Question for written answer E-001913/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Galato Alexandraki (ECR)
Despite the extraction and use of asbestos having been banned in the EU for almost 25 years, thousands of public buildings containing this dangerous material are still in use in Greece, as confirmed by recent incidents. Recently, asbestos was found in the Faculty of Philosophy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, while shortly afterwards chrysotile (‘white’ asbestos) was found in a primary school in Rhodes. According to claims from students and teachers, the existence of asbestos is discovered by chance, without prior systematic checks, while removal is carried out piecemeal, putting the health of pupils, students and employees at ongoing risk.
At the same time, there are still reports of hundreds of public buildings with asbestos in ceilings, insulation or tiles, while removal procedures seem to be delayed due to lack of funding and planning, and this constitutes a serious shortcoming in prevention in public health matters.
In view of the above:
1.How and by when should asbestos be completely removed from public buildings in Greece in accordance with EU directives? Has this been checked by the Commission?
2.Are there financial tools and technical support from the EU that can be used to accelerate the control and replacement procedures?
The Pacific Islands region occupies almost 15 % of the Earth’s surface. The European Union (EU) recognises 15 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), mostly small developing states formed by archipelagos consisting of a large number of inhabited islands. The region includes three French Pacific Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated with the EU. Population dispersion and economic dependency on a narrow range of industries – particularly tourism and fishing – are common characteristics of these countries. Climate change poses an existential threat to the survival of these countries, whose progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals has been quite slow. The region has been largely neglected by the major powers, but it has recently emerged as one of the areas where the geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and China is playing out. Beijing’s outreach and influence in the region has been increasing, not least to exert pressure on some countries to abandon their diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. In 2022, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) – the main political and economic policy organisation of the region – launched the ‘2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent’. Traditional players in the Pacific – Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK) and the US – welcomed the initiative and consequently launched the ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ initiative. The EU is the third largest donor of development assistance to the Pacific countries. EU relations with the PICs are based on the much wider framework of the Samoa Agreement, which covers relations with 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. The EU has negotiated an EU-Pacific States Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which entered into force with some PICs.
Question for written answer E-001864/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Markus Ferber (PPE), David McAllister (PPE), Stefan Köhler (PPE), Christian Doleschal (PPE)
Europe’s many regional airports enable international exchange and connect citizens, companies and SMEs from all over Europe with the world.
Despite this key role for economic activity, in recent years the financial situation for regional airports has worsened mainly due to extrinsic shocks, such as the COVID-19 crisis, global turbulence in the aviation sector and Russia’s war against Ukraine. The financial situation of many regional airports is bleak, threatening their core existence and endangering their important role for societies and regional prosperity.
In this light I would like to ask:
1.Will the Commission, in its evaluation of the aviation State aid guidelines, consider the need for maintaining and modernising Europe’s regional airport network, which is not only about mobility, but also about safeguarding jobs and innovation in its industrial sectors?
2.Could the Commission support a framework where State aid rules take into account the long-term industrial and technological strategies of Germany, particularly in relation to decarbonised aviation?
3.How will the Commission assess the need for German regional airports to remain ready to support the rollout of electric aircraft and other innovations that are critical to the competitiveness of Germany’s industry?
Question for written answer E-001891/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Cristina Guarda (Verts/ALE), Benedetta Scuderi (Verts/ALE), Leoluca Orlando (Verts/ALE), Ignazio Roberto Marino (Verts/ALE)
Amended and converted into Law No 31 of 20 March 2025 and issued in order to ensure that the Acciaierie d’Italia (formerly ILVA) steelworks could continue production, Decree-Law No 3 of 24 January 2025[1] also establishes in Article 1b(2) that the Taranto facility’s health impact assessment (HIA) should use the limit values laid down by Legislative Decree No 155 of 13 August 2010.
In its ruling on Case C‑626/22 of 25 June 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union stated that the emission limit values set by the Air Quality Directives ‘must be considered “environmental quality standards” within the meaning of Article 3(6) and Article 18 of Directive 2010/75’ (paragraph 20) and that ‘if compliance with those standards makes it necessary to impose stricter emission limit values on the installation concerned … additional measures must then be included in the permit’ (paragraph 21).
The European Union has also set stricter emissions limits by means of the new Industrial Emissions Directive[2].
In the light of the above:
1.How does the Commission view the Italian Government’s decision to use the limit values laid down by Legislative Decree No 155/2010 for the aforementioned HIA? Does it not agree that this decision is an attempt at circumventing the CJEU’s ruling in Case C‑626/22, which clarified that Italy should comply with the stricter limits laid down by the Air Quality Directives[3]?
2.Given that it has recently sent an additional letter of formal notice to Italy over its handling of this case, will the Commission follow up its infringement case against Italy (INFR(2013)2177)?
[3] Which include Directive (EU) 2024/2881 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe.
Priority question for written answer P-001974/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Giorgos Georgiou (The Left)
According to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles, national authorities must implement adequate corrective measures and the cost of repairs must not be passed on to vehicle owners.
In Cyprus, two representatives of manufacturing companies, whose vehicles constitute the majority of the recalled vehicles, are indirectly passing on the cost of repairs by charging for mandatory diagnostic tests prior to replacement. The competent national authority was informed by the manufacturers themselves that the vehicles in question had defective airbags and, in turn, informed the vehicle owners.
Despite 57 warnings from the EU and the Commission’s recommendations to Member States, the Government in Cyprus refuses to comply with the relevant regulation and put in place corrective or restrictive measures. Today, around 56 000 vehicles are on the road at risk of having faulty airbags, which can be activated even without the vehicle being involved in an accident. Cyprus already has two confirmed deaths from faulty airbags.
What measures does the Commission intend to put in place to ensure that the Government in Cyprus takes all corrective measures and ends illegal charging, as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/858?
Question for written answer E-001920/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Costas Mavrides (S&D)
Based on complaints from Cypriot citizens and the Cyprus Consumers Association, there has been an alarming increase in cases of fraud through misleading videos and other content created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The material in question includes fake interviews, advertisements and videos, in which prominent and trustworthy individuals appear – without their knowledge or consent – presenting purported ‘investment opportunities’. These are essentially organised digital scams aimed at extorting money from unsuspecting citizens.
Given that this is a rapidly evolving threat with cross-border dimensions, requiring immediate and long-term measures:
1.Does the Commission intend to proceed with the design and implementation of an effective European cooperation framework, as well as the legal harmonisation of the Member States, to tackle such forms of digital fraud more effectively?
2.Does the Commission intend to proceed immediately with information campaigns at EU level or otherwise, given that this concerns all European citizens, with the aim of properly informing, forewarning and protecting citizens from such misleading practices?
