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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – European Parliament Press Kit for the European Council of 17 and 18 October 2024

    Source: European Parliament

    European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will represent the European Parliament at the summit, where she will address the heads of state or government at 10.00 and hold a press conference after her speech.

    When: Press conference at around 11.00 on 17 October

    Where: European Council press room and via Parliament’s webstreaming or EbS.

    At their meeting in Brussels, heads of state or government will discuss how the EU can continue supporting Kyiv against Russian aggression, and the EU’s response to the latest events in the Middle East, where Israeli forces continue their attacks on Gaza and in Lebanon, while Iran has launched missiles against Israel. EU leaders will also focus on making the European economy more competitive, following the publication of Mario Draghi’s report, which calls for a boost in public investment and wide-ranging economic reforms. They will also discuss ways to manage migration flows and ensure border protection, climate change and biodiversity, and the situation in Georgia, Moldova, Venezuela and Sudan.

    Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel / Escalating violence in the Middle East

    President Metsola marked the one-year anniversary of terrorist attacks in Israel at the opening of the 7-10 October plenary session in Strasbourg. Recalling the horror of that day “that will live in infamy”, President Metsola said nothing could ever justify the indiscriminate mass murder, rape, kidnapping and torture that occurred one year ago. Since then, too few have been able to make it back to their loved ones – “this house will continue to do what we can to help bring them all home”, she said.

    The 7 October attacks triggered a cycle of war, death and devastation that has seen thousands killed in Gaza, and instability across the region, President Metsola stated. In remembering all those lost and taken, the President added that “Parliament’s calls for the immediate release of the remaining hostages will remain steadfast, our calls for ceasefire will remain resolute, and our efforts towards de-escalation will remain strong.” The work for real, dignified, long-term and sustainable peace will remain unwavering, she concluded. MEPs held a minute of silence in memory of all the innocent lives lost.

    In a resolution adopted on 25 April, MEPs strongly condemn the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel and call for further sanctions against Iran. Parliament voices serious concern over the escalation and threat to regional security. MEPs reiterate their full support for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens and condemn the simultaneous rocket launches carried out by Iran’s proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen against the Golan Heights and Israeli territory before and during the Iranian attack.

    At the same time, they deplore the attack on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on 1 April, which is widely attributed to Israel. The resolution recalls the importance of the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, which must be respected in all cases under international law.

    Further reading

    Parliament marks one year from the October 7th attacks in Israel

    Parliament condemns Iran’s attack on Israel and calls for de-escalation

    Parliament calls on Israel to open all crossings to Gaza for humanitarian aid

    Israel-Hamas war: MEPs call for a permanent ceasefire under two conditions


    MEPs condemn Hamas attack on Israel and call for a humanitarian pause

    Resolution: The despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Israel’s right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza

    President Metsola at the European Council: EU must remain coherent and united

    Leading MEPs condemn attack by Hamas terrorists against Israel

    MEPs to contact

    David McALLISTER, (EPP, DE), Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Marie-Agnes STRACK-ZIMMERMANN (Renew, DE), Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence

    Russia’s war against Ukraine

    On 14 October, MEPs on the Trade Committee endorsed the Commission’s proposal to support Ukraine with an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan of up to €35 billion. This is the EU’s contribution under the G7’s initiative to support Ukraine with up to $50 billion (approximately €45 billion) to address Ukraine’s urgent financing needs in the face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression. The repayment of this exceptional MFA loan and of the loans from other G7 countries will come from the extraordinary revenues made from immobilised Russian Central Bank assets, and enabled by the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, newly established under the Commission’s proposal. The plenary vote is scheduled during next week’s session in Strasbourg.

    In a resolution adopted on 19 September, MEPs want EU countries to lift current restrictions hindering Ukraine from using Western weapons systems against legitimate military targets in Russia. The text states that if current restrictions are not lifted, Ukraine cannot fully exercise its right to self-defence and remains exposed to attacks on its population and infrastructure. Parliament underlines that insufficient deliveries of ammunition and restrictions on their use risks offsetting the impact of efforts made to date, and deplores that EU countries are offering less bilateral military aid to Ukraine. MEPs reiterate their call for member states to fulfil their March 2023 commitment to deliver one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine, and to accelerate the delivery of weapons, air defence systems and ammunition, including TAURUS missiles. They also restate their position that all EU countries and NATO allies should collectively and individually commit to annual military support for Ukraine of no less than 0.25% of their GDP.

    While calling on the EU and its member states to actively work towards achieving the broadest possible international support for Ukraine and identifying a peaceful solution to the war, MEPs say that any resolution must be based on full respect for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also view holding Russia accountable for war crimes and reparations, and other payments by Moscow, as essential aspects of any solution. To this end, MEPs want the EU and like-minded partners to establish a sound legal regime to confiscate Russian state-owned assets frozen by the EU as part of efforts to compensate Ukraine for the massive damage it has suffered.

    With Russia’s war against Ukraine raging on, Parliament reconfirmed on 17 July its view that the EU must continue to support Kyiv for as long as it takes until victory. The resolution, which sets out the newly-elected European Parliament’s first official position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, restates MEPs’ continued support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. It calls on the EU to maintain and extend its sanctions policy against Russia and Belarus, monitor and review its effectiveness and impact, and systematically tackle the issue of EU-based companies, third parties, and third countries that circumvent sanctions.

    Further reading

    Ukraine: Trade Committee endorses financial support backed by Russian assets

    MEPs: Ukraine must be able to strike legitimate military targets in Russia

    Newly elected Parliament reaffirms its strong support for Ukraine

    MEPs approve trade support measures for Ukraine with protection for EU farmers

    Joint Statement by the Presidents of the European Union Institutions on the occasion of the 2 year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Parliament calls on the EU to give Ukraine whatever it needs to defeat Russia

    EU sanctions: new rules to crack down on violations

    MEPs: EU must actively support Russia’s democratic opposition

    Yulia Navalnaya: “If you want to defeat Putin, fight his criminal gang”

    Debate 12 March 2024: Preparation of the European Council meeting of 21 and 22 March 2024

    Debate 13 March 2024: Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia

    Parliament wants tougher enforcement of EU sanctions against Russia

    A long-term solution for Ukraine’s funding needs

    How the EU is supporting Ukraine

    EU stands with Ukraine

    MEPs to contact

    David McALLISTER, (EPP, DE) Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Marie-Agnes STRACK-ZIMMERMANN (Renew, DE), Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence

    Karin KARLSBRO (Renew, SE), rapporteur on macro-financial assistance to Ukraine

    Competitiveness

    On 17 September, Mario Draghi outlined his blueprint for making Europe more competitive through closer cooperation in core areas and massive investment in shared objectives.

    Mr Draghi said that the EU needed to focus on three crucial issues: closing the innovation gap with the US and China; developing a joint plan to link the goal of decarbonisation with increased competitiveness; and boosting Europe’s security and reducing its dependence on foreign economic powers. A fit-for-purpose competitiveness agenda would require annual funding of between EUR 750 – EUR 800 billion for projects whose objectives were already agreed upon by the EU. Some of this money could come from private sources, but some would also need to be secured through public investment, including by new common debt issued specifically to fund key joint projects, Mr Draghi said.

    In a debate following Mr Draghi’s address, many MEPs agreed with his analysis that the EU economy must urgently change course. The EU should focus, they argued, on competition and innovation in key industries, along with more public and private investments in social, green and digital transformations. Some MEPs called for greater sovereignty and freer markets, and stressed that fighting climate change sabotages the EU economy. Others observed that growth is compatible with clean innovative technologies and social investment, to help citizens to learn new skills.

    Further reading

    Draghi to MEPs: “Europe faces a choice between exit, paralysis, or integration”

    MEPs adopt plans to boost Europe’s Net-Zero technology production

    New EU fiscal rules approved by MEPs

    MEPs to contact

    Borys Budka (EPP, PL), Chair Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

    Migration

    During a press point with the Estonian Prime Minister on 16 October, EP President Roberta Metsola stressed that it is “important that we implement the migration pact. We need to be fair with those eligible for protection, firm with those who are not, and harsh with smugglers and malign states like Belarus or Russia who seek to exploit those most vulnerable. Only a coordinated European approach can ensure the integrity of our borderless Schengen area.”

