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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Europe: RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the renewal of the Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine – A10-0007/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the draft Council decision on the renewal of the Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine

    (COM(2024)0438 – C10‑0196/2024 – 2024/0240(NLE))

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the draft Council decision (14848/2024),

    – having regard to the Council Decision 2003/96/EC of 6 February 2003 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and Ukraine[1],

    – having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 186 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0196/2024),

    – having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4), and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0007/2025),

    1. Gives its consent to the renewal of the agreement;

    2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Ukraine.

    EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

    Ukraine has a long tradition of science and technology excellence and despite the difficulties of the last years and Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked war of aggression, Ukraine still has first class science and scientists, and remains an important science, technology and innovation (STI) actor in the neighbourhood of the Union. Cooperation between the Union and Ukraine has traditionally been very active notably in the fields of advanced/new materials, IT-technology, physics and astronomy, engineering, agricultural technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology and their applications across various sectors such as aviation, energy, and biomedicine, in particular immunotherapies for cancer.

     

    The ‘Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine’ was signed in Copenhagen on 4 July 2002 and was concluded originally until 31 December 2002. Article 12 point (b) of the Agreement provides for a possibility of renewal by common agreement between the Parties for additional periods of five years. The Agreement has been renewed four times: in 2003, 2011, 2015 and 2020.

     

    The renewal of the Agreement for an additional period of five years is in the mutual interest of both Parties to the Agreement in order to continue facilitating cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in common science and technology (S&T) priority areas leading to mutual benefits as laid out in Article 4 of the Agreement.

     

    The substance of the proposed decision is to extend the existing Agreement. It will in all other regards be identical to that of the content of the current Agreement.

     

    The content of the Agreement will remain unchanged and will not create new or additional rights and obligations for either of the Parties, but instead it will extend in time the legal regime already existing between the Parties in the field of S&T cooperation.

     

    For the reasons stated above, the Rapporteur believes that it is in the Union’s interest to renew the ‘Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine’ for a new period of five years.

     

     

    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.

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    Title

    Renewal of the Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine

    References

    14848/2024 – C10-0196/2024 – 2024/0240(NLE)

    Date of consultation or request for consent

    20.11.2024

     

     

     

    Committee(s) responsible

    ITRE

     

     

     

    Rapporteurs

     Date appointed

    Borys Budka

    3.12.2024

     

     

     

    Simplified procedure – date of decision

    3.12.2024

    Date adopted

    29.1.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    77

    1

    0

    Members present for the final vote

    Wouter Beke, Hildegard Bentele, Michael Bloss, Paolo Borchia, Borys Budka, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Elena Donazzan, Matthias Ecke, Christian Ehler, Sofie Eriksson, Jan Farský, Lina Gálvez, Jens Geier, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Bart Groothuis, Elisabetta Gualmini, András Gyürk, Niels Flemming Hansen, Eero Heinäluoma, Ivars Ijabs, Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Fernand Kartheiser, Seán Kelly, Rudi Kennes, Sarah Knafo, Ondřej Knotek, Michał Kobosko, Ondřej Krutílek, Eszter Lakos, Isabella Lövin, Yannis Maniatis, Sara Matthieu, Eva Maydell, Marina Mesure, Jana Nagyová, Dan Nica, Angelika Niebler, Ville Niinistö, Mirosława Nykiel, Daniel Obajtek, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Jüri Ratas, Julie Rechagneux, Aura Salla, Jussi Saramo, Paulius Saudargas, Benedetta Scuderi, Anna Stürgkh, Marcin Sypniewski, Beata Szydło, Dario Tamburrano, Matej Tonin, Isabella Tovaglieri, Filip Turek, Yvan Verougstraete, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Andrea Wechsler, Angelika Winzig, Auke Zijlstra

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    René Aust, Per Clausen, Pietro Fiocchi, Hanna Gedin, Radan Kanev, Rihards Kols, Marion Maréchal, Jutta Paulus, Massimiliano Salini, Davor Ivo Stier, Dimitris Tsiodras, Brigitte van den Berg, Marion Walsmann

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

    Raffaele Topo, Marianne Vind

    Date tabled

    31.1.2025

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Growing focus on digital skills – 03-02-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Digital skills and competences are key for social inclusion, well-being, active citizenship and employability, as well as the EU’s productivity, competitiveness and resilience. Given the importance of such skills for society and the economy, the EU has set a series of targets for digital skills. However, recent data and trends make it clear that more needs to be done to speed up progress towards these targets. With the review of the European Commission’s flagship digital education action plan ongoing, the Commission should soon be adopting a roadmap for the future of digital education and training.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Spain’s inefficient management delays essential EU funds – P-000249/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-000249/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Diego Solier (ECR), Nora Junco García (ECR)

    The Spanish Government’s failure to apply to the EU Solidarity Fund to address the damage caused by the October–November 2024 DANA (severe flash flooding) reflects a worrying administrative laziness that puts the interests of Valencian citizens, and the country as a whole, at risk. Despite the fact that the Commission confirmed the availability of this mechanism, Spain has unjustifiably delayed its application, exhausting the regulatory deadline of 12 weeks. This contrasts with the diligence of other countries, such as Germany and Italy, which activated this fund in 2023 to respond swiftly to similar disasters.

    This delay not only denotes inefficient management, but also exposes affected communities to further hardship while the timeline for gaining access to necessary resources is prolonged. Moreover, it is unacceptable to publicly contradict each other on the state of affairs, as demonstrated by the official letter from the Commission Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms. Valencians deserve a government committed to their welfare, not excuses and delays.

    In view of this:

    • 1.Does the Commission plan to improve control mechanisms to ensure that EU Solidarity Fund resources are requested and managed efficiently?
    • 2.What is the Commission’s assessment of the impact of the Spanish Government’s delay in applying for these funds on the communities affected by the DANA?

    Submitted: 21.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) – E-000173/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000173/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Moritz Körner (Renew)

    The Commission is asked to answer the following questions separately:

    • 1.Does the Commission know how many employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) have been involved in terrorist acts since 1 January 2021? If so, how many? If not, why not?
    • 2.Does the Commission know how many UNRWA employees are currently members of a terrorist organisation? If so, how many? If not, why not?
    • 3.Does the Commission know how many UNRWA employees have been members of a terrorist organisation? If so, how many? If not, why not?

    Submitted: 16.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – ‘Taharrush Gamea’ and the violence in Piazza Duomo on New Year’s Eve – E-000118/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000118/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Silvia Sardone (PfE)

    Many reports indicate that a number of women of different nationalities were sexually harassed in Milan’s Piazza Duomo during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. The women were surrounded and abused by dozens of young men of foreign background. Investigators believe this very serious incident to be a case of ‘taharrush gamea’, a phenomenon of Arab origin in which groups of men use sexual assault to insult women in front of everyone for daring to appear in public. Europe’s cities are not new to incidents such as this (examples include Milan in 2022 and Koln in 2016), proof that women are increasingly seen as objects to be controlled, a view that is increasingly widespread in Muslim communities.

    In the light of the above, what has been done in recent years:

    • 1.To combat the above phenomenon?
    • 2.To push back against the idea that women should be subjugated, a widely held view in many Muslim communities?
    • 3.To prevent Islamist ‘parallel societies’ on the outskirts of our cities from doing away with women’s rights and imposing their values?

    Submitted: 14.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – EU dependency on Russian fertilisers: challenges and strategies for boosting domestic production – E-002136/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    About two thirds of the fertilisers used in the EU agriculture are nitrogen-based. The raw material used in their production is natural gas, accounting for over 70% of variable production costs. In 2022, the energy crisis led to unprecedented high fertiliser prices and closures of production capacities across the EU.

    Fertiliser prices have decreased in 2023 but are at levels above those of the past decade, as natural gas prices moved to a higher plateau.

    The competitiveness of EU production of ammonia, the indispensable precursor of all nitrogen fertilisers, was affected as a result, leading to lower production capacity utilisation rates and even to some plant closures.

