In a landmark visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off new Vande Bharat trains and inaugurated two major railway bridges—the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Anji Khad Bridge—marking a pivotal moment in the region’s rail connectivity journey. The event highlighted more than a decade of sustained investment in railway infrastructure aimed at expanding access, improving mobility, and unlocking economic opportunity across the Union Territory.
The Chenab Rail Bridge, now recognised as the world’s highest railway arch bridge, towers 359 metres above the riverbed—rising 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower. Spanning 1,315 metres, this engineering marvel is a critical part of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), one of India’s most ambitious transport projects. Designed to withstand extreme weather and seismic activity, the bridge is built to endure wind speeds of up to 260 kilometres per hour and has an expected lifespan of 120 years. Structural steel capable of withstanding temperatures from minus 10 to 40 degrees Celsius and cutting-edge Tekla software for structural precision were used in its construction.
Nearby, the Anji Khad Bridge stands as India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge. Stretching 725 metres across the Anji River valley and supported by 96 high-tensile cables, the bridge is anchored by a 193-metre-tall inverted Y-shaped pylon. Set against the dramatic Himalayan landscape, the structure was completed in a record time of 11 months. Over 8,200 metric tonnes of structural steel were used in its construction, making it a resilient and strategic link in the Katra–Banihal section of the USBRL. The bridge has been engineered to withstand tremors, high wind loads and shifting topography, providing a vital connection in a region marked by seismic and geological volatility.
The rail network in Jammu and Kashmir has undergone a radical transformation over the past 11 years. Once hindered by geography and conflict, the region’s integration into the national railway grid is now nearly complete. The USBRL project, which cuts across 272 kilometres of rugged Himalayan terrain, includes 36 tunnels spanning 119 kilometres and 943 bridges that connect isolated communities. Constructed at a cost of ₹43,780 crore, it represents one of the most challenging infrastructure undertakings in India’s post-independence era.
To maximise the benefit of this enhanced connectivity, the Vande Bharat Express will soon operate between Jammu and Srinagar. Designed for sub-zero conditions, the train is equipped with heated windshields, insulated toilets and advanced heating systems to withstand temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. A snow removal train will operate ahead of it during harsh winters, and seismic dampers have been installed to ensure safety along the route.
The journey between Katra and Srinagar, which previously took more than five hours, will now be reduced to approximately three, a shift that is expected to bring substantial gains in tourism, trade and accessibility. Full electrification of railway lines in the region further strengthens this transformation, aligning with broader goals of energy efficiency and sustainability.
In addition to new services and engineering breakthroughs, the government has focused on modernising stations and expanding pilgrimage routes. In 2014, the commissioning of the Udhampur–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra rail section opened a 25.6 km link built at a cost of ₹1,132.75 crore. It features 10.9 km of tunnels, 36 bridges and a modern Katra station, constructed with dedicated facilities including public conveniences and a footbridge for local residents. That same year, the Shri Shakti AC Superfast Express was introduced to connect New Delhi with the shrine town, enhancing accessibility for pilgrims.
More recently, in February 2024, a 48-km stretch between Banihal, Khari, Sumber and Sangaldan was inaugurated, along with the electrification of the 185.66-km Baramulla–Srinagar–Banihal–Sangaldan section. Prime Minister Modi flagged off the valley’s first electric train, marking a shift towards cleaner and more efficient rail operations. The Banihal–Sangaldan section features ballast-less tracks to ensure smoother rides.
In January 2025, Indian Railways conducted safety inspections on the 111-km Banihal–Katra section, featuring 97 km of tunnels and four major bridges. Once operational, this will complete the Jammu–Srinagar rail link. Jammu station is also being redeveloped to include eight platforms and upgraded passenger amenities. A dedicated railway division with headquarters in Jammu was created in the same month, carved out from the Ferozepur Division. It will oversee operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and parts of Punjab, enhancing administrative efficiency and service delivery.
The T-50 tunnel, a 12.77-km stretch connecting Khari and Sumber, is now the longest transportation tunnel in India and plays a critical role in the USBRL network. Constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, the tunnel includes a parallel escape tunnel and cross-passages every 375 metres for safety. Extensive geological challenges were met with strategic engineering solutions, including the construction of multiple adits to fast-track completion. The installation of CCTV cameras every 50 metres, monitored from a central control room, ensures operational safety.
To support these developments, Indian Railways also laid 215 km of approach roads to ensure access to remote construction sites. These roads have brought ancillary benefits by improving rural connectivity and enabling economic activity in previously inaccessible areas.
As part of its broader modernisation strategy, the Ministry of Railways has included four Jammu and Kashmir stations—Budgam, Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Udhampur—under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. This initiative aims to deliver enhanced passenger services and drive integrated urban development.
In the Union Budget for 2025–26, the Centre allocated ₹844 crore specifically for railway development in Jammu and Kashmir. The funding is aimed at accelerating ongoing projects and strengthening rail infrastructure across the region.
The confluence of infrastructure upgrades, strategic investments and technical innovation over the past decade is reshaping Jammu and Kashmir’s transport landscape. The region, once isolated by mountains and weather, is now poised to emerge as a vital link in India’s national rail network, offering faster, cleaner and more inclusive mobility for its people.
This report is provided by Earth Negotiations Bulletin/International Institute for Sustainable Development. View the original reporthere.
Finance is critical to implementation of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), but investments have not kept pace with rising demands, and aid budgets are shrinking worldwide. In many sessions through the day, delegates focused attention on financing a wide range of needs, including school safety, measures to deal with extreme heat, and nature-based solutions (NbS).
High-level dialogue
What will it take to scale DRR financing solutions at the national and local level?
Journalist Mayowa Adegoke moderated the session.
Stine Renate Håheim, State Secretary to Minister of International Development, Norway, emphasized DRR financing as a high priority, saying, “it is better to prevent than repair afterwards.” She noted that one in three people globally-most in cities or highly vulnerable areas-are not covered by Early Warning Systems (EWS).
Hans Sy, CEO, SM Prime Holdings, explained his company’s investment in resilient building construction, such as building on concrete pillars to allow free flow of floodwaters. He stressed that risk-informed decisions based on science and technology “makes good business sense.”
Fatima Yasmin, Asian Development Bank (ADB), said the Bank regards DRR as a critical priority investment, particularly through supporting policy making, planning, advising on innovative investments, and incentivizing preparedness. On scaling DRR investments, she said financing should be fast, flexible and forward-looking.
Rob Wesseling, CEO, Co-operators Group, said no path to net zero emissions is possible without investment in both prevention and recovery. He encouraged governments to utilize the risk information gathered by insurance companies over decades to assist with decision making.
On mobilizing private sector investment, Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa, stressed that every cent invested in resilience and preparedness saves lives and livelihoods.
View of the panel during the Multi-Stakeholder Plenary. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Ministerial roundtable
Inclusive comprehensive school safety-strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards
The event, which convened 36 ministries, was co-chaired by Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head, UNDRR, and Paul Steffen, Deputy Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland.