    On 9 October, Parliament debated how to strengthen the security of Europe’s external borders and the need for a comprehensive approach and enhanced Frontex support. You can watch the debate here. On 7 October, MEPs discussed the reintroduction of internal border controls in a number of member states and its impact on the Schengen Area. Watch the debate here.

    On 10 April, MEPs approved the new Migration and Asylum Pact. The package consists of ten legislative texts to reform the European migration and asylum policy and was agreed with EU member states. You can find the adopted texts here and watch the plenary debate here.

    Further reading

    MEPs approve the new Migration and Asylum Pact

    MEP to contact

    Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES), Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

    Foreign affairs: Georgia, Moldova, Venezuela, Sudan

    In a resolution adopted on 9 October, MEPs say current democratic backsliding in Georgia effectively puts the country’s integration with the EU on hold. The text highlights how the ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed an increasingly authoritarian agenda, including on media freedom and LGBTQ+ rights. Coupled with changes to the country’s electoral legislation and growing anti-EU rhetoric, MEPs say these laws violate the freedom of expression, censor media, impose restrictions on critical voices in civil society and the NGO sector and discriminate against vulnerable people. They also make clear that unless the legislation is rescinded, progress cannot be made in Georgia’s relations with the EU.

    Against the backdrop of the continuing decline of Georgia’s democracy, Parliament demands that all EU funding provided to the Georgian government be frozen until the undemocratic laws are repealed. Any future funding of the Georgian government can only be disbursed under strict conditions, MEPs argue.

    On 9 October, MEPs adopted a resolution issuing a strong warning against continued Russian attempts to derail Moldova’s pro-European trajectory. The text vehemently condemns Russia’s escalating malicious activities, interference and hybrid operations ahead of Moldovans going to the polls to vote in the country’s presidential election and constitutional referendum on EU integration on 20 October. MEPs highlight the role played by a plethora of malicious actors, including pro-Russian Moldovan oligarchs and Russia’s state-funded RT network, in carrying out voter fraud schemes as well as cyber operations and information warfare. They also call on the EU and its member states to ensure that all necessary assistance is provided to Moldova to strengthen its institutional mechanisms and ability to respond to hybrid threats.

    The European Parliament reaffirms its support for Moldova’s path towards EU accession, calling on the European Commission to include the country in the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) and to prioritise funding for EU candidate countries in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034. With EU accession talks with Moldova already having begun, MEPs call for a faster screening process and the timely organisation of the subsequent intergovernmental conferences.

    In a resolution adopted on 19 September, Parliament says the EU should do its utmost to ensure that Edmundo González Urrutia, the legitimate and democratically elected President of Venezuela, can take office on 10 January 2025. MEPs “strongly condemn and fully reject the electoral fraud orchestrated by the regime-controlled National Electoral Council, which refused to make public the official result.” They recognise Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s legitimate and democratically elected president, and María Corina Machado as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela. They also strongly condemn the Venezuelan Government’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Mr González.

    On 8 October, MEPs held a plenary debate on the situation in Sudan. You can watch the debate here.

    Further reading

    Parliament says Georgia’s democracy is at risk

    Resolution: The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia

    Parliament condemns Russia’s interference in Moldova

    Resolution: Strengthening Moldova’s resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration

    Venezuela: MEPs recognise Edmundo González as President

    Resolution: Situation in Venezuela

    MEPs to contact

    David McALLISTER, (EPP, DE) Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Nils UŠAKOVS (S&D, LV), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee

    Climate change and biodiversity

    A Parliament delegation will attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan between 18 and 22 November 2024. MEPs will also adopt a resolution during the 13-14 November plenary session, which will constitute the delegation’s mandate for talks with international partners.

    Parliament will also send a delegation to the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, between 28 and 31 October 2024.

    MEPs to contact

    Lídia PEREIRA (EPP, PT), Chair of the delegation to the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference, Baku, Azerbaijan

    Antonio DECARO (S&D, IT), Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – 2024 Sakharov Prize finalists shortlisted by MEPs

    Source: European Parliament

    Members of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Development committees have chosen the three finalists for the 2024 Sakharov Prize in a vote on Thursday.

    Following the secret ballot, MEPs selected the three finalists for the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. These are, in alphabetical order:

    – Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, academic and anti-corruption activist in Azerbaijan;

    – María Corina Machado, as leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, representing all Venezuelans inside and outside the country fighting to restore freedom and democracy;

    – “Women Wage Peace” and “Women of the Sun”, Israel/Palestine.

    Find the biographies of the candidates and finalists by following this link.

    Next steps

    The Conference of Presidents (EP President Roberta Metsola and the leaders of the political groups) will choose the 2024 laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on Thursday 24 October. The winner(s) will be announced immediately afterwards in the plenary session in Strasbourg.

    The award ceremony, which foresees an endowment of EUR 50 000 for the winner(s), will take place during the December plenary session in Strasbourg.

    Background

    Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, who agreed to his name being used, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the EU’s highest human rights award.

    It has been awarded by Parliament to individuals or organisations every year since 1988, in recognition of their work in one of the following areas: the defence of human rights and fundamental rights, in particular freedom of expression, the safeguarding of minority rights, respect for international law, the development of democracy and the defence of the rule of law.

    Many worthy winners have received the award, including Nelson Mandela and Anatoly Marchenko in the first edition, and also dissidents, political leaders, journalists, lawyers, civil society activists, the United Nations and a child activist for the right to education.

    Several Sakharov Prize laureates have also won the Nobel Peace Prize, such as Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Denis Mukwege and Nadia Mourad.

    For a list of previous winners, click here.
    In 2023, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini and the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement in Iran.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation – B10-0127/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0127/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation

    (2024/2849(RSP))

     

     

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to Article 5(3) of the Treaty on European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC[1] (the Medical Devices Regulation),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU[2] (the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation),

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas public health is and should remain primarily a competence of the Member States;

    B. whereas the implementation of the Medical Devices Regulation has triggered many challenges for manufacturers, notified bodies and healthcare providers;

    C. whereas the current complex and costly regulatory framework jeopardises the availability and affordability of medical devices for patients;

    1. Calls on the Commission to propose a revision of the Medical Devices Regulation and the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation to address the challenges that have emerged in their implementation;

    2. Underlines that the revision of these regulations should take into consideration the views of the stakeholders along the entire value chain;

    3. Stresses that this revision should focus on ensuring the timely availability of medical technologies, a more predictable regulatory system and a reduction in the administrative burden for manufacturers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises;

    4. Emphasises that this revision should also contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the sector, while ensuring a high level of patient safety;

    5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

     

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation – B10-0125/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0125/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation

    (2024/2849(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

     – having regard to Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which provides that ‘a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities’,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC (MDR)[1], and Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU (IVDR)[2],

    – having regard to the Commission’s 2023 implementation report on the MDR/IVDR[3],

    – having regard to the European Medicines Agency’s 2023 Annual Report and its review on market access and safety concerns for medical devices[4],

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices play a crucial role in modern healthcare, directly affecting the health, safety and well-being of millions of patients across the EU;

    B. whereas the introduction of the MDR and the IVDR was intended to strengthen the regulatory framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, ensuring higher standards of safety, transparency and clinical performance, while also fostering innovation in the sector;

    C. whereas despite these aims, significant challenges have been encountered in implementing the MDR and the IVDR, not only leading to delays but also resulting in failures to achieve certification and approval of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, particularly impacting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as resulting in shortages of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, thus restricting patient access to innovative therapeutic and diagnostic technologies;

    D. whereas many stakeholders, especially including SMEs, notified bodies and healthcare providers, have reported difficulties in navigating the complex and costly regulatory procedures under the current MDR and IVDR framework, with potential risks posed to the continuous availability of life-saving medical devices and critical in vitro diagnostic tests in Europe as manufacturers reduce their product portfolios and withdraw from the EU;

    E. whereas recent scientific and market data point to concerns about shortages of capacity among notified bodies, leading to bottlenecks in the certification process, as well as a lack of clarity around the interpretation of several key provisions of the MDR and the IVDR;

    F. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic further exposed vulnerabilities in the EU’s supply chain for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, highlighting the need for more flexible and efficient regulatory mechanisms to ensure timely access to essential devices during public health emergencies;

    G. whereas given the rapid pace of innovation, including advances in digital health, artificial intelligence and personalised medicine, there is an urgent need to revise the MDR and the IVDR in order to accommodate new technologies and ensure that the regulatory framework remains fit for purpose;

