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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Appointment of the Chair of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) – P10_TA(2024)0067 – Wednesday, 18 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    (Approval)

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the proposal of the Commission of 4 December 2024 (C10-0210/2024),

    –  having regard to Article 68(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1620 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2024 establishing the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and amending Regulations (EU) No 1093/2010, (EU) No 1094/2010 and (EU) No 1095/2010(1),

    –  having regard to its Rules of Procedure,

    –  having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A10-0032/2024),

    A.  whereas Article 68(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1620 provides that the Chair of the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism shall be selected on the basis of merit, skills, knowledge, integrity, recognised standing and experience in the area of AML/CFT and other relevant qualifications;

    B.  whereas Parliament is committed to ensuring gender balance in executive positions in Union institutions, bodies and agencies; whereas all Union and national institutions and bodies should implement concrete measures to ensure gender balance;

    C.  whereas in accordance with Article 68(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1620, on 9 October 2024 the Commission adopted a shortlist of candidates for the position of Chair of the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs held hearings with those shortlisted candidates on 25 November 2024;

    D.  whereas in accordance with Article 68(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1620, the Commission provided the shortlist to Parliament on 9 October 2024;

    E.  whereas on 4 December 2024, the Commission adopted a proposal to appoint Bruna Szego as Chair of the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and transmitted that proposal to Parliament;

    F.  whereas the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs then proceeded to evaluate the credentials of the proposed candidate for the position of Chair of the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism, in particular in view of the requirements laid down in Article 68 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1620;

    G.  whereas on 16 December 2024, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs held a hearing with Bruna Szego, at which she made an opening statement and then answered questions put by members of the Committees;

    1.  Approves the proposal for the appointment of Bruna Szego as Chair of the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism;

    2.  Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council, the Commission, the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and the governments of the Member States.

    (1) OJ L, 2024/1620, 19.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1620/oj.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Setting up a special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union, and defining its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office – P10_TA(2024)0066 – Wednesday, 18 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the proposal from the Conference of Presidents,

    –  having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Article 3(3) thereof, and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 9, 14, 148, 153, 160 and 168 thereof, and Protocol No 26 to the TEU and to the TFEU on services of general interest,

    –  having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

    –  having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,

    –  having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on access to decent and affordable housing for all(1),

    –  having regard to Rule 213 of its Rules of Procedure,

    A.  whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes the right to housing;

    B.  whereas the European Pillar of Social Rights states that access to social housing or housing assistance of good quality is to be provided for those in need and this is to be implemented at both Union and national level within their respective competences; whereas adequate shelters and services are to be provided to the homeless in order to promote their social inclusion; whereas the right to housing for people with disabilities deserves special protection and dedicated policies to ensure housing accessibility;

    C.  whereas the European Union is facing a housing crisis, with people of all ages across different income groups struggling with high prices and scarcity of affordable homes; whereas unaffordable housing is a matter of great concern for many Union citizens and prevents them, particularly young people, from starting an independent life; whereas that crisis affects people in all Member States and can have a negative impact on their health, well-being and living conditions;

    D.  whereas protecting private property and ensuring legal certainty for private owners, including best practices in relation to the fight against squatting, as well as protecting people from evictions, are important aspects at national level affecting housing availability and the right to housing in certain Member States;

    E.  whereas the Union has a number of competences relating to housing;

    F.  whereas there is a need to have an holistic approach on housing combining different policies dealt with in different committees within Parliament;

    1.  Decides to set up a special committee named ‘Special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union’ with the aim of proposing solutions for decent, sustainable and affordable housing, and that that committee shall carry out, in cooperation and consultation with the competent standing committees where their powers and responsibilities under Annex VI to the Rules of Procedure are concerned, the following responsibilities:

       (a) to map current housing needs across territories and population groups, particularly low and middle income groups, and to assess the impact of scarcity of housing on inequalities, affordability, demography, poverty and social exclusion, including using existing gender-disaggregated data;
       (b) to analyse the existing relevant Union, national, regional, and local housing policies with a focus on the availability of targeted instruments for social, sustainable and affordable housing in cities, islands and coastal and rural areas with a view to identifying and issuing recommendations, including policies dedicated to housing accessibility for people with disabilities and reduced mobility;
       (c) to analyse the impact of housing speculation and its economic consequences, as well as to propose follow-up actions;
       (d) to assess whether the trend in house prices and rents is adequately taken into account in the cost of living indicators and related policies;
       (e) to map and to assess the effectiveness of public and private Union and national resources, including existing Union funds dedicated to decent, sustainable and affordable housing and to the eradication of homelessness and to make recommendations, where relevant;
       (f) to analyse systemic issues with short-term accommodation rentals and their impact on the availability of affordable housing in particularly affected areas and to make relevant proposals;
       (g) to monitor the implementation of the Union legislation on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services, which has to be adopted at national level by 20 May 2026;
       (h) to analyse effects of Union policies that influence the availability and affordability of housing, including bottlenecks in current Union regulations with regard to investment capacity, on housing and social housing, State aid and supply chain shortages;
       (i) to assess potential barriers affecting the construction sector and their impact on the housing crisis;
       (j) to identify shortages in availability, sustainability and financing needs for affordable housing and the need for potential reforms;
       (k) to assess the impact of non-profit and limited-profit housing solutions, such as social or cooperative housing, on the affordability and accessibility of housing for different groups;
       (l) to assess policies and legislative proposals needed to improve the provision and availability of decent, sustainable and affordable housing, including by enabling new construction, housing reconversion and renovation programs, taking into consideration the potential of vacant buildings;
       (m) to map innovative technologies, processes, services and products to support the renovation wave, taking into account existing Union initiatives; to map where administrative and regulatory burdens are hampering the renovation wave, with the aim of reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while ensuring quality work in the construction sector and quality standards for affordable housing;
       (n) to contribute to the development and the future implementation of the European affordable housing plan and the European strategy for housing construction to be presented by the Commission;
       (o) to conduct hearings with experts from the Union institutions and competent authorities, international, national and regional institutions, non-governmental organisations and relevant sectors of the economy, taking into account the perspectives of a range of stakeholders;
       (p) to conduct visits to study best practices around Europe;

    2.  Decides that the special committee shall have 33 members;

    3.  Decides that the term of office of the special committee shall be 12 months and that that term shall start running from the date of its constituent meeting;

    4.  Instructs the special committee to present a final report at the end of its term of office focusing on the matters set out in paragraph 1.

    (1) OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 145.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – EC-Pacific States Interim Partnership Agreement: accession of Tuvalu – P10_TA(2024)0071 – Wednesday, 18 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the draft Council decision (05757/2024),

    –  having regard to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part(1),

    –  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 207(4), in conjunction with point (a)(v) of the second subparagraph of Article 218(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9‑0033/2024),

    –  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 International Trade (A10-0025/2024),

    1.  Gives its consent to Tuvalu’s accession to 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 Tuvalu.

    (1) OJ L 272, 16.10.2009, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2009/729/oj.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – EC-Pacific States Interim Partnership Agreement: accession of Niue – P10_TA(2024)0070 – Wednesday, 18 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the draft Council decision (07920/2024),

    –  having regard to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part(1),

    –  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0054/2024),

    –  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 International Trade (A10-0024/2024),

    1.  Gives its consent to Niue’s accession to 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 Niue.

    (1) OJ L 272, 16.10.2009, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2009/729/oj.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – United Nations Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration – P10_TA(2024)0069 – Wednesday, 18 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the draft Council decision (07011/2024),

    –  having regard to the United Nations Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration (07012/2024),

    –  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4) first subparagraph and Article 218(6) second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0080/2024),

    –  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 International Trade (A10-0021/2024),

    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, as well as to the UNCITRAL Secretariat.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – EC-Pacific States Interim Partnership Agreement: accession of Tonga – P10_TA(2024)0068 – Wednesday, 18 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the draft Council decision (07921/2024),

    –  having regard to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part(1),

    –  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4) first subparagraph and Article 218(6) second subparagraph, point (a)(v) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0055/2024),

    –  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 International Trade (A10-0023/2024),

    1.  Gives its consent to the accession of the Kingdom of Tonga to 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 Kingdom of Tonga.

    (1) OJ L 272, 16.10.2009, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2009/729/oj.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA Year in Review 2024

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    IAEA scientists taking samples in Antarctica as part of a 2024 research mission to study the impact of plastic pollution on the region and its inhabitants. 

    In 2024, the IAEA advanced its research and development efforts across diverse applications of nuclear science.

    The Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC) initiative expanded its reach, equipping nearly 40 veterinary laboratories with cutting-edge diagnostic tools and training over 1000 professionals across 130 countries. With 129 national laboratories now part of its network, ZODIAC fosters international collaboration through its dedicated portal.

    Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, yet nearly half of all patients lack access to radiotherapy. To address this, the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative expanded its network of Anchor Centres to 11, and supported a Lancet Oncology Commission which published a comprehensive roadmap outlining strategies to address global radiotherapy gaps, improve access and reduce the cancer burden worldwide.

    NUTEC Plastics achieved groundbreaking research results, confirming microplastics in Antarctica through a study with Argentine research stations, supported by the IAEA’s Monaco Marine Environment Laboratories. The initiative expanded its 100-country laboratory network, driving global plastic pollution monitoring and research. It also advanced innovative solutions, using ionizing radiation to develop bio-based plastics, reducing reliance on petroleum-based materials and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

    The IAEA also developed methods to verify the authenticity of foods with specific geographic origins, by using stable isotope analysis to identify cases of fraud. This breakthrough enhances food authenticity and integrity in global markets.

    In agriculture, advanced diagnostic assays developed by the Agency’s Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory provide rapid, reliable, and resource-efficient tools for disease detection, addressing challenges exacerbated by climate change.

    Since its launch in 2023, Atoms4Food has supported agrifood transformation through innovations in cropping systems, livestock productivity, and natural resource management. Through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, a roadmap for a protein digestibility database was developed to guide evidence-based dietary policies.

    The Agency is also advancing industrial 3D printing by using non-destructive testing techniques like X rays and gamma computed tomography scans to ensure the quality and safety of 3D-printed components, supporting industries with more reliable production processes.

    The Global Network of Water Analysis Laboratories (GloWAL) completed its baseline survey in 2024, involving 85 laboratories from 65 countries. The results will inform capacity-building efforts in isotope hydrology, with a focus on regional networks, including a Latin America-led initiative starting in 2025.