In opening remarks, Kishore encouraged delegates to endorse the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2017 (CSSF), noting only 80 countries have done so, and for countries to make schools heat-resilient.
On school safety policies, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Saint Lucia recognized the CSSF. Portugal highlighted its DRR working group on children and youth. Brunei Darussalam, Kenya, and Portugal recognized the fundamental rights of children to safe school environments. Colombia highlighted its Law on Teaching for Sustainability, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management. Republic of Korea described its 2020 Child Safety Management Act.
Many countries identified education programming as fundamental to reducing risk and developing children as agents of change in their homes and communities. Malaysia, Uganda, Russia, Algeria and others described homegrown examples of such programmes, for example, student leadership groups and First Aid skills training.
Leaders from around the globe express their shared commitment to making schools safer and more resilient to disasters. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Several countries, including Greece, Kenya and Cuba, recognized the importance of social support to children experiencing disaster and loss, and the ensuing mental and emotional health impacts. The Holy See flagged the need for spiritual care of those “who have seen whole lives swept away.”
Most countries discussed sustainable and resilient school infrastructure, including standards for new or retrofitted buildings. Belgium, Republic of Moldova, and Singapore highlighted energy efficiency and climate resilience. On heat stress in schools, Singapore flagged cooling strategies and energy-efficient fans. Tunisia described its sustainable school network that integrates climate change, disaster risk, and biodiversity objectives. Spain said new schools need to be “climate shelters.” Bangladesh noted the construction of more than 5,000 cyclone-resistant schools.
Multistakeholder plenary
Investments in reducing risk and building resilience to accelerate investments in sustainable development
Kishore introduced the session, which was co-chaired by Paul Steffen, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Kishore noted less than 1% of national budgets is allocated to DRR.
Countries presented their national commitments, such as Australia’s Disaster-Ready Fund, which is providing up to AUD 1 billion (USD 648 million) over five years for locally-identified needs, and Switzerland’s DRR commitment of more than CHF 2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) annually. Many expressed appreciation for international support, including for Moldova’s local adaptation plans in 38 communities, and Samoa’s community-based disaster risk management activities. Peru highlighted its introduction of budget flexibility for regional and local authorities, enabling rapid response to imminent hazards.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) reported that only 3% of all development assistance is allocated to agricultural DRR measures, even while these deliver significant returns in ensuring food security. Swiss Re highlighted the role of insurance in informing risk and mitigation measures, noting the availaility of parametric insurance, for example, against extreme heat events and flooding. The Resilience Action Fund showcased the work of the International Finance Corporation in developing the Building Resilience Index as a world-first metric for assessing the safety and risk of buildings for insurers and construction developers. The Latin America and the Caribbean Development Bank (CAF), India, and the UK welcomed innovative initiatives, such as a new center on extreme events, establishment of risk pools, and the use of AI to identify flood threats.
Delegates affirmed regional solidarity, demonstrated in Tunisia’s hosting of the Africa-Arab Platform for DRR in 2023, and Iran’s hosting of three regional organizations, including a Regional Center for Urban Water Management. Albania welcomed its responsibilities under the EU Civil Protection Code for cooperation among EU countries and other partners, which, he noted, enables access to advanced DRR solutions.
The International Organization for Migration highlighted its 2024 launch of Climate Mobility Innovation Labs for the Africa and Asia regions to develop solutions to climate-related mobility.
Steffen urged all present to accelerate investment in DRR, and to engage the private sector as key partners.
Moderator, Juli Trtanj, Co-Chair, Gobal Heat Health Information Network, opened the session. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called heat a “silent killer” because it is the least managed of all climate hazards. She said 50% of countries have heat warning systems in place but only 26 have dedicated Heat Health EWS. She identified three priorities: integrating heat risk into climate and DRR governance, heat EWS, and implementation using risk information and data.
In his keynote, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, India, said heat threatened public health, economic stability, and the ecological resilience of cities and communities. He underscored UNDRR’s Common Framework on Extreme Heat Risk Governance and drew attention to India’s national guidelines on heat wave management, which decentralized more than 250 heat action plans in 23 states. He called for scaling hospital and primary health care preparedness and resilience and noted India is adopting a long-term heat wave mitigation strategy, including roof-cooling technologies, passive cooling centers, revival of traditional water bodies, and improved thermal comfort and livability of informal settlements.
In a panel discussion, Benoît Faraco, Ambassador, Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, France, urged being modest since we are still discovering impacts and avoiding maladaptation. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General, African Center for Meteorological Application for Development, stressed the links between heat waves, energy crises, and health care demand. Rosa Galvez, Senator, Canada, spoke about lived experience saying, “We cannot adapt forever – we must work on the causes.” Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said extreme heat is a humanitarian crisis. On involving the financial sector, Mia Seppo, Assistant Director General, International Labour Organization, discussed climate risk insurance, just transition principles, and access to essential services. Mishra advised that industry protect labor from heat risk.
Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Special session
Comprehensive approaches to reduce loss and damage-bridging climate action and DRR
Fatou Jeng, Former Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary-General and Member of the Early Warnings for All Advisory Panel, moderated the session.
Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management, Vanuatu, appreciated the support from the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and the Santiago Network, which combined forces to launch the inaugural integrated loss and damage and DRR initiative in Vanuatu.
Kishore noted that, while many DRR practices are now in place, these need to be updated to deal with climate system changes and the associated risks, uncertainty, and volatility.
Benoît Faraco, argued that the distinction between loss and damage, and DRR, is theoretical, and remains irrelevant to people on the ground who want response, prevention, action, and solidarity to alleviate their situation.
Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, FRLD, emphasized the need to look at how interventions can be most impactful, stressing that solutions must be country-led, and recognize Indigenous groups and civil society participants. He expressed awareness that the FRLD must be “nimble, accessible, flexible and built on partnerships, always ensuring no one is left behind.”
Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, elaborated on how the network is supporting countries to accelerate loss and damage, using Vanuatu’s experience to demonstrate how the Network can accelerate fund distribution and support with bold and transformative support.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, IFRC, cautioned that the terms loss and damage represent different meanings to communities, but the bottom line is to ensure the funds really reach the local level.
Thematic Sessions
Catalyzing governance solutions for disaster and climate-related displacement
Irwin Loy, The New Humanitarian, moderated this session.
John Mussington, activist and displaced person, Antigua & Barbuda, described his work of founding the community network, Stronger Caribbean Together, with others displaced by “disaster capitalism”, as storm-damaged sites are cleared for tourism development.
Sakiasi Ditoka, Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Fiji, highlighted the 2023 Pacific Regional Mobility Framework and Fiji’s own planned relocation guidelines.
Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director-General, National Center for Rural Development and Durable Solutions, Somalia, described Somalia’s National Transformation Plan that prioritizes anticipatory action and climate-smart livelihoods, responding to the needs of long-term displaced communities.
Fatimah Zannah Mustapha, community representative, Nigeria, called for centering the voices of local women in decision making by removing barriers, “whether digital, linguistic, or cultural.” Claudinne Ogaldes Cruz, Executive Secretary, National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Guatemala, noted that many Guatemalan households are women-led and have the knowledge to inform decision making.