    H. whereas practical observations following the adoption of the MDR and the IVDR indicate that significant financial and administrative barriers for orphan and innovative devices stem from the complex procedures of conformity assessment, including obtaining scientific advice, fees required by notified bodies, the extensive and unpredictable duration of the conformity assessment process, and the associated costs;

    I. whereas the MDR and the IVDR also present challenges for maintaining equitable access to devices across all of the Member States, with patients in less economically developed regions facing additional delays in accessing new technologies;

    1. Calls on the Commission to put forward, in the first hundred days of the new mandate, a proposal for a systematic revision of Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR) and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (IVDR);

    2. Recognises the significant contributions of the MDR and the IVDR to enhancing the safety and quality of medical devices, but stresses the need for an urgent review of some of its provisions to address the delays and bottlenecks that are currently hampering access to medical technologies; underlines that the review must aim to make full use of the mechanisms in Article 36(3) MDR to adopt implementing acts in order to resolve issues of divergent interpretation and of practical application to streamline the regulatory process, improve transparency and reduce the bureaucratic burden by eliminating any unnecessary administrative work for notified bodies and manufacturers, particularly SMEs, without compromising on patient safety;

    3. Stresses the importance of increasing the capacity of notified bodies in order to ensure the timely certification of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices; urges the Member States and the Commission to implement measures that significantly increase the speed and efficiency of these bodies in order to address the critical demand in the medical device sector;

    4. Advocates for the abolition of re-certification for lower-risk products, including Class IIa and certain Class IIb devices, which should continue to be valid subject to appropriate surveillance by the notified body;

    5. Asks the Commission also to consider the abolition of re-certification for implantable devices in Class IIb and devices in Class III, provided ongoing compliance with post-market surveillance and periodic safety update reports demonstrate that the devices perform as intended;

    6. Asks the Commission also to consider the abolition of repeated re-certification for in-vitro diagnostic medical devices after an initial re-certification after five years, subject to appropriate surveillance by the notified body;

    7. Advocates for the creation of transparent, harmonised, maximum durations for procedural steps in conformity assessments by notified bodies, which would create legal certainty for manufacturers regarding the market access procedure and its duration within the EU;

    8. Demands the transparency and EU-wide harmonisation of notified bodies’ fees and fee structures, published in a standardised EU dashboard to allow economic operators to compare notified bodies and make informed choices, ensuring that fees remain a fair compensation for the public service provided;

    9. Calls for a revision of the qualification criteria for persons responsible for regulatory compliance (PRRCs) in the MDR and the IVDR; recommends that the criteria be changed to allow practical experience and training as an alternative to academic qualifications, thereby ensuring that a broader range of competencies are considered for the qualification of PRRCs;

    10. Calls for the regulatory adaptation of the MDR and the IVDR to accommodate new technologies; recognises that the current framework of the MDR and the IVDR does not fully accommodate rapid advancements in medical technology, especially in fields such as digital health, AI-driven diagnostics and personalised medical devices; calls for amendments to the MDR and the IVDR to establish clear and fast-track pathways for the approval of innovative technologies, ensuring their safety and performance; proposes the introduction of a prioritisation procedure for innovative medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, including a fast-track approval process for breakthrough devices that are potentially life-saving or otherwise significantly improve the standard of care;

    11. Calls for clear definitions of ‘orphan device,’ ‘orphan population’ and ‘orphan subpopulation’, as determined by the Medical Device Coordination Group in the MDR and the IVDR, to be given in order to provide legal clarity and facilitate the adoption of harmonised measures across the EU, thereby ensuring a high level of safety, quality and transparency in the granting of market access to critical medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices;

    12. Calls for the introduction of simplified rules for niche market (and orphan) medical devices analogous to those in other jurisdictions, such as the US; emphasises the need for less burdensome conformity assessment procedures tailored to medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices serving relatively small markets, such as products for the treatment of children or rare diseases;

    13. Urges the creation of a register to monitor and ensure the safety and efficacy of these niche and orphan devices; suggests, further, the creation of EU-wide clinical registries, or the amalgamation of data from current national registries, in order to gather comprehensive clinical data on small patient groups that benefit from the availability of orphan devices; notes that this initiative aims to enhance the overall quality of care and support manufacturers in collecting necessary clinical data, especially in indications where multiple orphan devices are available, allowing for combined treatment data to be evaluated and published regularly; observes that the goal is to assure maximum transparency and safety while allowing a streamlined and less bureaucratic approach for niche and orphan devices;

    14. Recognises the disproportionate regulatory burden faced by SMEs, which are responsible for the majority of products in the medical device and in vitro diagnostic medical device sector; highlights that this burden threatens to stifle innovation and reduce competition; urges the Commission to develop specific measures to support SMEs, including the provision of model application documents and forms, financial assistance, regulatory guidance and tailored certification pathways that reduce costs and complexity while maintaining high standards of patient safety; proposes the reduction of conformity assessment costs for SMEs by implementing specific provisions such as a reduction in fees, deferral of the payment of fees and provision of administrative assistance through a central EU contact point;

    15. Calls for enhanced flexibility in the regulatory process during public health emergencies; stresses the need for a dynamic regulatory framework capable of a rapid response to public health crises, such as pandemics or unforeseen emergencies; urges the Commission to establish emergency provisions that allow for the temporary streamlining of certification processes for critical medical devices, ensuring that such adjustments do not compromise safety standards, thereby facilitating timely access to essential devices during times of crisis; calls for the Commission, in cooperation with the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response structure, to establish a non-exhaustive list of critical medical devices;

    16. Calls for the establishment of a central governance structure or medical device office within the Commission’s Directorate-General for Health to centralise responsibilities and powers in the designation management and surveillance of notified bodies, the harmonisation of administrative practices, the development of guidance on the implementation and application of EU regulations applicable to medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, and the coordination of the applicability of other EU regulations to medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices with other directorates-general of the Commission;

    17. Calls for a stronger and more harmonised post-market surveillance system that makes use of real-world data and patient feedback to identify and address safety issues more rapidly; encourages, therefore, the establishment of a centralised EU database for post-market data as part of the module for vigilance and post-market surveillance of the European Database on Medical Devices that ensures transparency and facilitates cross-border cooperation in monitoring device performance and addressing risks;

    18. Calls on the Member States to inform the central governance structure or office of the results of notified body audits and specific instructions issued to notified bodies concerning administrative practices and conformity assessment procedures; highlights the need for this central governance structure or office to coordinate Member States’ market surveillance and vigilance activities in order to enhance the efficiency of market surveillance across the EU;

    19. Urges the Commission to strengthen international cooperation on the simplification, assimilation and mutual recognition of national certification processes, in particular with the US Food and Drug Administration;

    20. Calls for an appropriate transition period before the implementation of new rules; emphasises the need to set a transition period before the enforcement of new regulations that would allow enough time for manufacturers to prepare and for the necessary institutional infrastructure to be established; notes that this measure ensures that all stakeholders are fully equipped to meet the regulatory requirements without compromising the overarching objectives of the legislation;

    21. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

     

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation – B10-0124/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0124/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation

    (2024/2849(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 168 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC[1] (the Medical Devices Regulation – MDR),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU[2] (the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation – IVDR),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/607 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices[3],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/123 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 January 2022 on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency in crisis preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices[4],

    – having regard to the Commission’s 2023 report on the implementation of the MDR and the IVDR,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2282 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on health technology assessment[5],

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas access to quality medical devices and in vitro medical devices is indispensable for patients’ health and for healthcare systems;

    B. whereas more than 500 000 different medical devices are marketed in the EU, covering a broad range of products from plasters to x-ray machines, and they are used for diagnosis, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation and, overall, to improve the quality of life of patients and the work of healthcare professionals and carers;

    C. whereas large differences still remain in access to medical devices across the EU, leading to healthcare inequalities;

    D. whereas the MDR and the IVDR were adopted to strengthen the regulatory framework in response to several scandals involving the use of unsafe medical equipment, such as hip and breast implants; whereas patient safety and quality standards should never be compromised;

    E. whereas the deadlines set in the MDR and the IVDR have been extended several times to give more time to device developers and notified bodies, and to avoid shortages of devices;