    Upcoming in 2025: In 2025, the IAEA will continue advancing key global initiatives aimed at addressing some of the most pressing development challenges facing countries today. Rays of Hope, working closely with Anchor Centres, will enhance cancer care through regional capacity-building. Additionally, the development of the SUNRISE database will contribute to advancing radiation medicine, enabling policymakers and practitioners to leverage insights that strengthen cancer care worldwide. ZODIAC will expand its network and focus on disease forecasting, particularly zoonotic and climate-related health risks. NUTEC Plastics will address plastic pollution with upcycling technology and expand its marine microplastic monitoring network. Atoms4Food will scale nuclear technologies to improve food security and support climate-resilient crops, alongside its work on a protein digestibility database. GloWAL will continue to focus on capacity-building in isotope hydrology. The ReNuAL2 laboratory upgrades will strengthen the IAEA’s role in addressing food, health, and environmental challenges.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises: firms report lower interest rates but a small decline in bank loan availability

    Source: European Central Bank

    27 January 2025

    • Firms reported declining bank interest rates on loans, although indicating a slight further tightening of other lending conditions.
    • There was a slight increase in the bank financing gap compared with the previous quarter as firms reported a small reduction in bank loan availability and no change in the need for bank loans.
    • Firms’ inflation expectations increased slightly, with their median expectations for annual inflation in one, three and five years all standing at 3.0%, 0.1 percentage points higher across all three horizons.
    • Nearly half of the firms surveyed see the ECB’s inflation target at 2% and these firms have lower inflation expectations than those believing the target to be significantly higher.

    In the most recent round of the Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (SAFE), euro area firms reported a decrease in interest rates on bank loans (a net -4%, compared with a net 4% reporting an increase in the previous quarter), although a net 22% (30% in the previous quarter) observed increases in other financing costs (i.e. charges, fees and commissions) (Chart 1).

    In this survey round, firms reported a small decline in the availability of bank loans in the fourth quarter of 2024 (a net -2%, down from a net 1% reporting an increase in the previous quarter) (Chart 2). At the same time, firms indicated no change in the need for bank loans, compared with 2% reporting a decrease in the third quarter of 2024. This led the financing gap – an index capturing the difference between the need for and availability of bank loans – to increase for a net 1% of firms, compared with a net 2% of firms reporting a decrease in the previous survey round. Looking ahead, firms expect small improvements in the availability of external financing over the next three months.

    More firms perceived the general economic outlook to be the main factor hampering the availability of external financing than in the previous survey round (a net percentage of -22%, compared with -20%). A net 8% of firms indicated that their perception of banks’ willingness to lend, which may reflect banks’ risk aversion, had improved further (up from 6%).

    A net 6% of enterprises reported an increase in turnover over the last three months, down from 7% in the previous survey round, with a net 11% of firms remaining optimistic about developments in the next quarter. An increased percentage of firms saw a deterioration in their profits compared with the previous survey round (a net percentage of -14%). The survey indicates that the net percentage of firms reporting an increase in cost pressures continued to decline.

    Firms continued to expect the increase in their selling prices and wages to moderate over the next 12 months (Chart 3). Selling prices were expected to increase by 2.9% on average (down from 3.0% in the previous survey round), while the corresponding figure for wages was 3.3% (down from 3.5% in the previous round).

    Firms’ inflation expectations increased slightly, bringing a halt to the previous declines (Chart 4). Median expectations for annual inflation in one, three and five years all stood at 3.0%, thus increasing by 0.1 percentage points for all three horizons. For inflation in five years, fewer firms reported balanced risks (33%). The increase in the percentage of firms seeing upside risks (51%, up from 46%) was similar to the rise in the share of those perceiving risks to the downside (16%, up from 12%).

    To better understand firms’ awareness of and attention to inflation developments, a new set of ad hoc questions was introduced in this survey round. Firms were asked about the factors they believe influenced inflation in 2024, their level of attention to actual inflation, and how this attention has shifted compared with a year ago. Firms cited non-labour input costs rather than wage costs or profits as the primary factor influencing inflation in 2024. Additionally, firms were asked about the inflation target set by the European Central Bank (ECB). Nearly half of the firms surveyed see that target at 2%, and these firms have lower inflation expectations than those believing the target to be significantly higher than 2%.

    The report published today presents the main results of the 33rd round of the SAFE survey for the euro area. The survey was conducted between 20 November and 18 December 2024. Firms were asked about conditions over the three-month period from October to December 2024. The sample comprised 5,393 enterprises in the euro area, of which 4,997 (93%) had fewer than 250 employees.

    For media queries, please contact Nicos Keranis nicos.keranis@ecb.europa.eu, tel.: +49 172 758 7237.

    Notes

    Chart 1

    Changes in the terms and conditions of bank financing for euro area enterprises

    (net percentages of respondents)

    Base: Enterprises that had applied for bank loans (including subsidised bank loans), credit lines, or bank or credit card overdrafts. The figures refer to pilot 2 and rounds 30 to 33 of the survey (October-December 2023 to October-December 2024).

    Notes: Net percentages are the difference between the percentage of enterprises reporting an increase for a given factor and the percentage reporting a decrease. The data included in the chart refer to Question 10 of the survey.

    Chart 2

    Changes in euro area enterprises’ financing needs and the availability of bank loans

    (net percentages of respondents)

    Base: Enterprises for which the instrument in question is relevant (i.e. they have used it or considered using it). Respondents replying “not applicable” or “don’t know” are excluded. The figures refer to pilot 2 and rounds 30 to 33 of the survey (October-December 2023 to October-December 2024).

    Notes: The financing gap indicator combines both financing needs and the availability of bank loans at firm level. The indicator of the perceived change in the financing gap takes a value of 1 (-1) if the need increases (decreases) and availability decreases (increases). If enterprises perceive only a one-sided increase (decrease) in the financing gap, the variable is assigned a value of 0.5 (-0.5). A positive value for the indicator points to a widening of the financing gap. Values are multiplied by 100 to obtain weighted net balances in percentages. The data included in the chart refer to Questions 5 and 9 of the survey.

    Chart 3

    Expectations for selling prices, wages, input costs and employees one year ahead, by size class

    Base: All enterprises. The figures refer to rounds 29 to 33 (April-September 2023 to October-December 2024) of the survey, with firms’ replies collected in the last month of the respective survey waves.

    Notes: Weighted average euro area firm expectations of changes in selling prices, wages of current employees, non-labour input costs and number of employees for the next 12 months using survey weights. The statistics are computed after trimming the data at the country-specific 1st and 99th percentiles. The data included in the chart refer to Question 34 of the survey.

    Chart 4

    Firms’ median expectations for euro area inflation by size class

    (annual percentages)

    Base: All enterprises. The figures refer to pilot 2 and rounds 30 to 33 (October-December 2023 to October-December 2024) of the survey, with firms’ replies collected in the last month of the respective survey waves.

    Notes: Survey-weighted median of euro area firms’ expectations for euro area inflation in one year, three years and five years. The statistics are computed after trimming the data at the country-specific 1st and 99th percentiles. The data included in the chart refer to Question 31 of the survey.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: LADA Sport ROSNEFT Team Pilot Wins the Race of Champions

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    LADA Sport ROSNEFT team pilot Kirill Ladygin won the 27th “Race of Champions”, which was organized with the support of Rosneft. The competition was held at the auto testing ground in the village of Sosnovka, a suburb of Tolyatti.

    The Race of Champions is an annual race held on an ice synchronous track and has no analogues in Russia. Russian pilots from various motorsport disciplines participate in the competition. This year, 16 athletes took part in the race, including Russian Formula 1 pilots, champions in circuit racing, drifting, karting, rally, ice racing and winners of international rally raids.

    The competition on the main day of the race was held in 2 stages. After the qualifying paired races, in which the pilots fought for points, the quarter-final lineup was formed from 8 athletes who continued the fight for elimination in the “play-off”. According to the rules of the competition, the final races were held up to two victories.

    In the end, the best was LADA Sport ROSNEFT pilot Kirill Ladygin, who won the main trophy “Silver Boat” for a record ninth time. The second step of the podium was taken by the first Russian Formula 1 pilot Vitaly Petrov, and the bronze was won by multiple rallycross champion Egor Sanin.

    In the decisive races, the pilots competed in a new car based on the LADA Iskra model. The sports LADA Iskra is a project of the LADA Sport ROSNEFT team, a car specially prepared for participation in ice racing. The cars were fueled with high-octane Pulsar-100 gasoline and also used Rosneft Magnum Racing sports motor oil.

    The competition attracted several thousand fans and motorsport enthusiasts from Tolyatti and Samara, as well as neighboring regions, who actively supported the pilots during the races.

    Since 2015, Rosneft has been the general sponsor of LADA Sport ROSNEFT, actively participating in the development of Russian motorsports. Since 2021, the LADA Sport ROSNEFT team has been using Rosneft Magnum Racing sports motor oil, which provides increased engine protection in extreme operating conditions and achieves success on the track.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft January 27, 2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB Group donates €300 000 to NGOs helping communities affected by flooding in Spain

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • The EIB Group – through the EIB Institute, the group’s philanthropic and social impact arm – will donate €300 000 to the NGOs Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages and Casa Caridad to support communities affected by flash flooding in Spain.
    • The funds will be used to provide psychosocial support, create suitable conditions for children’s schooling and restore housing to a liveable state.
    • This donation comes in addition to an initial financial package of €900 million launched by the EIB Group in November to support recovery and reconstruction in the affected areas.
    • The EIB Group will channel an additional 400 million through financial institutions to support SMEs and mid-caps affected by the floods.

    The EIB Institute, the philanthropic and social impact arm of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group), has announced a donation of €300 000 to support communities affected by the flash flooding that devastated parts of Spain on 30 October and in the first few days of November. The donation will be channelled through the NGOs Save the Children Spain, SOS Children’s Villages and Casa Caridad.

    The floods have left many communities in urgent need of help. This donation by the EIB Institute will lend critical support for residents to restore decent living conditions. With the funds, Save the Children Spain will provide psychosocial support and create adequate learning conditions for children, SOS Children’s Villages will give communities administrative assistance and help them meet essential needs, and Casa Caridad will help families restore their homes.

    The EIB Group is thus continuing to increase its support for recovery and reconstruction in the parts of eastern and south-eastern Spain hardest hit by the storms. This includes a €900 million initial response package announced by the group on 6 November to reschedule and accelerate planned disbursements and thereby facilitate the reconstruction of critical infrastructure to be carried out by regional authorities and public bodies in the affected areas, as was also done following the floods in Central Europe in September.

    The EIB has also launched operations to channel approximately €400 million through financial institutions to support SMEs and mid-caps affected by the floods, with a first agreement with Banco Sabadell.

    “The EIB Group has been quick to mobilise to support recovery efforts in the aftermath of the devastating floods in Spain. Today, we supplement our lending with this donation from the EIB Institute, as a sign of our solidarity and commitment to helping the hardest hit communities,” said EIB President Nadia Calviño.

    “The EIB Institute has a long track record of responding to humanitarian crises with swift, impactful support. Over the past decade, we have consistently prioritised providing aid to the most vulnerable, such as children, single-parent and large families, elderly people, people with disabilities and those suffering from malnourishment. Our donations have reached countless individuals, providing critical aid and building resilience in communities around the world. Our mission is to bring hope and relief to those in need, wherever they may be,” said EIB Institute Director Shiva Dustdar.