Robert Piper, former UN Secretary-General’s Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, said line ministries responsible for decisions on land use and building codes-“those who are responsible for dealing with the failure to prevent”-must become deeply involved in the governance of disaster displacement.
Leveraging Values of Nature for Resilience: Moderated by Cecilia Aipira, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the session addressed the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in DRR.
In his keynote, Mohammed-Yahya Lafdal, General Director, National Environment and Coastline Observatory, Mauritania, highlighted the increase in tree cover through reforestation and restoration, taking into account Indigenous knowledge and solutions, and the development of barrier systems for water distribution and management in desert areas. He emphasized how addressing land degradation and rehabilitation has been Mauritania’s best solution for increasing resilience.
Rodrigo Hernández Escobar, Representative of the Latin American and Caribbean Indigenous Knowledge & DRR Network, highlighted political will and respect for Indigenous cosmovision and territories as key elements for leveraging traditional knowledge into programmes supporting NbS. Isaac Luwaga Mugumbule, Head of Landscaping, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda, stated that NbS are context-specific and require community involvement to be sustained.
Professor Satoru Nishikawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), stressed the need for scientific numerical quantification, analysis, and testing on the strengths and durability of NbS. Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics, noting that NbS “are not silver bullets,” stressed the need to work with nature, drawing attention to NbS co-benefits. Oliver Schelske, Swiss Re Institute, noting the absence of standardized values for nature, emphasized that even if “not everything is insurable,” investing in nature makes sense from an insurance perspective, as it reduces risks to the asset being insured.
On the prerequisites for NbS to be viable, speakers mentioned common sense, co-benefit considerations, identifying the number of protected lives, and conducting independent auditing.
Thematic Sessions as visual summaries capturing key messages and insights. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Side event
Inclusive comprehensive school safety—Strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards
This side event, organized and facilitated by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), showcased school safety and resilience programmes from Central Asia, the Pacific region and the Caribbean.
Anja Nielsen, Co-Chair, GADRRRES, gave an overview of CSSF, noting the all-hazards, all-risks approach that includes environmental, climate change, and biological health risks, technical threats, and other everyday risks. She elaborated on the global school safety survey, representing 350 million school-aged children, and highlighted, among other concerns, that significant infrastructure investment is needed to better protect children and teachers from natural hazards, with most suffering from funding constraints.
Education administrators from Saint Lucia, Tonga, and Kyrgyzstan described CSSF activities and outcomes from their regions, and emphasized: involving the children actively in school safety is a game changer; collaboration is the essence of resilience, requiring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches; and building capacity at all levels, particularly teachers, for comprehensive school safety is key.
IISD’s summary
The summary report of the meeting will be available on Monday, 9 June 2025, here.
The impacts of disasters are woven into all aspects of life.
Impacts send shockwaves across all systems – essential services, infrastructure, health, education and economic. They interact with climate change, conflict, economic fragility, and inequality – amplifying risks across systems.
However, even though disaster costs are rising, financing for disaster risk reduction (DRR) is largely fragmented, short-term, and reactive.
“Let us be clear: financing disaster risk reduction is not a cost – it is an investment, with benefits across different agendas: from protecting development, to reducing humanitarian needs, and achieving climate and environmental goals.”
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
To protect development gains from being eroded by a spiral of deepening crises, countries must systematically embed risk reduction in national budget processes – across all levels of government. This will require a raft of innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and novel inclusive approaches to ensure that investments provide benefits to those who need them most.
At a ministerial roundtable session at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction, ministers from 43 countries, together with the World Bank and UNDP, discussed the challenges and opportunities they face when financing resilience building; their experiences, successes and solutions; and concrete proposal for inclusive and equitable financing strategies.
The ministers acknowledged that there is a deficit in global financing for disaster preparedness. The Philippines, South Sudan, Fiji, Barbados, and members of the African Union, amongst others, drew connections between financial planning for disaster risk and broader climate financing, noting the important role of resources like the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund.
Financing resilience is public investment
Too often, public budgets only respond after disaster strikes. The consequence is mounting human and economic losses, especially in vulnerable countries.
“The root causes of disaster risk – inequality, misaligned financial incentives, insufficient risk governance – remain unaddressed in many development models.”
– UNDRR’s 2025 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2025)
To address this will require a fundamental rethink, positioning disaster risk reduction firmly in development finance.
“We must support developing countries in establishing national disaster risk reduction financing systems that are tailored to their development priorities.”
– Kamal Kishore at the ministerial roundtable.
These systems must be pro-active, not reactive, and aligned with each country’s unique development goals, while integrating a firm understanding of systemic and cascading risks.
India, for example, is taking a rule-based approach with pre-determined allocations that flow from national to district levels. Japan and Norway noted that they are both mainstreaming DRR into private sector practice, with Norway advocating for legal requirements for DRR in corporate strategies.
The GAR 2025 findings reinforce this more holistic approach, recommending that countries reconfigure their financial and economic governance to create more favourable conditions for DRR investments, especially by shifting public spending “away from short-term consumption and toward resilience-building.”
Integrating disaster risk financing into budgets
Resilient budgets require more than a single DRR line item.
Mr. Kishore highlighted the need to embed risk considerations throughout public financial planning: “This includes exploring ways of embedding resilience into budget planning at every level.”
That means sectoral ministries, infrastructure agencies, local governments, and fiscal authorities must all adopt risk-informed budget planning. This shift is not just about earmarking funds, but about transforming how development priorities are selected, financed, and measured.
Countries including Brazil are calling for a global task force on effective DRR financing, while the Philippines proposed a global financing mechanism to support disaster resilience efforts, recognising the need to anchor DRR in fiscal systems.
In a conversation with Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Mr Kishore noted that we need a coordinated, global system making the appropriate mechanisms accessible to those who need them most:
“We have the tools to assess risk and see how much investment will lead to what kind of reduction in risk. We really need to make it a comprehensive system – where national budgets, whether countries have high income or low income – take into account the kind of disaster risk they face and systematically invest in it.”
Ms. Mohammed noted the need to develop more innovative financing mechanisms as a key priority during the Global Platform.
“We need to get to a space where we have more tools accessible to us to do it, and that again is a big challenge for this week.”
Tackling systemic challenges
For many countries, even those with the political will to invest in reducing disaster risk, systemic barriers stand in their way. These include:
Weak institutional frameworks for DRR investment planning.
Limited understanding of how DRR links to fiscal risk.
Inadequate incentives to prioritise risk reduction in capital budgeting.
DRR financing also needs to penetrate to local levels, enabling resources to reach the communities that need them most. Without fiscal devolution, even the most risk-informed national strategies will fall short in implementation.
Incentives for private sector investment
Initiatives to finance resilience must move away from reliance on public coffers.
This involves building stronger partnerships with the private sector, and cultivating greater awareness of the benefits of such investments and the dangers of neglecting them.
“We must enhance partnerships with the private sector, as it is a major source of financing that is often not guided by an understanding of disaster risks,” Kamal Kishore said.
