approach.

    But one thing generally agreed upon is that mass medication of young people is not the answer. Instead, we – along with 33 other leading international researchers in the field of dementia – recently published a set of recommendations for actions that can be taken at the individual, community and national levels to improve brain health from an early age.

    Our consensus statement and recommendations deliver two clear messages. First, meaningful reductions in dementia risk for as many people as possible will only be achievable through a coordinated approach that brings together healthier environments, better education and smarter public policy.

    Second – and perhaps most importantly – while it’s never too late to take steps to reduce your risk of dementia, it’s also never too early to start.

    Scott Chiesa receives funding from an Alzheimer’s Research UK David Carr Fellowship.

    Francesca Farina receives funding from the Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Chicago.

    Laura Booi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The roots of dementia can start in childhood – prevention should be a lifelong goal – https://theconversation.com/the-roots-of-dementia-can-start-in-childhood-prevention-should-be-a-lifelong-goal-255845

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Putin dodges peace talks in Istanbul as Russia pushes for territorial concessions from Ukraine

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Phelps, Commissioning Editor, International Affairs

    This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.

    Demands by British, French, German and Polish leaders in Kyiv last weekend that Russia agree to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine or face possible “massive” sanctions went down in Moscow about as well as you’d expect. In an address from the Kremlin, Russian president Vladimir Putin lambasted European powers for talking to Russia “in a boorish manner and with the help of ultimatums”.

    He did, however, offer a counter-proposal: an invitation for Ukraine to take part in direct talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Putin called the talks “the first step towards a long-term, lasting peace”. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, accepted the invitation and announced he would attend the talks in person. He challenged Putin to do the same.

    But on the eve of the talks it was announced that, no, Putin wouldn’t attend and a junior delegation would be sent in his place. Zelensky, who is in Turkey anyway for talks with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has called the Russian envoy “phony” and accused Moscow of sending “stand-in props”.

    Putin’s no-show, alongside Russia’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire as a precursor to negotiations, probably says all you need to know about whether Moscow truly intends to bring the war to an end. But, regardless, the talks are the first to take place directly between the two warring parties since the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    The Russian delegation in Istanbul is being led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin aide who led the previous round of direct peace talks with Ukraine. This is evidence, as Stefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko also point out, that Russia wants the talks to be based on the same framework as in 2022 – namely, forcing Ukraine to accept significant restrictions on its military and sovereignty.

    Wolff and Malyarenko, who are two regular contributors to our coverage of the war in Ukraine, explain that Russia’s territorial demands have become more contentious since the start of the war. Russia’s current position is that it sees international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as part of Russia as “imperative”.

    This is a non-starter for Ukraine. But Wolff and Malyarenko suggest there could be some flexibility on accepting that some parts of Ukrainian territory are under temporary Russian control in exchange for peace.

    The problem, they write, is that much of the territory Russia currently occupies, including Crimea and land on the shores of the Azov Sea, is of key strategic value for Russia. Donetsk and Luhansk, meanwhile, have substantial economic value because of the resources located there.

    In any case, there is no guarantee that territorial concessions from Kyiv now would put a permanent end to the war, write Wolff and Malyarenko. This is because it “does not address the fundamental issue of how to deal with a vengeful and revisionist autocracy on Europe’s doorstep”.



    Read more:
    Territorial concessions will be central to any Ukraine peace deal, and to Russia’s long-term plan

    Lasting peace between India and Pakistan, two countries that regularly clash over control of the disputed Kashmir region, is proving equally tricky to find. Several rounds of military strikes, prompted by a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April that killed at least 31 people, have recently brought the nuclear powers closer to war than they have been in decades.

    The Trump administration initially expressed reluctance to get involved, saying it was “none of our business”. But as hostilities rapidly escalated, raising the prospect of nuclear war, US officials stepped in and talked down the two countries. A ceasefire was agreed that, for almost a week now, seems to have held.

    Alex Waterman and Sudhir Selvaraj, experts on peace studies at the University of Bradford, say the ceasefire represents an “incredibly precarious peace”.

    That ceasefires have been agreed – and respected – by the two parties before is cause for optimism, they write. But cross-border tensions have increased in recent years. Waterman and Selvaraj argue this has been part of a strategy used by Pakistan’s powerful army to deflect attention away from political and economic crises at home.

    Tensions remain high and may, at some point, spill over again. Some of the decisions taken by India after the recent terror attack, for instance, such as the suspension of a treaty governing water sharing of rivers in the Indus basin, could compel further support for militant groups in Kashmir. Despite a US offer to mediate talks between the two countries, deeper resolution looks a way off.



    Read more:
    India and Pakistan have agreed a precarious peace – but will it last?

    Donald Trump, meanwhile, is wrapping up his four-day tour of the Middle East. His visit has seen him sit down with the Saudi crown prince and the Qatari emir (as well as Syria’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa) to discuss bolstering economic and security ties.

    In that sense, the trip has been a resounding success. Trump signed a US$142 billion (£107 billion) arms deal with Saudi Arabia and agreements with Qatar that, according to the White House, will “generate an economic exchange worth at least US$1.2 trillion”.

    Adam Hanieh, a professor of political economy at the University of Exeter, explains that arrangements like these are part of a long history in which the Gulf monarchies have supported the architecture of US global power.

    In this piece, Hanieh explores how the vast amounts of income generated by the Gulf’s nationalised petroleum industries in the 20th century was invested into US financial markets. Gulf states, he writes, were essential contributors to the growth of the US as a global financial power.

    The US promised military protection in return, resulting in a web of American military bases across the region. As Trump’s lavish welcome in the Middle East shows, the relationship between the US and Gulf monarchies looks robust.

    But much has changed in the past two decades, says Hanieh, referring to China’s rise as a global manufacturing hub. The Gulf is a critical energy lifeline for Beijing, while China’s demand for oil, gas and petrochemicals will be a vital part of the Gulf’s economic future.