    F. whereas despite these deadline extensions, healthcare professionals have reported shortages of medical devices and in vitro medical devices, especially for paediatric and orphan devices;

    G. whereas it is still uncertain exactly which medical devices are at risk of withdrawal and shortages, because of a lack of transparency from notified bodies;

    H. whereas the majority of developers of medical devices and in vitro medical devices are small and medium-sized enterprises with limited resources;

    I. whereas the process of applying for certification can be burdensome, lengthy and expensive, especially in some Member States;

    J. whereas many stakeholders, such as developers, patient organisations and healthcare providers, have reported difficulties in navigating the regulatory framework for medical and in vitro medical devices;

    K. whereas increasing numbers of medical devices are supplied by producers in non-EU countries, some of which are autocratic regimes, raising concerns about the protection and possible misuse of personal medical data collected by medical devices;

    1. Deplores the shortages of medical devices and the lack of access to certain medical devices in parts of the EU; stresses that access to and quality of healthcare, including medical devices, should not depend on where in the EU a patient is located;

    2. Welcomes the increased capacity of notified bodies; invites the Member States and the Commission to assess whether measures can be taken to further improve the speed and efficiency of these notified bodies without jeopardising patient safety;

    3. Stresses the need for more transparency, information and guidance from the authorising authorities to manufacturers undergoing the certification process, including information regarding notified body fees and fee structures; underlines that this is already possible under the current regulation;

    4. Further stresses the need for greater transparency and better access to information for patients organisations and healthcare professionals from notified bodies and from national authorities;

    5. Underlines that product updates or adjustments should not necessarily lead to the need for a full recertification of the product; calls, in this regard, for harmonised guidance to ensure consistency for medical device developers across the EU;

    6. Welcomes the non-legislative actions already initiated by the Commission and calls for further actions to be taken to counter shortages and reduce the administrative burdens, where possible;

    7. Welcomes the pilot programme by the European Medicines Agency to support manufacturers producing and notified bodies certifying orphan devices in the processes of development and assessment;

    8. Notes that post-authorisation market surveillance can be burdensome, and that a more harmonised approach could benefit both developers and the Member States;

    9. Recalls that the MDR should be evaluated by 2027 at the latest; stresses, in this regard, the need for a proper evaluation and impact assessment; further stresses that all relevant stakeholders should be part of the evaluation process;

    10. Believes that reducing administrative burdens and ensuring access to medical devices throughout the EU should be key considerations in the evaluation of the regulation;

    11. Believes that the evaluation should also examine dependency on non-EU countries, including the protection of personal medical data;

    12. Emphasises that any new rules or changes to existing rules must come with an appropriate transition period to allow all stakeholders sufficient time to adjust to change;

    13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation – B10-0122/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0122/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation

    (2024/2849(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC[1] (Medical Devices Regulation, MDR), and to Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU[2] (IVDR),

    – having regard to the Commission statement of 9 October 2024 on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation,

    – having regard to the proposal for rejection of the Recommendation for second reading on in vitro diagnostic medical devices[3],

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas the legislation on medical devices and in vitro medical devices was revised in 2017 through the MDR and the IVDR;

    B. whereas the new legislative framework of 2017, which replaced the existing directives with regulations, was a reaction to certain events, first and foremost to a company’s marketing non-medical grade silicone gel breast implants in blatant and intentional violation of the regulatory framework; whereas there have been various violations under the new regulatory framework during the so-called pandemic;

    C. whereas the regulations have placed a considerable regulatory burden on the producers of medical devices and in vitro medical devices; whereas the MDR and the IVDR have created a considerable administrative burden for regulators; whereas the combined burden has created both a backlog of required certifications within the industry and an administrative bottleneck for issuing such certifications;

    D. whereas this backlog has affected the market for medical devices and in vitro medical devices; whereas there is a shortage of certain medical devices and in vitro medical devices; whereas producers’ innovative capacity has been impaired;

    E. whereas a prolonged waiting time for such products, shortages and a lack of innovation due to the inability to cope with bureaucratic obstacles harms patients as consumers of medical products; whereas such harm could ultimately result in an unnecessary loss of life;

    F. whereas the Commission needs to have finalised an evaluation of the directives by 27 May 2027 under Article 121 MDR and Article 111 IVDR;

    1. Considers that both the IVDR and the MDR have created very burdensome bureaucracy, which is neither in the interest of the producers nor in the interest of patients as consumers; suggests that any inappropriate or disproportionate regulatory burden be lifted as soon as possible; underlines that there is now an urgent need for revision of both the IVDR and the MDR;

    2. Recalls that as far back as in 2017 a Parliament minority moved to reject the new framework as too excessive a regulatory burden and too expensive for producers of medical devices to comply with; considers that law is good law when it can stand the test of time; recalls that perceived legislative necessity, as so often encountered in real or perceived crises, should not trump the established rules of proper lawmaking to the detriment of the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy;

    3. Notes that proposals have been made to remedy the problems through tertiary legislation, thereby circumventing the ordinary legislative procedure; underlines that the shortcomings of Union secondary legislation cannot be corrected by tertiary-level legislation, as this would ultimately mean substituting Parliament’s lawmaking capacity with executive decrees; warns against the widespread and excessive use of delegated acts as a means of repairing flawed legislation;

    4. Calls on the Commission not to make use of the full time frame granted for evaluation of the IVDR and the MDR, but instead to speed up the process as much as possible; notes that the Commission has been called upon to come up with a proposal within a hundred days of the start of the new Commissioners’ term of office;

    5. Calls on the Commission to immediately present an amendment to address the glaring shortcomings of current legislation in the first half of 2025, so that businesses, patients as consumers and healthcare authorities can enjoy immediate relief; calls on the Commission to conduct its evaluation, and present a full legislative proposal, as swiftly as possible;

    6. Suggests including in its proposal an accelerated certification procedure for innovative medical products, abolishing the re-certification requirement for lower-risk products and abolishing the certification requirement for niche-products;

    7. Considers that, as a prerequisite, there is already a strong and functioning civil liability regime in place that protects consumers, allowing certain regulatory requirements to be relaxed;

    8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments of the Member States.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation – B10-0126/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0126/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation

    (2024/2849(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 168 thereof,

    – having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Article 35 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on medical devices[1] (Medical Devices Regulation),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices[2] (In Vitro Medical Devices Regulation),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2020/561 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2020 amending Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices, as regards the dates of application of certain of its provisions[3],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/112 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 January 2022 amending Regulation (EU) 2017/746 as regards transitional provisions for certain in vitro diagnostic medical devices and the deferred application of conditions for in-house devices[4],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/607 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices[5],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1860 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards a gradual roll-out of Eudamed, the obligation to inform in case of interruption or discontinuation of supply, and transitional provisions for certain in vitro diagnostic medical devices[6],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/123 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 January 2022 on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency in crisis preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices[7],

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas access to safe and effective medical devices and in vitro medical devices plays a crucial role in providing high quality treatment and care for patients in the EU;

    B. whereas approximately 500 000 different medical devices are available on the EU market, covering a broad range of technologies from contact lenses to pacemakers and serving different purposes, including diagnosis, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and improving the quality of life of patients[8];

    C. whereas the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) and the In Vitro Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR) were adopted to strengthen the legal framework and enhance patient safety in response to a number of scandals involving unsafe medical equipment, such as hip- and breast implants, and to reduce the number of obsolete medical devices on the market;

    D. whereas incomplete applications with which manufacturers have not provided notified bodies with sufficient scientific evidence and technical detail are among the main reasons for the current delays in issuing CE certificates[9];

    E. whereas the implementation deadlines set in the MDR and IVDR were extended several times to increase the capacity of notified bodies and to help the industry to adjust to the new rules in order to avoid shortages of medical devices;

    F. whereas the Commission initiated non-legislative actions to support the transition to the MDR and IVDR, focusing in particular on the availability of medical devices on the market, the preparedness of notified bodies, the development of orphan and paediatric devices, SME support and free scientific advice;

    G. whereas although there is now an optimal number of notified bodies established under the MDR, issues remain in terms of the inconsistency of decisions, the lack of transparency regarding decisions and limited capacity for post-market surveillance; whereas more notified bodies still need to be established under the IVDR and the consistency and transparency of their decisions enhanced;