The financial sector can play a catalytic role by developing innovative instruments, such as resilience bonds, blended finance structures, and a broad spectrum of insurance solutions. Several countries are already putting such innovations into practice:
China described its rollout of agricultural insurance, and its investment of $154 billion in property insurance.
Kiribati described its community-based insurance for drought programme providing payouts to farmers and fishers.
Norway highlighted parametric insurance schemes.
The Bahamas explained how they use their disaster-related expenditures tracking tool to map pre-disaster investments and post-disaster costs.
To mainstream such approaches, updated regulatory frameworks, disclosure standards, and fiscal incentives are needed to guide private capital toward risk reduction and embed DRR into national financial systems.
Risk-aware international finance
The global community must step up to encourage investors, both public and private, to prioritize DRR financing.
“We must rally the international community to prioritize investment in disaster risk reduction. This includes dedicating a larger portion of assistance funding to disaster risk reduction and ensuring all development funding is risk informed.”
– Kamal Kishore
Official development assistance (ODA) and climate finance must be structured and delivered accordingly. Risk-blind development projects, even when well-intentioned, can inadvertently amplify vulnerability.
Several countries at the roundtable – including Cambodia, Paraguay, and Montenegro – highlighted the importance of integrating DRR into social investment strategies, including gender-responsive financing, elderly-focused social protection, and health system resilience. Czechia called for embedding DRR funding across the humanitarian-development nexus.
“The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development presents a critical opportunity to advance all these priorities to ensure all development is safe from disasters.”
– Kamal Kishore
The shift toward DRR financing within national budgets is technically feasible, economically wise, and morally urgent. As extreme weather events, pandemics, and conflict interact in increasingly complex ways, the costs of inaction grow exponentially.
By embedding DRR in national budgets, governments protect long-term development investments, and communities gain tools and funding for local resilience.
Additionally, the private sector becomes a co-architect of safety, increasing its stake in resilience building efforts, and international aid transitions from offering band-aids to repeated crises to providing a backbone for lasting stability.
“We must acknowledge that resilience is a long-term economic necessity, and it does have the best return on investment.”
NASA continues to collaborate with global communities to solve complex challenges through crowdsourcing with a series of 25 new NASA Open Innovation Service (NOIS) contracts managed by the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The contract aims to empower NASA’s workforce by actively engaging the public to find creative solutions to difficult space exploration challenges through rapid experimentation with new methodologies, new technologies, and unique perspectives, ensuring NASA remains at the forefront of innovation while accomplishing its missions. This is the third NOIS contract, managed by NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI), and used by NASA and other government agencies. The NOIS3 contract will provide solutions through multiple crowdsourcing tools and methodologies, which include public prize competitions, freelance tasking, technology searches, and other crowd-based methods. The total value of the NOIS3 contract is $475 million over 10 years. There is a guaranteed $500 minimum obligation for each contract award. The base contract spans June 5, 2025, through May 31, 2027, and there are two options, the first for three years, and the second for five years. If all options are exercised, work could continue through May 31, 2035. The awardees are:
Blue Clarity, Vienna, Virginia Capital Consulting Corp., Fairfax, Virginia Challenge Works, London, United Kingdom CrowdPlat Inc., Pleasanton, California Design Interactive Inc., Orlando, Florida DrivenData Inc., Denver Ensemble Government Services, Hyattsville, Maryland Hyperion Technologies, Arlington, Virginia Floor23 Digital, Jackson, Wisconsin Freelancer International, Sydney, Australia HeroX, Wilmington, Delaware HYVE Innovate, Munchen, Germany Innoget, Rockville, Maryland Institute of Competition Sciences, San Francisco Loyal Source Government Services, Orlando, Florida Luminary Labs, New York City National Institute of Aerospace Associates, Hampton, Virginia Randstad Federal, Duluth, Georgia Rios Partners, Arlington, Virginia SecondMuse, Bernalillo, New Mexico TechConnect, Summerville, South Carolina Toffler Associates, Arlington, Virginia Tongal Inc., Los Angeles Topcocder, Indianapolis yet2.com Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts
NASA’s CoECI provides guidance on open innovation initiatives, helping define challenges and requirements and formulating and evaluating potential solutions. The center’s end-to-end service allows NASA and other federal agencies to rapidly experiment with new methods and solve critical problems through innovation and collaboration. Learn more about the NASA Center of Excellence at: https://www.nasa.gov/coeci -end- Tiernan DoyleHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov Kelly HumphriesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov
Coffee mornings organised for Loneliness Awareness Week
Residents from the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough are being encouraged to come along to a series of events being organised by Libraries NI to mark Loneliness Awareness Week (June 9 – June 15).
Throughout the year, Libraries NI support people in the community; helping them to stay connected, feel welcomed, and building a sense of belonging.
Libraries are trusted community spaces where people of all ages can spend meaningful time without spending money; whether that’s chatting over a cup of tea at a Knit and Natter session, enjoying a library activity, or simply spending time in the company of others.
Here are just a few of the events and activities happening in your area during the week:
Armagh City Library – Tea and Board Games for Adults – Monday 9 June, 10am – 12noon
Banbridge Library – Coffee and Chat with their new walking group after their walk – Friday 13 June at 11am-12noon – **new members welcome**
Brownlow Library – Tea & Board Games for Adults – Tuesday 10 June, 10:30am – 12:30pm
You can drop in briefly or, stay for a session and chat with staff and library users. It’s a great chance to see how libraries are making a real difference locally.
Applications are being invited for one of Lancaster’s most historic traditions.
This year Lancaster City Council will continue the longstanding custom of admitting new Freemen of the city.
Traditionally the honour of becoming a Freeman carried a number of privileges including the right to ‘pasture a limited number of beasts’ on the Marsh, to enter the city free from the payment of tolls and also to bring goods through toll gates for sale at the Lancaster Market.
Nowadays the role carries few rights, but remains popular amongst those who are proud of their heritage.
Both men and women are eligible to apply to become a Freeman if they meet one of the following criteria:
• To be the son or daughter of a Freeman or Freewoman. • To have served an apprenticeship to a Freeman or Freewoman of the City for a period of seven years. • To have been born within the old city boundaries. If you were born in the RLI you will be eligible. • To have lived within the old city boundaries for a period of seven consecutive years.
In each case, the applicant has to be at least 16 years of age. New Freemen will be entered at a special court of admission on Saturday, 12th July 2025 starting at 10am, and applications are now being invited.
Applicants are also required to attend the court in person and must bring with them a person who is willing to stand and vouch for their identity – for example a spouse, sibling or friend – and swear an oath of allegiance to His Majesty the King and to the Mayor and the city.
Application forms are available from the Mayor’s Office by emailing mayor@lancaster.gov.uk. The deadline for applying to be admitted at this year’s Freemen’s Court is Monday June 23.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lucinity has expanded its Advisory Council with the appointment of industry leaders Micheal Sheehy, Chief Compliance Officer at Payoneer, and Konstantinos Rizakos, Managing Director of Compliance Engineering at Goldman Sachs. Both bring deep expertise to Lucinity from their experience in managing large compliance and technology programs across global financial institutions.