Slovakia is set to receive €6 408.5 million, solely in grants, to implement its national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP, Plán obnovy), representing 6.8 % of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. On 13 May 2025, the Council approved Slovakia’s amended NRRP addressing technical and procurement challenges, introducing new reforms and investments, and adjusting timelines. The updated plan reduced its green investment ambition by 4.6 percentage points (pps), but reinforced its digital ambition by 0.5 pps, maintaining strong support for the green (41.1 %) and digital (21.1 %) transitions. On 11 July 2023, the Council had approved a first revision of the NRRP. Following a 2022 update, Slovakia’s allocation decreased slightly; however, the addition of a REPowerEU chapter raised the total allocated amount to current €6 408.5 million, i.e. €79.4 million higher than the July 2021 plan. Slovakia’s NRRP comprises reforms and investment to help the Slovak economy recover while advancing the green and digital transitions and addressing structural weaknesses, with measures to be completed by August 2026. In the 2024 country report, the European Commission found that Slovakia’s NRRP is progressing but requires increased efforts for timely completion. So far, Slovakia has received €3 471.8 million (54.2 % of the total allocation), of which €903.3 million has been in pre-financing and €2 568.5 million in four grant payments based on milestones and targets. On 31 October 2024, the Commission disbursed the fourth payment of €798.7 million (net of pre-financing) to Slovakia, following a positive assessment that had led to corrective measures to address the reversal of a previously fulfilled milestone on multiannual expenditure ceilings in the government budget (see annex to this briefing). On 16 December 2024, Slovakia submitted its fifth payment request for €516.8 million (net of pre-financing). However, in its positive preliminary assessment of 1 April 2025, the Commission proposed a partial suspension due to an unmet target on property settlements in protected areas relating to a climate adaptation measure. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Fourth edition. The previous edition was drafted by Magdalena Sapała and Branislav Staníček. The ‘NGEU delivery’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Question for written answer E-001937/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Lynn Boylan (The Left)
According to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Ireland is one of the most centralised countries in Europe, with one of the lowest scores in the Local Autonomy Index. One way to improve this local democratic deficit is via a directly elected mayor, which several city councils in Ireland now have. However, the possibility of a directly elected mayor for Dublin has been delayed, perhaps indefinitely.
The Irish Government has decided to put off calling a plebiscite on whether Dublin should have an elected mayor. Without this plebiscite there can be no progress towards a mayoral election. Given the Commission’s priority focus on protecting democracy and championing civic participation, what steps has the Commission taken to engage with the Irish Government to encourage and assist progress towards the institution of direct elections for the mayor of Dublin?
Question for written answer E-001933/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Lynn Boylan (The Left)
The Irish Marriage Bar required women who worked in the public sector to cease working once married. It was removed in 1973 for civil servants, and in 1974 for the wider public sector. When compelled to end employment, women received a ‘marriage gratuity’ of one month’s pay for each year worked. Consequently, the years they worked for the public sector would not be taken into account for the calculation of their pension rights. While civil servants were still entitled to a civil service pension, those who worked in the wider public service are not able to use their years worked to qualify for a Social Welfare Contributory Pension. No such disadvantage applies to male pensioners.
Directive 2006/54/EC sets down the principle of equal treatment between men and women in relation to, inter alia, occupational social security schemes. Although the Irish Marriage Bar predates this directive, the consequences of this institutionalised gender discrimination is still restricting the access of women to occupational social security schemes.
1.Has the Commission made any assessment of Ireland’s Marriage Bar and its consequences for gender equality?
2.Does Directive 2006/54/EC apply to decisions that predate that directive but which still have a discriminatory effect today?
Question for written answer E-001932/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Lynn Boylan (The Left)
The Habitats Directive prohibits serious disturbance to species listed under Annex V. The Irish hare, Lepus timidus, is listed under Annex V of the Habitats Directive. The practice of hare coursing, which is currently authorised in Ireland, involves capturing hares and holding them in captivity for long periods, and ultimately their injury and death. This practice could also lead to increased transmission of the RHD2 virus.
1.Does the Commission consider hare coursing to be a serious disturbance to the Irish hare?
2.What engagements has the Commission held with the Irish authorities over hare coursing and what has been their response to date?
Finland’s national recovery and resilience plan (NRRP) is part of the national sustainable growth programme and its main source of financing. Next Generation EU (NGEU) – the EU’s response to the social and economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic – initially envisaged an allocation of €2 090 million in grants to Finland under its Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). After the update of all national allocations in June 2022, Finland’s share was revised downwards to €1 822 million in grants, and the plan was revised to reflect these changes. A second revision added the REPowerEU chapter, under which Finland is to receive a maximum of €127 million in non-repayable financial support for energy-related reforms and investment. The plan underwent a third revision in mid-2024. Finland requested to amend the plan due to objective changes in circumstances while keeping the same level of ambition. Currently, the plan totals €1 949 million and is worth 0.8 % of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, representing 0.3 % of the entire RFF. In terms of absolute numbers and per capita, it is among the lowest quarter of RRF grant allocations by Member States. On 30 April 2025, Finland requested a new targeted revision. Finland has allocated 52.3 % of its NRRP to the green transition, serving its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, while digital expenditure accounts for 28.9 % of the overall resources. The plan thus exceeds the minimum allocations required by the RRF Regulation, which are 37 % for the green transition and 20 % for digital transformation (the latter does not apply to the REPowerEU chapter). So far, Finland has received two payments based on progress in implementing the plan. Including the pre-financing, the total amount of grants received amounts to €876.9 million, i.e. 45 % of the entire allocation. The European Parliament, which was a major advocate of creating a common EU recovery instrument, participates in interinstitutional forums for cooperation and discussion on its implementation and scrutinises the European Commission’s work. This briefing is one in a series covering all EU Member States. Third edition. The ‘NGEU delivery’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the lifecycle of the plans.
Question for written answer E-001925/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain (PfE)
In France, innovative support structures for persons with disabilities, like Handi Soutien, are facing unjustified administrative obstacles. Para-public organisations, partially financed by the European Social Fund (ESF+), reportedly favour certain entities to the detriment of others, thereby depriving beneficiaries of adapted support.
1.Can the Commission guarantee that use of European funds intended for inclusion adheres to the principles of transparency and fairness?
2.What monitoring mechanisms is the Commission implementing to ensure that no stakeholders are pushed aside arbitrarily and that persons with disabilities fully benefit from support structures financed by the European Union?
Question for written answer E-001896/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Asger Christensen (Renew)
In Denmark, 11 million eggs are thrown away each year by consumers alone. In the retail sector, it’s not known how many eggs are wasted, but the numbers are thought to run into millions. A large proportion of this food waste is the result of restrictive rules on shelf-life labelling. At the same time, supermarkets are not allowed to repackage eggs or sell them at lower prices if just one egg in the pack is damaged – if this happens, the whole pack has to be thrown away. This is bad for the climate, bad for animals, bad for the environment and bad for people’s pockets.
1.Can the Commission provide evidence that the risk of disease – including salmonella in particular – is higher in countries that have set shelf lives at more than 28 days?
2.Does the Commission have any current plans to revise the current legislation (Regulation (EC) No 853/2004) to extend the use-by date and the date of last delivery to the consumer, with a view to reducing food waste?
3.Does the Commission have any current plans to revise the current legislation (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2466) to allow eggs to be repackaged at stages of the chain other than packing centres, enabling retailers, for example, to remove broken eggs from packs and replace them with intact eggs, thus preventing whole packs of eggs from being wasted?
COMBINED GENERAL MEETING AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS DATED 20 MAY 2025
Press release
Paris, 20 May 2025
Combined General Meeting
The General Meeting of shareholders of Societe Generale was held on 20 May 2025 at CNIT Forest, 2, Place de la Défense, 92092 Puteaux and was chaired by Mr. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi.
Quorum was established at 64,34% (vs 55.61% in 2024):
687 shareholders participated by attending the General Meeting in person at the place where it was held on 20 May 2025;
1,057 shareholders were represented at the General Meeting by a person other than the Chairman;
13,140 shareholders voted online;
2,400 shareholders voted by post;
8,767 shareholders, including 2,500 online, representing 1.07% of the share capital, gave proxy to the Chairman;
A total of 26 051 shareholders were present or represented and participated in the vote.
The agenda item, with no vote, was an opportunity to present and discuss with shareholders the Group’s climate strategy and social and environmental responsibility.