    H. whereas there is no harmonised mechanism to monitor interruption of supply of devices and whereas the limited requirement for manufacturers to give prior notice about any interruption of supply of certain critical medical devices or in vitro medical devices was only introduced with Regulation (EU) 2024/1860 and will only take effect in January 2025; whereas to ensure patient health protection more transparency provisions linked to supply chain stability are needed so as to understand what types of devices are at serious risk of market withdrawals and shortages;

    1. Stresses its continued support for the swift implementation of the MDR and IVDR and underlines that patient safety must never be compromised and that equal access to quality medical devices must be ensured throughout the EU;

    2. Regrets the continuing risks of device shortages, notably in the areas of paediatric and orphan diseases, as a result of the suboptimal implementation of the legal framework;

    3. Stresses the urgent need for medical device supply chains to be transparent to prevent device shortages and the need for closer cooperation and stricter reporting obligations, including through the Medical Devices Coordination Group (MDCG) and the Executive Steering Group on Shortages of Medical Devices;

    4. Underlines that all relevant information on the processes and decisions of notified bodies regarding the certification of medical devices must be in the public domain and accessible to all the relevant stakeholders; in this regard, reiterates the need for a swift roll-out of a comprehensive, fully functional, and user-friendly European database for medical devices (EUDAMED) that provides complete information on all medical devices available on the EU market and adheres to the highest standards of transparency and accessibility of information;

    5. Welcomes the fact that the capacity of notified bodies has significantly increased in recent months and urges the Member States and the Commission to ensure a coordinated approach and harmonisation to improve the efficiency and predictability of decisions taken by notified bodies as well as their fee structure;

    6. Calls on the Commission to propose specific timeframes for conformity assessments linked to different classes of medical devices, to ensure predictability for developers, and to envisage the possibility of accelerated timelines when devices are linked to health emergencies or where there is robust scientific evidence of an extraordinary benefit for patients in areas of high unmet medical need;

    7. Reiterates that any incentives related to orphan medical devices must be based on clear eligibility criteria, be linked to a prudent system that prevents misuse through an artificial ‘orphanisation’ of the devices, and their use must be registered centrally to ensure better evidence generation throughout the EU;

    8. Underlines the need for more optimal stakeholder involvement, including within the notified bodies, and calls on the Member States and Commission to ensure that patients and healthcare professionals have access to all relevant documents and decisions;

    9. Underlines that product updates or adjustments should not necessarily lead to a need for an entire re-certification of the product, and in this regard calls for tertiary legislation to harmonise such provisions and ensure consistency for developers across the EU;

    10. Calls on manufacturers of medical devices to coordinate more closely with national authorities and prioritise patient safety by ensuring the generation of robust evidence and meeting the requirements of the MDR and IVDR without further delay;

    11. Welcomes the non-legislative actions already initiated by the Commission and urges more activities particularly vis-à-vis transparency and post-market surveillance; calls on the national competent authorities to significantly strengthen post-market surveillance activities and communication to patient organisations and healthcare professionals and the general public on risks to health or safety associated with marketed devices; calls on the authorities to ensure that manufacturers adhere to strict, clearly established timelines for implementing corrective actions, including prompt communication and follow-up with all potentially affected patients;

    12. Reiterates the need for a thorough evaluation and impact assessment of the MDR and IVDR before the potential reopening of the regulations and underlines that all the relevant stakeholders, including patients and healthcare professionals, must be involved in the evaluation process;

    13. Underlines that any potential revision of the medical devices framework must first and foremost uphold high patient safety standards, be based on evidence collected in the evaluation and impact assessment and ensure accompanying measures to support the transition;

    14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special Campaign 4.0: Department of School Education & Literacy leads the way in cleanliness and sustainability

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 16 OCT 2024 9:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education along with its Autonomous Bodies (ABs) is actively engaged in the on-going Special Campaign 4.0 started from 2nd October 2024. DOSE&L has issued guidelines to all ABs for effective execution of Special Campaign 4.0. The focus is on cleanliness drives, managing scrap and pending matters, optimizing space and enhancing office aesthetics. These efforts emphasize efficiency, transparency and improved waste management in government functioning.

    At the start of the Special Campaign 4.0 preparatory phase, the Department of School Education & Literacy established specific targets and identified key cleanliness sites nationwide to ensure the effective implementation of the campaign’s goals.

    S.No.

    Category

    Targets

    1

    Number of Files to be Reviewed

    61100

    2

    Number of Files Identified for weeding out

    21410

    3

    Number of e-Files for Review

    1367

    4

    Number of Cleanliness Campaigns to be conducted

    32037

     

    Regular meetings are being conducted to closely monitor the progress towards achieving the Ministry’s set targets, ensuring effective implementation and timely completion of the campaign’s objectives. The targets finalized and action in progress as on 14.10.2024 on various parameters is as below:

    • As of now, 61,382 square feet of space has been reclaimed through the disposal of scrap and redundant materials, generating a revenue of Rs 7,34,941.
    • Out of 61,100 physical files identified for review, 48206 have been examined. So far, 22,135 files have been marked for weeding, with 10,883 already weeded out.
    • 27450 cleanliness campaigns have been conducted across schools and institutions, actively working towards achieving the Ministry’s targets.

    During Special Campaign 4.0, the enthusiastic participation of institutions and schools is setting a powerful example, driving the message of Swachhata forward with inspiration. National Bal Bhawan, through its vibrant exhibits and 3D models at the Swachhta Gallery, is actively engaging children and raising awareness about the importance of sanitation and hygiene, empowering them to take action in keeping their surroundings clean.

    Kendriya Vidyalaya schools across the borders, for example, KVS Kathmandu, KVS Moscow etc. are encouraged to adopt sustainable habits, aligning with the broader goals of Swachh Bharat Mission.”Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” Campaign is being undertaken with great enthusiasm, with active participation of students, teachers, and community members. So far, under Special Campaign 4.0, a total of 8910 saplings have been planted, symbolizing a collective commitment to both cleanliness and environmental sustainability.

    *****

    MV/AK

    (Release ID: 2065624) Visitor Counter : 39

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special Campaign 4.0: Department of School Education & Literacy leads the way in cleanliness and sustainability

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 16 OCT 2024 9:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education along with its Autonomous Bodies (ABs) is actively engaged in the on-going Special Campaign 4.0 started from 2nd October 2024. DOSE&L has issued guidelines to all ABs for effective execution of Special Campaign 4.0. The focus is on cleanliness drives, managing scrap and pending matters, optimizing space and enhancing office aesthetics. These efforts emphasize efficiency, transparency and improved waste management in government functioning.

    At the start of the Special Campaign 4.0 preparatory phase, the Department of School Education & Literacy established specific targets and identified key cleanliness sites nationwide to ensure the effective implementation of the campaign’s goals.

    S.No.

    Category

    Targets

    1

    Number of Files to be Reviewed

    61100

    2

    Number of Files Identified for weeding out

    21410

    3

    Number of e-Files for Review

    1367

    4

    Number of Cleanliness Campaigns to be conducted

    32037

     

    Regular meetings are being conducted to closely monitor the progress towards achieving the Ministry’s set targets, ensuring effective implementation and timely completion of the campaign’s objectives. The targets finalized and action in progress as on 14.10.2024 on various parameters is as below:

    • As of now, 61,382 square feet of space has been reclaimed through the disposal of scrap and redundant materials, generating a revenue of Rs 7,34,941.
    • Out of 61,100 physical files identified for review, 48206 have been examined. So far, 22,135 files have been marked for weeding, with 10,883 already weeded out.
    • 27450 cleanliness campaigns have been conducted across schools and institutions, actively working towards achieving the Ministry’s targets.

    During Special Campaign 4.0, the enthusiastic participation of institutions and schools is setting a powerful example, driving the message of Swachhata forward with inspiration. National Bal Bhawan, through its vibrant exhibits and 3D models at the Swachhta Gallery, is actively engaging children and raising awareness about the importance of sanitation and hygiene, empowering them to take action in keeping their surroundings clean.

    Kendriya Vidyalaya schools across the borders, for example, KVS Kathmandu, KVS Moscow etc. are encouraged to adopt sustainable habits, aligning with the broader goals of Swachh Bharat Mission.”Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” Campaign is being undertaken with great enthusiasm, with active participation of students, teachers, and community members. So far, under Special Campaign 4.0, a total of 8910 saplings have been planted, symbolizing a collective commitment to both cleanliness and environmental sustainability.