    The Commission already outlined several avenues to ensure the availability and affordability of fertilisers in the EU[1]. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain sufficient production capacity in the EU, including through the substitution of gas-based production with more climate-neutral alternatives.

    For instance, financial endowments from the Just Transition Fund[2] are earmarked for promoting the production of green ammonia in Romania (Azomures) and Lithuania (AB Achema).

    In July 2024, the Commission approved a EUR 122 million Lithuanian state aid measure to support the decarbonisation of Achema’s production processes[3].

    • [1]  COM(2022)590: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022DC0590
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32021R1056
    • [3] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/document/print/sk/ip_24_3747/IP_24_3747_EN.pdf
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Political assault on media freedom and pluralism in Spain – E-002226/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is aware of the developments the Honourable Member refers to in the question. Royal Decree-Law 5/2024 was approved by the Spanish Government on 22 October 2024 and validated by the Spanish Congress on 30 October 2024.

    The Commission attaches great importance to the principles of media freedom and pluralism, which are fundamental pillars of democratic societies.

    The European Media Freedom Act[1], which entered into force on 7 May 2024 and will apply from 8 August 2025, aims to ensure editorial independence of public service media providers, in accordance with their public service remit as defined at national level in line with Protocol No 29 on the system of public broadcasting in the Member States, attached to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union[2].

    Protocol No 29 recognises the Member States’ freedom to define, organise and finance public service broadcasting. Nevertheless, all Member States have agreed to a set of European standards and guiding principles relating to independence, the regulatory and policy framework, funding, appointments, accountability, management, transparency, and openness in this domain[3].

    The Commission will continue to monitor developments concerning the public service broadcasters, both at national and regional levels, taking into account the provisions in the European Media Freedom Act.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act) (OJ L, 2024/1083, 17.04.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1083/oj).
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/treaty/tfeu_2012/pro_29/oj
    • [3] Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)1 on public service media governance.
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Europeans strongly support science and technology according to new Eurobarometer survey

    Source: EuroStat – European Statistics

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Feb 2025 The latest Eurobarometer survey on ‘European citizens’ knowledge and attitudes towards science and technology’ released today shows more than 8 in 10 citizens (83%) think that the overall influence of science and technology is positive.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Potential retroactive ban on diesel-powered passenger vehicles – E-001642/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    While the Commission cannot comment on ongoing cases[1] before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) nor prejudge the outcome of the Court’s pending proceeding, the Commission will continue to promote solutions that favour clean and healthy air as well as promote a predictable and implementable legal framework.

    Irrespective of the outcome of the CJEU judgment, the Commission will ensure with the Member States a proper follow up. In accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858[2], the Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement (composed of representatives from Member States type-approval and market surveillance authorities) provides for coordination of activities and exchange of best practices towards a uniform implementation of the applicable legislation across the EU.

    The spirit and letter of EU emissions legislation are well known. It was clarified in the CJEU judgment in Case C-128/20[3] that the vehicles’ emission behaviour must comply with the standardised New European Driving Cycle test conditions[4], as well as with Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007[5] and with implementing measures, as agreed by the co-legislators, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.

    • [1] C-251/23 and C-308/23, Mercedes-Benz Group.
    • [2] OJ L 151, 14.6.2018, p. 1-218.
    • [3] Judgment of 14 July 2022, GSMB Invest, C-128/20, EU:C:2022:570, paragraph 40.
    • [4] Commission Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 implementing and amending Regulation (EC) No 715/2007, OJ L 199, 28.7.2008, p. 1-136.
    • [5] OJ L 171, 29.6.2007, p. 1-16.
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – The right to petition the European Parliament – 03-02-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The right to petition the European Parliament was formally set out in the Maastricht Treaty as one of the rights of European Union citizenship. Parliament’s predecessors, from the beginnings of the Communities in the 1950s, had already recognised the importance of receiving petitions from citizens, and this has become a major expression of Parliament’s role as the direct representative of EU citizens. The European Parliament’s practice is based on those of national parliaments, but is often more extensive in terms of scope. The right of petition has developed substantially over time. In particular, petitions addressed to the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions (PETI committee) and then transferred to the European Commission can potentially lead to infringement procedures against Member States. There are, however, still some problems regarding exercise of the right of petition – particularly concerning the responsiveness of the Commission and how to involve national parliaments more effectively. The PETI committee plays a key role in the election of the European Ombudsman, as it is responsible for organising the hearings of the nominees. The committee attaches paramount importance to the examination and public discussion of petitions at its meetings and petitioners have the right to present their petitions. They frequently take the floor in the discussion, thereby actively contributing to the work of the committee. In this way, efficient communication takes place between Parliament, the Commission and citizens. This briefing modifies and further develops a briefing published in 2015.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Weapons trafficking to Sudan – E-000350/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000350/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Gaetano Pedulla’ (The Left), Pasquale Tridico (The Left), Danilo Della Valle (The Left), Per Clausen (The Left), Pernando Barrena Arza (The Left), Sebastian Everding (The Left)

    UN report S/2024/65, investigations by non-governmental organisations (Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, Amnesty International) and articles by journalists in many authoritative media sources, such as the New York Times, put forward allegations implicating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan. In particular, the UAE is alleged to be implicated in weapons trafficking, inter alia using French technology, despite UN warnings.

    • 1.Can the Commission clarify its assessment of the UAE’s role in this conflict with particular reference to the latter’s involvement with a group accused of human rights abuses and atrocities against civilians?
    • 2.What diplomatic efforts is the Commission currently pursuing to address and deter any support by the UAE for armed groups in Sudan, including as regards working with international partners to address this worrying support and ensure accountability?
    • 3.Is the Commission prepared to consider sanctions or other policy measures against any individuals or entities within the UAE that are found to be complicit in supporting Sudanese armed groups responsible for documented abuses?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Unacceptable revisionist statements of neo-Ottoman grandeur by the Turkish President, questioning the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus – E-000338/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000338/2025
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Emmanouil Kefalogiannis (PPE)

    The Turkish President, speaking on Saturday at the 8th regular provincial congress of the ruling Democracy [sic] and Development Party (AKP) in the city of Eskişehir, referred to the “borders of his heart” and questioned the sovereignty of two EU member states, Greece and Cyprus, stating that, “If one border of Eskişehir is Thessaloniki, the other is Crimea. If one border is Samarkand, the other is Northern Cyprus”.

    These statements – beyond exaggerating neo-Ottoman grandeur – undermine peace and security in the Southeastern Mediterranean, international law and international conventions.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.What is the Commission’s evaluation of the provocative statements of the Turkish President, which conceal markedly revisionist tendencies and undermine stability and security in the Southeastern Mediterranean?
    • 2.What actions does the Commission intend to take against Türkiye, an accession state, for the Turkish President’s unacceptable remarks?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Erdoğan’s political ally, Devlet Bahçeli, cultivates a climate of war against Greece – E-000342/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000342/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI)

    On 15 January 2025, in a speech to the Turkish Parliament, de facto co-ruler of Türkiye Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, which provides support to the Erdoğan government, once again made unacceptable and provocative statements against Greece. Referring to the Aegean Dodecanese Islands, he emphasised that he considers them Turkish, saying, verbatim, ‘If we have to go to war, it will be a celebration for us. We are told by God to sacrifice our lives many times for national values’[1].

    At the same time, Turkish ‘analysts’ on CNN Turk are presenting maps on which all the Aegean islands are shown in the colours of Türkiye, clamouring, ‘we will fight!’ and ‘we will do what has to be done and go and take them!’ They also show the range of missiles extending to mainland Greece. Türkiye considers itself to have achieved victory in Syria and appears insatiable and undaunted by a war against Greece and EU territories, preparing its public opinion accordingly.

    In light of the above, does the Commission intend to manage the issue by immediately cutting off funding to Türkiye altogether?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    • [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eCzeAjWjH8 (Δελτίο Ειδήσεων ΣΚΑΙ, 15/01/2025)
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Preserving competition in the telecommunications sector to enable consumer choice and affordable prices – E-000362/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000362/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Eero Heinäluoma (S&D)

    EU and Member State regulation and competition policy in the telecommunications sector has enabled a plurality of players to operate in the market, contributing to relatively low consumer prices and encouraging innovation, for example in Finland. This has benefited consumers and small businesses.