Lucinity helps financial institutions detect and investigate financial crime faster and smarter using AI-powered tools. Its Advisory Council brings together industry leaders to guide the company’s international expansion, go-to-market strategy, and customer-driven product innovation.
Micheal brings over a decade of leadership across AML/CTF, payments compliance, and regulatory risk management. He has extensive experience leading global FCC/compliance operations in the U.S., Europe, and APAC. At Payoneer and throughout his career, he has built and scaled compliance programs, managed regulatory obligations across highly regulated markets, and implemented advanced RegTech solutions. His hands-on expertise with the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, various EU AML directives, and multiple APAC regulatory frameworks will be instrumental in guiding Lucinity’s strategy to serve clients operating globally.
Konstantinos has been a leading figure in compliance technology for over twenty years, having run the Compliance application portfolios at Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley. He has been an advocate of machine learning, workflow automation, and large-scale data platforms, and has driven their adoption in the industry as a whole. In the (new) age of AI, he plays an active role in AI product governance and in steering enterprise platforms, both through committee memberships and by launching an AI product management course at NYU Stern School of Business.
Micheal and Konstantinos both bring a rare combination of regulatory expertise and technical depth that will help shape Lucinity’s global strategy and platform evolution. Their expertise will help Lucinity deepen its impact: improving investigation efficiency, enhancing team productivity, and reducing the cost and complexity of compliance for financial institutions.
“We brought in Micheal and Konstantinos because they’ve built and run compliance programs at the highest levels. They know what works, what breaks, and what it takes to scale. They understand where compliance is headed, and with their guidance, our product will be moving faster, getting better, and raising the bar for the industry,” said Guðmundur Kristjánsson (GK), CEO and Founder of Lucinity.
Ed Wilson – Former Partner at Venable LLP with legal expertise in cross-border financial law
Tanya Ziv – Former CCO at Visa Cross-Border Solutions and Former COO at Yapily
Frank Lawrence – VP and Head of Global Operations, Legal and Chief Compliance Officer at Facebook Payments
John McCarthy – Former AML/Sanctions Officer at Airbnb with law enforcement expertise
Micheal Sheehy – Chief Compliance Officer at Payoneer
Konstantinos Rizakos – Managing Director of Compliance Engineering at Goldman Sachs
As Lucinity continues to scale globally, the addition of Micheal and Konstantinos brings vital real-world insight to further align Lucinity’s platform with the goals of global compliance leaders.
Press conference by Paul Heslop, the Senior UN Mine Action Adviser to the Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team in Ukraine (UNMAS), on Ukraine.
The widespread presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance in Ukraine is not just a national crisis, but a global one, warned a senior UN official today (05 June) linking the contamination to rising global food and energy costs.
“Every person in this room, every person in this city, every person in this country, and every person on this planet is paying more for their food and more for their energy because of the conflict in Ukraine,” said Paul Heslop, the UN’s Senior Mine Action Adviser in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters in New York, Heslop stressed that restoring contaminated land to productive use could ease the burden on global markets. “The ability to get land back into use, that will bring down those prices, is dependent on the actual presence of mines and other unexploded devices,” he said, emphasizing the need to challenge both the physical and perceived risks of contamination.
About 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory is suspected to be contaminated, Heslop said, affecting more than six million people who now live near hazardous areas.
The scale of the issue is unprecedented. Heslop noted that 30,000 square kilometers of land once believed contaminated were found to be safe and could now return to agricultural production -“the equivalent of 20 times the current problem in Afghanistan,” he said. These assessments were achieved at low cost by “adopting new technology and thinking in a new way.”
Demining, he added, is “an inherently inefficient process,” with 95 percent of clearance efforts often spent on land that turns out to be safe. “You don’t know exactly where the mines are,” Heslop said, underscoring the urgency of adopting more accurate and cost-effective strategies.
With the cost of cleanup likely to reach billions of dollars, he warned of long-term economic consequences. “Is it going to be single-digit billions of dollars or is it going to be tens or hundreds of billions?” he asked.
Ukraine’s digital infrastructure could be a vital asset in this effort. Heslop praised the country’s tech-savvy approach, including using mobile data to assess road usage and track returning populations. “Integrating different levels of technology, different levels of data, and non-traditional sources of data” can help target mine action efforts more effectively, he said.
He also underscored the sheer volume of unexploded ordnance. Based on conservative estimates, Heslop said that up to 10 million unexploded bombs may remain across Ukraine. “That is going to be a lot of work, and it’s going to need to be resourced, and we’re going to need to address it.”
On Monday, 23 June 2025, from 17:00 to 18:30 in Brussels (room Antall 6Q2), the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) will hold a public hearing on the Geopolitical Aspects of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. The hearing will bring together leading experts to assess the broader geopolitical implications of the agreement. Discussions will cover its strategic relevance for the EU, its impact on Latin American regional dynamics, and its role in strengthening multilateral alliances.
Speakers will include:
Mario Torres Jarrín, Senior Policy Expert
Susanne Gratius, Professor of Political Science and International Relations
Carlos Malamud, Senior Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute
On Monday, 23 June 2025, from 17:00 to 18:30 in Brussels (room Antall 6Q2), the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) will hold a public hearing on the Geopolitical Aspects of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. The hearing will bring together leading experts to assess the broader geopolitical implications of the agreement. Discussions will cover its strategic relevance for the EU, its impact on Latin American regional dynamics, and its role in strengthening multilateral alliances.
Speakers will include:
Mario Torres Jarrín, Senior Policy Expert
Susanne Gratius, Professor of Political Science and International Relations
Carlos Malamud, Senior Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute
The Commission is committed to improving road safety and takes note of the upcoming introduction in Spain of a light-signalling device that is connected to the national traffic control centre and that is to replace the advance warning triangle.
Traffic rules and provisions on parking and standing in general and on warning devices to be carried on board motor vehicles in particular are not regulated by the EU. They are regulated at national level and their use in international traffic at United Nations level, for instance in the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic[1].
The Commission has no mandate to harmonise the shape and use of warning devices to be carried on board vehicles. While harmonised rules would be desirable, the harmonisation of such rules should be addressed in the relevant bodies of the United Nations.
[1] Cf. Article 23(5) of that Convention in connection with paragraph 56 of Annex V and paragraph 6 of Annex I to that Convention. https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/Conv_road_traffic_EN.pdf.
Priority question for written answer P-002169/2025/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 144 Elena Kountoura (The Left)
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has recently lodged a complaint with the European Commission about unfair commercial practices by certain ‘low-cost’ airlines, which subject consumers to unreasonable charges for their hand baggage[1]. These unacceptable practices violate EU consumer law, the Air Services Regulation and the relevant CJEU case law, in particular judgment C-487/12 of 2014, which recognises hand baggage as an integral part of passenger air transport and states that it should not incur additional charges, ‘on condition that such hand baggage meets reasonable requirements in terms of its weight and dimensions’[2].