    *****

    MV/AK

    (Release ID: 2065624) Visitor Counter : 39

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Environment Agency works to preserve North East salmon stocks

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Atlantic salmon stocks in the Tyne remain buoyant despite stocks across England reaching new lows according to a report released last week (Monday 7 October).

    An image of an adult salmon.

    Atlantic salmon stocks in the Tyne remain buoyant despite stocks across England reaching new lows according to a report released last week (Monday 7 October).  

    According to the Atlantic Salmon Stock Assessment for 2024 from the Environment Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), 90% of principal salmon rivers in England are classified as either “at risk” or “probably at risk,” meaning salmon numbers are below minimum levels to support sustainable populations.

    However, the River Tyne’s salmon stocks are the only location where they remain “not at risk” and the Coquet and Wear are amongst only three rivers nationally where stocks are deemed to be “probably not at risk”.

    The Environment Agency is working with partners to reduce impacts affecting stocks globally, including barriers to migration, water scarcity from abstraction and the persistent challenge from climate change, including warming seas.

    The Environment Agency and Natural England are calling on everyone from landowners and farmers to energy, waste and water companies to do more to protect this iconic and pivotal species.  

    Jon Shelley, Fisheries Technical Specialist at the Environment Agency said:

    We are proud that the Salmon Stocks in the Tyne remain “not at risk” and that rivers across the North East are providing a safe haven for salmon.

    However, we know the importance of this report and are not complacent in the North East. Action is needed to combat all pressures impacting salmon, to help maintain the salmon stocks in the region and improve the stocks across the country. 

    We will continue our vital work to help preserve the salmon stocks in our area by working closely with our partners and the community.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Calian continues to respond to growing demand for global defence solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY), closed fiscal year 2024 ending September 30, having signed several defence contracts in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29 million, further solidifying its position as a trusted partner in the global defence industry. These new contracts align with Calian’s mission to equip, prepare and protect military personnel as global military spending continues to surge amid war, geopolitical instability and the heightened need for new and advanced technologies.

    Global defence budgets continue to rise and are projected to reach $2.5 trillion by 2028 according to Markets and Markets. Throughout FY2024, Calian continued to win contracts to support key global defence initiatives that enhance military readiness and operational effectiveness. Closing out Q4, Calian was selected to provide Canada and NATO members with operational and training support, defence manufacturing, engineering support and technical expertise.

    “As the world faces continued unrest, Calian is more dedicated than ever to delivering cutting-edge defence solutions to ensure the preparedness and safety of Canadian, NATO and allied personnel,” said Kevin Ford, CEO, Calian. “Our recent contract signings reflect the growing trust our global partners place in Calian to support critical global defence initiatives. As we move into FY2025, we remain focused on helping our allies prepare for the complex challenges that lie ahead, equipping them with the tools and expertise needed to safeguard national and global security.”

    In a 2024 McKinsey & Company report they indicated that following the invasion of Ukraine, NATO member states have announced plans to spend significantly more on defence in the coming years. It goes on to add that if actual spending stays in line with the latest announcements made by European governments, their analysis estimates that cumulative defence spending could increase by €700 billion to €800 billion between 2022 and 2028, with total European spending reaching as much as €500 billion per year in 2028. With Calian’s recent acquisition of U.K.’s Mabway, combined with its leadership in providing defence readiness expertise for NATO countries, Calian is uniquely positioned going into FY2025 to support these increasing demands.

    With over 40 years of experience delivering defence solutions to Canada and its global allies, Calian provides a broad portfolio of services, including military training, simulation, healthcare, cybersecurity and complex systems integration. These recent Q4 contract signings reinforce Calian’s commitment to helping military forces remain ready and resilient in today’s fast-changing security environment.

    Learn more about how Calian delivers confidence for military customers, no matter their needs: https://www.calian.com/defence/.

    About Calian
    http://www.calian.com
    We keep the world moving forward. Calian® helps people communicate, innovate, learn and lead safe and healthy lives. Every day, our employees live our values of customer commitment, integrity, innovation, respect and teamwork to engineer reliable solutions that solve complex challenges. That’s Confidence. Engineered. A stable and growing 40-year company, we are headquartered in Ottawa with offices and projects spanning North American, European and international markets. Visit calian.com to learn about innovative healthcare, communications, learning and cybersecurity solutions.

    Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

    Media inquiries:
    media@calian.com
    613-599-8600 x 2298

    Investor Relations inquiries:
    ir@calian.com

    DISCLAIMER
    Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company’s most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.

    Calian · Head Office · 770 Palladium Drive · Ottawa · Ontario · Canada · K2V 1C8
    Tel: 613.599.8600 · Fax: 613-592-3664 · General info email: info@calian.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. Announces Final Redemption of Preferred Stock

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BROOKFIELD, Wis., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company” or “CIB Marine”) (OTCQX: CIBH) announces the full and final redemption of all preferred stock pursuant to its Second Amended and Restated Articles of Organization. Effective October 31, 2024, approximately 14,633 of CIB Marine’s Series A Preferred shares and 1,610 of Series B Preferred shares will be redeemed at $825 per share. This redemption is a full redemption of all outstanding preferred stock; there will be no preferred stock remaining in the Company’s capital structure. The $13.4 million redemption will be funded by cash on hand resulting from a distribution from the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, CIBM Bank; a distribution from the Company’s non-bank subsidiary, CIB Marine Capital, LLC; and a portion of the $10 million subordinated debt offering completed in the first quarter of 2022. Documentation will be mailed to all preferred shareholders of record by the Company’s redemption agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., on or about October 17, 2024.

    Mr. J. Brian Chaffin, President and CEO of the Company stated, “The October 31st redemption of all remaining preferred stock is a great achievement for the Company and all our shareholders. This transaction increases liquidity for the remaining preferred shares and benefits our common shareholders in two ways: by eliminating the potentially dilutive convertible Series B shares and redeeming all outstanding preferred stock at a discounted rate. The $825 per share redemption price is below both its balance sheet carrying value of $850 per share and its liquidation preference value of $1,000 per share.”

    In addition, Mr. Mark Elste, Chaiman of the Board of Directors, noted. “This is a significant accomplishment that the Board of Directors and management have been focused on for more than four years. The redemption of all preferred stock simplifies the Company’s capital structure to only one form of equity: common stock with full voting rights. It opens up opportunities to continue building shareholder value, the likes of which have been constrained by the outstanding preferred stock.”

    CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for CIBM Bank, which operates nine banking offices Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, and has mortgage loan officers and/or offices in ten states. More information on the Company is available at http://www.cibmarine.com, including recent shareholder letters, links to regulatory financial reports, and audited financial statements.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
    CIB Marine has made statements in this release that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. CIB Marine intends these forward-looking statements to be subject to the safe harbor created thereby and is including this statement to avail itself of the safe harbor. Forward-looking statements are identified generally by statements containing words and phrases such as “may,” “project,” “are confident,” “should be,” “intend,” “predict,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect CIB Marine’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance that are subject to many uncertainties and factors relating to CIB Marine’s operations and the business environment, which could change at any time.

    There are inherent difficulties in predicting factors that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements.

    Stockholders should note that many factors, some of which are discussed elsewhere in this release and in the documents that are incorporated by reference, could affect the future financial results of CIB Marine and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this document. These factors, many of which are beyond CIB Marine’s control, include but are not limited to:

    • operating, legal, execution, credit, market, security (including cyber), and regulatory risks;
    • economic, political, and competitive forces affecting CIB Marine’s banking business;
    • the impact on net interest income and securities values from changes in monetary policy and general economic and political conditions; and
    • the risk that CIB Marine’s analyses of these risks and forces could be incorrect and/or that the strategies developed to address them could be unsuccessful.

    These factors should be considered in evaluating the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. CIB Marine undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and CIB Marine’s actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements.

    FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
    J. Brian Chaffin, President & CEO
    (217) 355-0900
    brian.chaffin@cibmbank.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LM Funding America, Inc.’s Bitcoin Holdings was Valued at $9.6 million in Monthly Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LM Funding America, Inc. (NASDAQ: LMFA) (“LM Funding” or the “Company”), a cryptocurrency mining and technology-based specialty finance company, today provided a preliminary, unaudited Bitcoin mining and operational update for the month ended September 30, 2024.