    The significant market power (SMP) obligations imposed by national regulatory authorities on major telecommunications operators, for example in Finland, have proven an effective solution for ensuring a competitive market. The SMP decisions have required larger operators to lease their networks at reasonable prices to smaller operators, bringing more consumer choice, innovation and competitive internet services to consumers and businesses.

    • 1.How does the Commission plan to encourage new investments in 5G, 6G and high-speed fibre networks while preserving market competition, including market access for small businesses, to enable consumer choice and relatively affordable prices?
    • 2.Does the Commission agree that SMP obligations are important in the telecommunications market and should be preserved?
    • 3.Is the Commission ready to defend the rights of smaller market players and maintain the obligation for major telecommunications companies to lease their networks to other industry players, including in Finland?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Consequences of imposing greenhouse gas emissions tax on Danish farmers – E-002714/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU Agriculture presented its independent recommendations to the Commission[1]. The President of the Commission has asked the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food in his mission letter[2] to follow up on some of the Dialogue’s recommendations. This includes the EU-wide benchmarking system in the agri-food sector.

    The Commission is currently analysing how such a benchmarking system could be designed and what its scope could be. No decision on the exact nature or timeline for a proposal of this initiative has been taken.

    The Commission does not have the information requested as regards the expected costs and projected emission cuts deriving from the proposed Danish agricultural emissions tax.

    • [1] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_4528
    • [2] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/2c64e540-c07a-4376-a1da-368d289f4afe_en?filename=Mission%20letter%20-%20HANSEN.pdf
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Import tariffs as a means of getting countries of origin to take back their nationals who do not have residency status in the EU – E-000349/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000349/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Marieke Ehlers (PfE)

    On 26 January 2025, US President Trump announced sanctions against Colombia after the Colombian Government refused to allow to land two US planes carrying deported Colombian illegal immigrants. These sanctions included a 25 % import tax on goods from Colombia, with a possible increase to 50 % after seven days, visa sanctions for Colombian Government representatives, tougher border controls for Colombian residents and imports, and additional financial sanctions. Six minutes after the sanctions were announced, the Colombian Government proposed to pick up the Colombian illegal immigrants itself using the presidential plane.

    • 1.Does the Commission agree that this type of sanction works to get countries of origin or departure to take back asylum seekers and criminal migrants who have been deported?
    • 2.Is the Commission considering using such sanctions to facilitate the implementation of the Return Directive and the Pact on Migration and Asylum?
    • 3.If not, why not?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Deferral of delegated and implementing acts under the Fisheries Control Regulation – P-002905/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The revised fisheries control Regulation[1], as agreed by the co-legislators, introduced several provisions which require that the Commission prepares implementing and delegated acts for Member States and operators to be able to implement them .

    Some of these provisions will enter into force in 2026, others in 2027 and in 2028. The Commission has been conducting comprehensive technical consultations with Member States to prepare these acts. Member States have been given adequate time to react to the Commission’s proposals. This process is still ongoing.

    Reducing administrative burden is an important parameter for the Commission in the preparation of these acts . As an illustration, the aim of the Commission is to simplify the implementing legislation in force (Regulation 404/2011[2]) by removing or updating many articles and several annexes as they have become obsolete or require adaptation to implement the revised rules.

    Many of the new implementing rules incorporate flexibility to facilitate implementation, minimise complexity and digitalise reporting.

    The Commission is bound by the empowerment given by the co-legislators in the revised fisheries control Regulation. In particular, Articles 60(10) and 60a(1) and (2) of this regulation empower the Commission to adopt implementing and delegated acts on weighing procedures.

    On that basis, the Commission services are currently preparing draft weighing rules in close consultation with the Member States, taking also into consideration the recent recommendations from the European Fisheries Control Agency.

    These new provisions related to weighing contained in Articles 60 (10) and 60a of the regulation will need to be in place before January 2027.

    • [1] Council Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023 as regards fisheries control, OJ L, 2023/2842, 20.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2842/oj
    • [2] Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy, OJ L 112, 30.4.2011, p. 1-15, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2011/404/oj
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Impact of trawling restrictions in Spanish waters in the Mediterranean – E-002845/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Western Mediterranean management plan[1] (MAP) aims to secure a sustainable and profitable future for the sector relying on healthy fish stocks. The Commission has worked with all stakeholders to implement gradually the MAP since its adoption by the co-legislators in 2019.

    While the fishing opportunities adopted by the Council have gradually reduced trawling effort since 2020, numerous flexibilities alleviated the reduction, such as additional fishing days granted by the compensation mechanism. Moreover, European financial assistance is available to those fishers who opt in.

    The Commission proposal for the 2025 fishing opportunities was based on the best available scientific advice provided by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries[2] (STECF) and extended the compensation mechanism.

    Taking all available data and models into account, the STECF advice shows that several stocks are outside of safe biological limits and drastic catch reductions are needed for stocks to recover. For 2025, the Council decided to keep the reductions proposed by the Commission, while expanding the compensation mechanism.

    The socioeconomic specificities of the Western Mediterranean fisheries were considered during the negotiations of the MAP, and the co-legislators agreed to postpone the achievement of sustainable fisheries to 2025[3].

    The Commission has worked based on STECF socioeconomic analyses that conclude how ambitious management measures will rapidly pay off with healthier stocks and increased sector profitability.

    In 2024, the Commission had extensive discussions with all stakeholders. The Commission will continue working with Member States, scientists[4] and the fishing sector for the implementation of the MAP.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2019/1022 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 establishing a multiannual plan for the fisheries exploiting demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea and amending Regulation (EU) No 508/2014. OJ L 172, 26.6.2019, p. 1-17.
    • [2] STECF Expert Working Group EWG 24-10 (https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/d/stecf/tors_ewg_24-10) and STECF Expert Working Group EWG 24-12 (https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/d/stecf/ewg_24-12_tor_westmed_fisheries-management).
    • [3] A 5 year derogation compared to other sea basins, for which the legal requirement to achieve sustainable fisheries had to be achieved by 2020 at the latest.
    • [4] providing the latest data and models available.
    Last updated: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Armenia: EIB Global and Ameriabank join forces to provide €105 million loan to support small businesses

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • EIB Global is granting a €105 million loan to Ameriabank to scale up support for the Armenian private sector.
    • This is the largest direct loan ever granted by EIB Global to a bank in the South Caucasus.
    • This finance will help around 400 small businesses and secure 15 000 jobs, with at least 20% going towards green investments.
    • Thanks to EU support, part of the financing will be provided in local currency to protect businesses against currency risk.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) has made its first ever agreement with Ameriabank. The EIB will provide the bank with €105 million in financing — its largest direct loan to a bank in the South Caucasus region. The aim of the operation is to finance investments in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and mid-caps in Armenia, with the aim of supporting their growth, competitiveness and adoption of greener and more sustainable practices. This initiative underscores EIB Global’s commitment to fostering economic development, supporting private-sector growth, and creating sustainable jobs in Armenia.

    The financing will enable Ameriabank to offer affordable loans to local businesses. The operation is expected to benefit approximately 400 MSMEs and sustain over 15 000 jobs in the Armenian economy. At least 20% of the loan will be directed towards green investments, contributing to Armenia’s transition to a more sustainable and resilient economy.

    “We are delighted to partner with Ameriabank to strengthen Armenia’s private sector and promote sustainable economic growth,” said EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska, who oversees EIB operations in Armenia. “This operation is a milestone, constituting a significant step forward in our commitment to fostering sustainable development and economic resilience, in line with both the European Union and Armenia’s priorities.”

    Part of the financing will be provided in local currency to protect MSMEs against currency risk. The European Union is supporting the operation with grant funding, which will help ensure the loan’s interest rate remains affordable. This operation will help the European Union in its ambition to support 30 000 MSMEs for a sustainable, innovative and competitive economy, as one of the five pillars for Armenia set out in the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership.