In view of the European Parliament resolution of October 2023 calling on the Commission to revise the current EU legislation on air services and to implement the relevant CJEU ruling[3], can the Commission answer the following:
1.What measures does it intend to take, within its competences, to support the effective implementation of the relevant CJEU ruling by airlines?
2.Does it intend to support the clarification/harmonisation of the rules on hand baggage and the definition thereof in the revision of the passenger rights regulation[4] to ensure the protection of consumers / air passengers in the EU?
3.Alternatively, does it intend to propose a specific definition of the term ‘reasonable requirements in terms of the weight and dimensions’ of hand baggage in the upcoming revision of Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, on the basis of the relevant CJEU ruling?
Submitted: 30.5.2025
[1] These companies impose additional charges on passengers for carrying hand baggage, which are often not displayed from the outset when searching for and comparing prices between the options on offer. https://www.beuc.eu/press-release/eu-consumer-groups-denounce-seven-airlines-charging-hand-baggage
[3] According to the resolution, harmonising requirements on the size, weight and type of hand baggage for all airlines operating in the European Union would enhance transparency and consumer protection for all air travellers. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0344_EN.html
[4] The regulation is already in the process of being revised by the co-legislators. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023PC0753.
In the week of the 9 June, Members’ work will be split between meetings in political groups and parliamentary committees.
During this week, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will hold a Public Hearing on media freedom and journalist protection, focusing on legal challenges and reforms to safeguard journalists and counter disinformation, surveillance and manipulation.
LIBE will also hold an exchange of views on Child-Friendly Justice in Criminal Matters, aiming to identify gaps in how children participate in judicial proceedings as victims, witnesses or offenders. Follow the links below to discover this week’s highlights.
In June 2024, the Council and the Commission sent two written notifications to the depositary of the Treaty, notifying the withdrawal of the European Union and Euratom respectively. The withdrawals will take effect after one year, i.e. on 28 June 2025.
At the same time, and in line with the political compromise reached by EU countries, the Commission tabled a proposal on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Energy Charter Conference (‘the Conference’) by the Member States that are Contracting Parties to the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) not to prevent the adoption by the conference of the proposed amendments to the ECT.
As a result, the Conference adopted and approved the relevant decisions on the modernisation of the ECT on 3 December 2024. The modernised ECT will enter into force after at least three-fourths of the Contracting Parties have deposited the instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval to the depositary.
The decisions on ratification of the modernised ECT are with the individual Contracting Parties and the Commission is not part of this process.
So far, nine Member States have left the ECT or are in the process of withdrawal. At this stage, the Commission is analysing options for the next steps regarding the Honourable Member’s first two questions.
The Commission remains committed to EU climate neutrality by 2050, a goal that is enshrined in the EU legal order[1].
[1] Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’).
Different categories of olive oil are defined in Part VIII of Annex VII of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products[1].
Commission Delegated Regulation 2022/2104 on olive oil marketing standards[2] further defines olive oil categories on the basis of several physico-chemical and two organoleptic characteristics. The Commission considers this classification as robust and there are no plans to change it at this stage.
Organoleptic characteristics are tested by the organoleptic method, which was developed by the International Olive Council (IOC) in 1992. Since then, the method was improved on several occasions by EU experts working within the IOC expert groups.
As the European Union is a member of the IOC, it is bound to apply IOC methods. No other standardised method exists to test the organoleptic characteristics of virgin olive oils.
Nevertheless, the Commission is aware that part of the sector is not satisfied with the organoleptic method. Therefore, under the Horizon 2020[3], the Commission prioritised and financed research and innovation on the assessment of the qualities of olive oil, leading to the OLEUM project[4][5].
The results of the project include a new method determining volatile compounds, which is currently further developed by the IOC.
[1] Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007; http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/2023-01-01.
[2] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104 of 29 July 2022 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards marketing standards for olive oil, and repealing Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 29/2012; http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2022/2104/oj.
The rules of public procurement are governed by the EU Directive on Public Procurement[1]. In particular, Article 18(2) of the directive (the so-called horizontal social clause) states that ‘Member States shall take appropriate measures to ensure that in the performance of public contracts economic operators comply with applicable obligations in the fields of environmental, social and labour law established by Union law, national law, collective agreements or by the international environmental, social and labour law provisions listed in Annex X’.
Individual Member States should ensure that rules resulting from the EU social acquis are respected in the context of public procurement. While the directive does not have specific clause on training and working conditions, the Commission supports Member States to invest in skills and jobs through various funding channels such as the European Social Fund Plus or the Recovery and Resilience Fund.
The Union will further support labour and social standards to ensure that the transition is fair and equitable for all, including in the context of the Commission’s forthcoming evaluation of the legislative framework on public procurement. On labour inspection, the European Labour Authority is supporting the work of national authorities.
[1] Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC, OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 65. — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/24/oj/eng.
The Commission addresses marine pollution through Directive 2008/56/EC[1] which requires Member States to achieve good environmental status in marine waters, including measures to prevent ship polluting discharges.
To address sewage discharges from the land, Directive 3019/2024[2] recently strengthened urban wastewater treatment standards, nutrient reduction, and monitoring of emerging pollutants.
International standards under the MARPOL Convention[3], particularly Annex IV on sewage, are implemented in the EU through Directive 2005/35/EC[4], recently amended[5] to cover sewage, enhanced satellite surveillance, improved information exchange, and strengthened enforcement efforts, particularly in sensitive areas such as Natura 2000 sites.
However, Member States remain responsible for monitoring and penalising illegal discharges from ships. According to MARPOL, it is illegal for a ship to discharge sewage which is un-treated within 12 nautical miles from the nearest land[6].
The Commission also supports Member States in discussions at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to improve environmental standards, including on sewage discharges.
The EU endorses efforts to update MARPOL Annex IV[7]. This revision includes improving the lifetime performance of sewage treatment plants and updating the 2012 Guidelines on effluent standards and performance tests.
Recognising the importance of record-keeping and lifecycle measures for wastewater treatment plants[8], the Commission advocates for drafting of guidelines on the implementation of Annex IV for sewage treatment plants and guidance on obtaining data on the quality of treated sewage effluent. However, the adoption of such updates requires agreement within the IMO.
[1] Marine Strategy Framework Directive — Directive 2008/56/EC (OJ L 164 25.6.2008, p. 19) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/56/oj/eng.
[3] International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.
[4] Directive 2005/35/EC as regards ship-source pollution and on the introduction of administrative penalties for infringements (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p.11).
[5] Directive (EU) 2024/3101 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 amending Directive 2005/35/EC as regards ship-source pollution and on the introduction of administrative penalties for infringements (OJ L, 2024/3101, 16.12.2024).
[6] This applies to ships en route at a speed less than four knots, instantaneously discharging sewage held in holding tanks, which is not comminuted or disinfected.
[7] International Maritime Organisation. 12th session of the sub-committee on Pollution Prevention and Response. 27-31 January 2025.
[8] As highlighted by Resolution WCC-2020-Res-028.