    The EIB Institute regularly grants aid in response to crises and natural disasters, and donates IT equipment from the EIB. In 2023, EIB donations through the EIB Institute helped populations affected by the war in Ukraine, the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria and the flooding in Slovenia, among other events.

    Background information

    European Investment Bank

    The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. It finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality.

    The EIB Group, consisting of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund, reported total financing signatures in Spain of €11.4 billion in 2023, approximately €6.8 billion of which went to climate action and environmental sustainability projects. Overall, the EIB Group signed €88 billion in new financing in 2023.

    The EIB Institute was set up within the EIB Group to foster thought-leadership and impact initiatives with European stakeholders and the public at large.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Commission approves €4.06 billion German State aid measure to support the operation of four Floating LNG Terminals

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 20 Dec 2024 The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an estimated €4.06 billion German measure to support the operation of four storage and regassification units (‘FSRUs’) for the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (‘LNG’) by Deutsche Energy Terminal (‘DET’).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The Commission and Switzerland complete negotiations to bring the EU-Switzerland bilateral relationship to a new level

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 20 Dec 2024 On 20 December, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd confirmed the completion of negotiations on a broad package of agreements that aim to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Plenary round-up – December 2024 – 20-12-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Union’s external relations topped the agenda for the December 2024 plenary session, with several debates on statements by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, attending the plenary for the first time in her new capacity. These included the toppling of the Syrian regime and its consequences; Russia’s disinformation activities and fraudulent justification of its war against Ukraine; the use of rape as a weapon of war (e.g. in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan). The day after Kallas’s remarks on the crackdown on peaceful pro-European demonstrators in Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia, addressed Members in a formal sitting. Other debates on Commission statements covered, inter alia: the situation in Mayotte following the recent devastating cyclone; a European innovation act; harassment and cyber-violence against female politicians in EU candidate and neighbouring countries; a shared vision for sustainable European tourism; promoting social dialogue and the right to strike; tackling abusive subcontracting; the need to ensure swift action and transparency on public-sector corruption allegations; urgent EU action to preserve nature and biodiversity; and the Commission’s plans to revise outstanding proposals on animal welfare in its 2025 work plan. Members also debated ahead of the European Council meeting of 19 December 2024 and set out their expectations ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit that took place the previous day. Parliament created two new standing committees, upgrading the former sub-committees on Public Health, and on Security and Defence; and set up two special committees: on the European Democracy Shield, and the Housing Crisis.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – EU Cyber Resilience Act – 20-12-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    New technologies come with new risks, and the impact of cyber-attacks through digital products has increased dramatically in recent years. Consumers are increasingly falling victim to security flaws linked to digital products such as baby monitors, robo-vacuum cleaners, Wi-Fi routers and alarm systems. For businesses, the importance of ensuring that digital products in the supply chain are secure has become pivotal, considering three in five vendors have already lost money as a result of product security gaps. The European Union’s lawmakers signed the ‘cyber-resilience act’ in October 2024. The regulation imposes cybersecurity obligations on all products with digital elements whose intended and foreseeable use includes direct or indirect data connection to a device or network. The regulation introduces cybersecurity by design and by default principles and imposes a duty of care for the lifecycle of products. The Cyber Resilience Act was published in the EU’s Official Journal on 20 November 2024. It entered into force in December 2024 and will apply in full as of 11 December 2027. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Management of invasive species – E-002927/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    13.12.2024

    Question for written answer  E-002927/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Sebastian Everding (The Left), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE)

    Article 19(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 on invasive alien species (IAS) provides that Member States must ensure that animals are spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering when implementing management measures. Safe and humane non-lethal management methods such as immunocontraceptive vaccines and oral contraceptives are available or could be further developed and assessed to manage IAS populations, reducing the use of cruel lethal methods and potentially being more effective. When available, however, these methods cannot be implemented because the regulation also prevents the release of kept IAS animals.

    Can the Commission clarify:

    • 1.Could animal IAS be released after being neutered and could animal IAS be released after being temporarily contained for the purpose of immunocontraceptive vaccine injection?
    • 2.How can the legislation prevent the use of inhumane methods when alternatives exist and why does it provide for such a restrictive framework for the use of alternatives?
    • 3.Are there any plans for funding opportunities for developing, testing and implementing innovative humane management methods, including fertility control?

    Submitted: 13.12.2024

    Last updated: 20 December 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Protecting the rights and working conditions of self-employed delivery workers in the EU – E-002631/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    22.11.2024

    Question for written answer  E-002631/2024/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Galato Alexandraki (ECR), Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR)

    Self-employed delivery workers in Greece are facing a decline in working conditions, due to sky-rocketing costs and the longer working hours required to make ends meet. During a recent 24-hour period of industrial action, unions highlighted that platforms were charging more for their products on strike days, without improving pay or providing the necessary labour protection. The lack of fairer taxation, free provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), professional licences and better paid contracts remains a serious problem for the sector. At the same time, pressure on delivery workers leads to a toxic working environment and incidences of violence. Furthermore, delivery workers complain that the lack of regulation fosters instability and exploitation by platforms, which force workers to endure conditions that put their health and safety at risk.

    In view of the above, can the Commission answer the following:

    • 1.What measures could it take to ensure fair taxation and working conditions for self-employed delivery workers, especially with regard to PPE and the recognition of their professional expenses?
    • 2.What actions could it take to help prevent delivery workers from experiencing pressure and violence, protecting both social peace and workers in this sector?

    Submitted: 22.11.2024

    Last updated: 20 December 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Instability in the Middle East and the Levant as an aggravating factor in security risk levels – P-003021/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    18.12.2024

    Priority question for written answer  P-003021/2024
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Sebastião Bugalho (PPE)

    On 3 December 2024, Sven Koopmans, the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, said, during an exchange of views in a meeting of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, that we should not be surprised, although it is never justifiable, if we see an increase in terrorism in the coming years, owing to the way in which war is being waged in the Middle East.

    Following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has supported the ongoing transition, but stressed that Syria should be prevented from becoming a ‘base for terrorism’.

    I therefore ask the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:

    • 1.Is an assessment currently being carried out of the extent to which the instability in the Middle East and the Levant is an aggravating factor in security risk levels, not only regionally but also around the work, including for European countries and people?
    • 2.What specific steps and responses are being taken or considered in that regard, including to control and prevent risks of that kind?

    Submitted: 18.12.2024

    Last updated: 20 December 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: France: EIB and Rhône department sign first finance contract for lower secondary school construction and refurbishment

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • The EIB will provide a 25-year loan of €45 million for seven collèges (lower secondary schools) in the department.
    • The collèges will be highly energy efficient following the work, reducing their carbon footprint and making operating cost savings.
    • This is the first time the EIB has lent funds to the Rhône department in France.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Rhône department have signed a 25-year, €45 million finance contract to help modernise educational facilities and adapt them to local demand, with a view to improving the quality of secondary-level education in the area.

    With this funding, the department will be able to improve the quality of the infrastructure of seven new or refurbished collèges. The project also includes investments in digital equipment and the refurbishment of schoolyards.

    The collèges will be highly energy efficient following the work, enabling energy use reduction goals to be achieved and making operating cost savings. Climate change adaptation measures will also be included.

    This project is fully in line not only with the department’s education efforts (2025 New Collèges Plan), but also with the green transition set out in its low-carbon strategy.

    The project focuses on the construction, reconstruction or refurbishment of collèges. It will enable the department to support the adaptation of its network of educational facilities to local demand. This investment will make school infrastructure more resilient to climate risk and school buildings more energy efficient. The work carried out will include a wide range of solutions to adapt to global warming, such as sunshades, rainwater retention systems to supply water for toilet facilities in particular, and permeable soil solutions.

    The project will benefit around 4 020 students enrolled in the department’s lower secondary schools (20% of all students in the department’s collèges). Around 30 000 m2 of educational facilities will be built, expanded or refurbished as part of this project.

    EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said: “Investing in education is a priority for the EIB, the EU bank. We are very pleased with the trust placed in us by the Rhône department, which we are supporting for the first time in the financing of its public infrastructure. This project will also contribute to the low-carbon transition of collèges through improved energy efficiency and reduced operating costs.”

    Christophe Guilloteau, president of the Rhône department, said: “We are delighted to sign this maiden financing contract with the EIB, which will enable us to carry out the ambitious educational infrastructure projects of our Rhône Bâtisseur programme, such as the 2025 New Collèges Plan.”

    Background information

    About the European Investment Bank (EIB)

    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. In the education sector, which is one of its priorities, the EIB financed investment projects in France in 2023 to the tune of more than €900 million, a figure that has risen sharply. The EIB finances education infrastructure from nursery schools to higher education in both the public and private sectors. In secondary education, it recently financed school construction and refurbishment projects for lower secondary schools in six departments and for upper secondary schools in the Brittany and Île-de-France regions. In higher education, it financed refurbishment projects on the campuses of CentraleSupélec in Saclay, École Polytechnique in Palaiseau and INSEAD in Fontainebleau.

    About the Rhône department

    The department’s policy regarding collèges relates both to education itself and to work in schools. The educational aspect concerns pupils in the 33 public collèges and the 19 private collèges under contract in the Rhône department (upkeep, catering and maintenance), adaptation to changes in numbers (location and size of collèges, prospective students, allocation of schools by catchment area, transitional measures), development of cross-cutting and multidisciplinary educational actions in the collèges, and also covers the 12 training centres for young people in the Rhône department (environment, sustainable development, food, health, law, ensuring memory of past events, sport, culture). In this context, the department is carrying out major refurbishment work and constructing public collèges to provide the best learning conditions for young people and the best working conditions for all staff and the educational community in the Rhône department.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Driving decarbonisation: leveraging quantum computing for Europe’s clean industrial future – E-002937/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    13.12.2024

    Question for written answer  E-002937/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Lídia Pereira (PPE), Sebastião Bugalho (PPE), Paulo Cunha (PPE), Hélder Sousa Silva (PPE)

    In order to decarbonise growth, we need to grow decarbonisation. Quantum computing will reshape the economics of decarbonisation, advancing transformative innovation across cleantech applications and enabling a greenhouse gas reduction of up to 7 gigatonnes by 2035. The quantum market could be as large as EUR 78 billion by 2040. As pointed out by the Draghi report, today ‘five of the top ten tech companies globally in terms of quantum investment are based in the US, four in China and none in the European Union’. Given Executive Vice-President of the Commission Stéphane Séjourné’s task to ensure the industrial application of quantum computing is at the heart of our economy, how is the new Commission planning to harness quantum computing’s potential in the Clean Industrial Deal considering:

    • 1.a pan-European strategy for quantum applications in clean technologies, driven by public funding and supported by a comprehensive capacity-building plan for the quantum and clean tech industries;
    • 2.the promotion of public-private partnerships in the form of centres of excellence to incentivise research and development (R&D) investment in quantum computing by the private sector;
    • 3.the proactive involvement of European universities in the development of the skills and knowledge at the heart of a quantum economy for clean technologies.