In addition, 9 shareholders sent 56 written questions prior to the General Meeting. The answers were made public before the General Meeting on the institutional website.
All the resolutions put forward by the Board of Directors were adopted, in particular:
The 2024 annual company accounts and annual consolidated accounts;
The dividend per share was set at EUR 1.09. It shall traded ex-dividend on 26 May 2025 and will be paid from 28 May 2025;
The renewal of two independent directors for 4 years: Mr. William Connelly and Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge;
The appointment of two independent directors for 4 years: Mr. Olivier Klein and Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold;
The renewal of Mr. Sébastien Wetter’s mandate as Director representing the employee shareholders;
The compensation policy for the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, the Deputy Chief Executive Officers and the Directors;
The components composing the total compensation and the benefits of any kind paid or awarded for the 2024 financial year to the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer and the Deputy Chief Executive Officers;
The authorisation granted to the Board of Directors to purchase ordinary shares of the Company was renewed for 18 months up to 10% of the share capital;
The authorisation for capital increases, enabling the issue of shares in favour of employees under a company or group saving plan, was renewed for 26 months;
The amendments to the Articles of Association to take account of the entry into force of the “Loi Attractivité” (no. 2024-537 dated 13 June 2024).
The detailed voting result is available this day on the Company’s website in the item “Annual General Meeting”.
Board of Directors
Following the renewals and appointments of directors, the Board of Directors is composed of 15 directors, including (i) 2 directors re-elected by the employees in March 2024 and (ii) 1 director representing employee shareholders appointed by the General Meeting and one non-voting director.
Accordingly, the Board of Directors is composed as follows:
Mr. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Chairman;
Mr. Slawomir Krupa, Director;
Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Director;
Mr. William Connelly, Director;
Mr. Jérôme Contamine, Director;
Mrs. Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier, Director;
Mrs. Diane Côté, Director;
Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Director;
Mrs. France Houssaye, Director elected by employees;
Mr. Olivier Klein, Director;
Mrs. Annette Messemer, Director;
Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Director;
Mr Johan Praud, Director elected by employees;
Mr. Benoît de Ruffray, Director;
Mr. Sébastien Wetter, Director representing employees shareholders;
Mr. Jean-Bernard Lévy, Non-voting Director (“censeur”).
The Board of Directors is made up of 41,7% women (5/12) and 91,7% independent directors (11/12) if we exclude from the calculations the three directors representing the employees in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article L. 225-23 of the Commercial Code, paragraph 2 of Article L. 225-27 of the Commercial Code and the AFEP-MEDEF code. In order to ensure compliance with a forthcoming legislative change scheduled for mid-2026, the Board of Directors has already decided, for the General Meeting of May 2026, that shareholders will be invited to replace a man director, whose term of office will expire, by a woman director.
The Board of Directors held after the General Meeting has decided that, as of 20 May 2025, the Board committees will be composed as follows:
Audit and Internal Control Committee: Mr. Jérôme Contamine (chairman), Mrs. Diane Côté, Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Mr. Olivier Klein and Mr. Sébastien Wetter;
Risk Committee: Mr. William Connelly (chairman), Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Mrs. Béatrice Cossa Dumurgier, Mrs. Diane Côté, Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Mr. Olivier Klein and Mrs. Annette Messemer;
Compensation Committee: Mrs. Annette Messemer (chairwoman), Mr. Jerome Contamine, Mr. Benoit de Ruffray and Mrs. France Houssaye;
Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee: Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge (chairman), Mr. William Connelly, Mme Diane Côté and Mr. Benoit de Ruffray.
Biographies
Mr. William Connelly is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington (US). He began his career in 1980 at Chase Manhattan Bank, where he worked for 10 years, before joining Baring Brothers from 1990 to 1995. He then held various executive positions within ING Group NV from 1995 until he became a member of The Management Board, where he was responsible for Wholesale Banking from 2011 to 2016. He was also the CEO of ING Real Estate from 2009 to 2015. In addition to his mandate as an independent director of Societe Generale since 2017, he currently is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amadeus IT Group and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aegon until the second half of 2025. He also served as an independent director of Singular Bank from February 2019 to April 2023. During its session on 10 April 2025, the Societe Generale Board of Directors selected William Connelly for the Chairmanship as of the General Meeting which will be held on 27 May 2026. He will succeed Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, who has been Chairman since 2015, and will have completed his third term.
Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Graduate of École polytechnique, the École nationale des ponts et chaussées and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He began his career in 1992 at the World Bank in Washington D.C. before moving to the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance in 1994. He joined Alstom in 1998 as Head of Investor Relations and was in charge of Management Control. In 2000, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Transmission and Distribution at Alstom, a position he held until 2004. He was Chief Financial Officer of Alstom from 2004 until 2010 and became President of Alstom Grid from 2010 to 2011. On 4 July 2011, he became Chairman of Alstom Transport, before being appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in February 2016, a position he held until June 2024. Since then, he has been Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alstom.
Mr. Olivier Klein, Graduated from the Panthéon‑Sorbonne University in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, from the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE) in 1980, and from HEC’s graduate course in Finance in 1985. He began his career at the BFCE in 1985 and served as manager of the Foreign Exchange and Rate Risk Management Advisory Department, then as Director of the BFCE’s Investment Bank, and finally as Regional Director of its corporate bank. He joined the Caisse d’Epargne group in 1998 and was Chairman of the Executive Board of the Caisse d’Epargne Ile‑de‑France Ouest from 2000 to 2007 and then of the Caisse d’Epargne Rhône‑Alpes from 2007 to 2009. In January 2010, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Banking and Insurance of the BPCE group until September 2012. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the BRED group from October 2012 to May 2023. He was a Member of the Supervisory Board of BPCE and its Risk Committee between 2019 and May 2023. He is Chief Executive Officer of Lazard Frères Banque SA and Managing Partner since September 2023. Since 1986, He is teaching macroeconomics and monetary policy at HEC. He is a director of Rexécode since 2018.
Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Graduated from the University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen in 1997 with a master’s degree in economics. She began her career at SAP SE in 1996, where she held various responsibilities related to innovation and digital transformation. In 2014, she was appointed Chief Information Officer and Business Processes and extended Member of the SAPExecutiveCommittee. From 2016 to April 2021, she was President of SAP Business Data Network group in Palo Alto (United States) and SAP SE Walldorf (Germany). In 2021, she joined the Südzucker group as Chief Digital Officer and Information tehcnology and member of the Group’s Executive Committee. She is Chief Executive Officer of KAKO GmbH since June 2024. She was a member of the Supervisory Board and a member of the Heineken group Audit Committee from 2019 to 2023. She is a member of the TUI group Supervisory Board since 2020.
Mr. Sébastien Wetter holds a Master degree in Fundamental Physics and graduated from the Lyons Business School (EM Lyon). He began his career at Societe Generale in 1997 in the Strategy and Marketing Division of Societe Generale’s retail bank. Working in the Group’s Organisation Consulting Department from 2002, he performed a range of roles in the Corporate & Investment Banking arm and helped roll out the Group-wide participatory Innovation programme. As of the end of 2005, he joined the Commodities Market Department as Chief Operating Officer holding a global remit, before becoming Head of Business Development in 2008. From 2010 until 2014, he served as General Secretary in the Group’s General Inspection and Audit Division. In 2014, he joined the Sales Division of the Corporate & Investment Bank arm where he held a number of positions: Head of marketing for major French and international clients, then in 2016, Global Chief Operating Officer responsible for the sales teams covering financial institutions. From 2020 to December 2022, he has been a banker managing Societe Generale’s relationship with international financial institutions. He has been a member of the of the Supervisory Board of the Fonds Commun de Placement d’Entreprise (FCPE) since May 2024.