    Read more:
    Not every US president gets a free private jet, but the Gulf states have boosted US economic dominance for decades

    Trump is no stranger to competition with China, as his first five months in office have shown. Tit-for-tat tariffs that the US and China imposed on each other quickly snowballed into heavy duties, as high as 145% on Chinese goods looking to enter the US.

    However, after weeks of signalling that tariff levels could reduce, US and Chinese officials announced this week that US tariffs on Chinese goods would drop to 30% for a period of 90 days, while Chinese tariffs on US products would drop back to 10%. Trade negotiations between the two countries will continue.

    We asked Chee Meng Tan, an assistant professor of business economics at the University of Nottingham, what the deal means for China. He says the tariff reduction has provided China with much-needed relief as it attempts to repair its ailing economy.

    But China will ultimately hope to bring US tariffs down to around 10%, in line with the rest of the world. And, as Tan explains, there is more China can do to persuade the Trump administration to cut tariffs further. Ensuring the flow of critical minerals to the US and assuring its support for US agriculture, an important political support base for Trump, will be key.

    China needs to engage with the US and lower US tariffs as much as possible. But it will want to look at other options, writes Tan, rather than relying on an unpredictable Trump. The next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing.



    Read more:
    China-US trade war: the next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing as it seeks long-term solutions

    Jonathan Este is on holiday.

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. Putin dodges peace talks in Istanbul as Russia pushes for territorial concessions from Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/putin-dodges-peace-talks-in-istanbul-as-russia-pushes-for-territorial-concessions-from-ukraine-256504

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Legal Alert on Legislation Authorizing New Civil Penalties for Housing Law Violations

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a legal alert to help California local officials — such as council and board members, planning directors, city attorneys, and county counsel — understand new requirements of state housing law under Senate Bill 1037 (SB 1037). Authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, SB 1037 went into effect on January 1, 2025 and establishes new court-ordered civil penalties for cities (including charter cities) and counties that (1) fail to adopt a compliant housing element and/or (2) fail to ministerially approve a housing development application that state law requires be approved ministerially. In today’s legal alert, Attorney General Bonta includes five hypothetical examples to assist local officials in understanding the practical effects and implementation of SB 1037. 

    “Increasing the production and affordability of housing is a top priority of mine. That’s why I created the Housing Justice Team, and that’s why my office regularly works with the Legislature on bills that will help us build housing faster. SB 1037, which I proudly co-sponsored, is one of those pieces of legislation,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “This new law imposes bigger financial penalties than ever before when cities and counties deny or delay the homes that Californians desperately need, and the fines will go toward building even more affordable housing. We need every local government to build their fair share of housing, and SB 1037 requires the bare minimum: prepare your housing element on time and follow state law when you receive a housing development application.” 

    “Robust enforcement is absolutely critical to ensuring that the bold pro-housing policies California has enacted in recent years translate into actual new homes on the ground. With this legal guidance, cities have everything they need to comply with state housing law—these requirements aren’t surprises for anyone,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “I’m grateful for the Attorney General for being a strong pro-housing champion and using tools like SB 1037 to hold bad actors accountable for exacerbating our housing shortage.” 

    Previously, when a court found a locality in violation of state housing law, monetary penalties could only be imposed 60 days, or in some cases up to a year, after a court ordered compliance. SB 1037 provides that: 

    • If a court finds, in an action brought by the Attorney General or the California Department of Housing and Community Development, that a city, county, or local agency violated the housing element adoption deadline or ministerial approval requirements set forth in SB 1037, that court must subject violators to a minimum civil penalty of $10,000 per month, and not to exceed $50,000 per month, for each violation, accrued from the date of the violation until the date the violation is cured. 
    • When a city, county, or local agency refuses to adopt a legally compliant housing element and also ignores a court order directing them to do so for more than 120 days, a court must impose the maximum penalty of $50,000 per month. In addition, these violators will face serious curtailment of their local land use authority. 
    • Any civil penalty levied pursuant to SB 1037 must be earmarked to support the development of affordable housing located in the affected jurisdiction, to be spent within five years of deposit. Cities, counties, and local agencies may not use funds already dedicated to affordable housing to pay for these penalties.

    Background on Housing Element

    Under the state’s Housing Element Law, every city and county in California must periodically update its housing element to meet its share of the regional and statewide housing needs. Among other things, a compliant housing element must include an assessment of housing needs, an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting those needs, and a program to implement the policies, goals, and objectives of the housing element. Once the housing element is adopted, it is implemented through zoning ordinances and other actions that put its objectives into effect and facilitate the construction of new homes for Californians at all income levels.  

    The housing element is a crucial tool for building housing for moderate-, low-, and very low-income Californians and redressing historical redlining and disinvestment. State income limits for what constitutes moderate-, low-, and very low-income Californians vary by county and can be found here. 

    Background on Ministerial Approval

    Ministerial, or streamlined, approval is where review by public officials, such as local planning staff, is limited to ensuring that a proposed development meets all objective standards in effect at the time that the application is submitted to the local government. If the objective standards are met, the project must be approved, without being subjected to special discretion or personal, subjective judgment in deciding whether or how the project should be carried out.  

    Laws requiring ministerial approval include but are not limited to streamlined housing approvals under SB 423 (Wiener, 2023), certain ADUs, duplexes, and lot splits under SB 9 (Atkins, 2021), small lot subdivisions under SB 684 (Caballero, 2023), and affordable housing located in commercial zones under AB 2011 (Wicks, 2022). 