    Metrics *

    Three
    Months
    1    stQtr.
    2024

    Three
    Months
    2    ndQtr.
    2024

    		  

    One Month
    September 30,
    2024

    Three
    Months
    3    rdQtr.
    2024

    		  

    Nine Months
    Ended September
    30, 2024
    Bitcoin Beginning Balance 95.1   163.4     135.7 160.4     95.1  
    Bitcoin Mined, net 86.4   44.1     6.6 18.4     148.9  
    Bitcoin Sold (18.0)   (47.0)     – (36.5)     (101.5)  
    Service Fee (rounding) (0.1)   (0.1)     0.1 –     (0.2)  
    Bitcoin Holdings at Month End 163.4   160.4     142.3 142.3     142.3  
                   
    Approximate Miners Deployed at Month End 5,940   5,880     3,700     3,700  
    Approximate Miners In-Transit at Month End       2,200     2,200  
    Approximate Potential Hash Rate at Month End (PH/s) 614   639     639     639  

    *Unaudited

    The Company estimates that the value of its 142.3 Bitcoin holdings on September 30, 2024, was approximately $9.6 million, based on an estimated October 16, 2024 BTC price of $67,500.

    About LM Funding America
    LM Funding America, Inc. (Nasdaq: LMFA), operates as a cryptocurrency mining and specialty finance company. It operates through two segments, Specialty Finance and Mining Operations. The company has approximately 5,880 miners, electrified and actively mining Bitcoin, providing the company with approx. 639 petahash of mining capacity. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit https://www.lmfunding.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” and “project” and other similar words and expressions are intended to signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guaranties of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Some of these risks and uncertainties are identified in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, uncertainty created by the risks of entering into and operating in the cryptocurrency mining business, uncertainty in the cryptocurrency mining business in general, problems with hosting vendors in the mining business, the capacity of our Bitcoin mining machines and our related ability to purchase power at reasonable prices, the ability to finance and grow our cryptocurrency mining operations, our ability to acquire new accounts in our specialty finance business at appropriate prices, the potential need for additional capital in the future, changes in governmental regulations that affect our ability to collected sufficient amounts on defaulted consumer receivables, changes in the credit or capital markets, changes in interest rates, and negative press regarding the debt collection industry. The occurrence of any of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

    Contact:
    Crescendo Communications, LLC
    Tel: (212) 671-1021
    Email: LMFA@crescendo-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Progress for investment in Grangemouth’s future

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK and Scottish Governments step up plans to support workers at Grangemouth refinery, with immediate investment in skills and training.

    • UK and Scottish Governments respond to Petroineos’ decision to close the refinery with investment in local community
    • Forth Valley College mobilised to support affected workers with bespoke skills support
    • Energy Secretary reiterates UK Government’s willingness to engage on how the National Wealth Fund could fund viable Project Willow outcomes, working with trade unions and industry

    The UK and Scottish Governments are jointly stepping up plans to support workers at the Grangemouth refinery affected by the risk of redundancy, with immediate investment in skills and training. 

    In addition to UK Government and Scottish Government’s joint £100m investment in the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal, Forth Valley College will receive funding to deliver bespoke support for workers affected by Petroineos’ decision to decommission the oil refinery.  

    Backed by this £100m funding, workers at Grangemouth refinery at risk of redundancy will be contacted in the coming weeks and offered tailored support to access new jobs in the local area that will shape the future of Grangemouth as an industrial hub for years to come.   

    Forth Valley College will shortly begin contacting workers to start building a skills and support package to meet their individual needs, mapping their current skills and qualifications to the future skills needed for local clean energy roles in the area and analysing where the gaps are. 

    The UK and Scottish Governments will use the findings to deliver targeted interventions to upskill the local workforce ahead of redundancies next year.  

    It comes as UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Cabinet Secretary Gillian Martin attended a meeting of the Grangemouth Future Industry Board today (Thursday 17 October) at Forth Valley College alongside UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks, Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, local industry leaders, Falkirk Council, trade bodies and trade unions.  

    The £100 million Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal will support projects and skills interventions in the local area. It is estimated that the Falkirk & Grangemouth Growth Deal will deliver over £628 million in economic benefits and create 1,660 jobs across the Falkirk Council area. 

    The Energy Secretary also reiterated the UK Government’s willingness to engage on how the National Wealth Fund could back projects that have the potential to yield a viable long-term future for the site, as part of the ongoing Project Willow investigation into a viable industrial Grangemouth.  

    Project Willow is urgently assessing credible options to begin building a new long-term industry at the refinery site, including low carbon hydrogen, clean eFuels and sustainable aviation fuels on the site. The Scottish Government will also soon publish the draft Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan. 

    UK Government Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    We continue to stand with Grangemouth workers and we are putting money on the table to secure workers good onward employment.

    By working in partnership with the Scottish Government, we’ve unlocked an unprecedented joint investment plan to support workers and secure Grangemouth’s future, and I will continue to spare no effort to drive this work forward.

    Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said:

    Our immediate priority remains to support the workers directly affected by the regrettable closure of the refinery. We will do everything we can to ensure they are supported to retrain and move into adjacent industries within the wider Grangemouth area.

    These workers are highly skilled and have an important contribution to make locally and nationally.  Our investment will help to unlock valuable new opportunities for them and ensure that their skills and experience continue to benefit industry in the area and the wider community.

    The new skills and training package is open to workers at both Grangemouth and Finnart Oil Terminal and will also be supported by the UK Government’s Office for Clean Energy Jobs.

    Kenny MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley College, said:

    Forth Valley College are uniquely placed to help and upskill any Petroineos employees who are impacted as a result of the closure of the oil refinery, and we will be there to offer the necessary training and support with the help of funding from the Scottish and UK Governments.

    The College is proud to have had a long term partnership with the Grangemouth Refinery – helping to train their Modern Apprentices – and will continue to build on this in our role of making learning work for the people of Forth Valley to ensure they have the skills for the future.

    We are committed to working with PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) and Falkirk Council to help guide former Petroineos employees onto courses at Forth Valley College which will help them transfer to new jobs in another industry or sector.

    Notes to editors 

    See details of the joint investment plan.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – “The war in Sudan receives little attention, but the suffering it causes is no less”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – “I was saddened to hear about the recent developments in the military offensive in El Fasher and Khartoum, which targeted civilian homes, hospitals and places of worship. The conflict, which has already lasted over 17 months, has created a humanitarian catastrophe that can no longer be ignored,” said Paul Swarbrick, Bishop of Lancaster, Lead Bishop for Africa for the Bishops’ Conference. Bishop Swarbrick wonders why a conflict as bloody as that in Sudan is virtually ignored by the international media. “It is obvious that the tragedy in Sudan receives less attention from world media than other conflicts around the world even though the violence and suffering is colossal”, said the Bishop of Lancaster. “This is perhaps because it is considered less likely to escalate beyond the region and less likely to affect the global security situation. It is perhaps even considered a global ‘back-water’. However, the suffering of so many millions should be considered a global tragedy”.According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the war, which has been ongoing since April 2023, has displaced more than 10 million people from their homes. Some 25 million Sudanese are malnourished, 14 million of them suffer from acute hunger and 1.5 million of them are at risk of starvation or starvation. In the face of this tragedy, Bishop Swarbrick recalls that “the Church has more than a purely humanitarian concern”. “Of course, we should pray and work strenuously for peace. The Church exists on the ground at the heart of this unending tragedy. It makes present a loving Saviour who refuses to abandon those who suffer most and brings a hope for healing that world powers alone cannot give. Christ’s suffering is never in vain. He never loses sight of those whose needs are greatest.” The Bishop therefore calls on the faithful to pray and to raise awareness of the drama in Sudan: “I ask everyone to pray for Sudan, for the warring parties to lay down their weapons and prioritise peace so that humanitarian aid can reach those in desperate need. By uniting in prayer and raising awareness of the war in Sudan within our communities and to our political authorities, we can all do our bit to help, to restore hope to those currently enduring unimaginable hardships”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/10/2024)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Poland: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2024 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 17, 2024

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Washington, DC – October 17, 2024:

    An International Monetary Fund mission visited Warsaw during October 8-17 in the context of the 2024 Article IV consultation.