    Submitted: 13.12.2024

    Last updated: 20 December 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two officers convicted for assaulting 16-year-old boy

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two officers have been convicted of assaulting a 16-year-old boy who they were transporting to hospital for a mental health assessment.

    Following a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court which concluded on Friday, 20 December, PC Sevda Gonen, 33, was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating – one for using unlawful force when searching the victim and the second for slapping him and holding his hair. PC Stuart Price, 35, was found guilty of one count of using unlawful force when searching the victim.

    Both officers, who are attached to the North Area Basic Command Unit, will be sentenced on Thursday, 24 January.

    The officers were convicted following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in relation to an incident on 14 November 2023 when officers were voluntarily transporting a 16-year-old boy to hospital for a mental health assessment, as there were no ambulances available to immediately take him.

    Area Commander Hayley Sewart, said: “We know this incident had a significant impact on the victim and his family, and I would like to apologise to them for the distress and upset caused. Very sadly, what started out as an attempt to get the right medical attention for a teenager in mental health crisis quickly escalated to the events we saw unfold that day.

    “The actions of PC Gonen in slapping the victim are deeply troubling and fall well below the standards and behaviour we expect from our officers. An internal review of the incident raised concerns about her actions and as a result we referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

    “We will continue to exercise such diligence where standards are not being upheld.

    “The decision to charge and subsequently convict the officers with assault because the search was deemed to be unlawful, however, raises important questions and we need to now take some time to understand the outcome and carefully consider the possible wider implications for officers and policing in general.”

    + PC Gonen is suspended. PC Price remains on restricted duties. Now that criminal matters have concluded, we will be liaising with the IOPC regarding misconduct procedures.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Luis de Guindos: Interview with the Telegraaf

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, conducted by Wouter van Bergen and Martin Visser

    20 December 2024

    What has kept you awake over the past year?

    Looking back at recent times, I would say that my worst nightmare was that a cyber attack would wreak havoc in the payments system. We would have a complicated situation on our hands that would be very difficult to resolve and would have serious consequences for all of us.

    And what do you expect will keep you awake next year?

    For the future, I’m more concerned about trade policy and the potential fragmentation of the global economy. The new US administration has announced far-reaching import tariffs. If they materialise, a wholly new situation could arise, which would go completely against the lessons from the 1930s and the path we have chosen since the end of the Second World War.

    Trump has introduced import tariffs before. What is different this time?

    It’s not only the import tariffs imposed by the United States that are the problem, but also the retaliation by other countries in response. If a trade war erupts, it would be extremely negative for the world economy, mainly for growth but also for inflation. For example, if you impose a 60% tariff on goods from China, which already has excess capacity, it would cause a diversion in trade flows and even impact exchange rates. Nobody knows where that will end.

    What can the ECB do about that?

    We’re not responsible for trade policy. We can provide our advice and explain that a trade war would be extremely detrimental for the world economy and a lose-lose situation for everyone, and that is why it is better to be prudent. But the response is up to the European Commission, and our role is to give our view and deal with the consequences.

    Might it also threaten the euro?

    It should be the other way around. If such threats emerge, the answer lies precisely in more European integration. The euro plays a hugely important role in that.

    But election results indicate that the population in many European countries is not that keen on it…

    I think that the European population is smart, and people are well aware that the uncertainties and risks are intensifying, and that becoming more fragmented within Europe would be the wrong response. My impression of populist politicians is that they propose simple solutions for highly complex problems.

    Immigration is one such complex problem…

    There is talk about restricting immigration, but looking at demographic developments in Europe, you see that the population is ageing. From an economic viewpoint, it is crystal clear that we need ordered immigration, so we should focus on properly managing its social impact.

    Are you concerned about the high levels of public debt in many Member States, such as France?

    Countries need to put in place credible and prudent fiscal consolidation plans. The fiscal rules were suspended for five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis, but now we have a new fiscal framework, and it’s important to implement it accordingly. France is not the only country whose budget has not yet been approved. The same goes for Germany, Spain, Belgium and Austria. They know what they need to do, and I am convinced that they will act accordingly.

    Relative to GDP, public debt is indeed on average 10% higher than it was before the pandemic. At the same time, the situation in the southern European countries that were in trouble 12 years ago is much better now. Portugal now runs a budget surplus, as do Ireland and Cyprus. Greece and Italy are running primary surpluses. Precisely the ‘usual suspects’ back then are doing well now, thanks to the measures taken at the time.

    Former ECB President Mario Draghi painted a dire picture of the state of European competitiveness in a recent report. What can we do to restore it?

    The demographic reality is that our population is ageing. An ageing society takes less risks and innovates less. That’s why targeted immigration is so important. It’s something that Europe should reflect on from an economic perspective.

    Europe has other structural problems too, like the lack of a genuine single market for goods and services. The array of different rules applying throughout means that Europe is still highly fragmented, in contrast to the United States. We don’t have a real banking union as we don’t have a common deposit insurance scheme. And we don’t have a capital markets union, because there is no single capital market supervisor and insolvency laws still differ across countries. On top of that, we don’t have a fiscal union, unlike the United States. Savings are taxed differently everywhere in Europe, there are disparities in labour market rules and some exceptions to the temporary framework on state aid still have to be fully phased out.

    The list of necessary measures is long…

    Yes, there is a lot of work to do and the world is not going to wait for us. Because of the policies of the new United States administration, we may need to deal with import tariffs, uncertain fiscal policy, the possibility of deregulation in financial markets and, going beyond economics, even defence. This is a wake-up call for Europe.

    How can you remain optimistic in the face of such huge challenges?

    It’s not a question of optimism, but pragmatism. In Europe, there is only one way to preserve our current standard of living, and we will eventually choose the correct path.

    The inflation rate in the Netherlands has risen again to 4%. The ECB’s policy does not suit the situation in our country…

    In the euro area, we have seen that although there is an increase in households’ real disposable income because wages have started to catch up with past inflation, consumption is not recovering well. This is an issue of confidence, which has to do with past inflation, the lagging effects of the pandemic, and the current geopolitical landscape.

    People mainly look at prices and they now see that supermarket prices are much higher than they were two or three years ago. That’s why it’s so important that they realise that price levels are stabilising and wages are catching up. And not everything is negative, as labour markets are doing well.

    As the ECB, we have to look at the euro area average (at 2.2% in November, ed.). Dutch inflation is more volatile than average. We are confident that inflation will gradually decrease in the Netherlands too, and that inflation across the euro area will gradually converge towards our 2% target.

    What message do you have for Dutch consumers?

    You still have higher inflation, but inflation in the euro area has declined substantially and without a recession. You have very high employment, so wages are increasing and catching up with past inflation. The tight labour market also shows the need for targeted immigration.

    Do you already hold bitcoin?

    No, no bitcoin, but I know some people who do.

    You missed out on big gains…

    Yes, but I could just have gone to the casino [laughs]. The world of crypto-assets is a mixed bag, with stablecoins being very different from others like bitcoin. In general though, there are no fundamentals that determine the value of bitcoin, like there are for shares or bonds. There is only scarcity.

    Are crypto-assets a risk for the financial system?

    Not for now, there are few of them and volumes are still too small to pose material risks to the financial system.

    Europe is lagging behind the rest of the world. Out of the 50 largest tech companies, only three are European. Europeans heavily invest their funds on US stock exchanges and European banks can’t keep up with their US competitors. Is there still hope?

    This is an indication that there are some structural issues that we need to improve in Europe, namely by deepening economic integration. I talked earlier about common solvency and taxation rules and a coordinated approach to supervision in capital markets, for example. We have to channel European savings to Europe, and to attract savings from abroad.

    Every cloud has a silver lining. Europe is at a crossroads now. The future is now more uncertain than ever since the pandemic due to geopolitical tensions and the risk of significant frictions in global trade in the advent of the new United States administration. That is why we need more integration, not less. It will take courage, but common sense will ultimately prevail.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: If the EU won’t stop Israel’s genocide in Gaza, member states must go it alone

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Ursula von der Leyen knows that the EU’s reputation as a credible actor for human rights and international law is in tatters over the horrors in Gaza.

    EU leaders and officials have gone from privately condemning the EU’s double standards behind closed doors to publicly lamenting them. Instead of tackling these double standards however, the European Commission President rebranded them as “anti-EU narratives” and tasked the new Commissioner for the Mediterranean and foreign policy chief to elaborate a communications strategy to highlight the EU’s contribution to the region. But there are issues that even the canniest communications strategy cannot bury.

    After the atrocities committed by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, 60% of whom are children, women and older people. The Israeli offensive has left the occupied Gaza Strip a wasteland, inflicting shocking and unprecedented levels of death, suffering and destruction. Amnesty International investigated Israel’s offensive on Gaza, examining a variety of unlawful acts constituting a pattern of conduct, the harmful and destructive impact of its policies and actions, and Israeli government and military officials’ racist, dehumanizing and genocidal rhetoric.

    The conclusion is clear: Israel is committing these acts with the intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza. Israel is committing genocide. We also found that not only is the genocide in Gaza the most documented in history, but the EU and many of its member states are failing to prevent it. Moreover, some member states risk becoming complicit in Israel’s genocide by continuing to transfer arms to the country.

    ‘All signs of genocide are flashing red’

    Amnesty International’s report ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza is the culmination of nine months of meticulous research and spans 296 pages. During our investigation, we interviewed 212 people, conducted extensive fieldwork and analyzed a wide range of visual and digital evidence, including satellite imagery. Crucially, we also analyzed evidence of Israel’s intent, before concluding that Israel has committed — and is continuing to commit — genocide in Gaza.

    In 15 airstrikes we found that Israel killed 334 civilians, including 141 children, and wounded hundreds of others in direct attacks against civilians and without effective warnings. These airstrikes represent a subset of a wider pattern of deliberately indiscriminate attacks. We also documented how Israel has deliberately imposed conditions of life on Palestinians in Gaza calculated to bring about their physical destruction. Within the context of Israel’s long-standing apartheid and unlawful occupation, the inescapable conclusion is that Israel committed these acts with the intent of destroying the Palestinians in Gaza.

    Unsurprisingly, the world has been reluctant to recognize the situation in Gaza as genocide. After all, if what we have been witnessing every day for 14 months was indeed genocide, what would that say about the international community?

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) recognized that a risk exists that genocide could be committed against Palestinians in Gaza, ordering multiple binding measures to prevent it. The International Criminal Court (ICC) further issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former minister of defense for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    As ICJ judge Abdulqawi Yousef put it: “All signs of genocide are flashing red.”