Question for written answer E-002142/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Sophia Kircher (PPE)
Further to requirements for rolling out charging infrastructure, Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure sets out rules to strengthen competition in the market for public charging services. Article 5(3) prohibits operators of publicly accessible recharging points from discriminating between end users and mobility service providers or between different mobility service providers. However, it remains unclear whether integrated companies, i.e. those that are both recharging point operators and mobility service providers, in their role as mobility service providers, can serve their own end-users at significantly lower prices than roaming partners. This approach is not explicitly prohibited in the regulation, resulting in significantly higher roaming tariffs. It risks putting individual market players at a disadvantage and restricting competition, thus undermining the key objectives of the regulation. The regulation, in particular recital 34, does not provide any clarity on the matter, and the Commission’s Q & A on the piece of legislation (Question 5.14)[1] also fails to answer the question fully.
1.How does the Commission interpret Article 5(3) with regard to integrated companies that are at once recharging point operators and mobility service providers?
2.Can competition be restricted by different interpretations of Article 5(3)?
3.Will it carry out or have carried out corresponding market analyses ahead of the evaluation set for the end of 2026, and adapt the regulation if necessary?
Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union stipulates that the Union shall fully respect the responsibility of the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity.
In exercising its competences in those matters , Slovakia is bound to respect applicable international and European law, which provides a number of safeguards to ensure that education in national minority languages does not lead to discrimination and ensures equivalent standards, quality and conditions of education .
Segregation in education on the basis of ethnic origin is prohibited under EU law by the Racial Equality Directive[1] and m inority schools cannot be used as a means to circumvent EU law and discriminate against Roma children.
Infringement proceedings against Slovakia for segregation of Roma children in education are pending at the Court of Justice[2]. The Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation.
The EU Roma Strategic Framework for equality, inclusion and participation[3] and EU funds, including the Recovery and Resilience Facility and cohesion policy funds , can serve as additional tools to support the desegregation in education in Member States.
The ‘Mapping Study on School segregation of Roma Communities: Pathways and trends towards educational inclusion’[4] compiles promising practices and relevant literature for policy-makers to support effective policy making on desegregation in education.
[1] Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin, OJ L 180, 19.7.2000, p. 22-26.
Banks and credit institutions, like other economic operators, have in principle the freedom to decide with whom they want to enter into a contract or maintain a business relationship.
To ensure the right of consumers to have access to financial services, Article 16 of the Payment Accounts Directive (PAD)[1] gives all consumers legally resident in the EU the right to open and use a payment account with basic features (PABF), subject to certain derogations, including in view of anti-money laundering rules. Article 19 of PAD also lays down the specific circumstances under which a PABF can be unilaterally terminated[2].
The Commission is also committed to safeguarding non-discrimination of citizens with regards to their access to a payment account. Article 15 of PAD requires Member States to ensure that credit institutions do not discriminate against consumers legally resident in the EU by reason of their nationality or place of residence or of any other ground as referred to in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (including political opinion) when consumers apply for or access a payment account.
The responsibility for the enforcement of these provisions in individual cases lies with the national authorities and courts. The Commission, in case of suspicion of a breach of EU law by the national authorities, may decide to investigate the matter further and contact the national authorities to obtain further information.
[1] Directive 2014/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on the comparability of fees related to payment accounts, payment account switching and access to payment accounts with basic features Text with EEA relevance, OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 214-246.
[2] Including the deliberate use of the account for illegal purposes, no transaction for more than 24 consecutive months, incorrect information provided where the correct information would have resulted in the absence of such a right, the consumer is no longer legally resident in the EU, the consumer has subsequently opened a second payment account.
1. The political guidelines for the Commission 2024-2029[1] envisage strengthening Frontex, notably to equip it with state-of-the art technology for surveillance and situational awareness, along with its own equipment and personnel to ensure it can protect EU b orders in all circumstances with strong governance and the full respect of fundamental rights. The Commission has launched a feasibility study to support its upcoming impact assessment and legislative proposal. The Commission will reflect on the possibilities to reinforce the mandate of Frontex, also with regard to security aspects, as well as how to ensure that the inter-agency cooperation, particularly with Europol, will bring even more robust results in fighting cross-border crime.
In 2023[2], the Commission tabled a targeted proposal to enhance Europol’s support to preventing and combating migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings that would also strengthen the cooperation between Europol and Frontex. In addition, in line with the political guidelines, the Commission envisages to table a proposal in order to make Europol truly operational, by addressing any areas for improvement that will allow Europol to reach its full potential and to best meet the needs of national law enforcement authorities .
Strengthening the capacities of Europol and Frontex in countering migrant smuggling contributes to the implementation of the Global Alliance to counter migrant smuggling, with its call to strengthen international cooperation in preventing and responding to migrant smuggling and addressing alternatives to irregular migration[3].
2. The Commission intends to present its proposal on the next multiannual financial framework in July 2025. The underlying political orientations were presented in the Commission Communication ‘The road to the next multiannual financial framework’ adopted on 11 February 2025[4].
Question for written answer E-002148/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Margarita de la Pisa Carrión (PfE)
Healthcare workers in oncology are often exposed to hazardous medicinal products (HMPs), many with carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic properties (CMR substances), which poses a serious risk to their health. Since April 2024, Directive (EU) 2022/431 has required the implementation of specific measures, such as the use of closed systems where it is impossible to do away with or replace an HMP. However, shortcomings remain: there is an absence of clear risk assessment protocols, a shortage of adequate protective equipment and insufficient training. Although the Commission published an indicative list of HMPs to facilitate risk assessments on 18 February 2025, this measure is limited if not accompanied by real guarantees of protection for workers.
In light of this situation:
1.Does the Commission consider it necessary to have minimum training criteria and adequate protective equipment for people working with such substances?
2.What technical guidance will the Commission provide on the use of closed systems, with a view to ensuring that workers have effective means to reduce their exposure?
EIB to advise Burgas on plan to create top scientific centre that will serve city’s four universities.
Due to open in 2027, new campus will feature research and data facilities as well as student housing and sports premises.
EIB to help develop economic model for site as Burgas seeks to attract researchers and students from around world.
The Bulgarian city of Burgas will develop a state-of-the-art scientific campus and seek to attract Bulgarian and international researchers and students with guidance from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The new campus is due to open its doors in 2027 and serve four universities in Burgas, Bulgaria’s fourth-largest city and a major industrial and tourist hub on the Back Sea.
The agreement involves the EIB’s advisory services. EIB Advisory Head of Public & Infrastructure Finance Division Julien Chebbo and Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov signed the accord today in the city.
Burgas has a population of more than 200,000 and is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Bulgaria. The new campus will feature centres for research and development and data as well as housing and sporting facilities.
“Creating a quality space for studying, working and living is key to attract young people and retain talent in cohesion regions,” said EIB Vice-PresidentKyriacos Kakouris. “We are pleased to support Burgas in structuring a viable economic model for the new campus, which will enhance the city’s position in the higher-education landscape, promoting innovation and economic growth.”