    A copy of the legal alert can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Demand Reinstatement of Critical Disaster Mitigation Program for Oregon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    May 15, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden—along with U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)—joined over 80 of their Senate and House colleagues in a bipartisan effort to demand that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This essential program supports local efforts to protect and harden communities in Oregon and nationwide from natural disasters.
    “BRIC funds are spurring communities across the country to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather, and forgoing these critical investments will only make it harder and more expensive for communities to recover from the next storm,” Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, and the lawmakers wrote.
    The BRIC program provides grants for hazard mitigation planning and projects that reduce risks posed by natural hazards to communities, Tribal Nations, and territories requesting assistance. The lawmakers’ bipartisan letter emphasizes the urgent need to continue investing in pre-disaster mitigation and community resilience and calls on the Administration to work with Congress to improve the program’s accessibility and efficiency.
    “The BRIC program was established by Congress in the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act and signed into law by President Trump with bipartisan support. In the years since, this program has catalyzed community investments in resilient infrastructure, saving federal funds by investing in community preparedness before a disaster strikes,” they continued. “According to research, one dollar invested in disaster mitigation can save up to $18 in response and recovery expenditures.”
    Previously, Merkley led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation to denounce the cancellation of awards under the BRIC program. These grants are critical to ensure that Oregon’s communities—especially in frontier, rural, and coastal regions of the state—can withstand the increasing threat of natural disasters.
    “We urge the Administration to take swift action to reinstate the BRIC program, and to work with Congress to identify and implement reforms to strengthen our nation’s resilience for decades to come,” the lawmakers concluded.
    This latest letter was led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), as well as U.S. Representatives Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.-11), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas-29), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.-01).
    In addition to Merkley, Wyden, and Bonamici, the letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-33), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.-08), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.-13), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.-20), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-33), Angie Craig (D-Minn.-02), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.-03), Donald Davis (D-N.C.-01), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.-22), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), Chuy García (D-Ill.-04), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Bill Keating (D-Mass.-09), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Jen Kiggans (R-Va.-02), Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-Northern Marina Islands), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Sarah McBride (D-Del.-01), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.-08), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.-03), Dave Min (D-Calif-47), Blake Moore (R-Utah-01), James Moylan (R-Va.-09), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Richard Neal (D-Mass.-01), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash-04), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.-01), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.-03), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.05), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), John Rutherford (R-Fla.-05), Linda Sánchez (R-Calif.-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.-08), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.-07), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.-03), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02), Norma Torres (D-Calif-35), David Valadao (R-Calif-22), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), Eugene Simon Vindman (D-Va.-07), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.-24), and Robert Wittman (R-Va.-01).
    The full letter is available by clicking here and follows below:
    Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Administrator Richardson,
    We are writing to urge the Administration to reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant (BRIC) program within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). BRIC funds are spurring communities across the country to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather, and forgoing these critical investments will only make it harder and more expensive for communities to recover from the next storm. We acknowledge that the BRIC program, like all grant funding programs, has room for improvement, and we urge you to couple the reinstatement of the program with an opportunity for Congress and FEMA to improve the application review and funding distribution process to more effectively reduce the costs disasters pose to our communities, economies, and livelihoods.
    The BRIC program was established by Congress in the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act and signed into law by President Trump with bipartisan support. In the years since, this program has catalyzed community investments in resilient infrastructure, saving federal funds by investing in community preparedness before a disaster strikes.
    According to research, one dollar invested in disaster mitigation can save up to $18 in response and recovery expenditures. BRIC funds are making communities safer in the next storm through projects like upgrading and protecting wastewater and drinking water plants after the facilities suffered repeated flooding, or bridge upgrades and road drainage improvements to improve driver safety. Because of its benefits, the demand for BRIC grants continues to increase, and our states and communities benefit from the reliability of the funding cycles.
    The BRIC program also plays an essential role in helping Tribal Nations and rural communities strengthen their defenses against natural disasters and safeguard critical infrastructure. Through BRIC, Tribes and rural communities can access dedicated funding to strengthen community resilience by investing in hazard mitigation projects—such as flood protection, fire prevention, and infrastructure hardening—that are otherwise difficult to finance in rural or remote settings. Importantly, FEMA supports Tribal sovereignty by allowing Tribes to apply directly for funding, reserving a dedicated Tribal set-aside, and providing direct technical assistance—ensuring Tribes can lead their own planning and mitigation efforts. These investments not only strengthen community resilience but also honor the federal trust responsibility to support the safety, self-determination, and well-being of Tribal Nations.
    At the same time, we acknowledge that the BRIC program should be evaluated for opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce the complexities for recipients to access the critical resources. The benefits of the program should not be concentrated in or limited to jurisdictions with dedicated offices and the staff necessary to navigate the grant application requirements. Additionally, the program should be updated with a strategic approach that empowers states and local governments to address degraded and vulnerable infrastructure based on their localized priorities and understanding of risk.
    We urge the Administration to take swift action to reinstate the BRIC program, and to work with Congress to identify and implement reforms to strengthen our nation’s resilience for decades to come.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Bipartisan Klobuchar Bills to Support Law Enforcement and First Responders Advance out of Judiciary Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON – During National Police Week, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that three of her bipartisan bills to bolster safety and resources for first responders and law enforcement officers passed out of the Judiciary Committee.
    The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, which Klobuchar leads with Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), passed committee. This legislation would expand access to federal support for the families of firefighters and other first responders who pass away or become permanently disabled from service-related cancers. Currently, firefighters are only eligible for support under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program for physical injuries sustained in the line-of-duty, or for deaths from duty-related heart attacks, strokes, mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and 9/11 related illnesses.
    “First responders put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. It’s unacceptable that first responders who succumb to cancer from work-related exposure or become permanently and totally disabled don’t receive the same treatment as others who die in the line of duty,” said Klobuchar. “That’s why I’m working with Senator Cramer to ensure that firefighters and other first responders get the support they deserve. Our bipartisan legislation will honor the memory and sacrifice of St. Paul Fire Department Captain Mike Paidar and so many others who risk their lives in service of their communities.”
    “Our first responders epitomize courage and selfless sacrifice, confronting both the immediate perils of their duty and lingering health risks associated with their service,” said Cramer. “The exposure to dangerous carcinogens happens on our behalf. I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing the bill. It’s time to pass it on the Senate floor.”
    Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) bipartisan Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act also passed the committee. The bill will support law enforcement agencies in hiring retired law enforcement officers to perform civilian law enforcement tasks. This includes helping with carjacking investigations by reviewing camera footage, helping with crime scene analysis, as well as investigations into financial and cyber-crimes, and to train new law enforcement officers.
    “Those in law enforcement have dedicated their careers to public service, and many want to continue serving their communities even after they have retired from the force,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan bill will allow these law enforcement professionals to share the valuable skills they learned throughout their career by training the next generation of law enforcement and working on investigations for carjacking and other crimes.”
    ‘“Law enforcement in Iowa and across the nation are struggling with low recruitment and staffing shortages,” Grassley said. “Retired officers who are willing and able to continue serving their communities should have Congress’ support to do so. I’m glad to see this innovative and commonsense bill move forward.”
    The bipartisan Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act, which Klobuchar leads with Grassley, would support state and local emergency services with additional training and containment tools to guard against accidental exposure to lethal narcotics like fentanyl also passed.
    “As we continue fighting the fentanyl epidemic, we must also protect the health and safety of our first responders who are on the front lines responding to this crisis,” Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan bill does this by giving first responders the resources necessary to prevent secondary exposures with lifesaving containment devices.”
    “As law enforcement officers and first responders work tirelessly to protect our communities, the federal government must act to ensure these brave individuals are equally protected. I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for advancing our bipartisan bill to help safeguard officers and responders from lethal narcotics exposure while on the job,” Grassley said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cargo Airline Operator Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Paying Millions In Kickbacks In Large-Scale Scheme To Defraud Cargo Airline