    Not everyone agreed with our findings. Yet  many states have reached the same conclusion before us. While others may refuse to acknowledge the reality, the EU and its member states are faced with two primary responsibilities under international law: the obligation not to aid or assist genocide and the obligation to prevent it.

    In the absence of unity, EU member states must go it alone

    As European leaders gather in Brussels for the European Council, the new HR/VP Kaja Kallas faces the daunting challenge of convincing all 27 member states to uphold these two fundamental obligations under international law.

    However, in the absence of united action at EU level, individual member states have a duty to act on their own to uphold their obligations to prevent genocide and avoid being complicit in it. In practical terms, this entails five concrete actions.

    The remaining EU member states that continue to export or allow the transfer of arms to Israel must follow the lead of those who have rightly suspended arms exports and transshipments to Israel.

    States must exert diplomatic pressure on Israel, including by publicly recognizing that Israel is committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, among other violations of international law.

    States must support justice mechanisms, including by safeguarding the ICC from reprisals, supporting the court financially and politically, and publicly committing to enforcing arrest warrants issued by the ICC. Additionally, states have a responsibility to investigate and prosecute international crimes committed in Gaza under universal jurisdiction, or when suspected perpetrators or victims are dual nationals.

    For its part, the EU must not allow Israel to decimate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees, which remains the only lifeline for millions of Palestinians. This requires both financial and political support for the UNRWA, as well as supporting Norway’s efforts at the UN General Assembly to challenge Israel’s attempt to dismantle it.

    Finally, regardless of EU leaders’ discourse on the ‘day after’ and long-term prospects for peace, as long as Israeli settlement expansion and unlawful occupation and apartheid persist, this will remain empty rhetoric. The EU must start by implementing their legal obligations, as clarified by the ICJ, to ban trade and investments that contribute to maintaining Israel’s illegal occupation.

    In the pages of history, two groups of politicians will be remembered: those who remained silent in the face of Gaza’s genocide — and those who rose up to stop it.

    *This article was originally published on 19 December in EUobserver.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 25 Years Ago: STS-103, The Hubble Servicing Mission-3A

    Source: NASA

     “Trying to do stellar observations from Earth is like trying to do birdwatching from the bottom of a lake.” James B. Odom, Hubble Program Manager 1983-1990.
    The third servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, placed in orbit in 1990, occurred during the STS-103 mission in December 1999. During the mission, originally planned for June 2000 but accelerated by six months following unexpected failures of the telescope’s attitude control gyroscopes, the astronauts restored the facility to full functionality. During their eight-day mission that featured the first space shuttle crew to spend Christmas in space, the seven-member U.S. and European crew rendezvoused with and captured Hubble, and four astronauts in rotating teams of two conducted three lengthy and complex spacewalks to service and upgrade the telescope. They redeployed the telescope with greater capabilities than ever before to continue its mission to help scientists unlock the secrets of the universe.

    The discovery after the Hubble Space Telescope’s launch in 1990 that its primary mirror suffered from a flaw called spherical aberration disappointed scientists who could not obtain the sharp images they had expected. But thanks to the Hubble’s built-in feature of on-orbit servicing, NASA devised a plan to correct the telescope’s optics during the first planned repair mission in 1993. A second servicing mission in 1997 upgraded the telescope’s capabilities until the next mission planned for three years later. But after three of the telescope’s six gyroscopes failed in 1997, 1998, and 1999, mission rules dictated a call up mission in case additional gyroscope failures sent Hubble into a safe mode. NASA elected to move up some of the servicing tasks from the third mission, splitting it into missions 3A and 3B, planning to fly 3A in October 1999 on Discovery’s STS-103 mission primarily to replace the failed gyroscopes. Delays to the shuttle fleet resulting from anomalies during the launch of STS-93 in July 1993 slipped STS-103 first into November and ultimately into December. Technical issues with Discovery itself pushed the launch date to mid-December, and raised concerns about having a shuttle in orbit during the Y2K transition. Once the launch had slipped to Dec. 19, mission planners cut the mission from 10 to eight days, deleting one of the four spacewalks, to ensure a return before the end of the calendar year. The servicing mission couldn’t come soon enough, as a fourth gyroscope failed aboard Hubble in mid-November, with Discovery already poised on the launch pad to prepare for STS-103. Controllers placed Hubble in a safe mode until the astronauts arrived.

    To execute the third Hubble Servicing Mission, in July 1998 NASA selected an experienced four-person team to carry out a record-breaking six spacewalks on the flight then planned for June 2000. The spacewalkers included Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith serving as payload commander, John M. Grunsfeld, C. Michael Foale, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Claude Nicollier from Switzerland. The addition in March 1999 of Commander Curtis L. Brown, Pilot Scott J. Kelly, and Mission Specialist ESA astronaut Jean-François A. Clervoy of France rounded out the highly experienced crew with 18 previous spaceflights among them. Brown earned the distinction as only the fifth person to fly in space six times. For Kelly, STS-103 marked his first spaceflight. Smith, Clervoy, and Grunsfeld each had flown two previous missions, Foale four including a long-duration mission aboard Mir, and Nicollier three. Smith participated in three spacewalks during the second Hubble Servicing Mission and Nicollier served as the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) or robotic arm operator during the first.

    Discovery arrived back to KSC at the end of the STS-96 mission on June 6, 1999, and workers towed it to the Orbiter Processing Facility the same day to begin readying it for STS-103. The vehicle rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Nov. 4, where workers mated it with its external tank and twin solid rocket boosters, before rolling the stack out to Launch Pad 39B on Nov. 13.

    Beginning its 27th trip into space, Discovery lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at 7:50 p.m. EST on Dec. 19 to fix the ailing space telescope. Two days later, Brown and Kelly maneuvered Discovery to within range of Hubble so Clervoy operating the 50-foot-long RMS could grapple the telescope and berth it into the payload bay.

    Smith and Grunsfeld conducted the mission’s first spacewalk on Dec. 22, the flight’s fourth day in space. The duo, aided by Clervoy operating the RMS from inside Discovery, completed two of mission’s highest priority objectives. They replaced the failed gyroscopes, installing three new Rate Sensor Units, each containing two gyroscopes, to return control to the ailing telescope. They also installed six Voltage/Temperature Improvement Kits to prevent the telescope’s batteries from overheating as they aged. The excursion lasted eight hours 15 minutes, at the time the second longest spacewalk.

    The next day, Nicollier and Foale conducted the mission’s second spacewalk. The main task for this excursion involved installing a new computer aboard Hubble, replacing the original 1970s vintage unit. The new radiation-hardened system ran 20 times faster and carried six times more memory while using one-third the electrical power. They also installed a fine guidance sensor before concluding the eight-hour 10-minute spacewalk.

    Smith and Grunsfeld ventured outside for a second time to complete the flight’s third and final spacewalk on Dec. 24, the first spacewalk conducted on Christmas Eve day. First, they replaced an old reel-to-reel tape recorder with a solid state unit providing a 10-fold increase in recording capability and replaced a failed data transmitter. They installed seven new covers on Hubble’s electronics bay doors for added protection of the telescope’s insulation. This third spacewalk lasted eight hours eight minutes.

    The next day, the STS-103 astronauts earned the distinction as the first space shuttle crew to spend Christmas Day in space. Clervoy grappled Hubble, lifted it out of the payload bay and released it to continue its mission. Hubble Space Telescope Program Manager John H. Campbell said after the release, “The spacecraft is being guided by its new gyros under the control of its brand new computer. [It] is now orbiting freely and is in fantastic shape.” After deploying Hubble, the astronauts enjoyed a well-deserved Christmas dinner, with Clervoy providing French delicacies. The crew spent Dec. 26 readying Discovery for its return to Earth, including testing its reaction control system thrusters and aerodynamic surfaces and stowing unneeded gear.

    On Dec. 27, the astronauts donned their launch and entry suits and prepared for the return to Earth. They closed the payload bay doors and fired Discovery’s engines to bring them out of orbit. Just before landing, Kelly lowered the craft’s landing gear and Brown guided Discovery to a smooth night landing at KSC, concluding a flight of seven days, 23 hours, 11 minutes. They circled the Earth 119 times. The flight marked Discovery’s last solo flight as all its subsequent missions docked with the International Space Station. Workers at KSC began readying it for its next mission, STS-92 in October 2000.
    The Hubble Space Telescope continues to operate today, far exceeding the five-year life extension expected from the last of the servicing missions in 2009. Joined in space by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2021, the two instruments together continue to image the skies across a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum to provide scientists with the tools to gain unprecedented insights into the universe and its formation.
    Watch the STS-103 crew narrate a video of their Hubble servicing mission.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Doctor and Her Wife Sentenced for Fraud and Other Crimes

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A former family practice doctor in Huntsville was sentenced today for drug crimes, health care fraud, and COVID-19 disaster relief fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer, and Special Agent in Charge Tamela Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General Atlanta Region. The doctor’s wife, who owned the medical practice, was also sentenced.

    Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Francene Aretha Gayle, 50, to 87 months in prison on four opioid prescribing charges, one count of health care fraud, and one count of wire fraud. Judge Burke sentenced Schara Monique Davis, 48, to 42 months in prison for one count of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each defendant was also ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution, forfeit $226,815, and pay a fine.

    According to the defendants’ plea agreements, between about 2014 and early 2020, Gayle was a doctor who operated a multi-clinic practice in Huntsville, Athens, and Killen. Davis owned the practice and served as business manager. In 2019, the Killen clinic shut down. In March 2020, the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission revoked Gayle’s license, and the other two clinics closed shortly after that.

    Gayle admitted that she had unlawfully distributed drugs, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone.

    Gayle and Davis both admitted to having conspired to commit health care fraud for several years by billing insurers for office visits under Gayle’s name even when she did not see the patients, was not in the same building, and sometimes was not in the same town. The defendants knew that the billing scheme was fraudulent. In 2015, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama audited the practice and discovered that Gayle was absent, other staff were seeing patients, and yet all office visits were being billed under Gayle’s name. Blue Cross flagged the issue, and Gayle promised it would stop. Instead, the practice continued fraudulently billing insurers for office visits for the next four years. In total, between 2015 and 2020, Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross paid more than $2.3 million for office visits billed under Gayle’s name.

    Gayle and Davis both also admitted to having conspired to commit wire fraud. In March 2020, based on concerns about her prescribing and billing practices, Gayle’s Alabama medical license was revoked.  Months later, Gayle and Davis applied for and obtained more than $450,000 in COVID-19 disaster relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Those funds were designed to stabilize businesses struggling because of the pandemic. In their funding applications, Gayle and Davis certified that their medical practice needed the money because of economic uncertainty or injury caused by the pandemic. In reality, Gayle and Davis’s practice had closed, and they used COVID-19 funds they received on other things. 