    “With this support to the Armenian MSMEs, we are delivering on our commitment to further support Armenian private sector and contribute to addressing the pressing need for access to finance including in local currency. This assistance is part of the European Investment Plan (EIP) for Armenia which is a comprehensive initiative aimed at fostering economic growth, sustainable development, and prosperity in the country. We will further build on these efforts by delivering in total €270 million under the Resilience and Growth Plan in the period 2024-2027. A large part of it will be dedicated to business development, targeted at tech, start-ups and new export opportunities, which will support Armenia’s economic diversification,” said Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos.

    The funds will reach underserved businesses via Ameriabank’s extensive network, enabling them to invest in growth, improve competitiveness and adopt environmentally sustainable practices.

    Ameriabank Chief Financial Officer Hovhannes Toroyan said, “We are pleased to partner with the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) to reaffirm our commitment to supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Armenia. This collaboration will provide local businesses with affordable funding, enabling them to reach their full potential and contribute significantly to Armenia’s economic growth. As the largest lender in the Armenian economy with a solid portfolio in green and sustainable financing, we are confident in our ability to foster a more sustainable and inclusive economic future for Armenia.”

    Background information

    About EIB Global 

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 — around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. 

    About Ameriabank

    Ameriabank is a leading financial institution in Armenia, a major contributor to the Armenian economy with assets around AMD 1.9 trillion. The Bank has adopted a customer-focused approach to ensure service quality and modern banking experience in an evolving digital environment. Ameriabank is committed to doing business responsibly and advancing Armenia’s transition towards a sustainable future.

    Ameriabank
    Armenia: EIB Global and Ameriabank join forces to provide €105 million loan to support small businesses
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    Ameriabank
    Armenia: EIB Global and Ameriabank join forces to provide €105 million loan to support small businesses
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde – A10-0004/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde

    (11267/2024 – C10‑0087/2024 – 2024/0133(NLE))

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the draft Council decision (11267/2024),

    – having regard to the draft agreement (11026/2024),

    – having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 43(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0087/2024),

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

    – having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4), and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

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

    – having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries (A10-0004/2025),

    1. Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement;

    2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Cabo Verde.

    EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

    The Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde (FPA) offers fishing opportunities for 56 EU vessels for tuna and related species in Cabo Verde’s waters.

    The new agreement covers a period of five years and will offer EU vessels the possibility to fish 7 000 tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species in Cabo Verde’s waters. In return, the EU will pay Cabo Verde a financial contribution of 780 000€ per year (EUR 3 900 000 for the entire duration of the Protocol), from which 350 000€ is related to a reference tonnage of 7 000 tonnes, and 430 000€ to support for developing Cabo Verde’s sectoral fisheries policy.

    The rapporteur highlights the strategic importance of Cabo Verde, as a relevant player in the Atlantic Ocean, remembering that the EU and Cabo Verde have developed a cooperative relationship for more than four decades, with respect and political dialogue. Currently, Cabo Verde and the EU share common values such as democracy, respect for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, the promotion of multilateralism, and Cabo Verde is part of a regional group, called Macaronesia, which includes the Azores, Madeira, Canaries and Cabo Verde. The evolution of relations in these fields led to the creation of the EU-Cabo Verde Special Partnership in 2007, which continues to evolve.

    The rapporteur stresses the importance of the EU-Cabo Verde SFPA for the EU fleet fishing for tuna and related species in the Atlantic Ocean, following strict EU criteria with regard to fisheries management, resource conservation and environmental sustainability, while at the same time strictly respecting the human rights and contributing for local socioeconomic development.

    The rapporteur considers that this is a balanced Agreement, in which the remuneration for the fishing opportunities is lower than the EU contribution to support the development of Cabo Verde fisheries sector. This Protocol puts special emphasis on promoting decent working conditions for fishing activity, scientific capacity building, observation and management of the marine environment and marine protected areas. It promotes sustainable fisheries management, fisheries control and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). It also contains new provisions to improve vessel monitoring, the management of fishing authorizations and enhanced management measures for shark stocks. The Protocol responds to Cabo Verde’s desire to strengthen the industrialization and competitiveness of its fishing sector.

    In accordance with Article 218(6) TFEU, the consent of the European Parliament is required in order for the Council to adopt a decision on the conclusion of the Agreement.

    In the light of the above, the Rapporteur recommends to Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

     

    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.

     

     

    BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS (22.11.2024)

    for the Committee on Fisheries

    on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde

    (COM(2024)0236 – C10‑0087/2024 – 2024/0133(NLE))

    Rapporteur for budgetary assessment: Hélder Sousa Silva 

     

    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:

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[1],

    – having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA) of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources[2], and in particular point 20 thereof,

    A. whereas the financial contribution for the entire duration of the Protocol is EUR 3 900 000 (i.e. EUR 780 000 per year), based on:

    (a) a reference tonnage of 7 000 tonnes, for which an annual amount linked to access has been set at EUR 350 000;

    (b) support for developing Cabo Verde’s sectoral fisheries policy, amounting to EUR 430 000 per year;

    B. whereas the implementation of the Protocol requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below:

    EUR million (to three decimal places)

    DG MARE

     

     

    Year
    2024

    Year
    2025

    Year
    2026

    Year
    2027

    Year
    2028

    TOTAL

    □ Operational appropriations

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Budget line 08.05.01

    Commitments

    (1a)

    0.780

    0.780

    0.780

    0.780

    0.780

    3.900

    Payments

    (2 a)

    0.780

    0.780

    0.780

    0.780

    0.780

    3.900

     

    C. whereas the annual amount for commitment and payment appropriations is established during the annual budgetary procedure, including for the reserve line for protocols not yet having entered into force at the beginning of the year;

    1. Notes that the support allocated to the Protocol should meet the objectives of cooperation in the fields of sustainable exploitation of fishery resources, aquaculture, sustainable development of the oceans, protection of the marine environment, and the blue economy; considers that this should be thoroughly scrutinised to ensure that this is done effectively during the implementation of the Protocol; notes that the support has a direct link to the principles of the Samoa Agreement[3] reinforcing the Union’s external action towards African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and taking account, in particular, of the Union’s objectives with regard to democratic principles and human rights, strengthening EU presence in the region and the cooperation with an important strategic partner;

    2. Recommends that, for future agreements, an impact assessment of the added value and socio-economic benefits derived from the previous agreement be taken into account; considers that this assessment should guide the negotiation and renewal of subsequent agreements to ensure that they align with the objectives of sustainable development and efficient use of the EU’s financial resources;

    3. Notes that the Protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Cabo Verde had not yet entered into force at the beginning of this year;

    4. Recalls that the IIA requires that amounts provided for in the budget for the renewal of fisheries agreements that enter into force after 1 January of the financial year concerned be put in the reserve;

    5. Recalls that the use of the appropriations in the reserve requires a transfer in accordance with Article 31 of the Financial Regulation for the amount concerned from reserve line 30 02 02 to operational line 08 05 01;

    6. Recalls that the Financial Regulation requires the Commission to only sign a protocol with financial implications when appropriations are available on the operational line;

    7. Notes that the Protocol with Cabo Verde was signed on 23 July 2024;

    8. Expresses its concern that no request for a transfer was submitted to the Committee on Budgets before the signing of the Protocol;

    9. Takes note of the information from the Commission that for 2024 part of the unused appropriations for the implementation of the fisheries agreement with Greenland was available on operational line 08 05 01 and would be used for the implementation of the Protocol with Cabo Verde;

    10. Considers that this practice does not respect the provisions of the IIA; furthermore, maintains that appropriations are to be used for the purpose for which they have been entered into the budget;

    11. Notes the relatively small amount linked to the implementation of the Protocol with Cabo Verde, which might explain why the Commission has deviated from the required procedure; considers this to be a special situation that can be accepted by way of an exception;

    12. Demands that the Commission act in compliance with the provisions of the IIA for any future fisheries agreement regardless of the amount involved;

    13. Stresses that the financial programming of line 08 05 01 needs to be enough to cater for the financial obligations for 2025-2027, subject to the decision of the budgetary authority in the annual budgetary procedures; in this regard, notes that line 08 05 01 in the 2025 Draft Budget and in the Council Position on the 2025 Draft Budget includes an amount of EUR 150 560 000 in commitment appropriations and EUR 135 275 000 in payment appropriations; calls for scrutiny regarding the financial programming of line 08 05 01 in the annual budgets of 2026 and 2027;

    14. Concludes that the Committee on Budgets is in a position to advise the Committee on Fisheries, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde.