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SKYE XU was sentenced to two years in prison by U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman for his part in a scheme to defraud Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (“Polar”), a leading cargo airline, of more than $32 million dollars in revenue.  XU previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Skye Xu paid approximately $4.4 million in kickbacks to Polar executives to obtain highly lucrative business from Polar.  The Polar executives concealed the kickbacks from Polar using shell companies.  Corruption of this type has costs that extend way beyond Polar’s or any one company’s bottom line. Today’s sentence should be a reminder that commercial bribery has no place in America.

    According to the charging documents and other public filings and statements made in public court proceedings:

    From at least in or about November 2020 through in or about July 2021, XU operated Sky X Airlines, LLC, a cargo airline company based in California. During those nine months, and without Polar’s knowledge, XU paid approximately $4.4 million in kickbacks to shell companies controlled by three senior executives of Polar (the “Executive Defendants”) in exchange for two lucrative business contracts with Polar. These fraudulently obtained contracts earned XU and his cargo airline approximately $46 million in gross revenue and nearly $10 million in net revenue based on the sales of unused space on passenger airlines to transport cargo during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The approximately $4.4 million in kickbacks that XU paid to the Executive Defendants in a nine-month span was part of more than $20 million in kickbacks and other financial benefits that the Executive Defendants and other co-conspirators received from certain Polar customers and vendors from at least 2009 to at least 2021 in exchange for ensuring that those vendors and customers received favorable business arrangements with Polar.  The fraud that XU and his coconspirators perpetrated—which involved a substantial portion of Polar’s senior management and at least ten customers and vendors of Polar—led to pervasive corruption of Polar’s business, touching nearly every aspect of the company’s operations, for over a decade.

    XU was the last of 10 defendants charged in this case to be convicted. Five of the 10 charged defendants have previously been sentenced.

    *                *                *

    In addition to the prison term, XU, 43, of West Covina, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.  XU was also ordered to forfeit $4,487,830 and to make restitution to Polar in the amount of $1,390,000. 

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. 

    The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Kudla, Kevin Mead, Qais Ghafary, and Jerry J. Fang are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bowling Green, Kentucky Man Sentenced to Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay Over $1.5 Million in Restitution for Tax Evasion and Defrauding Employer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Division, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.

    Kenneth Ray Moore, 56, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for three counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and four counts of tax evasion. According to court documents, between October 2009 and May 2020, Moore committed wire fraud by engaging in a scheme to embezzle $1,145,800 from his employer. Moore, who formerly held the position of Vice President of Finance, caused his employer to issue checks to “KBM Solutions,” a shell company he created to receive embezzled funds. Moore laundered money by transferring the embezzled funds to his personal financial accounts. Moore also failed to file personal income tax returns between 2013 and 2020, and owed over $300,000 in unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest.

    Moore was ordered to pay $1,158,194.80 in restitution for the embezzlement scheme and $342,155.84 in restitution for tax evasion, for a total of $1,500,350.64 in restitution.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Bowling Green Office and the USPIS Bowling Green Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Bravo and Madison Sewell of the Louisville Office, prosecuted the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Fitzgerald Introduces the Insurance Data Protection Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) re-introduced the Insurance Data Protection Act. This legislation would crack down on the Treasury Department’s Federal Insurance Office (FIO) by repealing its subpoena authority and limiting how the office collects data from state insurance regulators.

    “FIO’s recent push to collect insurance underwriting data under the guise of climate risk is just another example of unelected bureaucrats advancing a political agenda that has no place in insurance regulation,” said Congressman Scott Fitzgerald. “The Insurance Data Protection Act curbs this federal overreach by repealing FIO’s coercive subpoena powers and strengthening safeguards for consumer data—so Americans can be confident their personal information isn’t being misused.”

    “The Insurance Data Protection Act would greatly enhance safeguards for consumer data and reaffirm state regulators’ authority to oversee the insurance industry,” said American Council of Life Insurers President and CEO David Chavern. “At the same time, it allows the FIO to fulfill its role in Washington as an advisor on insurance-related matters.”

    “FIO was created as an information resource, not a regulator. Its subpoena authority was meant as a last resort when data wasn’t available from other sources – not to help push political agendas,” said NAMIC’s Senior Vice President – Federal & Political Affairs Jimi Grande. “NAMIC commends Rep. Fitzgerald for his leadership in reintroducing the Insurance Data Protection Act to rein in FIO and reinforce collaboration with functional state insurance regulators.”