    The FBI, DEA, and HHS-OIG investigated the case. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office provided exceptional investigative assistance after the Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Program Integrity Division initiated the case and referred it. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.B. Ward and Ryan Rummage prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 20.12.2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Stock Exchange Release
    20 December 2024 at 22:30 EET

    Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 20.12.2024

    Espoo, Finland – On 20 December 2024 Nokia Corporation (LEI: 549300A0JPRWG1KI7U06) has acquired its own shares (ISIN FI0009000681) as follows:

    Trading venue (MIC Code) Number of shares Weighted average price / share, EUR*
    XHEL 872,093 4.19
    CEUX – –
    BATE – –
    AQEU – –
    TQEX – –
    Total 872,093 4.19

    * Rounded to two decimals

    On 22 November 2024, Nokia announced that its Board of Directors is initiating a share buyback program to offset the dilutive effect of new Nokia shares issued to the shareholders of Infinera Corporation and certain Infinera Corporation share-based incentives. The repurchases in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 and under the authorization granted by Nokia’s Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 started on 25 November 2024 and end by 31 December 2025 and target to repurchase 150 million shares for a maximum aggregate purchase price of EUR 900 million.

    Total cost of transactions executed on 20 December 2024 was EUR 3,657,384. After the disclosed transactions, Nokia Corporation holds 218,626,057 treasury shares.

    Details of transactions are included as an appendix to this announcement.

    On behalf of Nokia Corporation

    BofA Securities Europe SA

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 40 803 4080
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IMF Executive Board Completes the Sixth Review of the Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility for Ukraine

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    December 20, 2024

    • The IMF Board today completed the Sixth Review of the Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ukraine, enabling a disbursement of about US$1.1 billion (SDR 834.9 million) to Ukraine, which will be channeled by the authorities for budget support.
    • Ukraine’s economy remains resilient, and performance remains strong under the EFF despite challenging conditions. The authorities met all end-September quantitative performance criteria and structural benchmarks.
    • Sustained reform momentum, progress at domestic revenue mobilization, and timely disbursement of external support are necessary to safeguard macroeconomic stability, restore fiscal and debt sustainability, and improve governance.

    Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today completed the Sixth Review of the EFF, enabling the authorities to draw US$1.1 billion (SDR 834.9 million), which will be channeled by the authorities for budget support. This will bring the total disbursements under the IMF-supported program to US$9.8 billion.

    Ukraine’s 48-month EFF, with access of SDR 11.6 billion (equivalent to US$15.5 billion, or about 577 percent of quota), was approved on March 31, 2023, and forms part of a US$148 billion support package for Ukraine. The authorities’ IMF-supported program helps anchor policies that sustain fiscal, external, and macro-financial stability at a time of exceptionally high uncertainty. The EFF aims to support the economic recovery, enhance governance, and strengthen institutions with the aim of promoting long-term growth in the context of reconstruction and Ukraine’s path to EU accession.

    Ukraine’s performance under its program remains strong. All end-September and continuous quantitative performance criteria and indicative targets were met. The authorities have also completed a prior action on the enactment of the package of tax measures, have met all end-October structural benchmarks due by the Sixth Review and three of the end-December benchmarks.  

    Economic growth in 2024 has been upgraded given better than expected resilience to the energy shocks. However, a slowdown is expected in 2025 due to an increasingly tight labor market, the impact of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and continued uncertainty about the war. Inflation has risen recently, mainly due to food prices, while inflation expectations remain well anchored. Adequate reserves have been sustained by continued sizeable external support. Overall, the outlook remains subject to exceptionally high uncertainty.

    Following the Executive Board discussion on Ukraine, Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, issued the following statement[1]:

    “Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to take a devastating social and economic toll on Ukraine. Despite the war, macroeconomic stability is being preserved through skillful policymaking by the Ukrainian authorities as well as substantial external support. The economy has remained resilient, reflecting the continued adaptability of households and firms, although risks are tilted to the downside due to headwinds from attacks on energy infrastructure and a tight labor market. Preparedness and contingency planning are key to enable appropriate policy action should risks materialize.

    The program remains fully financed with a cumulative external financing envelope of US$148 billion in the baseline and US$177 billion in the downside over the 4-year program period, including commitments from the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine (ERA) initiative. Full, timely and predictable external support—on terms consistent with debt sustainability—remains essential to maintaining full program financing and safeguarding stability.

    A tax package and 2025 Budget in line with the program baseline have been enacted, but there are few remaining buffers and strict budget execution will be key. Continued progress at domestic revenue mobilization is imperative for Ukraine to meet its high priority spending needs and to restore fiscal sustainability. Strong implementation of the National Revenue Strategy and customs reform will help raise further revenues, improve compliance, combat evasion, and support EU accession.

    After completing the Eurobond exchange in August, the authorities are now focusing on reaching agreement with other holders of external commercial claims, including GDP warrants, in line with their strategy. A swift agreement in line with the program’s debt sustainability objectives would reduce fiscal risks and create space for critical spending needs.

    Inflation has accelerated more than expected in recent months, and the recent tightening of monetary policy was appropriate; the NBU should stand ready to take further action should inflation expectations deteriorate. Allowing exchange rate flexibility will help strengthen the resilience of the economy to external shocks while safeguarding reserves.

    The financial sector remains stable, but vigilance is needed given heightened risks. Progress on strengthening bank resolution and risk-based supervision, stress-testing frameworks and contingency planning should be sustained.

    Reform momentum in anticorruption and governance needs to be sustained. In particular, the authorities need to advance the creation of a new court for high public disputes, and amend the criminal procedure code.”

    Table 1. Ukraine: Selected Economic and Social Indicators, 2021–27

    2021

     

    2022

     

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    Act.

    Act.

    Act.

    Proj.

    Proj.

    Proj.

    Proj.

    Real economy (percent change, unless otherwise indicated)

    Nominal GDP (billions of Ukrainian hryvnias) 1/

    5,451

    		  

    5,239

    		  

    6,538

    7,629

    8,680

    9,874

    10,937

    Real GDP 1/

    3.4

    		  

    -28.8

    		  

    5.3

    4.0

    2.5-3.5

    5.3

    4.5

    Contributions:

    		                  

    Domestic demand

    12.9

    		  

    -22.9

    		  

    13.9

    6.5

    4.9

    4.5

    4.2

    Private consumption

    4.7

    		  

    -16.8

    		  

    5.5

    3.3

    3.2

    3.8

    3.5

    Public consumption

    0.1

    		  

    12.5

    		  

    2.6

    -0.1

    -1.1

    -2.5

    -1.9

    Investment

    8.1

    		  

    -18.6

    		  

    5.8

    3.3

    2.9

    3.2

    2.6

    Net exports

    -9.5

    		  

    -5.9

    		  

    -8.6

    -2.5

    -2.4

    0.8

    0.3

    GDP deflator

    24.8

    		  

    34.9

    		  

    18.5

    12.2

    11.0

    8.0

    6.0

    Unemployment rate (ILO definition; period average, percent)

    9.8

    		  

    24.5

    		  

    19.1

    13.3

    11.8

    10.2

    9.4

    Consumer prices (period average)

    9.4

    		  

    20.2

    		  

    12.9

    6.2

    10.3

    7.7

    5.0

    Consumer prices (end of period)

    10.0

    		  

    26.6

    		  

    5.1

    10.0

    7.5

    6.6

    5.0

    Nominal wages (average)

    20.8

    		  

    1.0

    		  

    20.1

    19.1

    18.9

    14.1

    10.5

    Real wages (average)

    10.5

    		  

    -16.0

    		  

    6.4

    12.1

    7.8

    6.0

    5.3

    Savings (percent of GDP)

    12.5

    		  

    17.0

    		  

    9.8

    8.5

    2.9

    9.1

    15.2

    Private

    12.7

    		  

    30.2

    		  

    24.6

    24.1

    17.9

    14.7

    13.6

    Public

    -0.2

    		  

    -13.1

    		  

    -14.8

    -15.6

    -14.9

    -5.6

    1.5

    Investment (percent of GDP)

    14.5

    		  

    12.1

    		  

    15.1

    16.9

    17.5

    19.3

    20.4

    Private

    10.7

    		  

    9.6

    		  

    10.4

    13.6

    13.6

    15.0

    15.3

    Public

    3.8

    		  

    2.5

    		  

    4.8

    3.4

    4.0

    4.3

    5.1
                     

    General Government (percent of GDP)

    		                  

    Fiscal balance 2/

    -4.0

    		  

    -15.6

    		  

    -19.6

    -18.9

    -18.9

    -9.9

    -3.6

    Fiscal balance, excl. grants 2/

    -4.0

    		  

    -24.8

    		  

    -26.1

    -24.3

    -19.7

    -10.1

    -4.6

    External financing (net)

    2.4

    		  

    10.7

    		  

    16.5

    14.8

    18.0

    8.9

    1.4

    Domestic financing (net), of which:

    1.6

    		  

    5.0

    		  

    3.1

    4.1

    0.9

    1.0

    2.2

    NBU

    -0.3

    		  

    7.3

    		  

    -0.2

    -0.2

    -0.2

    -0.1

    -0.1

    Commercial banks

    1.5

    		  

    -1.5

    		  

    2.5

    4.1

    1.0

    0.9

    2.2

    Public and publicly-guaranteed debt

    48.9

    		  

    77.7

    		  

    82.3

    92.2

    104.3

    105.8

    101.8
                     

    Money and credit (end of period, percent change)

    		                  

    Base money

    11.2

    		  

    19.6

    		  

    23.3

    15.0

    17.2

    12.0

    10.1

    Broad money

    12.0

    		  

    20.8

    		  

    23.0

    16.7

    14.4

    12.1

    10.1

    Credit to nongovernment

    8.4

    		  

    -3.1

    		  

    -0.5

    11.6

    12.9

    21.0

    17.6
                     

    Balance of payments (percent of GDP)

    		                  

    Current account balance

    -1.9

    		  

    4.9

    		  

    -5.4

    -8.4

    -14.6

    -10.1

    -5.3

    Foreign direct investment

    3.8

    		  

    0.1

    		  

    2.5

    2.5

    2.4

    4.1

    5.2

    Gross reserves (end of period, billions of U.S. dollars)

    30.9

    		  

    28.5

    		  

    40.5

    42.3

    43.3

    47.9

    50.1

    Months of next year’s imports of goods and services

    4.5

    		  

    3.8

    		  

    5.3

    5.3

    5.4

    5.8

    5.9

    Percent of short-term debt (remaining maturity)

    67.5

    		  

    64.3

    		  

    87.1

    102.7

    99.8

    112.3

    116.0

    Percent of the IMF composite metric (float)

    104.4

    		  

    103.6

    		  

    124.1

    112.0

    100.5

    100.2

    102.0

    Goods exports (annual volume change in percent)

    35.3

    		  

    -44.7

    		  

    -15.8

    15.5

    1.6

    16.7

    10.6

    Goods imports (annual volume change in percent)

    16.9

    		  

    -23.6

    		  

    21.7

    9.3

    6.9

    8.9

    9.4

    Goods terms of trade (percent change)

    -8.4

    		  

    -11.6

    		  

    3.6

    0.3

    -1.9

    1.2

    1.4
                     

    Exchange rate

    		                  

    Hryvnia per U.S. dollar (end of period)

    27.3

    		  

    36.6

    		  

    38.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Hryvnia per U.S. dollar (period average)

    27.3

    		  

    32.3

    		  

    36.6

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Real effective rate (deflator-based, percent change)

    8.8

    		  

    30.5

    		  

    -2.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Memorandum items:

    Per capita GDP / Population (2017): US$2,640 / 44.8 million

    Literacy / Poverty rate (2022 est 3/): 100 percent / 25 percent

    Sources: Ukrainian authorities; World Bank, World Development Indicators; and IMF staff estimates.