The regulatory declarations on the absence of conflicts of interest and the absence of convictions mentioned on page 140 of the Universal Registration Document filed by Societe Generale on 12 March 2025 with the French market authority (AMF) under number D.25-00088, relating notably to the three directors whose terms of office are renewed remain valid and the two new directors appointed with effect from the General Meeting of 20 May 2025 have made the same regulatory declarations.
Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with around 119,000 employees serving more than 26 million clients in 62 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective – to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.
The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients:
French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank.
Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG.
Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities.
Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe).
In case of doubt regarding the authenticity of this press release, please go to the end of the Group News page on societegenerale.com website where official Press Releases sent by Societe Generale can be certified using blockchain technology. A link will allow you to check the document’s legitimacy directly on the web page.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
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Highlights:
Security Council
ECOSOC
World Health Organization
Cyprus
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon/Israel
Yemen
Libya
Chad
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Haiti
Afghanistan
International Labour Organization
World Bee Day
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SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Maintenance of international peace and security: Strengthening maritime security through international cooperation for global stability. Briefing Council members, the Secretary-General noted that today’s debate shines a light on a fundamental fact: Without maritime security, there can be no global security. But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain, he said, from both traditional threats and emerging dangers, adding that no region is spared and that the problem is getting worse.
The Secretary-General said that looking ahead, action is needed in three key areas. First — respect for international law, second — we need to intensify efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity, and third — throughout, we need partnerships, involving everyone with a stake in maritime spaces.
He called on all to take action to support and secure maritime spaces, and the communities and people counting on them.
ECOSOC
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Operational Activities for Development Segment opens today. The three-day meeting will focus on activities of the United Nations development system (UNDS) and will include a high-level dialogue with the Secretary-General at 3 pm today. We’ll share his remarks with you.
Tomorrow morning, the Deputy Secretary-General will present the annual report on the work of the Development Coordination Office and the Resident Coordinator system. The report highlights the critical role of the revitalized Resident Coordinator system in making the UN development system more effective, efficient and responsive, to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The full report and its interactive version are available on the UNSDG website (unsdg.un.org) and the meeting will be webcast on UN Web TV.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=20%20May%202025
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Yerevan, May 20 (Xinhua) — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday received a delegation led by Cypriot House of Representatives (parliament) Speaker Annita Demetriou, the press service of the head of the Armenian government reported.
N. Pashinyan stated that Cyprus is a friendly country for Armenia, with which deep historical, cultural and value-based ties have been formed. In this context, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of consistently developing bilateral political dialogue and deepening inter-parliamentary cooperation.
A. Dimitriou pointed out that Cyprus supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia and the democratic reforms implemented by the country’s government.
The parties discussed a number of topical issues of bilateral cooperation between Armenia and Cyprus, including the development of economic ties and investment opportunities, as well as the expansion of multi-sectoral cooperation. In addition, an exchange of views took place on the progress of the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. –0–
Question for written answer E-001886/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)
The rule of law is a core foundation of the European Union. However, the recently established selective enforcement thereof by the European Commission raises concerns about the uniform and fair treatment of Member States. Hungary and Poland have repeatedly been at the centre of sanctions and interventions, while similar – or even more serious – issues in other Member States are not addressed with the same severity. This unequal treatment raises concerns about the way in which European mechanisms are being applied.
In view of the above, can the Commission say:
1.Considering that the Commission tolerates breaches of the rule of law in some Western governments, but at the same time imposes disproportionate sanctions on Central and Eastern European states, how does it justify its different attitudes towards different Member States?
2.On the basis of what objective criteria does it decide to activate the rule of law conditionality mechanism and how does it ensure that this mechanism does not become a tool for political pressure against governments that are not aligned with the overarching political agenda of Brussels?
3.What steps does it intend to take to restore its credibility as a neutral institutional guarantor, in order to ensure that there are no double standards in the enforcement of the rule of law between the Member States?
Question for written answer E-001888/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)
The European Union is at a critical juncture in terms of its defence capacity, the security of its borders and intensifying geopolitical pressures on its eastern and southern borders.
As a front-line Member State, Greece has repeatedly borne a disproportionate defence and deterrence burden, both against external threats and with regard to the management of illegal migration flows.
In view of the proposal to implement the Readiness 2030 strategy, the question naturally arises whether the European Commission intends to also support countries that already respect or go beyond NATO objectives, such as Greece.
Can the Commission therefore answer the following:
1.How does it intend to balance the need for a common European defence policy with respect for Member States’ sovereignty and specific defence challenges?
2.Will there be an EU co-financing mechanism for armaments programmes and defence investments, in particular for countries that already invest more than 2 % of their GDP in defence?
Parliament’s draft assessment of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report paints a worrying picture about the state of European values.
The report endorsed by the Committee on Civil Liberties with 50 votes in favour, 18 against, and four abstentions, takes stock of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report as well as developments across the member states. MEPs call firmer, more consistent enforcement of democratic principles by both member states and the Commission. To prevent backsliding, they ask for an “ever more comprehensive toolbox”, complemented by a “smart conditionality” mechanism to ensure that the suspension of EU funds cannot be misused against civil society and local authorities. They reiterate the call for a fully-fledged mechanism to protect and enforce EU values in their entirety, while proposing methodological improvements to the Commission’s annual exercise.
Worrying trends and persistent issues
Among worrying developments identified this year, MEPs point to restrictions to the right of assembly and a rapidly shrinking civic space. They underline the need for independent, effective judicial systems with highly qualified personnel, and stress the importance of assessing ongoing reforms in member states, while also condemning interference in corruption investigations and the misuse of judicial systems for political ends. MEPs call for better protection of vulnerable groups against discrimination, including EU-wide legislation criminalising hate crime and hate speech. They also highlight the obligation to uphold the international legal order and implement binding court decisions: member states need to ensure national judges’ access to the Court of Justice of the EU, apply its jurisprudence in full, and enforce the orders of the International Criminal Court.
The report further raises:
the need for more robust anti-corruption efforts at all levels,;
a call for more transparency in interest representation, including new or improved mandatory registers and legislative footprint mechanisms;
threats to media freedom and pluralism, especially SLAPPs and spyware;
the spread of disinformation undermining democracy;
the rise of extremism, threats to electoral processes, and the use of technology to curtail democratic rights; and
the deteriorating situation in Hungary.
MEPs also call for a stronger mandate for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and urge the Commission to apply conditionality mechanisms more readily.
Quote
Rapporteur Ana Catarina Mendes (S&D, Portugal) commented: “For the Union to deliver on its promise of rule of law freedom and fundamental rights for every person living in Europe, we need to strengthen our ability to monitor and act on backsliding in the rule of law and all European values. However, we see that some political forces are willing to renege on these values for short-term political gain, undermining not only the fundamental rights of vulnerable groups but also the rule of law mechanisms that protect them and support our entire societies. It is high time that we act responsibly and in line with our proudest democratic traditions, because it is becoming increasingly clear that everything is at stake.”
Next steps
The report is expected to be debated and voted on in the 16 – 19 June plenary session in Strasbourg, in anticipation of the upcoming 2025 Rule of Law Report by the Commission.
According to Article 168(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union[1], a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities. Article 168(7) provides that Union action shall respect responsibilities of the Member States for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care . The EU supplements and supports these efforts, especially by encouraging cooperation and exchange of best practices among countries. This means that the Commission has no mandate to call for a reopening of the Emergency Department as referred.