     

     

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

    The rapporteur for budgetary assessment 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.

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT

    Title

    Conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde

    References

    11267/2024 – C10-0087/2024 – 2024/0133(NLE)

    Committee(s) responsible

    PECH

     

     

     

     Date announced in plenary

    BUDG

    19.9.2024

    Rapporteur for budgetary assessment

     Date appointed

    Hélder Sousa Silva

    16.9.2024

    Discussed in committee

    14.10.2024

     

     

     

    Date adopted

    21.11.2024

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    26

    5

    0

    Members present for the final vote

    Georgios Aftias, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Tomasz Buczek, Tamás Deutsch, Angéline Furet, Thomas Geisel, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Fabienne Keller, Janusz Lewandowski, Giuseppe Lupo, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Matjaž Nemec, Danuše Nerudová, Ruggero Razza, Bogdan Rzońca, Hélder Sousa Silva, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Joachim Streit, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs, Auke Zijlstra

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Moritz Körner, Tiago Moreira de Sá

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

    Christophe Bay, Udo Bullmann, Andrzej Buła, Gheorghe Falcă, Ştefan Muşoiu, Jan-Christoph Oetjen

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
    IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT

    26

    +

    ECR

    Ruggero Razza, Bogdan Rzońca

    NI

    Thomas Geisel

    PPE

    Georgios Aftias, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Andrzej Buła, Gheorghe Falcă, Janusz Lewandowski, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Danuše Nerudová, Hélder Sousa Silva

    PfE

    Tiago Moreira de Sá

    Renew

    Fabienne Keller, Moritz Körner, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Joachim Streit

    S&D

    Udo Bullmann, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Giuseppe Lupo, Ştefan Muşoiu, Matjaž Nemec, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs

    Verts/ALE

    Ignazio Roberto Marino, Nicolae Ştefănuță

     

    5

    –

    PfE

    Christophe Bay, Tomasz Buczek, Tamás Deutsch, Angéline Furet, Auke Zijlstra

     

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

     

    OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT (5.12.2024)

    for the Committee on Fisheries

    on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde

    (11267/2024 – C10‑0087/2024 – 2024/0133(NLE))

    Rapporteur for opinion: Rosa Estaràs Ferragut

     

    SHORT JUSTIFICATION

    The Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde (FPA) entered into force on 30 March 2007 for a period of 5 years, being tacitly renewable. A previous 5-year Protocol to the FPA entered into force on 20 May 2019 and expired on 19 May 2024.

    With a view to adopt a new Protocol to the FPA, the European Commission conducted negotiations with the Republic of Cabo Verde. Following these negotiations, a new Protocol was initialled on 15 April 2024. This new Protocol covers a period of five years, allowing Union vessels to access Cabo Verde’s fishing zone and to fish for tuna and associated species there, in compliance with the measures adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The aim is also to enhance cooperation between the EU and Cabo Verde, thereby creating a partnership framework within which to develop a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in Cabo Verde’s waters, in the interest of both Parties.

    The EU’s financial contribution allocated to the Protocol is EUR 780 000 per year. This total is broken down into an annual amount of EUR 350 000 for access to fishery resources and another EUR 430 000 for the development of Cabo Verde’s sectoral fisheries policy, which represents an increase for sectoral support in comparison with the previous protocol. 

    Cabo Verde’s economy heavily relies on fisheries, which plays a crucial role in food security and employment for local communities. Artisanal fishing is vital for the livelihoods of many coastal communities. However, commercial fishing operations are also prominent targeting high-value species like tuna, which can affect local resources. Challenges such as overfishing, illegal fishing and climate change pose significant threats to fish stocks, marine ecosystems, and the livelihoods of local communities that depend on fishing. Furthermore, while women play a vital role in the fisheries sector of Cabo Verde, social norms and institutional barriers reinforce their marginalisation especially in rural areas. Overall, fisheries in Cabo Verde are a vital part of the economy and culture, and, therefore, there is a pressing need for sustainable management to ensure the long-term health of marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

    Your rapporteur takes the view that the Protocol promotes the responsible and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and the development of the national fisheries policy in Cabo Verde and is in the interest of both Parties. For this reason, your rapporteur is proposing that the protocol be approved.

    *******

    The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Fisheries, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde (2024-2029).

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

    The rapporteur for the 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

    Conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde

    References

    11267/2024 – C10-0087/2024 – 2024/0133(NLE)

    Committee(s) responsible

    PECH

     

     

     

    Opinion by

     Date announced in plenary

    DEVE

    19.9.2024

    Rapporteur for the opinion

     Date appointed

    Rosa Estaràs Ferragut

    15.10.2024

    Date adopted

    4.12.2024

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    15

    0

    0

    Members present for the final vote

    Barry Andrews, Robert Biedroń, Udo Bullmann, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Niels Geuking, Charles Goerens, György Hölvényi, Murielle Laurent, Reinhold Lopatka, Isabella Lövin, Lukas Mandl, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Kristoffer Storm, Marco Tarquinio

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

    Monika Hohlmeier

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    15

    +

    ECR

    Kristoffer Storm

    PPE

    Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Niels Geuking, Monika Hohlmeier, Reinhold Lopatka, Lukas Mandl

    PfE

    György Hölvényi, Tiago Moreira de Sá

    Renew

    Barry Andrews, Charles Goerens

    S&D

    Robert Biedroń, Udo Bullmann, Murielle Laurent, Marco Tarquinio

    Verts/ALE

    Isabella Lövin

     

     

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

     

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    Title

    Conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2024-2029) implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cabo Verde

    References

    11267/2024 – C10-0087/2024 – 2024/0133(NLE)

    Date of consultation or request for consent

    26.7.2024

     

     

     

    Committee(s) responsible

    PECH

     

     

     

    Committees asked for opinions

     Date announced in plenary

    DEVE

    19.9.2024

     

     

     

    Rapporteurs

     Date appointed

    Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral

    19.9.2024

     

     

     

    Discussed in committee

    4.9.2024

    4.12.2024

     

     

    Date adopted

    28.1.2025

     

     

     

     

    BUDG

    21.11.2024

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    22

    4

    0

    Members present for the final vote

    Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Asger Christensen, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Ton Diepeveen, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Siegbert Frank Droese, Nicolás González Casares, Anja Hazekamp, France Jamet, Isabelle Le Callennec, Isabella Lövin, Giuseppe Milazzo, Francisco José Millán Mon, Jessica Polfjärd, André Rodrigues, Bert-Jan Ruissen, Sander Smit, António Tânger Corrêa, Emma Wiesner

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Mélissa Camara, Sofie Eriksson, Sebastian Everding

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

    Kinga Kollár

    Date tabled

    30.1.2025

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    22

    +

    ECR

    Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Giuseppe Milazzo, Bert-Jan Ruissen

    PPE

    Carmen Crespo Díaz, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Kinga Kollár, Isabelle Le Callennec, Francisco José Millán Mon, Jessica Polfjärd, Sander Smit

    PfE

    Ton Diepeveen, António Tânger Corrêa

    Renew

    Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Asger Christensen, Emma Wiesner

    S&D

    Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Sofie Eriksson, Nicolás González Casares, André Rodrigues

    Verts/ALE

    Mélissa Camara, Isabella Lövin

     

    4

    –

    ESN

    Siegbert Frank Droese

    PfE

    France Jamet

    The Left

    Sebastian Everding, Anja Hazekamp

     

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Newsletters – January 2025 – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    Among the topics of this edition:

    • Statute of limitations in the EU for crimes of child sexual abuse
    • Exchange of views on Hungary’s backsliding on democracy and the rule of law
    • Trafficking in human beings: UNODC 2024 Global Report

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Dallas removes fugitive wanted in his home country for human trafficking

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 3, 2025Dallas, TX, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Dallas removes Romanian national wanted in his home country for Human Trafficking.

    DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Ionel Cirpaci, a 61-year-old Romanian national wanted in his home country for human trafficking Jan. 30, via a commercial flight.

    Cirpaci was released to the custody of Romanian officials without incident.

    An immigration judge in Sterling, Va., ordered Cirpaci’s final removal from the U.S. on June 7, 2024.

    Aliens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

    Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Dallas’ mission to increase public safety in our Dallas communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ERODallas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Community libraries and advice services proposed to be integrated into new service following consultation.

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Monday, 3rd February 2025

    Following the end of consultation and pending cabinet approval, Birmingham City Council’s Community Libraries and Information services will be integrated to create a new Connected Communities service.

    The integrated approach means community libraries will serve as both universal safe spaces promoting access to information, community wellbeing, digital inclusion, education and culture, and as community hubs supporting residents with localised activities and support on their doorstep.

    The service will continue to include a 24-hour online service, a citywide book reservation service, self-service, Library Services at Home, and as well as a digital library offering.

    As part of the service, individual community libraries will be open for a set number of days.

    10 libraries will be open for a minimum of four days with 17 part time libraries open for a minimum of three days, of which four are planned co-located libraries. There are also plans for seven partner-led libraries. Alongside the library services, two mobile library vehicles will serve up to 50 citywide stops a week.

    Advice services will work across libraries in the city, offering residents access to high quality information advice and guidance and connections to wider support services in their local community.

    Councillor Saima Suleman, Cabinet Member for Digital, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to all stages of our community libraries consultation and this valuable feedback is helping us shape the future of the service.

    “The proposed Connected Communities service will maintain library and advice services in safe spaces open to all.”

    The full report can be found here:https://birmingham.cmis.uk.com/birmingham/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/14215/Committee/2/Default.aspx 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canadian National Charged With Stealing Approximately $65 Million in Cryptocurrency From Two DeFi Protocols

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Exploited Vulnerabilities in the KyberSwap and Indexed Finance Decentralized Finance Protocols to Steal from Investors

    An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Andean Medjedovic with wire fraud, computer hacking and attempted extortion for stealing approximately $65 million in cryptocurrency from the KyberSwap and Indexed Finance decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, which are sophisticated financial platforms residing on cryptocurrency blockchains.  Medjedovic is also charged with laundering the proceeds of the theft.  He is currently at large.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Antoinette Bacon, Supervisory Official of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI); James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI) announced the indictment.

    “As alleged, the defendant executed a highly sophisticated scheme to exploit two decentralized finance protocols and steal tens of millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency from investors,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “My Office remains at the forefront in prosecuting cutting-edge cases involving new and emerging technologies, demonstrating our commitment to protecting all financial markets, including the digital assets markets.  Criminals like the defendant who take advantage of new technologies to harm investors will be held accountable no matter where in the world they carry out their schemes.”   

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit for their valuable assistance during the investigation. 

    “This was a sophisticated fraud that exploited vulnerabilities in ‘smart contracts’, resulting in the theft of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.  “It’s alleged that Medjedovic executed a hack that stole nearly $65 million in crypto between two schemes, leaving liquidity pool investors in the red.  In investigating this case, IRS-CI New York’s Cyber group worked closely with its federal partners while leveraging resources from IRS-CI’s Cyber Attaché at Europol and the J5 Cyber Group. Even with the complexities of DeFi, we tracked down who is responsible for this large-scale theft, and he is now a wanted man.”

    “Hackers can at times be painted in a flattering light by pop culture, some admiring their skills and acumen. They’re stealing money that isn’t theirs, and they’re breaking the laws of this country. We allege Andean Medjedovic violated several of those laws, and he, along with all the other cyber criminals who believe they’re untouchable, will face justice,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.

    “These charges are a result of HSI New York’s determination to disrupt Andean Medjedovic’s alleged sophisticated far-reaching transnational cybercrime and seek justice for the millions of dollars syphoned from financial platforms,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Walker.  “Our global reach, experience and extensive knowledge of the cyber domain allow us to rapidly develop investigations into bad actors who seek to exploit the cryptocurrency market. Our federal partnerships across the globe made this investigation a success to include support from the HSI attaché offices in the Netherlands.”

    KyberSwap and Indexed Finance were developers of automated market-making services called “liquidity pools” that allowed users to swap cryptocurrency tokens with each other.  The liquidity pools were managed by computer code called “smart contracts” and relied on investor contributions of cryptocurrency.  As alleged, Medjedovic used manipulative trading to exploit vulnerabilities in the KyberSwap and Indexed Finance smart contracts. These manipulative trades enabled Medjedovic to drain approximately $65 million in cryptocurrency that belonged to investors from the KyberSwap and Indexed Finance liquidity pools.

    The KyberSwap Exploit

    As alleged in the indictment, in 2023, Medjedovic planned and executed a scheme to exploit vulnerabilities in the KyberSwap protocol.  KyberSwap was a DeFi protocol and developer of liquidity pools on several public blockchains, including the Ethereum and Arbitrum networks. Liquidity pools use user-contributed cryptocurrency to facilitate trading and market-making in cryptocurrencies. The KyberSwap liquidity pools were managed by computer code or “smart contracts” called automated market makers or “AMMs,” which set prices in the KyberSwap liquidity pools.

    In November 2023, Medjedovic exploited vulnerabilities in the KyberSwap computer code to drain the KyberSwap liquidity pools.  Medjedovic used hundreds of millions of dollars in borrowed cryptocurrency to create artificial prices in the KyberSwap liquidity pools.  Medjedovic then calculated precise combinations of trades that would cause the KyberSwap AMM to “glitch,” in his words, allowing him to steal tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from the liquidity pools. In total, Medjedovic stole approximately $48.8 million in investors’ cryptocurrency from 77 KyberSwap liquidity pools on six public blockchains.

    Following the exploit, Medjedovic attempted to extort the developers of the KyberSwap protocol, as well as KyberSwap’s investors and the members of the de-centralized autonomous organization or “DAO” that governed the KyberSwap protocol.  Medjedovic demanded control of the KyberSwap protocol and the KyberSwap DAO in exchange for which he would return approximately 50% of the cryptocurrency that he had stolen.

    Medjedovic also attempted to launder the proceeds of his theft, including through “bridge” protocols used to transfer cryptocurrency from one blockchain to another, and through a cryptocurrency “mixer” used to conceal the source of digital assets. After one bridge protocol froze several of his transactions, Medjedovic agreed to pay an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a software developer approximately $80,000 to circumvent the bridge protocol’s restrictions and release approximately $500,000 in stolen cryptocurrency.

    The Indexed Finance Exploit

    As alleged in the indictment, Medjedovic committed a similar exploit of the Indexed Finance DeFi protocol.  Indexed Finance liquidity pools are referred to as “index pools,” and function similarly to a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund in traditional finance.  Instead of holding a basket of traditional equities, the index pools held an index of digital tokens contributed by users.

    In October 2021, Medjedovic used manipulative trading to exploit two Indexed Finance liquidity pools on the Ethereum network.  Medjedovic used hundreds of millions of dollars in borrowed cryptocurrencies to distort a process called “re-indexing,” which was used by the Indexed Finance smart contracts to add a new token to the liquidity pools.  Medjedovic used the borrowed cryptocurrency to engage in manipulative trading to cause the Indexed Finance smart contracts to set artificial prices during the re-indexing process.  He then stole approximately $16.5 million in investor cryptocurrency from the liquidity pools.

    Beginning after the Indexed Finance exploit, in or around 2022, Medjedovic conspired with another person to launder the proceeds of his illegal conduct through cryptocurrency exchange accounts that were opened using false information, and by using a cryptocurrency mixer.  Among other things, Medjedovic maintained a step-by-step playbook for moving large amounts of cryptocurrency through the mixer, which he titled a “moneyMovementSystem.” In other documents, Medjedovic discussed circumventing “know your customer” or “KYC” procedures and using cryptocurrency exchange accounts opened with false KYC information for “hacks and cashing out.”