    1/ GDP is compiled as per SNA 2008 and excludes territories that are or were in direct combat zones and temporarily occupied by Russia (consistent with   the TMU).

    2/ The general government includes the central and local governments and the social funds.

    3/ Based on World Bank estimates.
                                     

    [1] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Completes the Sixth Review of the Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility for Ukraine

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    December 20, 2024

    • The IMF Board today completed the Sixth Review of the Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ukraine, enabling a disbursement of about US$1.1 billion (SDR 834.9 million) to Ukraine, which will be channeled by the authorities for budget support.
    • Ukraine’s economy remains resilient, and performance remains strong under the EFF despite challenging conditions. The authorities met all end-September quantitative performance criteria and structural benchmarks.
    • Sustained reform momentum, progress at domestic revenue mobilization, and timely disbursement of external support are necessary to safeguard macroeconomic stability, restore fiscal and debt sustainability, and improve governance.

    Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today completed the Sixth Review of the EFF, enabling the authorities to draw US$1.1 billion (SDR 834.9 million), which will be channeled by the authorities for budget support. This will bring the total disbursements under the IMF-supported program to US$9.8 billion.

    Ukraine’s 48-month EFF, with access of SDR 11.6 billion (equivalent to US$15.5 billion, or about 577 percent of quota), was approved on March 31, 2023, and forms part of a US$148 billion support package for Ukraine. The authorities’ IMF-supported program helps anchor policies that sustain fiscal, external, and macro-financial stability at a time of exceptionally high uncertainty. The EFF aims to support the economic recovery, enhance governance, and strengthen institutions with the aim of promoting long-term growth in the context of reconstruction and Ukraine’s path to EU accession.

    Ukraine’s performance under its program remains strong. All end-September and continuous quantitative performance criteria and indicative targets were met. The authorities have also completed a prior action on the enactment of the package of tax measures, have met all end-October structural benchmarks due by the Sixth Review and three of the end-December benchmarks.  

    Economic growth in 2024 has been upgraded given better than expected resilience to the energy shocks. However, a slowdown is expected in 2025 due to an increasingly tight labor market, the impact of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and continued uncertainty about the war. Inflation has risen recently, mainly due to food prices, while inflation expectations remain well anchored. Adequate reserves have been sustained by continued sizeable external support. Overall, the outlook remains subject to exceptionally high uncertainty.

    Following the Executive Board discussion on Ukraine, Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, issued the following statement[1]:

    “Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to take a devastating social and economic toll on Ukraine. Despite the war, macroeconomic stability is being preserved through skillful policymaking by the Ukrainian authorities as well as substantial external support. The economy has remained resilient, reflecting the continued adaptability of households and firms, although risks are tilted to the downside due to headwinds from attacks on energy infrastructure and a tight labor market. Preparedness and contingency planning are key to enable appropriate policy action should risks materialize.

    The program remains fully financed with a cumulative external financing envelope of US$148 billion in the baseline and US$177 billion in the downside over the 4-year program period, including commitments from the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine (ERA) initiative. Full, timely and predictable external support—on terms consistent with debt sustainability—remains essential to maintaining full program financing and safeguarding stability.

    A tax package and 2025 Budget in line with the program baseline have been enacted, but there are few remaining buffers and strict budget execution will be key. Continued progress at domestic revenue mobilization is imperative for Ukraine to meet its high priority spending needs and to restore fiscal sustainability. Strong implementation of the National Revenue Strategy and customs reform will help raise further revenues, improve compliance, combat evasion, and support EU accession.

    After completing the Eurobond exchange in August, the authorities are now focusing on reaching agreement with other holders of external commercial claims, including GDP warrants, in line with their strategy. A swift agreement in line with the program’s debt sustainability objectives would reduce fiscal risks and create space for critical spending needs.

    Inflation has accelerated more than expected in recent months, and the recent tightening of monetary policy was appropriate; the NBU should stand ready to take further action should inflation expectations deteriorate. Allowing exchange rate flexibility will help strengthen the resilience of the economy to external shocks while safeguarding reserves.

    The financial sector remains stable, but vigilance is needed given heightened risks. Progress on strengthening bank resolution and risk-based supervision, stress-testing frameworks and contingency planning should be sustained.

    Reform momentum in anticorruption and governance needs to be sustained. In particular, the authorities need to advance the creation of a new court for high public disputes, and amend the criminal procedure code.”

    Table 1. Ukraine: Selected Economic and Social Indicators, 2021–27

    2021

     

    2022

     

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    Act.

    Act.

    Act.

    Proj.

    Proj.

    Proj.

    Proj.

    Real economy (percent change, unless otherwise indicated)

    Nominal GDP (billions of Ukrainian hryvnias) 1/

    5,451

    		  

    5,239

    		  

    6,538

    7,629

    8,680

    9,874

    10,937

    Real GDP 1/

    3.4

    		  

    -28.8

    		  

    5.3

    4.0

    2.5-3.5

    5.3

    4.5

    Contributions:

    		                  

    Domestic demand

    12.9

    		  

    -22.9

    		  

    13.9

    6.5

    4.9

    4.5

    4.2

    Private consumption

    4.7

    		  

    -16.8

    		  

    5.5

    3.3

    3.2

    3.8

    3.5

    Public consumption

    0.1

    		  

    12.5

    		  

    2.6

    -0.1

    -1.1

    -2.5

    -1.9

    Investment

    8.1

    		  

    -18.6

    		  

    5.8

    3.3

    2.9

    3.2

    2.6

    Net exports

    -9.5

    		  

    -5.9

    		  

    -8.6

    -2.5

    -2.4

    0.8

    0.3

    GDP deflator

    24.8

    		  

    34.9

    		  

    18.5

    12.2

    11.0

    8.0

    6.0

    Unemployment rate (ILO definition; period average, percent)

    9.8

    		  

    24.5

    		  

    19.1

    13.3

    11.8

    10.2

    9.4

    Consumer prices (period average)

    9.4

    		  

    20.2

    		  

    12.9

    6.2

    10.3

    7.7

    5.0

    Consumer prices (end of period)

    10.0

    		  

    26.6

    		  

    5.1

    10.0

    7.5

    6.6

    5.0

    Nominal wages (average)

    20.8

    		  

    1.0

    		  

    20.1

    19.1

    18.9

    14.1

    10.5

    Real wages (average)

    10.5

    		  

    -16.0

    		  

    6.4

    12.1

    7.8

    6.0

    5.3

    Savings (percent of GDP)

    12.5

    		  

    17.0

    		  

    9.8

    8.5

    2.9

    9.1

    15.2

    Private

    12.7

    		  

    30.2

    		  

    24.6

    24.1

    17.9

    14.7

    13.6

    Public

    -0.2

    		  

    -13.1

    		  

    -14.8

    -15.6

    -14.9

    -5.6

    1.5

    Investment (percent of GDP)

    14.5

    		  

    12.1

    		  

    15.1

    16.9

    17.5

    19.3

    20.4

    Private

    10.7

    		  

    9.6

    		  

    10.4

    13.6

    13.6

    15.0

    15.3

    Public

    3.8

    		  

    2.5

    		  

    4.8

    3.4

    4.0

    4.3

    5.1
                     

    General Government (percent of GDP)

    		                  

    Fiscal balance 2/

    -4.0

    		  

    -15.6

    		  

    -19.6

    -18.9

    -18.9

    -9.9

    -3.6

    Fiscal balance, excl. grants 2/

    -4.0

    		  

    -24.8

    		  

    -26.1

    -24.3

    -19.7

    -10.1

    -4.6

    External financing (net)

    2.4

    		  

    10.7

    		  

    16.5

    14.8

    18.0

    8.9

    1.4

    Domestic financing (net), of which:

    1.6

    		  

    5.0

    		  

    3.1

    4.1

    0.9

    1.0

    2.2

    NBU

    -0.3

    		  

    7.3

    		  

    -0.2

    -0.2

    -0.2

    -0.1

    -0.1

    Commercial banks

    1.5

    		  

    -1.5

    		  

    2.5

    4.1

    1.0

    0.9

    2.2

    Public and publicly-guaranteed debt

    48.9

    		  

    77.7

    		  

    82.3

    92.2

    104.3

    105.8

    101.8
                     

    Money and credit (end of period, percent change)

    		                  

    Base money

    11.2

    		  

    19.6

    		  

    23.3

    15.0

    17.2

    12.0

    10.1

    Broad money

    12.0

    		  

    20.8

    		  

    23.0

    16.7

    14.4

    12.1

    10.1

    Credit to nongovernment

    8.4

    		  

    -3.1

    		  

    -0.5

    11.6

    12.9

    21.0

    17.6
                     

    Balance of payments (percent of GDP)

    		                  

    Current account balance

    -1.9

    		  

    4.9

    		  

    -5.4

    -8.4

    -14.6

    -10.1

    -5.3

    Foreign direct investment

    3.8

    		  

    0.1

    		  

    2.5

    2.5

    2.4

    4.1

    5.2

    Gross reserves (end of period, billions of U.S. dollars)

    30.9

    		  

    28.5

    		  

    40.5

    42.3

    43.3

    47.9

    50.1

    Months of next year’s imports of goods and services

    4.5

    		  

    3.8

    		  

    5.3

    5.3

    5.4

    5.8

    5.9

    Percent of short-term debt (remaining maturity)

    67.5

    		  

    64.3

    		  

    87.1

    102.7

    99.8

    112.3

    116.0

    Percent of the IMF composite metric (float)

    104.4

    		  

    103.6

    		  

    124.1

    112.0

    100.5

    100.2

    102.0

    Goods exports (annual volume change in percent)

    35.3

    		  

    -44.7

    		  

    -15.8

    15.5

    1.6

    16.7

    10.6

    Goods imports (annual volume change in percent)

    16.9

    		  

    -23.6

    		  

    21.7

    9.3

    6.9

    8.9

    9.4

    Goods terms of trade (percent change)

    -8.4

    		  

    -11.6

    		  

    3.6

    0.3

    -1.9

    1.2

    1.4
                     

    Exchange rate

    		                  

    Hryvnia per U.S. dollar (end of period)

    27.3

    		  

    36.6

    		  

    38.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Hryvnia per U.S. dollar (period average)

    27.3

    		  

    32.3

    		  

    36.6

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Real effective rate (deflator-based, percent change)

    8.8

    		  

    30.5

    		  

    -2.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Memorandum items:

    Per capita GDP / Population (2017): US$2,640 / 44.8 million

    Literacy / Poverty rate (2022 est 3/): 100 percent / 25 percent

    Sources: Ukrainian authorities; World Bank, World Development Indicators; and IMF staff estimates.