The challenges in accessing healthcare have been reported in the Country Health Profile 2023 for Ireland under the ‘State of Health in the EU’[2]. In the context of the 2020 European Semester, a Country-Specific Recommendation was addressed to Ireland to improve accessibility of its health system and strengthen its resilience[3]. A number of EU funding programmes, such as the EU4Health Programme[4], the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the Cohesion Policy Funds, offer significant funding opportunities, which Ireland can use to strengthen its healthcare system in response to this recommendation. For example, the Irish Recovery and Resilience Plan[5] has earmarked EUR 75 million for reforms and investments to progress on the implementation of the Sláintecare reform programme.
The EU Health Policy Platform, which has replaced the EU health forum, is used to facilitate stakeholder engagement in EU health policies. It is a restricted Platform accessible through membership and is not designed to be used for national health system issues.
The Common Provisions Regulation[1], requires Member States to meet horizontal enabling conditions (HECs), one of which relates to the effective mechanisms for ensuring compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights[2]. Greece, as all Member States, must demonstrate HEC compliance at the programme’s adoption and throughout its implementation.
[1] Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy, OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 159-706.
[2] Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, p. 391-407.
European Parliament’s spokespersons will hold a last-minute briefing on the 21 – 22 May plenary session on Wednesday at 14.30.
When: Wednesday 21 May at 14.30
Where: Anna Politkovskaya press room in Brussels and viaInteractio
Key topics next week include:
Debate on the EU’s response to the Israeli government’s plan to seize the Gaza Strip, and how to provide effective humanitarian support and secure the hostages’ release
Debate and vote on simplifying the EU’s carbon leakage instrument
Debate on the phasing-out of Russian gas, nuclear energy and oil imports
Vote on imposing new tariffs on fertilisers and additional ones on other agricultural products imported from Russia and Belarus
Debate on the new single market strategy
Debate on ways to make Europe more attractive to scientists
Formal sitting: Address by Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia
Interpretation of the press briefing will be available in English and French.
You can follow it live from 14.30 on Friday in Parliament’s Anna Politkovskaya press room or via Parliament’s webstreaming and EbS+.
Information for the media – Use of Interactio to ask questions
Interactio is only supported on iPads (with the Safari browser) and Mac/Windows (with the Google Chrome browser).
When connecting, enter your name and the media you are representing in the first name / last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for questions asked on video.
Journalists who have never used Interactio before are asked to connect 30 minutes before the start of the press conference to perform a connection test. IT assistance can be provided if necessary. When connected, open the chat window (upper right corner) to be able to see the service messages.
Question for written answer E-001897/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 César Luena (S&D)
The Slovak Government has announced its intention to cull up to 350 brown bears, a figure equivalent to the species’ entire population in Spain. It is justifying the decision as a safety measure because human encounters with bears have been on the rise, some of them with tragic outcomes. However, the brown bear (Ursus arctos) is protected under the EU Habitats Directive, which provides for a strict ban on the hunting of that species except for in very specific circumstances.
In view of this state of affairs:
1.Does the Commission take the view that the Slovak law on which this decision is based is compatible with the provisions of articles 12 to 16 of the Habitats Directive and with the need for any derogation from strict species protection to be duly justified, to be limited and not to undermine the species’ conservation status?
2.Does the Commission intend to request from the Slovak authorities a detailed report on the alternatives considered, ecological impact studies carried out and the preventive measures taken before authorising the bears’ hunting?
3.If this action proves to be in breach of EU conservation rules, what legal action does the Commission intend to take?
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 20 May 2025
The Prime Minister spoke to President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy this evening.
The Prime Minister spoke to President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this evening.
The leaders began by reflecting on their meeting in Tirana, Albania, on Friday before discussing the UK’s latest package of sanctions on Russian military, energy and financial sectors announced today.
It was vital to keep the pressure on Russia while they continued their illegal invasion of Ukraine, the leaders agreed.
Looking ahead to further peace talks, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s support for Ukraine and said he was steadfast in his commitment to helping Ukraine secure a just and lasting peace.
ESET has released its latest advanced persistent threat (APT) report.
Russian APT groups intensified attacks against Ukraine and the EU, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities and deploying wipers.
China-aligned groups like Mustang Panda and DigitalRecyclers continued their espionage campaigns targeting the EU government and maritime sectors.
North Korea-aligned groups expanded their financially motivated campaigns using fake job listings and social engineering.
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET Research has released its latest APT Activity Report, which highlights activities of select APT groups that were documented by ESET researchers from October 2024 through March 2025. During the monitored period, Russia-aligned threat actors, notably Sednit and Gamaredon, maintained aggressive campaigns primarily targeting Ukraine and EU countries. Ukraine was subjected to the greatest intensity of cyberattacks against the country’s critical infrastructure and governmental institutions. The Russia-aligned Sandworm group intensified destructive operations against Ukrainian energy companies, deploying a new wiper named ZEROLOT. China-aligned threat actors continued engaging in persistent espionage campaigns with a focus on European organizations.
Gamaredon remained the most prolific actor targeting Ukraine, enhancing malware obfuscation and introducing PteroBox, a file stealer leveraging Dropbox. “The infamous Sandworm group concentrated heavily on compromising Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In recent cases, it deployed the ZEROLOT wiper in Ukraine. For this, the attackers abused Active Directory Group Policy in the affected organizations,” says ESET Director of Threat Research Jean-Ian Boutin.
Sednit refined its exploitation of cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in webmail services, expanding Operation RoundPress from Roundcube to include Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra. ESET discovered that the group successfully leveraged a zero-day vulnerability in MDaemon Email Server (CVE-2024-11182) against Ukrainian companies. Several Sednit attacks against defense companies located in Bulgaria and Ukraine used spearphishing email campaigns as a lure. Another Russia-aligned group, RomCom, demonstrated advanced capabilities by deploying zero-day exploits against Mozilla Firefox (CVE 2024 9680) and Microsoft Windows (CVE 2024 49039).
In Asia, China-aligned APT groups continued their campaigns against governmental and academic institutions. At the same time, North Korea-aligned threat actors significantly increased their operations directed at South Korea, placing particular emphasis on individuals, private companies, embassies, and diplomatic personnel. Mustang Panda remained the most active, targeting governmental institutions and maritime transportation companies via Korplug loaders and malicious USB drives. DigitalRecyclers continued targeting EU governmental entities, employing the KMA VPN anonymization network and deploying the RClient, HydroRShell, and GiftBox backdoors. PerplexedGoblin used its new espionage backdoor, which ESET named NanoSlate, against a Central European government entity, while Webworm targeted a Serbian government organization using SoftEther VPN, emphasizing the continued popularity of this tool among China-aligned groups.
Elsewhere in Asia, North Korea-aligned threat actors were particularly active in financially motivated campaigns. DeceptiveDevelopment significantly broadened its targeting, using fake job listings primarily within the cryptocurrency, blockchain, and finance sectors. The group employed innovative social engineering techniques to distribute the multiplatform WeaselStore malware. The Bybit cryptocurrency theft, attributed by the FBI to TraderTraitor APT group, involved a supply-chain compromise of Safe{Wallet} that caused losses of approximately USD 1.5 billion. Meanwhile, other North Korea-aligned groups saw fluctuations in their operational tempo: In early 2025, Kimsuky and Konni returned to their usual activity levels after a noticeable decline at the end of 2024, shifting their targeting away from English-speaking think tanks, NGOs, and North Korea experts to focus primarily on South Korean entities and diplomatic personnel; and Andariel resurfaced, after a year of inactivity, with a sophisticated attack against a South Korean industrial software company.