    “Since its creation, the Federal Insurance Office has repeatedly attempted to expand its authority beyond its original mandate, undermining the proven success of state-based insurance regulation,” said PIA CEO Mike Skiados. “The Insurance Data Protection Act offers meaningful reforms that reinforce the role of state insurance departments, which are best equipped to serve the unique insurance needs of their state. PIA commends Rep. Fitzgerald for his leadership in defending our state-based regulatory system.”

    BACKGROUND: For about 150 years, state insurance regulators and laws have regulated insurance companies. The Federal Insurance Office (FIO), created under Dodd-Frank, grew increasingly aggressive under the Biden-Harris Administration in collecting data from insurance companies, most recently issuing a proposed data collection to assess “climate-related financial risk.” Despite working with state regulators on previous efforts, Biden’s FIO intentionally chose to not collaborate with state regulators on an overarching nationwide climate data call.

    Although FIO has never issued a subpoena, as the office has accumulated power and become more aggressive in their encroachment of state regulators, the threat of a subpoena and other efforts to encroach on state-based insurance regulation should be eliminated.

    SUPPORTERS: American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), American Property & Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”), National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), and National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA).

    Read the bill text here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Secures Tax Relief and Agricultural Investments in President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, as the only member of Congress serving on both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted to advance the tax and agricultural portions of President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” out of each committee.

    “This week, as a member of both the Ways and Means Committee and the Agriculture Committee, I voted to advance the tax cuts and agricultural investments of President Trump’s ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill.’ This legislation lowers taxes for our families, farmers, workers, and businesses while supporting investments in domestic manufacturing, business growth, Iowa agriculture, and U.S. energy production,” said Rep. Feenstra. “I’m also glad that provisions that I led are included like death tax relief, paid family and medical leave for employees of small businesses, affordable crop insurance policies for young and beginning farmers, investments in foreign animal disease prevention, and expansion of our export markets. Working with President Trump, we are delivering on our promise to the American people to cut taxes, grow our economy, secure our border, and unleash American energy production.”

    Feenstra-led and -sponsored provisions include:

    • An increase in the exemption on the death tax,
    • Support for small businesses to offer paid family and medical leave to their employees,
    • Flexibility for community banks to offer agricultural business loans at more affordable rates for farmers and rural businesses,
    • Investments in homegrown Iowa biofuels,
    • Tax provisions to help American businesses compete on a level playing field with foreign businesses,
    • Higher standard deduction for families and workers,
    • New $4,000 bonus deduction for seniors,
    • Increased child tax credit for families,
    • Permanent 23% deduction for qualified business income for small businesses,
    • Lower crop insurance costs for young, beginning, and veteran farmers,
    • Doubled funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program,
    • Support for foreign animal disease prevention, mitigation, and response,
    • Prevention of administrative errors when distributing SNAP payments, ensuring nutrition assistance is fighting food insecurity, and,
    • Investments in watershed infrastructure and flood prevention.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: May 15, 2025 SEEC Energy and Commerce Members Slam Republicans’ Attack on American Health and Affordability Washington, D.C. – This week, House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) members on the House Energy and Commerce Committee slammed House Republicans’ obscene budget reconciliation plan to gut life-saving pollution reduction programs, raise Americans’ electricity bills, cut off critical… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    Washington, D.C. – This week, House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) members on the House Energy and Commerce Committee slammed House Republicans’ obscene budget reconciliation plan to gut life-saving pollution reduction programs, raise Americans’ electricity bills, cut off critical support for high-tech American manufacturing, and legalize corruption for oil and gas companies. These members included SEEC Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui (CA) and Paul Tonko (NY) and were joined by their fellow SEEC colleagues Reps. Nanette Barragán (CA), Kathy Castor (FL), Yvette Clarke (NY), Debbie Dingell (MI), Jennifer McClellan (VA), Kevin Mullin (CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Scott Peters (CA), Kim Schrier (WA), and Darren Soto (FL).

    “Republicans are ramming through a disastrous, ugly budget bill that is going to cause widespread harm to Americans and our environment. Why? So they can give massive tax cuts to billionaires, corporations, and oil companies. Republicans want to strip health care away from over 13.7 million Americans who rely on Medicaid, which will raise prices for the privately insured too,” said Congressman Mullin. “The bill also cuts funding for clean energy innovation while allowing oil and gas companies to buy their way out of having to follow environmental laws. This will stagnate American progress in developing affordable, sustainable solutions to meet our energy needs. This isn’t efficiency, it’s cruelty and Republicans are making it clear that they don’t care about raising costs for working families.”

    “Republicans’ reconciliation bill is a shameless sell-out to corporations at the expense of hard-working Americans’ health and prosperity,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “This bill eliminates and defunds pollution protections and pollution reduction programs that my constituents rely on, illegally and insidiously clawing back funding that is already supporting projects in communities across this country. In my district, La Familia Counseling Center was poised to do transformative work with their Community Change Grant—but Republicans are gutting that progress to pay for tax breaks for their billionaire friends. As if that weren’t enough, Republicans’ bill contains a shocking and outrageous attempt to legalize corruption for oil and gas companies, allowing polluting corporations to simply buy all the permits they need to build a pipeline through American communities, no questions asked. This kind of bribery is how dictatorships operate. This is not how America works. We cannot allow this egregious corruption to become law.”

    “My Republican colleagues claim they are going after the clean energy programs that are, in their words ‘reckless’ and favor ‘wokeness over sensible policy,’” said Congressman Tonko. “Which programs are those? Is it the $12 million in unobligated funds to reduce air pollution in schools? How about DOE money to train contractors to retrofit people’s homes? What about money to upgrade our ports with the latest and greatest technologies? These are just a few examples of commonsense investments that are being targeted today that are creating American jobs and deploying new technologies that will indeed reduce pollution. And when you start to list them out, you can see how ridiculous this proposal is. But why on Earth would Republicans be doing this? Well, we know these funds will be used to partially offset yet another round of tax cuts, the benefits of which will overwhelmingly go to the wealthiest.”