The municipality of Burgas has completed a design for the campus and designated land plots for it. EIB Advisory will propose and evaluate financing options and help devise an appropriate management and governance structure for the campus. The expertise is being mobilised under the European Commission’s InvestEU Advisory mandate.
“This is an extremely important project to attract young people by providing opportunities for broad-spectrum education and development,” said BurgasMayor Dimitar Nikolov. “This requires a modern environment that seamlessly combines opportunities for education and science with quality living quarters. This setting will inspire and nurture the development of specialists in various academic fields and the attainment of top scientific achievements.”
The new agreement follows other EIB Advisory support for Burgas including a comprehensive feasibility study in 2022-2023 for a new children’s hospital. In September 2023, the EIB then approved a €12.8 million loan for Burgas to co-fund the hospital.
Background information
About the EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The EIB finances investments in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
In addition to financing, the EIB offers advisory services that help public and private partners develop and implement high-quality, investment-ready projects. In 2024 alone, EIB advisory teams helped mobilise over €200 billion of investments across Europe and beyond.
About the InvestEU Advisory Hub
The InvestEU programmeprovides the EU with long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery and growth. It helps mobilise private investments for the EU’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible.
The InvestEU Advisory Hub is the central entry point for project promoters and intermediaries seeking advisory support and technical assistance related to centrally managed EU investment funds. Managed by the European Commission and financed by the EU budget, the InvestEU Advisory Hub connects project promoters and intermediaries with advisory partners, who work directly together to help projects reach the financing stage.
EIB Advisory provides technical and financial expertise to support the development of sustainable and bankable projects in various sectors. In Bulgaria, EIB experts are assisting public authorities and businesses in preparing infrastructure investments in energy, energy efficiency, healthcare, transport and the environment, improving project planning and enhancing access to funding through tailored services and capacity building.
About the Municipality of Burgas
The Municipality of Burgas is the fourth-largest municipality in Bulgaria and the city of Burgas is the biggest city in south-eastern Bulgaria. Surrounded by three lakes and the Black Sea, the fast-developing city serves as a commercial and transport hub in the country. Burgas is an important centre for sea tourism with facilities and transport connections to the resorts on the South Black Sea coast.
Question for written answer E-002141/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Sophia Kircher (PPE)
The Connecting Europe Facility plays a central role in the deployment of physical and digital infrastructure in the EU, in particular by funding 5G corridors along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). These allow for uninterrupted high-speed connections and significantly help improve rail safety, efficiency, the passenger experience and the resilience of transport and logistics systems – key elements for the EU’s competitiveness.
In view of the objectives of the 2030 Digital Compass and the negotiations on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the question arises as to what will be done in future to promote digital rail connectivity, and in particular the widespread roll-out of 5G along railway lines in the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS).
1.How will the Commission ensure that enough funding is earmarked for the deployment of 5G corridors – especially along ERTMS railway lines – in the next MFF?
2.What measures will it take to accelerate the deployment of FRMCS/5G along the TEN-T rail network, thus preventing delays in the ERTMS/gigabit passenger connectivity?
3.Will it carry out a survey on the user experience when it comes to digital connectivity during rail travel, as well as the economic and environmental benefits of the digitalisation of rail transport, in order to better align investments with passengers’ needs and modal shift objectives?
The European Youth Event (EYE2025) will take place on 13 and 14 June in Strasbourg, offering a unique opportunity for young people to connect with policymakers and discuss their ideas for the future of Europe. Whether attending in person or participating online, EYE2025 allows young people to engage in meaningful conversations and share their perspectives on key issues.
#Engaged4YOUth: CULT Committee session (in cooperation with PETI) One of the highlights of this year’s event will be the CULT session, a dynamic conversation where Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the Committee on Culture and Education will engage directly with young participants. Each MEP will share insights into their work, focusing on how they connect with youth and support young people across Europe. After the initial presentations, attendees will break into four discussion groups. MEPs will rotate between the groups, answering questions and discussing ways policymakers can better engage with young people. This interactive format offers a valuable opportunity for youth to directly influence how European leaders connect with the next generation.
Question for written answer E-002140/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová (Renew)
1.According to available information, the Commission plans to introduce an EU-wide age verification app in the second quarter of 2025. How does it intend to coordinate with the Member States and with Parliament during each phase of the app’s development, testing and deployment to ensure compatibility with national digital infrastructures and legal frameworks?
2.The age verification app is described as a temporary measure preceding the rollout of the EU Digital Identity Wallet. Both instruments, however, appear to verify age only for individuals aged 18 and above. Given the critical need to protect children online, particularly on social media platforms, robust and reliable age verification mechanisms for younger users would allow for the implementation of appropriate safeguards such as privacy-by-design features. Can the Commission clarify why it has opted not to include age verification for minors under the age of 18?
Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. Accession negotiations were opened in June 2024. While bilateral screening meetings of three thematic clusters have been completed, negotiations proper have not yet started, pending unanimous agreement of EU Member States. The European Parliament is calling for the timely organisation of subsequent intergovernmental conferences.
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road of 29 June 2022
–having regard to the draft Council decision (16072/2024),
–having regard to the draft Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road of 29 June 2022 (10783/24),
–having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 91 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0226/2024),
–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 Transport and Tourism (A10-0102/2025),
1.Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement;
2.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Ukraine.
ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONSFROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT
The rapporteur declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
Title
Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road of 29 June 2022
Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Daniel Attard, Adrian-George Axinia, Rachel Blom, Nikolina Brnjac, Nina Carberry, Carlo Ciccioli, Vivien Costanzo, Johan Danielsson, Siegbert Frank Droese, Gheorghe Falcă, Jens Gieseke, Borja Giménez Larraz, Sérgio Gonçalves, Roman Haider, François Kalfon, Julien Leonardelli, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Milan Mazurek, Alexandra Mehnert, Ştefan Muşoiu, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Philippe Olivier, Matteo Ricci, Marjan Šarec, Andreas Schieder, Volker Schnurrbusch, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Kai Tegethoff, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Maciej Wąsik, Roberts Zīle
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote
Alexander Bernhuber, Gilles Boyer, Moritz Körner, Ana Miguel Pedro, Oliver Schenk, Marion Walsmann, Isabel Wiseler-Lima
The EU’s relationship with the Pacific region has political, economic and development dimensions. The EU is the Pacific region’s second largest trading partner. Australia and New Zealand are the EU’s like-minded partners, facing common geostrategic challenges and promoting multilateralism and a global rules-based order. In June 2018, negotiations were launched for a comprehensive EU-Australia free trade agreement (FTA) and the fifteenth round of negotiations took place in April 2023. The EU signed an FTA with New Zealand in July 2023.Under the Samoa Agreement the EU has a partnership with the 15 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) that centres on development, fisheries and climate change. It also has partnerships with the three Pacific Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).
The internal market is an area that fosters prosperity and enables the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. As the world’s largest single market, it leverages its scale to create jobs, drive business opportunities and promote European standards globally. It also tackles ongoing global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which have led to restrictions of free movement and shortages of goods and services.