    1/ GDP is compiled as per SNA 2008 and excludes territories that are or were in direct combat zones and temporarily occupied by Russia (consistent with   the TMU).

    2/ The general government includes the central and local governments and the social funds.

    3/ Based on World Bank estimates.
                                     

    [1] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/12/20/pr-24493-ukraine-imf-completes-6th-rev-of-extended-arrangement-under-eff

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Adopting Resolution 2764 (2024), Security Council Underscores Importance of Preserving Child Protection Capacities in UN Mission Transitions

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The Security Council today adopted a resolution highlighting the need for sustainable child protection capacities in United Nations peace operations and the importance of their smooth, responsible transfer to the Organization’s country teams during mission transitions or withdrawals.

    Unanimously adopting resolution 2764 (2024) (to be issued as document S/RES/2764(2024)), the Council condemned all violations of applicable international law involving the recruitment and use of children by parties to armed conflict, as well as their re-recruitment, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, abductions and attacks against schools and hospitals.

    The 15-member organ further called for “strengthened coordination” among key stakeholders to “ensure the continuity, effectiveness, and sustainability of child protection activities.”  These actors include the heads of UN peace operations, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and the Co-Chairs of the Country Task Forces on Monitoring and Reporting, as well as relevant Governments and authorities.

    The representative of Malta, the draft’s author and Chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, noted that the text has gathered the support of more than 100 States.  She emphasized that her country has placed the protection of children in armed conflict at the forefront of its agenda, noting that the resolution reaffirmed States’ determination to address violations against children in conflict zones and recognized the need to sustain child protection capacities during UN mission transitions.  Describing the text as “a call to action”, she further underscored the critical need for the timely recruitment and deployment of Child Protection Advisers.

    Ecuador’s delegate, Vice-Chair of the Working Group, said that his country’s joint leadership with Malta over the last two years has produced the adoption of nine consensus-based documents about children in Afghanistan, Colombia, Philippines, Iraq, Nigeria, Mali, Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan.  These conclusions stand as road maps to guide the action of States and the international community.  She called on the Working Group to continue its efforts — together with the Special Representative, the monitoring and reporting mechanism, and UN personnel on the ground — in shedding light on grave violations against children.

    Hailing the text’s adoption, Sierra Leone’s representative stressed that “more than 470 million children are affected by armed conflict globally” and that peace operations and other programmatic interventions play a critical role in protecting civilians and stabilizing the post-conflict situation. “It is in this spirit that we hope that this resolution will ensure the prioritization of child protection capacity and mechanisms in differentiated contexts of UN mission transitions,” he added.

    Expressing deep concern that grave violations against children “have risen to shocking levels in recent years”, the United Kingdom’s delegate called on the Council and the wider UN system to “do more to protect children who are uniquely vulnerable and often the primary victims of conflict”. Welcoming the resolution’s focus on the crucial role of dedicated Child Protection Advisers in UN missions, he called for greater coordination on child protection across the entire system, along with an effective monitoring and reporting mechanism.

    The Russian Federation’s delegate welcomed a “balanced and laconic resolution” that represented the Council’s constructive approach towards unity on the important mandate — “which of late has regrettably been politicized”.  Voicing support for the African Union’s efforts on promoting the child component in its peacekeeping operations, she called for renewing the request for Secretary-General António Guterres to ensure that information communicated regarding violations against children is accurate, objective and reliable.

    The representative of the United States said that “this resolution serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency and necessity of strengthening the international community’s child protection capacities”. She emphasized the crucial need for those States named in the Secretary-General’s annual children and armed conflict report to enter action plans with the Special Representative’s office to address the concerns raised.  Guyana’s delegate stressed that the Council must use its tools to improve the protection of children.  “We have seen examples of how increased child protection capacity in countries has led to improvements in the lives of the children,” she observed, pointing to the negative impacts of abrupt UN mission closures on child protection.  The adopted text provides critical details for coordination and smooth and responsible mission responsibilities during transitions, she added.

    “They [children] embody the seeds of hope for better future,” said Algeria’s delegate, stressing that the adopted text constitutes an important step towards ensuring sustainable protection of children in armed conflict.  The speaker for the Republic of Korea noted today’s adoption demonstrates strong global commitment to strengthening the children and armed conflict framework developed over 25 years and represents a milestone in global efforts to bridge the gap in child protection capacities.

    Japan’s delegate emphasized the vital importance of education in post-conflict settings — a prerequisite for lasting, sustainable peace, that must be prioritized, as the resolution pointed out.  He supported the text’s call for dedicated child protection capacities and reintegration assistance to end and prevent violations.

    NEW – Follow real-time meetings coverage on our LIVE blog.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Renews Mandate of Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2765 (2024)

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The Security Council today extended for one year the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), expressing grave concern over the ongoing offensive by the 23 March Movement (M23) in North Kivu, in violation of the ceasefire, and the unauthorized presence of external forces from a neighbouring State in the eastern part of the country.

    Unanimously adopting resolution 2765 (2024) (to be issued as document S/RES/2765 (2024)), the Council — acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations — decided that the new mandate expires on 20 December 2025.  The mandate includes, on an exceptional basis and without precedent to peacekeeping’s basic principles, its Force Intervention Brigade.

    The draft further decided that MONUSCO’s authorized troop ceiling will comprise 11,500 military personnel, 600 military observers and staff officers, 443 police personnel and 1,270 personnel of formed police units.

    The text also decided to retain the Mission’s key strategic priorities — protecting civilians, supporting the stabilization and strengthening of State institutions and key governance and security reforms. In this regard, it authorized MONUSCO to use “all means at its disposal … to promptly and effectively prevent armed groups’ attacks against civilians”.

    By its other terms, the text requested the Secretary-General — in his quarterly reports on MONUSCO — to provide updates on progress towards the implementation of its gradual, responsible and sustainable withdrawal to evaluate the Mission’s performance, including its Force Intervention Brigade, and provide operational assessments and recommendations.

    Furthermore, the text requested a tailored approach to MONUSCO’s gradual, responsible and sustainable withdrawal, considering evolving conflict dynamics and protection risks in hotspot areas across North Kivu and Ituri Provinces.  It requested that this strategy be shared with the Council by 31 March 2025.

    “Today’s adoption can be a moment that will significantly change the trajectory of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict,” said the representative of Sierra Leone, a co-penholder of the draft.  He supported Kinshasa’s efforts to protect civilians and stabilize and strengthen State institutions.  However, he cautioned that M23’s territorial expansion remains deeply concerning, demanding that it end its offensive and cease its expansion in the east of the country without delay.

    France’s delegate, noting that the text reaffirms that protection of civilians will be a priority task for MONUSCO, said the Mission will also continue its disengagement.  Condemning all obstacles to the implementation of its mandate — including the territorial expansion of M23 — he reaffirmed support for the Luanda process and urged all stakeholders to continue negotiations.

    After the vote, Mozambique’s delegate, speaking also for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone, stressed that the resolution arrives “at a pivotal moment” for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.  Highlighting MONUSCO’s efforts to support Kinshasa in addressing the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country, he underscored that effective implementation of its mandate remains crucial to the stability of the country and the protection of civilians.  Effective collaboration with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is vital, particularly in planning the next steps for the Mission’s drawdown and consolidating the drawdown in South Kivu.

    At the national level, he underlined the critical importance of revitalizing the Nairobi process in sustainably addressing the issue of local armed groups.  Simultaneously, the establishment of a robust State presence in the eastern regions is vital in ensuring a well-equipped State apparatus capable of administering the territory and countering all threats against civilians.  He also highlighted the critical contributions of the African Union in addressing the protracted conflict in the eastern part of the country as well as Angola’s leadership and mediation efforts.  While national and regional efforts are vital, he called on the Security Council to continue playing a constructive role in achieving a peaceful conflict settlement.

    China’s delegate, noting that the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is at a critical juncture, commended Angola’s efforts to promote the Luanda process.  He further voiced support for Kinshasa in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, adding that the UN should fully respect the views and demands of its Government and ensure that the withdrawal of MONUSCO does not create a security vacuum.

    Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s delegate expressed disappointment that the Luanda process Heads of State summit was postponed and urged all parties to engage with the process in good faith.  Also expressing concern about the surge in violence since 15 December, including the presence of Rwanda Defence Forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he called on parties to the conflict to refrain from obstructing the Mission’s operations.

    “While we fully support the extension of MONUSCO’s mandate”, the representative of the United States said, “we remain dismayed that some members of the Council resisted the inclusion of language factually describing Rwanda’s role in [the eastern part of the country],” especially in the face of “extensive evidence” of Rwanda’s deployment of troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its influence over M23 operations.  She also expressed disappointment that Rwanda’s President declined to attend the tripartite summit, “forfeiting a significant opportunity to advance peace efforts”.  Highlighting the ceasefire agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and the establishment of the verification mechanism to monitor the ceasefire, she added:  “We must not lose sight of how far we have come.”

    NEW – Follow real-time meetings coverage on our LIVE blog.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Man Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Assaulting Federal Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Daniel Lehi, 44, of Towaoc, Colorado, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer.

    On April 5, 2024, a Bureau of Indian Affairs Officer responded to the Ute Mountain Ute Casino in Towaoc, Colorado, within the exterior boundaries of the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, on a report of an intoxicated person, later identified as Lehi. Lehi lunged at the officer and struck him in the face. When additional security personnel responded to the incident, Lehi continued to fight until officers were able to subdue him.

    United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher sentenced Lehi after considering numerous sentencing factors, including the defendant’s history of assaults on law enforcement officers.

    “Assault on a law enforcement officer is a serious offense, and this defendant received a serious sentence for his actions,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I want to acknowledge the BIA officer for deftly handling a challenging situation.”

    “This attack on a federal officer simply doing his job is unacceptable. We fully support the officer who is a victim in this case and are steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice in cases involving assaults on law enforcement officers,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “Such acts will not go unanswered, and we will work tirelessly to ensure accountability.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation Durango Field Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Franceware handled the prosecution.

    Case Number: 1:24-cr-00182-GPG

    MIL Security OSI –