    “Republican cuts to environmental justice grants will directly harm the health of our communities,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “Medicaid helps many access and afford health care in vulnerable communities with clean air and water challenges. Yet, Republicans have proposed the largest Medicaid cut in history. It’s all connected and Republicans want to go backward on the environment and health care access.”

     “You should hold on to your wallets, because House Republicans are coming after your electric bills to pay for a massive tax giveaway to billionaires like Elon Musk,” said Congresswoman Castor. “Because let’s face it, American families are being financially squeezed right now – especially my neighbors in Florida still struggling to rebuild from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Utility companies in at least 19 states have hiked rates as much as $40 per month since the Trump administration began. Republicans have not brought forth a single bill to lower energy costs for hardworking American families. Instead, what they’re offering today is a handout to big oil companies and polluters and the impact will be to raise your electric bill.”

    “There’s nothing and no one House Republicans won’t betray just to fund obscene tax breaks for their wealthy donors,” said Congresswoman Clarke. “By taking an axe to the critical programs Americans rely on to protect them from the climate crisis, reduce pollution, and keep energy affordable, our colleagues across the aisle have once again proven they are incapable of putting the needs of their communities above the demands of their billionaire puppet masters.”

    “What this bill does is create total chaos for the auto industry in repealing EPA’s emission standards for light and medium-duty vehicles and NHTSA’s corporate average fuel economy standards. What the domestic auto industry needs now more than anything is certainty. My priority is to protect American jobs, maintain our competitive edge in automotive manufacturing, ensure the United States leads in technology and innovation, and that we cede our leadership to nobody,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “Our policies must reflect the priorities on the ground, prioritize consumer choice and offer a practical, ambitious path forward. To remain competitive, the US must align with the global shift towards hybrids, electric vehicles, and down the road, who else knows what other technology. Here’s a fact. The global marketplace wants electric vehicles and I will be damned if I let China beat us in that market.”

    “I know the Trump Administration and some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle don’t like the word environmental justice, but what environmental justice is designed to do is recognize that there are communities in this country — white, black, low-income, urban and rural — where energy projects were put in place with no input from the community, where the people didn’t have the resources to fight back or even knew what was happening,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “These are the same communities that have some of the poorest health outcomes in the country. We should want to help address centuries of injustice and invest in those communities, but this bill guts those programs altogether – that’s not justice.”

    “In my time here in Congress, I have participated in investigations of large corporations that have poisoned communities across the country. A lot of times, these communities were poisoned due to large corporations that were exploiting corrupt loopholes in the law in order to poison the most vulnerable communities in America,” said Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez. “And I deeply fear that there is a loophole and similar provision in this bill. This bill allows gas companies to pay $1 million in order for their project to bypass the traditional permitting process. In fact, this bill allows natural gas pipeline projects to pay a fee of $10 million to cut the line and bypass the normal permitting process. Allowing massive corporations to simply cut a check to bypass the very real reasons why permitting exists in the first place, poses a deep and grave danger to people across the country.”

    “Last Congress, my Republican colleagues were insistent that we should have an all-of-the-above energy strategy, one that leveraged our natural resources, unleashed American innovation, and cut through bureaucratic red tape,” said Congressman Peters. “Which is why I am confused that we are considering a reconciliation bill that picks winners and losers, and elevates expensive, outdated, and inefficient sources like coal over cheap American-made energy like solar, wind, and storage. Why does this bill provide government-backed insurance to coal plants, as the President of the United States single-handedly kills hundreds, if not thousands, of clean energy jobs across the country by illegally targeting projects and weaponizing the permitting process?”

    “This bill completely bypasses communities and landowners, and these ‘pay-to-play’ provisions put not just a thumb but an entire arm, maybe a body on the scale favoring oil and gas,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “It’s giant corporations like Shell, BP, Chevron. They’re the ones that have the wherewithal to pay to bypass all permitting requirements. This bill is more of the ‘drill baby drill’ agenda that we hear every week from our Republican colleagues. I’m all for streamlining permitting to address energy demand and infrastructure that has real impacts on our communities. But there’s ways to streamline permitting and get new energy resources online without sidelining solar, wind, nuclear, hydropower, or hydrogen projects. Streamlining permitting is key if we’re going to meet energy demand. Clean power should have the same opportunity as oil and gas and we shouldn’t be disregarding important environmental protections.”

    “This is a bad deal for the South, whether it’s consumers in Florida or whether it’s all these high-paying jobs going to all these Southern states. This is a job killer,” said Congressman Soto. “In addition, adding in defunding of interstate transmission lines. I’ve heard from both sides of the aisle how often this is critical. So why in the world would you defund the interstate transmission lines? That makes no sense. That will raise energy prices. It will prevent efficiencies in the market. And it will prevent different states from specializing in new types of energy, whether it’s modular nuclear or renewable energy that’s being formulated here in Florida.”