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.                    

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud and National Security and Cybercrime Sections, with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick M. Axelrod and Andrew D. Reich of the Eastern District of New York and NCET Trial Attorney Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Madison Bates.  SEC Enforcement Attorney Daphna A. Waxman, formerly a member of the NCET, provided significant assistance.

    Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.  The Office thanks the Netherlands’ Public Prosecution Service and the Dutch National Police’s Cybercrime Unit in The Hague and United States Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office.

    The Defendant:

    ANDEAN MEDJEDOVIC
    Age: 22
    Canada

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-529 (NGG)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why should humanities education persist in an AI age? Self-development, to start

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Johannes Steizinger, Associate Professor of Philosophy, McMaster University

    Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots has become rampant among students in higher education.

    While some might be ambivalent about the impact of generative AI on higher education, many instructors in the humanities scramble to adapt their classes to the new reality and have declared a crisis of their teaching model.

    Professors and students alike argue that unrestricted use of generative AI threatens the purpose of an education in disciplines like philosophy, history or literature. They say that, as a society, we should care about this loss of intellectual competencies.

    But why is it important that traditional learning not become obsolete — as some predict?

    Today, when corrupt leaders promote AI development, AI reflects repressive political biases. There are serious concerns about AI disinformation, so it’s critical to consider the original purpose of modern universities.

    I consider this question as a historian of philosophy who has examined how modern ideas have intersected with democratic and fascist societies.

    Ideas informing the modern university

    The idea of the modern university emerged amid the European Enlightenment. Inspired by a new ideal of humanity focused on an individual’s independence from authorities and traditions, philosophers such as Wilhelm von Humboldt, Friedrich Schleiermacher and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel introduced education as the proper path to self-development.

    The German term Bildung captures this broad understanding of the educational process, denoting the activity of shaping yourself according to your inner purpose.

    For the philosophers of Bildung, self-development couldn’t take place in isolation but required a community of equals where mutual recognition and critical engagement with each other unlocked everyone’s potential.

    They envisioned the university as a community of learners where teachers facilitate the self-development of students by supporting their critical faculties instead of adapting them to fulfil predetermined roles for society. They believed education should prepare for lifelong learning about the self and world.



    Read more:
    Does a university undergraduate degree lead to a ‘good job?’ It depends what you mean

    Concern about concentration of power

    It was Humboldt who turned these lofty ideals into concrete reforms, laying the groundwork for the modern university and its research-led teaching model. For Humboldt, the realm of Bildung had political significance.

    Living under Prussian absolutism, he feared the paternalism of the state that turned its citizens into loyal subjects under the pretence of furthering their spiritual and material welfare.

    He was critical of the attempt of Frederick the Great, the Prussian king, to regulate economic life and to control private consumption. Humboldt saw such a concentration of power as a despotic tendency that all forms of government could succumb to, including oligarchy and democracy. He therefore insisted on spaces for individual expression and free association. Literary salons were the initial community space for Bildung, and were a model for the modern idea of universities.

    A drawing by Georg Melchior Kraus depicts the salon of Duchess Anna Amalia, showing, among others, writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in discussion. The image suggests the important role of women and community in the Bildungs context.
    (Wikimedia)

    Women, Black philosophers shape ideals

    Yet, as critical thinkers such as Germaine de Staël have noted from early on, the Enlightenment betrayed the universal aspiration of its ideals by restricting their application mostly to a certain class of white and male Europeans.

    The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen from 1789 restricted active citizenship to male property owners and did not abolish slavery. Advocacy for applying equal rights to all was soon taken up by members of oppressed groups to justify their emancipatory pursuits.

    Early feminists in late 19th-century Germany, such as the philosopher and writer Hedwig Dohm, demanded access to educational institutions so that women could also “become who they are.”

    We find a similar battle cry in the United States, where writer and educator Anna Julia Cooper regarded the higher education of Black women as a key step to social change.

    Both point to thinkers outside the European canon of male authors that helped shape the idea of Bildung. Its emancipatory appeal should not surprise us, since a plausible definition of the main harm of oppression is that it deprives individuals of the capacity to self-develop and to express shared experiences collectively. The opportunity to develop one’s capacities in accordance with one’s true values is a key characteristic of a just society.



    Read more:
    How whiteness was invented and fashioned in Britain’s colonial age of expansion

    Understanding as a collaborative process

    I believe that the idea of Bildung still captures the value of humanities education. In-depth engagement with the complex manifestation of human cultures seen in philosophical ideas, forms of knowledge or literary texts fosters important skills necessary for self-development.

    Students learn critical thinking, enabling them to question authorities and discern their own convictions from received values. They experience thinking as a process which takes time and demands the exploration of different points of view — similar to democratic decision-making.

    Methods to understand others are therefore an important subject of the humanities. The humanities nurture the ability to connect and to develop solidarity with each other.

    The classroom itself is a space where students experience understanding as a collaborative process by discussing with their peers and the instructor.

    Instructors must actualize high-level pedagogical goals by creating concrete exercises through which intellectual skills can be learned and practised.

    Assessing claims, justifying evaluations

    Writing an essay has been the pinnacle of traditional humanities education, since it demands employing the full set of interpretative tools such as identifying sources, analyzing arguments, assessing claims and justifying evaluations independently. It also demands expressing oneself intellectually.

    Basic analytic skills such as formulating an argument or giving an objection can be taught in class. But in-class assignments cannot replace pondering an issue over some time and expressing one’s interpretation of it.

    The important exercise of individual study is deprived of its value when students use technological shortcuts to complete writing tasks. AI-driven chatbots undermine a key part of the learning process through which students improve their critical thinking. This happens through sustained engagement with complex issues, through which students grow by overcoming challenges and practising habits of thinking.

    Relying on AI can undermine processes through which students improve their critical thinking.
    (Pexels/Cottonbro)

    Dangers of ‘cognitive offloading’

    Empirical studies show the negative impact of delegating cognitive tasks to external aids, also called cognitive offloading, on critical thinking skills. Cognitive offloading can have dire political consequences. While we do not live under absolutism anymore, the ugly head of despotism raises its head again.

    In the U.S., as seen recently in Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration, the economic elite dominates the political system. Tech oligarchs have found a president who is using his vast powers to further their interests and is prepared to do so without checks and balances.

    More than ever, we need citizens who have learned to think for themselves and developed capacities for paying attention to and caring about complex challenges in our ever-changing world.

    At their best, the humanities are a laboratory to cultivate essential skills for critically assessing the status quo and imagining better alternatives in both political and economic life.

    Johannes Steizinger 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 should humanities education persist in an AI age? Self-development, to start – https://theconversation.com/why-should-humanities-education-persist-in-an-ai-age-self-development-to-start-246099

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Should Australia mandate cancer warnings for alcoholic drinks?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Visontay, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Alcohol and Long-term Health, University of Sydney

    Hryshchyshen Serhii/Shutterstock

    Alcohol causes huge harm in Australia, responsible for 5,800 new cancer cases per year. Yet many of us remain in the dark about its health risks.

    In January, the United States’ Office of the Surgeon General, the country’s leading public health spokesperson, recommended warnings about alcohol’s cancer risks should be displayed on drink packaging.

    These messages have already been made obligatory in Ireland and South Korea.

    So, do they work? And should we mandate them here?

    Isn’t a glass of wine or two good for me?

    Most of us know heavy drinking is unhealthy.

    Yet the belief a few glasses of wine helps protect against heart disease and other conditions has persisted. That is despite evidence in recent years showing the benefits have been overestimated and the harms underplayed.

    In fact, any level of alcohol use increases the risk for several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer (affecting the large intestine and rectum) and breast cancer.

    In recent years, the evidence has strengthened showing alcohol plays a clear, causal role increasing cancer risk and other serious health problems, as well as all-cause mortality.