Iran-aligned APT groups maintained their primary focus on the Middle East region, predominantly targeting governmental organizations and entities within the manufacturing and engineering sectors in Israel. Additionally, ESET observed a significant global uptick in cyberattacks against technology companies, largely attributed to increased activity by North Korea-aligned DeceptiveDevelopment.
“The highlighted operations are representative of the broader threat landscape that we investigated during this period. They illustrate the key trends and developments, and contain only a small fraction of the cybersecurity intelligence data provided to customers of ESET APT reports,” adds Boutin.
Intelligence shared in the private reports is primarily based on proprietary ESET telemetry data and has been verified by ESET researchers, who prepare in-depth technical reports and frequent activity updates detailing activities of specific APT groups. These threat intelligence analyses, known as ESET APT Reports PREMIUM, assist organizations tasked with protecting citizens, critical national infrastructure, and high-value assets from criminal and nation-state-directed cyberattacks. More information about ESET APT Reports PREMIUM and its delivery of high-quality, actionable tactical and strategic cybersecurity threat intelligence is available at the ESET Threat Intelligence page.
ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.
ESET researchers uncovered the Operation RoundPress espionage campaign, with Russia-aligned Sednit group most likely behind it.
In Operation RoundPress, the compromise vector is a spearphishing email leveraging an XSS vulnerability to inject malicious JavaScript code into the victim’s webmail page. It targets Roundcube, Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra webmail software.
Most victims are governmental entities and defense companies in Eastern Europe, although ESET has observed governments in Africa, Europe, and South America being targeted as well.
The payloads are able to steal webmail credentials, and exfiltrate contacts and email messages from the victim’s mailbox.
Additionally, SpyPress.MDAEMON is able to set up a bypass for two-factor authentication.
MONTREAL and BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET researchers have uncovered a Russia-aligned espionage operation, which ESET named RoundPress, targeting webmail servers via XSS vulnerabilities. Behind it is most likely the Russia-aligned Sednit (also known as Fancy Bear or APT28) cyberespionage group, holding the ultimate goal of stealing confidential data from specific email accounts. Most of the targets are related to the current war in Ukraine; they are either Ukrainian governmental entities or defense companies in Bulgaria and Romania. Notably, some of these defense companies are producing Soviet-era weapons to be sent to Ukraine. Other targets include African, EU, and South American governments.
“Last year, we observed different XSS vulnerabilities being used to target additional webmail software: Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra. Sednit also started to use a more recent vulnerability in Roundcube, CVE-2023-43770. The MDaemon vulnerability — CVE-2024-11182, now patched — was a zero day, most likely discovered by Sednit, while the ones for Horde, Roundcube, and Zimbra were already known and patched,” says ESET researcher Matthieu Faou, who discovered and investigated Operation RoundPress. Sednit sends these XSS exploits by email; the exploits lead to the execution of malicious JavaScript code in the context of the webmail client web page running in a browser window. Therefore, only data accessible from the target’s account can be read and exfiltrated.
In order for the exploit to work, the target must be convinced to open the email message in the vulnerable webmail portal. This means that the email needs to bypass any spam filtering, and the subject line needs to be convincing enough to entice the target into reading the email message — abusing well-known news media such as Ukrainian news outlet Kyiv Post or Bulgarian news portal News.bg. Among the headlines used as spearphishing were: “SBU arrested a banker who worked for enemy military intelligence in Kharkiv” and “Putin seeks Trump’s acceptance of Russian conditions in bilateral relations”.
The attackers unleash JavaScript payloads SpyPress.HORDE, SpyPress.MDAEMON, SpyPress.ROUNDCUBE, and SpyPress.ZIMBRA upon the targets. Those are capable of credential stealing; exfiltration of the address book, contacts, and log-in history; and exfiltration of email messages. SpyPress.MDAEMON is able to set up a bypass for two-factor authentication protection; it exfiltrates the two-factor authentication secret and creates an app password, which enables the attackers to access the mailbox from a mail application.
“Over the past two years, webmail servers such as Roundcube and Zimbra have been a major target for several espionage groups, including Sednit, GreenCube, and Winter Vivern. Because many organizations don’t keep their webmail servers up to date, and because the vulnerabilities can be triggered remotely by sending an email message, it is very convenient for attackers to target such servers for email theft,” explains Faou.
The Sednit group — also known as APT28, Fancy Bear, Forest Blizzard, or Sofacy — has been operating since at least 2004. The U.S. Department of Justice named the group as one of those responsible for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hack just before the 2016 U.S. elections and linked the group to the GRU. The group is also presumed to be behind the hacking of global television network TV5Monde, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) email leak, and many other incidents.
For a more detailed analysis and technical breakdown of Sednit’s tools used in Operation RoundPress, check out the latest ESET Research blogpost “Operation RoundPress” on WeLiveSecurity.com. Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter (today known as X), BlueSky, and Mastodon for the latest news from ESET Research.
Map of operation RoundPress targets, according to ESET telemetry
About ESET
ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.
World Health Assembly adopts historic Pandemic Agreement to make the world more equitable and safer from future pandemics
Agreement’s adoption follows three years of intensive negotiation launched due to gaps and inequities identified in national and global COVID-19 response.
Agreement boosts global collaboration to ensure stronger, more equitable response to future pandemics.
Next steps include negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system.
Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) today formally adopted by consensus the world’s first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics.
Related documents
A78/10 Add.1, Outcome of informal consultations of Member States, Draft resolution on the WHO Pandemic Agreement
World Health Assembly commits to historic 20% increase in Assessed Contributions (membership fees), approves WHO’s Base Programme Budget for 2026–2027 of US $4.2 billion
Delegates at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78) approved the base programme budget of US$ 4.2 billion for 2026–2027, the first to be fully developed based on the Fourteenth General Programme of Work, 2025–2028 (GPW 14), the global health strategy for the next four years. GPW 14 prioritizes advancing health equity and strengthening health systems resilience.
The budget presented to WHA78 committee A was decreased from the initial US$ 5.3 billion presented to the executive board in February given the challenging financial context. While decreasing some regional budgets and headquarters budgets, Member States agreed to try to preserve country level budgets to the extent possible. The budget will allocate resources to enhance technical cooperation, foster partnerships and support the achievement of national and global health targets. The proposed programme budget 2026–2027 also reaffirms the indispensable role of multilateralism in addressing today’s complex and interconnected health challenges.
Member States also approved the gradual second 20% increase of the assessed contributions (AC), or membership fees which had been previously adopted by the Member State Working Group on sustainable financing. This ensures that WHO funding is not only predictable, but also resilient and flexible, which is critical given the rapidly changing financial landscape.
Member States also had the opportunity to review the implementation of governance reform. In a time of geopolitical tension and rising inequalities, WHO remains a vital platform for cooperation, solidarity and coordination in global health
World leaders pledged significant contributions to the WHO Investment Round at a high-level pledging event Tuesday evening, another key step in WHO’s journey to sustainable financing.
A78/39, Governance reform, Process of handling and investigating potential allegations against WHO Directors-General
High Level Segment and Director-General Awards
During the high-level segment, delegates heard from H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union; H.E. Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia; and H.E. Liu Guozhong, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China. Video statements were made by a number of world leaders across the globe.
Egyptian opera singer Farrah El-Dibany and Soprano singers Elaine Vidal and Eunice Miller of the Philippines performed at the Health Assembly on Tuesday morning.
The Director-General also presented Global Health Leader’s awards to Professor Sir Brian Greenwood and Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck for their pivotal work in malaria control and beyond.
The Assembly started on Monday 19 May 2025 under the theme “One World for Health”.
The election of officials took place on Monday morning. Dr Teodoro Herbosa of the Philippines became the President of the Health Assembly. The elected Vice-Presidents are Dr Jalila bint Al Sayyed Jawad Hassan of Bahrain, Dr Sayedur Rahman of Bangladesh, Mr Jaime Hernán Urrego Rodríguez of Colombia, Dr Judit Bidlo of Hungary and Dr Louise Mapleh Kpoto Liberia.
H.E. Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Federal Councilor of the Swiss Confederation, addressed the Health Assembly on behalf of the host country.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, WHO Director-General, delivered his report to the Assembly.
As part of city-wide funding to transform Manchester’s green spaces, Wythenshawe Park has undergone development for park-goers.
The Clean, Green Safer Manchester Investment, which is worth £157,000, has been put towards the work taking place in the popular park and surrounding areas to make it more accessible for families with pushchairs, wheelchair users and cyclists.
The south Manchester park has had potholes repaired on two pathways off the main entrances and the pathway to the tennis courts will also undergo resurfacing.
With Manchester holding the proud title of the European Capital of Cycling, the national cycling route which runs through Wythenshawe Park will now be able to welcome thousands of avid cyclists who pedal through the area each year on safer surfaces.
Manchester City Council understands the power of movement and its ability to encourage communities to come together and prioritise active lifestyles to truly thrive. And so, the Wythenshawe Park Cycle Hub will also benefit from the investment, ensuring cycle-lovers have somewhere to meet and connect to before setting off on their journeys or taking a stop to recharge.
For park-goers, after a long day of activity, there is an option to take a rest stop on one of the many benches installed through the park and around the surrounding areas.
By the spring, there will be a total of 7 Age Friendly Benches in total placed in Wythenshawe Park to Northenden giving older commuters in particular a chance to enjoy the scenery or enjoy some lunch while recharging.
Park visitors using public transport can also expect to see sixteen new benches in total near Wythenshawe Park tram and bus stops on the way to Wythenshawe Park as they embark on their journeys.
As well as near to Wythenshawe Tram stop to the park and Moor Rd tram stop to the Altringham Rd retail park.
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: “It’s terrific to see the long-term investment into Wythenshawe Park and surrounding areas as part of our commitment to make spaces in Manchester cleaner and greener.
“We want to ensure all visitors to the park, whether in a wheelchair or on a bike, are made to feel welcome and safe as they enjoy our green spaces.
“From the national cycling route to new benches near your local tram stop, there is something for everyone through this newest investment.”
Further information about the investment into Wythenshawe park, can be found out through Cllr Lee-Ann Igbon who has given her insight into the project.
NARCO and Park Cycling Group said: “Nacro Outdoor Learning/Wythenshawe Nacro Community Cycling Hub (WyNCCH) are pleased to see the resurfacing works around Wythenshawe Park. This includes the paths, roads and trails.
“The resurfacing work that has recently been completed has made a huge difference for all our participants that access our provision. This includes our school groups as some have mobility difficulties, our cyclist at (WyNCCH) who recently became Manchester Sport Club of the year. One of our recent cyclist club hub members commented on the recent improvements around the park.
“This is a brilliant improvement and investment” Nacro Outdoor Learning/WyNCCH would like to thank Manchester City Council for the recent work that has been completed. Nacro WyNCCH has several events for 2025 for walking/cycling. This investment at Wythenshawe Park improves operating activities safely for all, including accessibility for the wider community and the general park users.”
A Transport for Greater Manchester Active Travel spokesperson said: “It’s the perfect space to teach people to ride as it is built for that purpose, the surface improvements have made a great difference. The number of attendees at our sessions shows that it is meeting a local need and is supporting those who want to cycle more for leisure or function journeys to do so.”
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Dover, Professor of Intelligence and National Security & Dean of Faculty, University of Hull
Denmark’s foreign affairs minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen sounded surprised and emotional as he addressed a press conference on May 7. He announced he would call in the acting head of the US embassy in Copenhagen, Jennifer Hall Godfrey, over highly charged allegations that Washington has instructed its intelligence agencies to step up espionage on Greenland and Copenhagen.
According to the Wall Street Journal, US intelligence operatives have been asked to collect information on Greenland’s politicians, independence activists and mining interests that could be leveraged in a potential purchase or coerced transfer of Greenland to the US.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory that Donald Trump has stated he would like to become part of the US. The US State Department has refused to comment on the allegations and the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, said she was opening an investigation into leaks of classified information.
This looks like a large powerful nation doing all it can to undermine an ally and fellow member of Nato, which is why the Danes are so affronted.
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The real surprise of the story is that it became so public. But this drama comes at a time of increasingly frosty relations between Denmark and the US, made worse by a visit by US vice-president, J.D. Vance, that didn’t go through diplomatic channels. Even before this, Danish supermarkets were marking US products so consumers could boycott them.
In another case with some parallels to the Greenland spy saga with one ally spying on another, there has been reports of a newly uncovered Hungarian spy ring in Ukraine, collecting military data for Russia. Hungary said the reports were propaganda.
Hungary is, in theory, aligned with Ukraine as a member of the EU and Nato. However, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán has expressed sympathy for Russian agendas and has the closest relationship with Moscow of any current EU leader. Orbán has even repeatedly attempted to block EU aid to Ukraine.
The alleged discovery of a Hungarian spy network may ramp up the creeping distrust of Hungary by other EU members and the sense of it becoming even more closely aligned with Russia.
There has even been a recently reported example of spying going on among countries that are loosely considered allies. North Korean spies were recently caught spying on China, for example.
The Greenland and Hungary episodes, particularly, shed light on how the world order is being remade. We are in the middle of this shift, with technology-enabled intelligence playing a significant part. These episodes demonstrate that governments who thought they were allies are quickly discovering they could be adversaries.
The US’s reported efforts at spying on Greenland and Denmark is a window into intelligence business.
Intelligence efforts against allies are generally only curtailed when they become subject to a public scandal. Intelligence historian Richard Aldrich described this as “regulation by revelation”. The inquiries into these operations normally result in a light censure from politicians or judges, pledges not to repeat the offences and subsequent changes to processes.
Denmark claims the US has been spying on Greenland.
What will happen in the Greenland case is as yet unclear, particularly when the Trump administration has shown itself to be particularly immune from public, media and political challenge. The most effective challenge to hostile activity against Greenland could be any ramifications for international stock market sentiment, but even that is not guaranteed.
The reliance of the US constitution and international law on participants behaving appropriately now looks strained under the Trump administration. The lack of restraint on US power may cause nations to rely more heavily on their own intelligence capabilities.
Intelligence could, as a policy area, begin to mirror that of tariffs and trade as a way that the US can create further uncertainty among other nations about its foreign policy objectives.
But another factor in contemporary intelligence is that nations can now spy on each other much more easily. Technical capabilities are getting cheaper and easier to use.
For instance, communications intercepts, satellite imagery and open source data-analysis spying methods are cheaper than ever before. These approaches offer more insight, because of the development of machine analytics and the ready availability of computing power and data storage.
So, allies will continue to spy on allies because they are able to. That ability drives a demand, even in peace time, to know what other national leaders, and their public, are thinking and doing.
Nations will also aggressively spy at the moment because the world is particularly unstable, and on the edge of conflict in many regions. Understanding where conflicts might erupt, why and with what force and consequence is essential to any nation’s defence posture.
Nations only know what equipment to buy, what resources to stockpile and how many people to employ in their militaries with this insight. Intelligence is as much about avoiding surprise as it is creating the circumstances to surprise others. In this sense, intelligence is just another tool of statecraft.
Most nations have spied on their allies for as long as they have been able. During the cold war the US purchased the Swiss encrypted communications company Crypto AG and sold hundreds of secure communications devices with weakened security, which allowed it to listen in on the countries that were using it and gain intelligence
This type of operation was the forerunner of the widespread intelligence practices of the US National Security Agency, which is in charge of collecting information for counter intelligence purposes, in recent years.
For Denmark, the challenges of working with its allies through Nato, while defending Greenland, are increasingly complex. Meanwhile, the EU will also be concerned about what Hungary is sharing with its other “friends”. International allies and alliances are increasingly untrustworthy as part of 2025 tectonic shifts in global geopolitics. The recent revelations are just part of that moving picture.
Robert Dover has previously received funding from the AHRC around the subject of lessons learned from intelligence operations.
Unfortunately, our new report highlights a workforce crisis that raises serious questions about the future of the UK screen industry. And Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose tariffs on non-US films adds to the grim situation, throwing the industry’s vulnerability into stark relief.
We carried out extensive interviews with 29 participants from across the sector who painted a bleak picture of overwork, financial instability, discrimination and barriers to career progression.
Charities supporting the sector have already noted that the industry has a longstanding retention problem – the so-called “leaky pipeline”. But our report highlights that economic volatility in the UK and elsewhere is worsening financial and working conditions so much that the film and television industry risks a debilitating loss of its most valuable resource: freelancers.
This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too.
Long gaps between jobs are widening, and even experienced freelancers with long careers are struggling to make ends meet. Currently there is no publicly available data on numbers entering and leaving the industry, but companies have reported worsening skills shortages, not due to poor recruitment, but because people are leaving in response to worsening conditions.
As many as two thirds of screen freelancers are considering leaving the industry within the next five years. Since just under 50% of the film production workforce is freelance, such a large-scale exodus would seriously damage our domestic screen industry.
That industry contributes £13.48 billion to the UK economy, and its talent on-screen and behind the cameras is world-renowned, so why is this crisis happening at all?
Boom and bust
The key change has been a reduction in domestic investment by UK-based public service broadcasters in tandem with increased investment from US-based studios and streamers.
While a recent boom in international investment led to a rapid expansion in UK film and TV infrastructure and a corresponding acute shortage of workers, it also inflated the costs of production, which has proved unaffordable to traditional domestic commissioners. Without consistent local productions, the UK market is exposed to international disruptions like never before.
Since the deregulation of the TV sector in the 1990s, the UK’s screen industry has relied on a high proportion of freelance workers. This model provided flexibility in a thriving domestic industry boasting some of the world’s most skilled talent and specialist infrastructure to match.
A shift in the 2000s towards international workflows in production and post-production fuelled by competitive tax incentives transformed the UK film and TV industry into a global operation. Coupled with healthy domestic competition, the UK’s film and TV industry soared.
But more recently, this globalised business model has been tested by an extended period of economic volatility that has left experienced talent out of work.
First came the COVID lockdowns. Then a post-pandemic boom as companies moved to refill their schedules, took UK film and TV production to a record high in 2021.
High inflation – partly caused by the influx of international money – led many domestic companies to slash their commissioning budgets. By the middle of 2024, plans to build new studios in the UK were being put on hold and more than half the workforce were still unemployed.
As one worker told us: “I’ve got friends who’ve been out of work for a year … they’re having to sell their houses and these are experienced, serious producers.” Another contributor told us how: “So many people I know at the moment are looking elsewhere for work completely outside of the industry.”
And another interviewee said: “There have been some unfortunate casualties along the way, some people simply haven’t had the income or the interest to sustain a living and and they’ve got to do what comes first, which is earn a wage that lets them survive.”
Until recently, a healthy domestic broadcasting industry helped provide consistent work opportunities for freelancers. But at the same time as production costs have risen, broadcasters’ revenue from advertising – and for the BBC, from the licence fee – has fallen.
The effect has been a precipitous 22% drop in domestic high-end television commissions in 2024, alongside a 50% decrease in international co-productions. UK broadcasters no longer have the financial capacity to plug the gap in the periods when international investors cut back.
In effect, the domestic industry has become dominated by, and heavily reliant on, a handful of international players led by unpredictable economic interests and global market fluctuations. It’s no coincidence that the two most notable recent British success stories, Adolescence and Baby Reindeer, are produced by Netflix, which has the financial resources British broadcasters lack.
And despite the presence of the streamers, inflated costs are making it harder for producers to make programmes with British subject matter. Patrick Spence, the executive producer of the hugely successful Mr Bates vs. the Post Office, has said he wouldn’t even try to make the show today.
To make matters worse, productions funded by international finance (that might have been funded by UK broadcasters in the past) bring little subscription or licensing profits back to the domestic industry.
As our research shows, this constellation of issues means freelancers face extreme financial insecurity like never before, alongside increasingly poor working practices as production companies try to cut costs and, in some cases, promote too early where experienced staff are missing. It is little wonder that so many are considering leaving the sector.
If significant numbers do leave the sector, there will no longer be a supply of skilled workers to meet the demands of an uptick in productions – and the US firms will go elsewhere, leaving only a depleted domestic industry in financial crisis.
Netflix has already made a thinly veiled threat to seek out more competitive territories in the event of a levy on streamers. We could expect a similar decision if they find that the skilled talent they count on in the UK is no longer available.
The next bust may already be in sight thanks to President Trump’s proposed tariffs on “foreign-made” films. Though such a levy would be difficult to implement and would cause as much harm to the US industry as it would its global partners, it’s not hard to imagine it having a chilling effect on commissioning in the UK.
So what can be done? The introduction of a new programme of tax breaks for productions made in the UK, initiated by the Conservatives and ratified by the Labour government, has been rightly celebrated. However, industry experts predict these will not solve the financial sustainability of a homegrown industry.
MPs have called on the government to go further in its support for the UK independent film and high-end television sectors, to provide a counterbalance to the fluctuations in investment in big budget fare, and to appoint a freelance commissioner to protect workers rights.
We wait to hear whether the government will take up its recommendations, and bring us closer to other countries, such as France, that have protected their domestic workforce by negotiating specific investment agreements with the major US streamers.
In our report, we argue that a minister for self-employed and precarious workers working across government departments is the only way to ensure that the appropriate measures can be achieved to address the challenges freelancers now face.
Better data on freelancer movements will help policy makers and industry to understand the effects of changes to the domestic industry, to help better secure that workforce for future growth as part of the government’s Invest 2035 growth plans.
We also recommend better data for freelancers themselves: a central source of information on taxation, employment rights, training, funding and the other resources they need to thrive in this challenging landscape.
These are only the first steps to lessen the immediate risk of losing a substantial section of the skilled workforce that is the engine of the UK industry, preparing the ground for the much larger structural shifts that are needed. Participants in our research at different stages of their career repeatedly insisted that the industry needs root and branch care to overcome the extreme cycles of feast and famine.
Protecting the cultural value of the UK’s screen industry goes far beyond making economic sense. The sector forms a major part of the country’s diverse national identity and projects a global image that is literally priceless.
Andrew Philip receives funding for his screen industries research from the Arts & Humanities Research Council through the University of Reading’s Impact Acceleration Account programme.
Lisa Purse receives funding for her screen industries research from the Arts & Humanities Research Council through the University of Reading’s Impact Acceleration Account programme.