    Background

    House Republicans are gutting critical pollution protections and pollution reduction programs, raising American household energy costs, pulling the rug out from under America’s manufacturing sector, and creating a brazen new “pay-to-play” bribery scheme for polluting corporations. Here’s what the bill does:   

    • Repeals and rescinds funding from Environmental Protection Agency programs that protect Americans from pollution and help American households save money on energy costs and medical bills. Some of these programs include:
      • Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that is dedicated to lowering energy bills and cutting pollution.
      • Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants that support disadvantaged communities to reduce pollution and pollution-related health impacts in their communities.
      • Methane Emissions and Waste Reduction Incentive Program to reduce pollution and waste from the oil and gas sector, improving the health and economic well-being of overburdened communities, while also saving energy.
      • Clean Heavy Duty Vehicle Program that helps communities replace old polluting diesel engines and vehicles—some of the dirtiest vehicles on the road—with new, clean vehicles.
      • Clean Ports Program that helps improve air quality around U.S. ports and address the public health and environmental impacts to surrounding communities.
    • Repeals life-saving Clean Air Act standards for vehicle pollution and fuel efficiency that help Americans save money at the pump and improve health outcomes in our communities.
    • Eliminates funding for the Department of Energy Loan Programs and the Advanced Industrial Facilities Deployment Program that help commercialize next-generation American-made technology, bringing manufacturing back to America and creating good-paying jobs, while also developing cutting-edge technologies that save Americans money and reduce pollution in American communities.
    • Creates a pay-to-play bribery scheme for polluters that allows oil and gas companies to pay a fee and bypass standard permitting, environmental reviews, and judicial review processes. Whether it’s a natural gas pipeline or a natural gas export terminal, companies can simply buy all the permits they need to build their pipeline through your community. This is blatant and unconscionable corruption.

    Republicans had multiple opportunities to improve the bill and ensure that Americans’ pocketbooks, health, and livelihoods are protected, but Republicans repeatedly rejected Democratic amendments, including Democratic-led efforts to: 

    • Ensure that this bill does not raise energy costs for American households. Representative Castor’s amendment would have required the U.S. Energy Information Administration to publish the impacts of the Energy Subtitle of the bill on monthly energy costs for American households.
    • Protect the health and safety of our families and communities. Representative Dingell’s amendment would have prevented the repeal of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
    • Hold polluters accountable and prevent the legalization of corruption under this bill. Representative Ocasio-Cortez’s amendment would have required the Inspector General of the Department of Energy to certify that this bill will not increase risks of corruption or ‘pay-to-play’ politics.
    • Protect American energy independence and deliver cheap energy to Americans. Representative Auchincloss’ amendment would have prevented the energy provisions from going into effect until the Secretary of Energy certifies that tariffs on energy imports are no greater than they were on January 19, 2025.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ILM Highland and Highland Council Launch Electrical Recycling Service in Fort Augustus

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Published by the Reuse Network

    Reuse Network member ILM Highland, in partnership with The Highland Council, proudly launched a new Household Electrical Recycling Collection Service with a community event in Fort Augustus held on Friday 2nd May.

    The launch marked the beginning of a new monthly collection service aimed at helping residents across Highland communities recycle unwanted electrical items—whether working or broken. The new service covers Fort Augustus, Caol, Kinlochleven, Mallaig, Kingussie, Golspie, Melvich & Bettyhill, Kinlochbervie, Aultbea, Kyleakin, Lochcarron, Raasay & Sconser.

    The Highland Council and ILM Highland have been awarded £135,000 of funding from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund (Small Grant Scheme) to increase circular economy practices for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) across the region.

    This includes the introduction of the new electrical and electronic equipment collection service and new facilities at 4 Household Waste Recycling Centres which will be available in the coming weeks, for the separation of domestic appliances which are suitable for reuse.

    The funding includes the purchase of a new van which will be utilised by ILM Highland to provide the monthly collection of WEEE in communities which have limited access to Household Waste Recycling Centres, to help increase the recycling and reuse of this type of waste.

    David Gunn, Manager (Recycling Improvement Fund) Operations at Zero Waste Scotland said: “It’s fantastic to see recycling and reuse being made more accessible to rural communities through this new service. By supporting households across the Highlands to recycle their electrical items – whether broken or in working order, this initiative is not only helping to reduce waste but also playing a vital role in Scotland’s journey towards a more circular economy.”

    The event was held at the Village Hall car park, where members of the public joined representatives from ILM Highland and Highland Council for a photo opportunity and live demonstration of the collection service.

    Residents are encouraged to bring any electrical item with a plug, cable, or household battery. While most small and large appliances are accepted, vapes and disposable/rechargeable vape devices could not be collected. Lithium batteries in power tools, however, are accepted.

    Martin Macleod, CEO at ILM Highland said: “This initiative represents our continued commitment to reducing waste and supporting our communities. We’re grateful to Highland Council for their partnership and to the residents of Fort Augustus for such a warm welcome.”

    All reusable items collected will be earmarked for repair and resale, while remaining components will be responsibly recycled—supporting ILM Highland’s mission as a social enterprise reinvesting profits into community support and home improvement services for vulnerable residents.

    Councillor Graham MacKenzie, Chair of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee, said: “I am delighted that The Highland Council and ILM Highland have been successful in securing the funding from the Scottish Government to help improve the recycling facilities in Highland. Electrical and electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, and recent research shows that the Highland region, produces the most e-waste per capita than anywhere else in Europe. Increasing the opportunities for the public to recycle and reuse e-waste has significant environmental and social benefits that help to reduce carbon emissions, preserve precious metals found in all kinds of tech and helping to create jobs within Highland.”

    Details of the new WEEE collection service are available on the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/recycle.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: American National Insurance Company Ranked Among America’s Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American National Insurance Company has been named one of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2025 on the prestigious insurance industry list published by Newsweek in collaboration with market research firm Statista. This marks the fourth year in a row that American National has been recognized as one of the most trustworthy companies.

    “At American National, trust is the foundation of everything we do,” said Tim Walsh, president and chief executive officer. “Our commitment has always been to be a source of certainty for our clients.”

    Newsweek’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2025 rankings evaluated 700 companies across 23 industries, using 100,000 independent assessments from consumers, employees, and investors. The selection process also incorporated online sentiment analysis, recognizing companies that consistently demonstrate ethical practices and strong leadership.

    American National is dedicated to its mission of delivering financial security and peace of mind through innovative insurance solutions, excellent customer service, and a longstanding tradition of trust.

    For more information about American National Insurance Company and its commitment to policyholders, visit www.AmericanNational.com. Click here to view Newsweek’s full rankings of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2025.

    ABOUT AMERICAN NATIONAL

    Founded in 1905 and based in Galveston, Texas, American National Insurance Company (American National) is dedicated to being a source of certainty for millions of Americans through a comprehensive range of wealth protection, retirement, and insurance products and services. American National combines our expertise and resources to cater to the diverse needs of our clients, guiding them towards financial security and peace of mind. For more information, visit our website at AmericanNational.com.

    Annuities, life insurance and other products and services are written through multiple companies. Property and casualty insurance is written through American National Property And Casualty Company, Springfield, Missouri, and affiliates. In New York, business is written through Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company, United Farm Family Insurance Company, and American National Life Insurance Company of New York, Glenmont, New York. Not all products and services are available in all states. Not all companies are licensed in all states. Each company has financial responsibility only for the products and services it issues.

    Contact: Scott Campbell
    SVP, Corporate Communications
    Scott.Campbell@AmericanNational.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council progressing well against Operational Delivery Plan

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Councillors have approved a progress report on Highland Council’s Operational Delivery Plan for 2024/25 which provides a planned approach to transforming Highland communities by bringing major sources of investment to the area and new ways of delivering services.

    The report noted positive feedback from Audit Scotland on progress made since 2020, including plans in place to support priorities and an embedded culture of transformation.

    Transformation projects within the Delivery Plan aimed to make savings of £27.6m in 2024/25, for example, by changing procurement processes, generating income from tourism, and reducing numbers of senior managers. The report forecasts that 95% of savings will have been delivered, excluding Adult Social Care, where earmarked reserves have been used to frontload the transformation of the service.

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: “I welcome this report which shows the progress being made as directed by our Future Highland Programme bringing changes in services to benefit communities across Highland. A focus on driving external investment has already seen successes such as £17.5 million investment for home energy efficiency.

    “The report also reflects the positive comments in the recent Audit Scotland report about the ways in which Highland Council is taking steps to transform its delivery of services.”

    Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban added: “Members have had the opportunity to discuss the Delivery Plan report which is vital to ensure that the Council’s ambitious plans are robustly scrutinised to keep project delivery on track. Innovative approaches to income generation such as the Storr Centre are paying off for people in Highland.”

    Chair of Corporate Resources Committee, Cllr Derek Louden said: “Long term financial stability, sustainable service delivery and affordability is what we are aiming to achieve to enable continuous improvements to service delivery for Highland. This report is a positive step in the right direction, highlighting the importance of good value systems and processes such as in procurement, where savings of hundreds of thousands of pounds have been delivered.”

    The report also highlighted how staff have been kept informed and involved, with 97% agreeing that a roadshow programme for staff set the Council’s vision for the future; 96% that it clearly articulated opportunities; and 78% that they could see the benefits for communities from the Council’s Delivery Plan.

    The delivery plan shows how Highland Council intends to transform over time, with a focus on six development areas incorporated into the following portfolios:

    • Person-centred solutions.
    • Workforce for the future.
    • Reconfiguring our asset base.
    • Net zero energy, investment and innovation.
    • Corporate solutions.
    • Income generation.

    The Operational Delivery Plan supports the My Future Highland Programme and Performance Plan which combined together comprise the Council’s transformation programme.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s Community Council Scheme Review moves on to second public consultation

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Members of The Highland Council have noted the feedback received during phase 1 of the Community Council Scheme Review 2024-25 public consultation and have agreed to proceed to a second and final consultation.

    Members also agreed an amendment from the Nairnshire Area Committee members to amend the “Review of the Highland Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils 2024/25 – Phase 1 Feedback” 2.1(ii) to add an additional bullet point:

    • The proposals for East Nairnshire CC as set out in 7.3 and Appendix 2 to proceed to phase 2 consultation.

    The consultation will focus on revised and new boundary proposals, amendments to existing Scheme proposals, and new proposals.  

    The Council has made a commitment to review the Scheme on a regular cycle.

    Feedback was received on boundary proposals, finance, the role of Community Councils, membership, and elections.

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: “During the first consultation period we received 96 responses from individuals, Community Councils and individual Community Council members so I’d like to thank everyone for their input into the process.”

    Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban added: “We are now ready to move forward and the proposals we are consulting on in this next phase have all come following feedback directly from the first phase of public consultation.”

    A 12-week public consultation will run from 22 May until 13 August 2025.

    Following this, a further report will go to a special meeting of The Highland Council on 18 September at which Members will make a final decision to approve a New Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils.

    15 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: AppTech Payments Corp. Highlights Q1 2025 Financial and Strategic Developments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CARLSBAD, Calif., May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AppTech Payments Corp. (“AppTech or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: APCX), a fintech company, today announced its First Quarter 2025 financial results. The Company reported an operating loss of $2.6 million ($0.08 per share) versus a $3.0 million loss in the same quarter of 2024 ($0.13 per share). The cash basis loss was $1.8 million versus $2.2 million in 2024.

    AppTech seeks to further enhance operating efficiency and has added revenue sources to achieve breakeven, then profitable operating results.

    Felipe Corrado, AppTech’s CFO, commented, “The steps we’ve taken to improve our financial position are beginning to yield tangible results. Our priority remains driving revenue expansion while maintaining cost efficiency.”

    About AppTech Payments Corp.

    AppTech Payments Corp. (NASDAQ: APCX) provides digital financial services for financial institutions, corporations, small and midsized enterprises (“SMEs”), and consumers through the Company’s scalable cloud-based platform architecture and infrastructure. For more information, please visit apptechcorp.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties. Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, forecast, intend, may, plan, project, predict, should, will” and similar expressions as they relate to AppTech are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in methods of marketing, delays in manufacturing or distribution, changes in customer order patterns, changes in customer offering mix, and various other factors beyond the Company’s control. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to any of these factors. AppTech is under no obligation to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

    AppTech Payments Corp.
    760-707-5959
    info@apptechcorp.com

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