    One study estimated how many new cancer cases will develop across the lifetimes of the 18.8 million Australian adults who were alive in 2016. It predicted a quarter of a million (249,700) new cancers – mostly colorectal – will arise due to alcohol.

    We know what causes this harm. For example, acetaldehyde – a chemical produced by the body when it processes alcohol – is carcinogenic.

    Alcohol also increases cancer risk through “oxidative stress”, an imbalance in the body’s antioxidants and free radicals which causes damage to DNA and inflammation.

    It can also affect hormone levels, which raises the risk for breast cancer in particular.

    Australians unaware of the risk

    While the harms are well-known to researchers, many Australians remain unaware.

    Figures vary, but at best only 59% of us know about the direct link between alcohol and cancer (and at worst, just one in five are aware).

    Perhaps the best evidence this message has failed to sink in is our continued love affair with alcohol.

    In 2022–23 69% of us drank alcohol, with one in three doing so at levels deemed risky by the National Health and Medical Research Council. For both men and women, that means having more than ten standard drinks per week or more than four in one day.



    Read more:
    Mother’s little helper: interviews with Australian women show a complex relationship with alcohol

    What are other countries doing?

    Like Australia, the US already has warnings on alcohol about its impacts on unborn children and a person’s ability to operate cars and machinery.

    The US Surgeon General wants additional explicit warnings about cancer risk to be compulsory.

    Alcohol packaging in Australia warns about pregnancy risk.
    Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock

    This follows Ireland, the first country to mandate cancer labels for alcohol. From 2026, alcohol packaging will include the warning: “there is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers”.

    Other countries, including Norway and Thailand, are also reportedly investigating cancer warning labels.

    Since 2017, alcohol producers in South Korea have had to choose between three compulsory warning labels – two of which warn of cancer risks. However they can instead opt for a label which warns about alcohol’s risks for dementia, stroke and memory loss.

    Will Australia follow suit?

    Australian health bodies have been advocating for cancer warnings on drink packaging for over a decade.

    Currently, whether to include warnings about alcohol’s general health risks is at the discretion of the manufacturer.

    Many use vague “drink responsibly” messages or templates provided by DrinkWise, an organisation funded by the alcohol industry.

    Pregnancy warning labels (“Alcohol can cause lifelong harm to your baby”) only became obligatory in 2023. Although this covers just one of alcohol’s established health effects, it has set an important precedent.

    We now have a template for how introducing cancer and other health warnings might work.

    With pregnancy labels, the government consulted public health and industry bodies and gave a three-year transition period for manufacturers to adjust. We even have examples of colour and formatting of required labels that could be adapted.

    Perhaps most promisingly, four in five surveyed Australians support adding these cancer-specific warnings.

    Cancer warnings already feature on some tobacco products in Australia.
    Galexia/Shutterstock

    Would it work?

    We know the existing “drink responsibly”-style warnings are not enough. Research shows consumers find these messages ambiguous.

    But would warnings about cancer be an improvement? Ireland’s rules are yet to come into effect, and it’s too early to tell how well South Korea’s policy has worked (there are also limitations give manufacturers can choose a warning not related to cancer).

    But a trial of cancer warnings in one Canadian liquor store found they increased knowledge of the alcohol–cancer link by 10% among store customers.

    Cancer messages would likely increase awareness about risks. But more than that – a 2016 study that tested cancer warnings on a group of 1,680 adults across Australia found they were also effective at reducing people’s intentions to drink.

    The evidence suggests a similar policy could replicate the success of cancer warnings on cigarette packaging – first introduced in the 1970s – at increasing knowledge about risks and reducing consumption. Smoking rates in Australian adults have declined steadily since these warnings were first introduced.

    It may take years before Australia changes its rules on alcohol labelling.

    In the meantime, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the current national low-risk drinking guidelines, which aim to minimise harm from alcohol across a range of health conditions.

    Rachel Visontay receives funding from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales.

    Louise Mewton receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dementa Australia, Australian Rotary Health, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC).

    – ref. Should Australia mandate cancer warnings for alcoholic drinks? – https://theconversation.com/should-australia-mandate-cancer-warnings-for-alcoholic-drinks-246890

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 03.02.2025 deposit auction of JSC “KAVKAZ.RF” will be held

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    The date of the deposit auction is 03.02.2025. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 10,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 3. The date of depositing funds is 03.02.2025. The date of return of funds is 06.02.2025. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 25.00. The terms of the conclusion are urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 10,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form is open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 10:00 to 10:02. Applications in competition mode from 10:02 to 10:05. Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 10:12.

    Additional terms

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.Mom/NN77352

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 03.02.2025 the deposit auction of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund will take place

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Parameters;

    The date of the deposit auction is 03.02.2025. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 60,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 17. The date of depositing funds is 03.02.2025. The date of return of funds is 20.02.2025. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 20.70. Terms of the conclusion, urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 60,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form, open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 11:30 to 11:40. Applications in competition mode from 11:40 to 11:45. Setting the cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 11:55.

    Additional conditions – Placement of funds with the possibility of early withdrawal of the entire deposit amount and payment of interest accrued on the deposit amount at the rate established by the deposit transaction, in the event of non-compliance of the Bank with the requirements established by clause 2.1. of the Regulation “On the procedure for selecting banks for placing funds of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund in deposits (deposits) under the GDS” (as amended on the date of the deposit transaction), early withdrawal at the “on demand” rate, payment of interest at the end of the term, without replenishment.

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.Mom/NN77353

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Issuers from the Eurasian Economic Union countries will gain access to organized trading throughout the space

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    At the next meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, which was held in Almaty, an Agreement on cross-border admission to the placement and circulation of securities in organized trading in the EAEU member states was signed.

    This is the first document aimed at regulating the securities market in order to build a common financial market in the territory of the union countries.

    The agreement provides an opportunity for exchanges from the EAEU member states to list securities of issuers from other countries of the union on terms no less favourable than for “their” issuers.

    Preview photo: TippaPatt / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

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

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23336

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Canadian Man Charged in $65M Cryptocurrency Hacking Schemes

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Note: View the indictment here.

    A five-count criminal indictment was unsealed today in federal court in New York charging a Canadian man with exploiting vulnerabilities in two decentralized finance protocols to fraudulently obtain about $65 million from the protocols’ investors.

    According to court documents, from 2021 to 2023, Andean Medjedovic, 22, allegedly exploited vulnerabilities in the automated smart contracts used by the KyberSwap and Indexed Finance decentralized finance protocols. Medjedovic borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars in digital tokens, which he used to engage in deceptive trading that he knew would cause the protocols’ smart contracts to falsely calculate key variables. Through his deceptive trades, Medjedovic was able to, and ultimately did, withdraw millions of dollars of investor funds from the protocols at artificial prices, rendering the victims’ investments essentially worthless.

    Medjedovic also allegedly laundered the proceeds of his fraudulent schemes through a series of transactions designed to conceal the source and ownership of the funds, including through swap transactions, “bridging transactions,” and the use of a digital assets “mixer.” With others, Medjedovic also allegedly schemed to open accounts with digital assets exchanges using false and borrowed identifying information to conceal the source and true ownership of the proceeds. In around November 2023, after executing the KyberSwap exploit, Medjedovic also allegedly attempted to extort the victims of the KyberSwap exploit through a sham settlement proposal, in which he demanded complete control of the KyberSwap protocol and the decentralized autonomous organization that oversaw the KyberSwap protocol in exchange for returning 50 percent of the digital assets that he fraudulently obtained through his scheme.

    Medjedovic is charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of unauthorized damage to a protected computer, one count of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the unauthorized damage to a protected computer count and 20 years in prison on each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York, Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, and Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement.

    IRS-CI, HSI, and the FBI New York Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s New York Field Office and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department also thanks the Netherlands’ Public Prosecution Service and Cybercrime Unit — the Hague of the Dutch National Police for their significant assistance with the investigation.

    Trial Attorney Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who is a member of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Axelrod and Andrew Reich for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. SEC Enforcement Attorney Daphna A. Waxman, formerly a member of the NCET, provided significant assistance.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –