Question for written answer E-002417/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 César Luena (S&D)
According to the EU Water Resilience Strategy, water management should prioritise nature-based solutions. However, using human-made infrastructure alone or in combination with nature-based solutions is also necessary, provided that the environmental impacts of this are carefully assessed and that all relevant stakeholders are involved. In addition, these actions must form part of an integrated and sustainable water management strategy that fully reflects long-term climate reference scenarios and projections to avoid stranded investments.
The strategy also stipulates that the Nature Restoration Regulation provide an opportunity to support water quantity management and enhance resilience against droughts and floods with nature-based solutions. Water and climate resilience must be fully integrated in the national restoration plans that are to be prepared by 2026.
In light of this:
How will the Commission ensure that Member States effectively prioritise nature-based solutions over grey infrastructure in restoring the water cycle, and that they take heed of long-term climate scenarios to avoid new investments becoming stranded assets?
Question for written answer E-002474/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)
Recently, we have witnessed an unprecedented escalation of nationalist provocations from the Government of Skopje, with direct challenges to Greek history and the agreement they themselves signed. The policy of tolerance and equidistance that the European Union systematically demonstrates undermines its credibility towards its Member States and strengthens extremist voices in the Western Balkans. Greek citizens, but also the peoples who believe in the Europe of Nations and Fatherlands, demand clear answers:
1.How does the Commission intend to react to the escalating unacceptable rhetoric from Government officials in Skopje, which undermines stability in the region and offends the values and principles of the European Union?
2.Does the Commission consider that the public questioning of the historical and cultural heritage of Member States by political figures from non-EU countries is compatible with the obligation to respect the European acquis and good neighbourly relations, a prerequisite for the country’s progress towards Europe?
3.What specific actions does the Commission intend to take to protect the standing, sovereign rights and cultural heritage of Member States, such as Greece, when they are subjected to public insults and historical distortions by government officials of candidate countries?
Question for written answer E-002418/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 César Luena (S&D)
The European water resilience strategy proposes an overall improvement in water efficiency of 10 % by 2030, but does not set binding targets for individual sectors (e.g. agriculture, industry, tourism or energy).
1.How will the Commission ensure that the most water-intensive sectors effectively reduce their abstractions – especially in water-stressed regions – if clear and mandatory sectoral targets are not set, in line with the prevention principle and the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)?
2.Some 81 % of the water consumed in the EU goes to users who abstract water directly at the source using private systems, and many of these are not properly registered or controlled by the national authorities. In view of this, why has the Commission not announced in its European water resilience strategy specific legislative measures to improve the control and monitoring of these abstractions, in line with the requirements laid down in Article 11(3) of the Water Framework Directive?
Question for written answer E-002473/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)
The proposal to allocate additional resources to EU border regions is confirmation of the serious pressures faced by local communities. However, the deterioration in quality of life and the increase in the cost of living are largely due to uncontrolled illegal immigration, a result of the Government’s inadequacy in protecting the borders and effectively managing immigration.
It is crucial that funding is not used to cover Government failures, but is directed exclusively to providing essential support to Greek citizens who are struggling.
In view of the above:
1.Recognising that EU border regions are under particular pressure, to what extent does the Commission attribute the deterioration in the quality of life, the increase in the cost of living and the degradation of social cohesion to uncontrolled illegal immigration?
2.How does the Commission intend to ensure that the additional financial resources do not simply cover the failures of Member State governments to manage illegal immigration, but are used exclusively to provide essential relief to local populations and restore public safety and well-being?
3.Will the Commission request specific data from Member States, such as Greece, on how illegal immigration affects daily life and the economic situation in local communities?
Question for written answer E-002459/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Sakis Arnaoutoglou (S&D)
A few days ago, a fire broke out at an illegal landfill in the Langada area of Kefalonia, causing the release of a toxic cloud which has affected the island’s capital (Argostoli), Lixouri and the surrounding areas. The event is causing serious concerns regarding the health of residents and the impact on the local environment.
In addition to the dangerous nature of the phenomenon, there are complaints regarding the competent authorities’ inability to prevent it and their delayed response, as well earlier warnings that were allegedly ignored.
This is a serious incident of environmental degradation with potential cross-border impacts (due to the atmospheric transport of pollutants) and serious risks to public health.
Accordingly:
1.Has the Commission received official information from the Greek authorities regarding the fire in Langada, Kefalonia, and its environmental impact?
2.Does the Commission intend to mobilise EU technical assistance and/or take scientific steps to measure pollution and assess the risks to the health of residents?
Question for written answer E-002469/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Alex Agius Saliba (S&D)
Following reports[1] in my Member State, Malta, on the topic of waste incineration, and false claims that this facility can negatively affect the population, I would like to request some clarification in order to be able to debunk potential misinterpretation of the European rules. In the particular case of Malta, due to the limited physical space on the islands, we cannot rely on landfill for non-recyclable waste as a solution, and waste incineration is an important part of our waste management system.
1.Could the Commission confirm that waste incineration will continue to be allowed under the relevant EU rules, such as the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) or other legal requirements?
2.Does the Commission take into account the physical limitations of small island Member States when making its policy on waste management and circularity?
3.Could the Commission clarify what is expected from waste incineration plants to comply with European requirements under, for example, the best available techniques principles and how the prescribed environmental impact assessment (EIA) gives assurances on air quality and other aspects that are important for neighbouring inhabitants?
Submitted: 18.6.2025
[1] https://timesofmalta.com/article/no-ecohive-save-lives-residents-protest-planned-waste-incinerator.1109520, and https://timesofmalta.com/article/wasteserv-complains-standards-commissioner.1109939.
Question for written answer E-002447/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Sabrina Repp (S&D)
The Kyrgyz Republic has repeatedly proposed the creation of a European university in Central Asia as part of its national education and digitalisation strategies. This initiative is reflected in several joint EU-Central Asia documents, including the EU-CA Roadmap 2021-2023 and the 2022 Foreign Ministers’ Joint Communiqué. It is also aligned with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and the EUR 300 million allocation for education and digitalisation in the region.
1.How is the Commission supporting, or planning to support, the establishment of a European university in Central Asia, particularly in Kyrgyzstan, within the framework of the Global Gateway strategy?
2.Will the Commission consider including this initiative in future EU-CA cooperation frameworks, and what concrete steps are envisaged to involve European higher education institutions in this regional project?
Priority question for written answer P-002235/2025/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 144 Tiemo Wölken (S&D)
In March 2025, Investigate Europe[1] and other media outlets revealed that Soft2bet, a gambling firm headquartered in Cyprus and Malta, is linked to 114 online casinos that have been blacklisted by Member States. Since the publication of the investigation, anonymous actors have filed false US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) complaints to de-index these news articles from Google in the EU. In over 60 complaints, fake claimants copied the original investigation and backdated it, making Google believe that their copy was the original article and/or posed as Investigate Europe, filing infringement claims against outlets that co-published or shared the investigation. This has led to the de-indexing of genuine articles about Soft2bet in Greece[2], Poland[3], Malta[4], Estonia[5] and other countries.
1.How will the Commission ensure that journalistic work published within the EU is not subject to false copyright complaints, so as to guarantee that Google and other search engines properly filter false infringement claims in the future?
2.Is the Commission aware of Google’s use of potentially error-prone algorithmic or AI filtering systems to assess copyright claims?
3.Is the Commission aware of any other cases of systematic abuses of copyright protections in the EU aimed at censoring the press?
Question for written answer E-002454/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Peter Agius (PPE)
Reports from practitioners in the beauty industry, including tattoo artists, massage therapists, beauticians and manicurists, indicate that inadequate regulatory oversight at both national and EU levels is leading to a rise in the number of unqualified practitioners performing treatments. In some cases, this poses significant health risks, including scarring, burns and infections. Furthermore, the initial treatments may be performed poorly, requiring multiple corrective interventions.
A key issue is the complete lack of harmonisation in beauty education standards across Member States, which results in inconsistencies in training quality, course duration and certification requirements. Moreover, non-EU nationals are entering EU Member States and delivering substandard services, which gives rise to concerns about consumer safety and fair competition.
The industry is further disrupted by impromptu educators offering rapid certification courses that allow individuals to enter these professions without adequate training.
Given this:
1.What measures can the Commission consider to address the safety and health concerns resulting from the number of unqualified practitioners in the beauty sector, which poses a risk to European citizens?
2.How does the Commission plan to address the issue of unqualified practitioners operating within the beauty sector and posing a risk to their clients, particularly practitioners from non-EU countries?
Priority question for written answer P-002466/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Gabriela Firea (S&D)
In the space of less than a month, two pregnant women in Romania were killed by their partners. These shattering tragedies oblige us to act decisively to prevent such incidents and protect women in real time.
Therefore:
1.How does the Commission intend to transfer good practices between Member States that have implemented real-time protection measures for women, and what support can the Commission offer so that Romania can develop discreet mobile alert applications, electronic tags for attackers and digital monitoring systems along the lines of VioGén/AlertCops in Spain?
2.What specific financing lines, especially within the CERV programme or other existing mechanisms, can be activated immediately to help Member States to develop these tools, with a focus on countries in central and eastern Europe, where femicide is increasing?
3.How does the Commission intend to monitor the implementation of these measures fairly between Member States, so that women all over the EU, including in Romania, can benefit effectively from real-time protection, and not just from limited pilot projects?
Priority question for written answer P-002466/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Gabriela Firea (S&D)
In the space of less than a month, two pregnant women in Romania were killed by their partners. These shattering tragedies oblige us to act decisively to prevent such incidents and protect women in real time.
Therefore:
1.How does the Commission intend to transfer good practices between Member States that have implemented real-time protection measures for women, and what support can the Commission offer so that Romania can develop discreet mobile alert applications, electronic tags for attackers and digital monitoring systems along the lines of VioGén/AlertCops in Spain?
2.What specific financing lines, especially within the CERV programme or other existing mechanisms, can be activated immediately to help Member States to develop these tools, with a focus on countries in central and eastern Europe, where femicide is increasing?
3.How does the Commission intend to monitor the implementation of these measures fairly between Member States, so that women all over the EU, including in Romania, can benefit effectively from real-time protection, and not just from limited pilot projects?
Since 2015, the Commission and the EU Agencies active in the field of migration[1] have provided significant operational support, while the financial support made available to Greece under the Home Affairs Funds is over EUR 5 billion[2], providing Greece with the means for an ambitious and comprehensive migration management policy.
In the context of the reform of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the EU has a permanent, legally binding but flexible solidarity mechanism as laid down in the Asylum[3] and Migration Management Regulation[4], guaranteeing that no Member State will be left alone when under pressure.
Greece has so far benefitted from various solidarity schemes, for example the relocation schemes established by the 2015 Commission Decisions, the 2020 voluntary relocation scheme[5], and the ongoing Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism (VSM)[6].
The Commission supports external border management through policy, funding, and operational support. This support includes the multiannual strategic policy for European integrated border management by the European Border and Coast Guard[7], strengthened European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) operations, and deploying digitalised systems[8].
Under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, Greece is benefitting from more than EUR 1.1 billion under the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI)[9] to implement measures related to border surveillance and integrated border management.
The Commission also enhances cooperation with third countries and implements crisis response mechanisms to address irregular migration, migrant smuggling, and security risks.
Finally, the management of EU external borders is closely linked to the Pact on Migration and Asylum, particularly through the Screening Regulation[10] and contingency planning.
[1] EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).
[2] During the 2014-2020 programming period, more than EUR 3.39 billion were made available to Greece to manage migration and borders under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the Internal Security Fund (ISF- Borders and Visa, Police) and the Emergency Support Instrument (ESI). Under the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework, so far more than EUR 1.66 billion have been made available under the Home Affairs Funds (AMIF, Border Management and Visa Policy Instrument, ISF) to support the implementation of existing and upcoming priorities in the area of migration, border management and internal security.
[3] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a New Pact on Migration and Asylum, COM/2020/609 final.
[4] Regulation (EU) 2024/1351 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on asylum and migration management, amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1147 and (EU) 2021/1060 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 604/2013, PE/21/2024/REV/1, OJ L, 2024/1351, 22.5.2024; ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1351/oj.
[5] More than 5,300 vulnerable persons were relocated from Greece, including 1,500 unaccompanied minors (UAMs).
[7] The national authorities of Member States responsible for border management, including coast guards to the extent that they carry out border control tasks, the national authorities responsible for return and Frontex constitute the European Border and Coast Guard.
[8] Like the Entry Exit System and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System.
[9] Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy PE/57/2021/INIT, OJ L 251, 15.7.2021, p. 48-93.
[10] Regulation (EU) 2024/1356 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 introducing the screening of third-country nationals at the external borders and amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EU) 2017/2226, (EU) 2018/1240 and (EU) 2019/817, PE/20/2024/REV/1, OJ L, 2024/1356, 22.5.2024.
On Tuesday, 15 July 2025, from 11:00 to 12:30 in Brussels (room Antall 2Q2), the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) will hold a public hearing on the implications of the decisions of the ICJ and ICC on the EU’s role in supporting a peaceful solution for the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. This hearing intends to clarify the overall situation and to provide both legal and political insights in the search for constructive EU positions on the matter.
The experts invited are Gleider Hernández, Professor of Public International Law, KU Leuven and Michael Meier, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center (GULC) and Associate Fellow. Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
The loan will co-finance projects included in the 2021-2027 plan of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and other EU funds.
The EIB loan will enable the Andalusia regional government to co-finance projects in various provinces of the region, from healthcare and education infrastructure improvement to sustainable urban transport and digitalisation.
The agreement highlights efforts to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion, one of the EIB Group’s cross-cutting strategic priorities.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €133 million loan with the Andalusia regional government (the Junta de Andalucía) to co-finance social, green and digital investment in the Spanish region. The EIB loan and co-financing from the Junta de Andalucía will make it possible to back projects contributing to the dual green and digital transition, social infrastructure development, jobs and training, and cohesion in Andalusia.
The loan is part of the EU operational programme for cohesion policy funding 2021-2027, particularly the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the Just Transition Fund.
The loan will co-finance projects in various provinces of the autonomous community, including the renovation and improvement of infrastructure like hospitals, health centres, music conservatories or primary and secondary schools where climate change adaptation works will also be undertaken; job incentives, training and labour inclusion; support for research, development and innovation in universities; and digitalisation, sustainable urban mobility and energy transition projects.
The agreement highlights the commitment of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) to economic, social and territorial cohesion, which is one of the cross-cutting priorities set out in the Group’s strategic roadmap for 2024-2027. All the projects will be implemented in Andalusia, which is considered to be a cohesion region by the European Union.
This is the third loan signed by the Junta de Andalucía and the EIB under the 2021-2027 plan of the European Regional Development Fund, with the first €195 million loan being signed in December 2022, and the second €215 million loan signed in April 2024.
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and 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-impactprojects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
In Spain, the EIB Group signed €12.3 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024. This financing is contributing to the green and digital transition , economic growth, competitiveness and improved services for citizens in Spain.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of the EIB Group’s headquarters for media use are available here.
The loan will co-finance projects included in the 2021-2027 plan of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and other EU funds.
The EIB loan will enable the Andalusia regional government to co-finance projects in various provinces of the region, from healthcare and education infrastructure improvement to sustainable urban transport and digitalisation.
The agreement highlights efforts to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion, one of the EIB Group’s cross-cutting strategic priorities.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €133 million loan with the Andalusia regional government (the Junta de Andalucía) to co-finance social, green and digital investment in the Spanish region. The EIB loan and co-financing from the Junta de Andalucía will make it possible to back projects contributing to the dual green and digital transition, social infrastructure development, jobs and training, and cohesion in Andalusia.
The loan is part of the EU operational programme for cohesion policy funding 2021-2027, particularly the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the Just Transition Fund.
The loan will co-finance projects in various provinces of the autonomous community, including the renovation and improvement of infrastructure like hospitals, health centres, music conservatories or primary and secondary schools where climate change adaptation works will also be undertaken; job incentives, training and labour inclusion; support for research, development and innovation in universities; and digitalisation, sustainable urban mobility and energy transition projects.
The agreement highlights the commitment of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) to economic, social and territorial cohesion, which is one of the cross-cutting priorities set out in the Group’s strategic roadmap for 2024-2027. All the projects will be implemented in Andalusia, which is considered to be a cohesion region by the European Union.
This is the third loan signed by the Junta de Andalucía and the EIB under the 2021-2027 plan of the European Regional Development Fund, with the first €195 million loan being signed in December 2022, and the second €215 million loan signed in April 2024.
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and 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-impactprojects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
In Spain, the EIB Group signed €12.3 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024. This financing is contributing to the green and digital transition , economic growth, competitiveness and improved services for citizens in Spain.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of the EIB Group’s headquarters for media use are available here.
Question for written answer E-002411/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE)
Since 2022, tens of thousands of wild animals, mostly protected species, are reported to have been exported to the ‘Vantara’ zoological complex, located within an oil refinery complex in India. Numerous sources indicate that these exports do not comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) requirements, particularly for species listed in Appendix I. The European Union is among the main exporters, having sent over 5 400 specimens from its Member States. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also implicated: chimpanzees, declared as captive-bred by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) despite the lack of known CITES-compliant breeding facilities, are being exported to Vantara. Yet the ICCN receives significant EU funding for conservation projects.
The CITES Secretariat has been tasked with investigating this matter, while non-governmental organisations are urging the Commission to take action.
1.What checks has the Commission carried out to ensure the legality of exports from the EU?
2.What evaluations have been carried out concerning the ICCN, and does the Commission plan to suspend its funding until the CITES technical assessment and verification mission is completed?
Question for written answer E-002411/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE)
Since 2022, tens of thousands of wild animals, mostly protected species, are reported to have been exported to the ‘Vantara’ zoological complex, located within an oil refinery complex in India. Numerous sources indicate that these exports do not comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) requirements, particularly for species listed in Appendix I. The European Union is among the main exporters, having sent over 5 400 specimens from its Member States. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also implicated: chimpanzees, declared as captive-bred by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) despite the lack of known CITES-compliant breeding facilities, are being exported to Vantara. Yet the ICCN receives significant EU funding for conservation projects.
The CITES Secretariat has been tasked with investigating this matter, while non-governmental organisations are urging the Commission to take action.
1.What checks has the Commission carried out to ensure the legality of exports from the EU?
2.What evaluations have been carried out concerning the ICCN, and does the Commission plan to suspend its funding until the CITES technical assessment and verification mission is completed?
Question for written answer E-002426/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Dick Erixon (ECR)
The European Court of Auditors’ Review 03/2025 highlights a growing mismatch between the EU’s expanding financial ambitions and its capacity for effective oversight. With calls for a larger post-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) to fund new priorities and crisis responses, the review stresses that this must be accompanied by strengthened audit and control mechanisms. The experience of NextGenerationEU demonstrated that neither the Court of Auditors nor national audit institutions were sufficiently resourced to fully cover the surge in spending.
This concern is reinforced by the Court’s finding of a record-high error rate in EU spending in recent years, signalling increasing risks to sound financial management.
In the light of this:
1.How does the Commission intend to ensure that increases in the post-2027 EU budget are accompanied by a proportional strengthening of audit and control capacity?
2.Will the Commission commit to linking future budget expansions to guaranteed increases in resources for the European Court of Auditors and relevant national bodies?
3.What concrete steps will the Commission take to reduce error rates and ensure effective use of EU funds under the next MFF?
Question for written answer E-002405/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Viktória Ferenc (PfE), Tamás Deutsch (PfE), Kinga Gál (PfE), Enikő Győri (PfE), András Gyürk (PfE), Annamária Vicsek (PfE), András László (PfE), György Hölvényi (PfE), Csaba Dömötör (PfE), Ernő Schaller-Baross (PfE), Pál Szekeres (PfE)
The ongoing war in Ukraine has had a severe impact on society as a whole, including women on the home front. Due to mass conscription and the constant existential threat of war, many of these women are alone, left caring for multigenerational families under increasing psychological strain. Rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD and burnout are rising.
At the same time, women belonging to the Ukraine’s Hungarian community often face additional linguistic and cultural barriers that limit their access to appropriate mental health services. Identity – especially cultural, national and linguistic identity – is one of the most powerful psychological protective factors, especially in crisis situations. Any efforts to promote mental health regeneration must recognise that mental health interventions cannot work in a culturally neutral environment.
1.What concrete measures has the Commission taken, or is it planning to take, to ensure targeted, linguistically and culturally accessible mental health support for Hungarian women in Transcarpathia, in view of the war-related challenges and the heightened vulnerability of these women?
2.When does the Commission plan to publish the EU4Health 2025 work programme, and how will it support mental health interventions targeting national minority populations in war-affected areas, such as the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia?
Question for written answer E-002422/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Liudas Mažylis (PPE)
Since the Russian Federation began its occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in 2022, this piece of strategically important infrastructure has become the focus of constant military action and geopolitical blackmail. On 6 June 2025, Russian nuclear energy chief Alexey Likhachev informed the IAEA that a detailed plan to restart the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had been drawn up. There have also been reports that Russia intends to disconnect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from Ukraine’s electricity grid and integrate it into Russia’s energy system. Given Russia’s ongoing military operations around the nuclear power plant, restarting it would only increase the risk of a nuclear disaster.
In light of this, could the Commission answer the following questions:
1.Is the Commission aware of Russia’s plans to restart the reactors at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and has an assessment been carried out in cooperation with the IAEA on the possible consequences for nuclear safety?
2.How does the Commission assess the role of Rosatom in this process, and would it consider urgently adding this company and its subsidiaries in Europe to the EU sanctions list for its direct involvement in the reckless operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant?
3.Given that some Member States, such as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland, have already imposed national sanctions on Rosatom and its management, will the Commission consider adopting measures to coordinate these national decisions at EU level in order to ensure the overall effectiveness of the sanctions regime?
Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, was arrested today and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents, since February 2025, Akhtar has been communicating online with a law enforcement-controlled individual, whom Akhtar believed was a member of ISIS. In these conversations, Akhtar voiced his support for ISIS and jihad, expressed a desire to travel overseas to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send guns and money to ISIS.
In April 2025, during this investigation, Akhtar demonstrated a desire to provide support for ISIS and did so by providing financial funding on multiple occasions. After a few payments, the law enforcement-controlled individual indicated that ISIS had procured several guns with the money Akhtar had sent. In his response, Akhtar said, “may Allah destroy our enemies” and affirmed that he would send more money that same day.
Akhtar also talked about planning acts of violence, including conducting an attack against a specific individual and an attack utilizing homemade explosives. He said he “want[s] to die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels]” and asked for instructions on how to make a homemade explosive device in order “to make a boom” at a populated event.
Then, on June 23, 2025, Akhtar met with an individual he believed was an ISIS associate, but who was actually an undercover employee. Akhtar provided clothing, binoculars, $400 cash, two loaded guns, and six additional magazines. Akhtar then swore bayat (a pledge of loyalty) to ISIS.
If convicted, Akhtar faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Sacramento Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Headline: Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition headset launches in collaboration with Meta
Over the past several years, Xbox has expanded the Xbox cloud gaming experience to more places and more players. Since the announcement of the Xbox app on Quest, our goal has been to empower more people to play their favorite games whenever and wherever they want. Today, with the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, we are bringing this vision to life with a new design that celebrates Xbox’s iconic aesthetic.
Question for written answer E-002425/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Dick Erixon (ECR)
The European Court of Auditors’ Review 03/2025 highlights several structural weaknesses in the current multiannual financial framework (MFF) that should be addressed in the post-2027 period. These include the insufficient flexibility of the budget to respond to crises, the proliferation of instruments outside the MFF, and a lack of clarity concerning accountability for new tools such as NextGenerationEU. The review also stresses the need for better alignment between political priorities and financial programming, and the importance of strengthening transparency, parliamentary oversight and performance orientation.
In the light of these concerns:
1.How does the Commission intend to strengthen budgetary unity and democratic accountability in the design of the post-2027 MFF?
2.What measures will be taken to ensure that future crisis instruments remain within the MFF and under proper parliamentary scrutiny?
3.Will the Commission commit to a comprehensive review of spending effectiveness and institutional transparency before proposing the next MFF?
Question for written answer E-002425/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Dick Erixon (ECR)
The European Court of Auditors’ Review 03/2025 highlights several structural weaknesses in the current multiannual financial framework (MFF) that should be addressed in the post-2027 period. These include the insufficient flexibility of the budget to respond to crises, the proliferation of instruments outside the MFF, and a lack of clarity concerning accountability for new tools such as NextGenerationEU. The review also stresses the need for better alignment between political priorities and financial programming, and the importance of strengthening transparency, parliamentary oversight and performance orientation.
In the light of these concerns:
1.How does the Commission intend to strengthen budgetary unity and democratic accountability in the design of the post-2027 MFF?
2.What measures will be taken to ensure that future crisis instruments remain within the MFF and under proper parliamentary scrutiny?
3.Will the Commission commit to a comprehensive review of spending effectiveness and institutional transparency before proposing the next MFF?
Question for written answer E-002409/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Özlem Demirel (The Left)
In 2023, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) published a brochure titled ‘My guidebook on return’ to prepare children, young people and unaccompanied minors for their removal. Until recently widely overlooked, the illustrated publication trivialises the coercive measure of deportation with child-friendly language and colourful images, as if it were an exciting adventure.
1.Who was tasked respectively with producing, designing, translating and printing the brochure, and what resources were spent on it?
2.When, in what volume and in which languages were the brochures published, and where are they handed out in printed form?
3.How does Frontex respond to the criticism that the brochure does not speak openly about the return process, thus concealing the reality of the often traumatising measures?
Question for written answer E-002413/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Marco Squarta (ECR), Pietro Fiocchi (ECR), Ruggero Razza (ECR), Mario Mantovani (ECR), Francesco Torselli (ECR), Alberico Gambino (ECR), Carlo Ciccioli (ECR), Paolo Inselvini (ECR), Francesco Ventola (ECR), Daniele Polato (ECR), Sergio Berlato (ECR), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR), Lara Magoni (ECR), Denis Nesci (ECR)
The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has had serious educational consequences in recent months in that it has jeopardised access to higher education for thousands of young people. Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/817 governing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2021‑2027 provides for the possibility of targeted measures being triggered in crisis situations or exceptional circumstances so as to ensure continuity of education.
Such flexibility has already been used in response to the Ukraine crisis, through ad hoc measures such as Erasmus 4Ukraine, extraordinary scholarships and facilitated mobility.
In view of the need to support the right to education of young people impacted by conflicts in order to promote academic cohesion, resilience and cooperation at international level, it would be appropriate to consider extraordinary instruments for Gaza too, without ignoring the need to carefully check that all the requisite security conditions are fulfilled.
In the light of the above, can the Commission state whether it plans to assess, within the framework of the Erasmus+ Regulation and its flexibility clauses, the possibility of triggering an extraordinary call for proposals or specific measures to support the academic mobility of students from Gaza, conceivably also through hybrid (online or in person) learning, in partnership with European universities?
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)
Today, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) reintroduced the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act. This legislation will help restore the original purpose of the National Wildlife Refuge System as a haven for wildlife by prohibiting the use of cruel body-gripping traps on these public, protected lands.
“When Americans visit their local National Wildlife Refuges, most expect to enjoy nature without worrying that they—or their pets—will fall victim to a dangerous trap,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler. “However, trapping is still allowed in many of the more than 570 refuges across the country, putting people, pets, and endangered species in danger of serious injury. These cruel devices have no place on protected public lands, and my bill will make sure our refuges are safe from this inhumane practice.”
“Why should anyone – people, companion animals, or wildlife – have to fear stepping into a bone-crushing trap while enjoying our nation’s beautiful wildlife refuge system?” said Susan Millward, AWI’s executive director and CEO. “Public lands belong to all of us — not just the select few who wish to set traps that smash limbs or agonizingly strangle airways. Thank you to Representative Nadler for your commitment to ending the use of cruel traps in our country’s refuges.”
“Traps cause painful and frightening deaths to animals who should be protected in our National Wildlife Refuge System. Some animals might be killed quickly, but many suffer for hours and even days. Animals who die by the trappers’ hands might be shot or bludgeoned to death. Those who escape – sometimes by gnawing off their own paws – might later succumb to injury from infection. Every element of trapping is cruel. It is time that we brought an end to this archaic practice once and for all.” said Angela Grimes, CEO of Born Free USA. “
Original cosponsors of the bill include Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Grace Meng (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Don Beyer (D-VA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Sean Casten (D-IL)
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, pressed U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a congressional hearing on how Medicaid cuts proposed by Republicans in Congress and supported by President Donald Trump will cause hospital closures and service cuts. “People are going to die. These hospitals are going to close. Labor and delivery units are going to disappear. If mental health services are stripped away, that’s the consequence of your policies,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “And you’ve already shown that you don’t have a grip on your department. You don’t know basic things that are on your website or programs that are closing.” CLICK HERE or the image below to view Trahan’s line of questioning. A transcript is embedded below.
According to an analysis issued by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, the Republican reconciliation proposal backed by the Trump Administration will place more than 300 rural hospitals at risk of closure or severe service reductions. Specifically, steep cuts to Medicaid and provisions limiting states’ ability to invest in hospitals that serve predominantly lower-income and Medicaid-covered patient populations will undermine rural and community hospitals that already operate on the thinnest of margins. In Massachusetts, at least one rural hospital – Bay State Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield – will be at immediate risk of closing or cutting services. Other community hospitals, particularly those operating in Gateway Cities, will also be devastated. According to Third Way, Massachusetts hospitals will lose over $177 million in hospital revenue under the GOP legislation, including $19 million for Massachusetts General Hospital, $19 million for Boston Medical Center, $15 million for UMass Memorial Medical Center, $11.8 million for Brigham and Women’s Hospital, $4.3 million for Lowell General Hospital, $3.4 million for Lawrence General Hospital, and $2 million for Holy Family Hospital. Republicans’ reconciliation package, crafted behind closed doors with President Trump and voted on in the House just hours after the text was released, would strip health care away from 16 million Americans and cut billions in federal Medicaid and Affordable Care Act funding to states. According to the independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will explode the deficit by $3.8 trillion due to its tax provisions that will increase incomes for the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans while decreasing take home pay for the poorest 10 percent. A separate analysis projects 5.4 million people will be forced into medical debt under the legislation, increasing the total medical debt held by Americans by $50 billion. ————————————— Congresswoman Lori Trahan Remarks as Delivered House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing: “The Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Health and Human Services Budget” June 24, 2025 Trahan: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, during your confirmation, you told Senator Barrasso that rural hospitals are “closing at an extraordinary rate.” You called them economic drivers – lifelines in our communities – and you gave your word to protect them. Republicans on this Committee also promised they wouldn’t support a bill that led to more closures. Yet here we are. The Republican tax bill slashes Medicaid and the ACA by over a trillion dollars, leaving 16 million more people uninsured and driving up uncompensated care. At the same time, it guts provider taxes and state-directed payments, the few tools that states have to keep hospitals afloat. Cutting coverage and cutting payments – well that’s a perfect storm for closures, Mr. Secretary. So yes or no, with Republicans in Congress set to cut more than a trillion dollars and counting from our health care system, will hospitals be forced to cut services or close altogether? Kennedy: We’re not cutting coverage for any American patient. Trahan: Well, it sounds like you don’t want to admit the reality that your department – Kennedy: I’m happy to explain if you want to give me a chance. Trahan: Well, that’s part of my next question. I want to hear what your funding mechanism looks like, because hospitals across the country have warned that this bill is what they referred to as a “death knell,” even before Republicans in the Senate doubled the cuts in provider taxes and state directed payments, bringing estimates of hospital uncompensated care alone to more than $443 billion. Hospitals are raising a huge warning flag that the Big Ugly Bill will result in closures and service reductions across the country, in all our communities. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record several of their statements and analyses. Mr. Secretary, if you claim the hospitals in our districts that are already operating in the red and serving mostly Medicaid and Medicare patients are going to survive then where exactly is that money going to come from? What is your plan to keep them open and deliver the same level of service? Kennedy: Well the issue of state directed payments, I think as you understand, is a complicated one because the essential agreement under Medicare is that the states will pay a certain amount and the federal government will pay a certain amount. The states have learned to game that – some states – have learned to game that system so the federal government is paying a hundred percent. Trahan: If you could just get to the part where when that revenue stream is cut, how are you going to ensure that services aren’t cut and hospitals don’t close? I mean, many times there’s just no alternative on the table for a funding mechanism. So, what’s your plan? Kennedy: Well, that is a decision ultimately that’s got to come from Congress, so that’s going to be up to you. But what I would say to you is that I would like to work with you on this because it’s a complicated issue. It’s not that simple. Trahan: I’m happy to work with you on this, Mr. Secretary, but this is going to happen in the next couple of weeks. And if there isn’t a funding mechanism in place – if there isn’t an act of Congress to replace that revenue stream – hospitals are going to close. People are going to die. When hospitals are pushed to the brink, they cut maternity wards, they cut mental health, they cut emergency rooms. That’s who they cut first. This isn’t hypothetical – it’s already happening. From 2011 to ‘23, dozens of hospitals in states like Iowa and Texas eliminated obstetrics entirely. These are Medicaid-department services, and under Donald Trump’s bill, they’re the first to go. And it’s not just rural hospitals. We’re seeing it in my district, too. The only maternity ward in North Central Massachusetts shut down last year. Then the collapse of Steward forced two more hospitals to close, including one that served thousands of families. Boston Children’s, one of the best in the country, is also at risk. Your budget slashes Medicaid, which covers over 40 percent of kids, and eliminates programs that trains most pediatricians. Hospitals are already bracing – they’re pausing projects, they’re canceling expansions, they’re shelving cost-saving investments. The chaos that your budget creates, including decimating NIH, is driving up costs. Kennedy: We’re not cutting Medicaid. There’s no cuts to Medicaid. There’s simply restrictions to the growth of Medicaid over the next decade. Trahan: People are going to lose their coverage. Uncompensated care is going to rise. Hospitals are not prepared for that reality. Look, here’s the truth. People are going to die. These hospitals are going to close. Labor and delivery units are going to disappear. If mental health services are stripped away, that’s the consequence of your policies. And you’ve already shown that you don’t have a grip on your department. You don’t know basic things that are on your website or programs that are closing. ###
Technology Helps Overcome Affordability Barriers to Wider Use and Manufacturing of a High-Value Material Found in Aircraft, Bicycles, Cars, and More
Ajinkya Pal (left), Sydney Reiber, Stephen Dempsey, and Ciaran Lahive are part of a team of researchers from the BOTTLE consortium at NREL that is developing a robust method to break down composite carbon fibers, keeping the waste out of landfills. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL
Deconstructing epoxy resins with hot acetic acid has the potential to provide a scalable and affordable solution for recycling a material used in a range of high-value consumer products, according to new research from the Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE) consortium.
Carbon fiber composites (CFCs) are high-strength, low-weight materials made from epoxy-amine resins that encase long carbon fibers. CFCs enable lighter and more efficient bicycles, planes, and automobiles and are a critical component of the pressure vessels used for compressed natural gas shipping and storage. However, the cost and energy-intensive production of CFCs limits their application, and there is a near total lack of scalable and economically viable recycling methods for these important materials.
CFCs are generally made with epoxy-amine resins, similar in chemistry to many epoxies commonly found in hardware stores. These composites form a stiff and resistant plastic, but also one that cannot be dissolved or melted. While the resins are relatively cheap, the fibers they surround are not, so the resulting composites are quite expensive—many CFCs can cost well over $50 per pound.
“For a reasonable analogy, imagine a cake,” said Stephen Dempsey, a postdoctoral researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and one of the first authors of the study. “Once the egg, flour, and sugar are in the batter and that cake is baked, it’s basically impossible to get them back out. It is similar here: The resin is chemically interlocked, and the bonds are quite strong. We have to do something intense to get the fibers out, but we also must be careful not to degrade the chemicals in the resin beyond what’s necessary, as that would waste all the time, energy, and raw materials that went into making them in the first place.”
But even then, there is a bit more complexity than in baking, because these resins are often made of highly complex mixtures of molecules. Some of these compounds are common, and shared across many industries that use CFCs, but others are not. In addition, it is currently challenging to identify exactly what the resin chemistry is before recycling. A recycling method for CFCs must therefore be extremely robust and capable of handling diverse resin formulations.
The BOTTLE team’s solution ended up being surprisingly simple. Hot acetic acid, the same compound that is found in vinegar, can cleave all the key bonds within these resins. Former NREL postdoctoral researcher Ciaran Lahive (now at University of Manchester), and co-first author on this study, demonstrated this reaction during an intensive reaction screening effort for another project.
The team learned something remarkable: Not only do the polymer networks in the resin solubilize rapidly, but the acetic acid also stabilizes their chemical components, enabling high yields of reusable chemical building blocks. Extensive optimization work from NREL interns Katie Stevenson (now at Columbia University) and Sydney Reiber (now at the University of Graz) led to a process effective on end-of-life waste from a variety of industries.
Importantly, the researchers also determined there was no impact on the strength of the recycled carbon fibers (rCF), which is critical to ensuring they retain their value after being extracted from the composite. To demonstrate this, they took 80 grams of a scrap mountain-bike frame made of composite material and deconstructed it. Using the carbon fibers they had just extracted, they then made new composites that exhibited more than twice the strength-to-weight ratio of steel.
Not only is the cost of rCF predicted to be quite low compared to virgin fiber, with a price of just $1.50 per kilogram, but the energy consumption is also practically zero when factoring in the recovered epoxy building blocks. The process is not limited to CFC only—glass fiber composites like those found in turbine blades, boat hulls, or automobile bumpers and hoods could also be treated.
“Long-term, this technology could be used to create value from challenging composite waste streams that are currently piling up in landfills,” said BOTTLE CEO Gregg Beckham, the senior author of the study and a senior research fellow at NREL. “Current technologies are not yet able to make a dent in that waste stream, but we think that this process could be useful for this application as well.”
The discovery holds the potential to energize the U.S. composite manufacturing industry.
“If we can scale this process and deploy it in the real world, we see no reason that whole panels on cars or trains couldn’t be made of rCF composites instead of steel or aluminum,” Dempsey said.
The paper, “Acetolysis of epoxy-amine resins for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer recycling,” appears in the journal Nature. The other coauthors from NREL are William Michener, Hannah Alt, Kelsey Ramirez, Erik Rognerud, Clarissa Lincoln, Ryan Clarke, Nicholas Rorrer, and Katrina Knauer.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office and Bioenergy Technologies Office, the work was performed as part of the BOTTLE consortium. Additional funding was provided as part of a BOTTLE funding opportunity announcement with the University of Delaware’s Center for Composite Materials.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Deshawn I. Donson, 21, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on charges related to eighteen armed robberies of gas stations and convenience stores in Escambia County. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Donson is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida on June 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
The Indictment charges Donson with Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence, Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon for eighteen armed robberies between 2022 – 2025.
Court documents reflect that Donson was captured by law enforcement after an armed robbery on May 18, 2025, which resulted in a high-speed vehicle chase and a vehicle immobilization technique utilized by sheriff’s deputies to stop and apprehend Donson.
If convicted, Donson faces up to life imprisonment.
The case is jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pensacola Police Department; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jennifer H. Callahan.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.