    Poland’s near-term outlook is positive and has improved relative to last year despite ongoing sluggish growth across Europe and Russia’s war in Ukraine. A consumption-led recovery is underway, and the outlook is further supported by recently unlocked NextGen EU Funds (NGEU). Inflation has declined helped by a tight monetary stance, and its descent to the target range by close to end-2025 is on track, provided prudent policies are maintained. Policy priorities for the near- and medium-term include balancing the mix of monetary and fiscal policy , preserving debt sustainability, while strengthening the economy to face longer-term challenges. Specifically:

    • Monetary policy is appropriately tight and interest rate cuts should commence only when there is clear evidence that wage growth is decelerating, and inflation is firmly on track towards the target.

    • The medium-term Fiscal Structural Plan is welcome and it targets sufficient cumulative fiscal consolidation by 2028, meeting the EU’s new fiscal rules. The full set of measures to achieve this is yet to be identified.

    • Bringing more of the authorities’ medium-term deficit reduction plans up front in 2025 would build more resilience against future shocks, reduce debt, and support more rapid interest rate reductions, which would foster private sector investment and growth while still bringing inflation to target.

    • Population ageing, diminishing cost-competitiveness, and climate transition present significant challenges to Poland’s export-driven growth model. Thus, medium-term growth is expected to decline, unless structural reforms are deepened and progress on the energy transition accelerates.

    Economic growth is accelerating in 2024 led by recovering domestic demand. Private consumption has picked up as strong nominal wage growth coupled with lower inflation led to a sharp rebound in real wages. Fixed investment also continued its gradual recovery though remaining as a share of GDP below pre-pandemic levels. Net exports, however, are imposing some drag as imports recovered on the back of higher consumption while exports are held back by weak demand from the Euro Area. As a result, growth is expected at 3 percent in 2024 up from around 0 in 2023.

    The near-term outlook is positive due to the ongoing cyclical recovery in consumption and investment, and the absorption of EU funds. Growth is expected to accelerate to 3.5 percent in 2025 and 3.4 percent in 2026. Real and nominal wage growth are expected to gradually decelerate, while profits are expected to continue declining as firms have limited capacity to pass-through increases in wage costs into prices given that the output gap remains negative. Stronger consumption, normalization of inventories, lagged impact of the appreciation of the real exchange rate, and release of EU funds are expected to support imports and with it a narrowing in the current account surplus.

    Over the medium term, growth is expected to moderate and converge to potential as the support from rebounding consumption and NGEU funds subside. Growth will decelerate to slightly below 3 percent by 2029 as EU-financed investments decline and the population ages. Productivity is expected to modestly recover from the impact of recent labor hoarding. However, productivity growth is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels given that much of the productivity gap with advanced economies has already been closed.

    Amidst high uncertainty, risks remain elevated and tilted towards lower growth and higher inflation. A slower-than-expected recovery in the Euro Area, delayed absorption of EU funds, and heightened geopolitical tensions could dampen the recovery. At the same time, risks to inflation remain elevated from the tight labor market against the backdrop of accelerating domestic demand and potential supply-side shocks. There are also upside risks to growth including a stronger-than-expected catalytic role from EU funds on private investment and productivity, a larger-than-expected workforce from higher immigration, and potential nearshoring as a result of geoeconomic fragmentation. Risks are well mitigated by ample foreign exchange reserves, a flexible exchange rate, modest debt levels, and robust financial sector buffers.

    Monetary policy is appropriately tight.While the policy rate was kept on hold at 5.75 percent since November 2023, the monetary stance has tightened as inflation expectations declined. This is appropriate because inflation is well above the central bank inflation target. The momentum of core inflation is elevated in the context of strong wages growth amid still-tight labor market and substantial wage increases in the public sector.

    Monetary policy should remain tight at least through 2025 with rate cuts commencing only when data and forecasts confirm that inflation is on a clear downward path towards the target. Absent surprises, both core and headline inflation should peak in year-on-year terms before mid-2025, significantly above the target, before moderating around the upper end of the target range of 2.5±1 percent by end-2025. However, uncertainty on the inflation trajectory is substantial, including due to uncertainty regarding energy prices, developments in the labor market, and the pace of economic recovery. While, monetary policy should remain both data-dependent and forward-looking, the current context warrants placing significant weight on realized inflation declining towards the target over several months on the back of decelerating wages. On this basis, there may be scope for limited and gradual policy rate cuts to start around mid-2025.

    Near-term growth acceleration presents an opportunity to rebuild buffers and help complete the disinflation process by tightening fiscal policies. The general government (GG) deficit is projected to widen from 5.1 percent of GDP in 2023 to 5.7 percent of GDP in

    2024, due to expansionary policies resulting in a fiscal impulse of 0.4 percent of GDP. The 2025 budget targets a slightly lower GG deficit of 5.5 percent of GDP largely owing to higher growth. Staff recommends a tighter fiscal stance by around 0.5 percent of GDP. This can be still achievable within the 2025 budget by saving possible revenue overperformance and limiting non-priority spending. Such a shift would lower debt, thereby rebuilding fiscal space to mitigate against future shocks. It would also lift some of the burden from tight monetary policies to rein in inflation, potentially freeing space for additional policy rate cuts.

    Fiscal consolidation should be anchored in a clear medium-term plan to stabilize debt. The recently published Fiscal Structural Plan is an important and welcome step in this regard as it targets appropriate fiscal balances by 2028 – entailing an adjustment of about 2½ percent of GDP from 2024 in terms of the structural fiscal balance – that would allow exiting the EU’s Excessive Deficit Procedure while stabilizing debt at levels close to 60 percent of GDP notwithstanding large increases in spending on defense. Fully identifying the necessary fiscal measures now and bringing more of the planned fiscal consolidation upfront into 2025 would help strengthen its credibility.

    Potential measures that would support consolidation while also further reducing inequality include: i) raising Personal Income Tax revenues by increasing progressivity to bring them more in line with EU peers , ii) addressing the preferential and regressive treatment of the self-employed, iii) better targeting of social benefits to more effectively support the vulnerable, iv) raising property tax revenues closer to EU comparators, and v) taxing more non-essential items at the standard VAT rate. In this context, raising the PIT tax-exempt threshold, which is under consideration, would require even stronger consolidation measures to offset the fiscal cost. Finally, aligning the retirement age for men and women and then adjusting it over time in line with longevity would help limit the expected shortfall in pensions’ adequacy over the longer-term.

    The authorities have made commendable progress in strengthening the fiscal framework. They have expanded the coverage of the stabilizing expenditure rule and improved oversight over extrabudgetary funds. Establishing a fiscal council as planned would further strengthen accountability and governance.

    Financial sector policies should safeguard the nascent credit recovery, building on a robust banking system. Systemic risks to the financial sector have moderated, with the banking sector being well-capitalized and liquid. Past prudential policies have focused on buttressing stability through regulatory tightening. At the same time banks had to face large costs of legal risks and regulatory burdens such as mortgage credit holidays. Together with weak credit demand and serious legal and regulatory uncertainties, this has created further headwinds for new credit resulting in one of the steepest declines in private sector credit-to-GDP in the EU. Moving forward, policy makers should: (i) take into account the impact of possible further tightening of regulations on the nascent credit recovery, while enhancing regulatory stability; (ii) proactively reduce legal risks to financial sector stability, including by exploring legislative solutions; (iii) even the playing field for private sector credit by replacing the bank asset tax in a manner that eliminates the preferential treatment of public debt` and (iv) allow the mortgage credit holiday to expire.

    After two decades of impressive income convergence, Poland’s growth model needs to adjust to new economic conditions. Exports, especially to the EU, have played a significant role in Poland’s success. However, sizable real appreciation over the past two years weighs on cost-competitiveness. Meanwhile, the regional growth outlook remains subdued, and geopolitical conflicts and geoeconomic fragmentation present headwinds to penetrating new markets. In addition, shallow domestic capital markets and low savings weigh on investment, with population ageing posing a substantial drag on the future size of the workforce. To sustain growth, policies should focus on: i) deepening capital markets (including steps towards a capital market union within the EU), ii) lowering barriers to resource reallocation (for example by strengthening re-skilling programs for adults), iii) fostering innovation capacity (including by promoting private equity and venture capital), and iv) supporting higher labor participation especially for women (by ensuring adequate child and elderly care). The new program supporting young parents’ return to the labor market aims to address this gap. Building on the successful absorption of refugees from Ukraine into the Polish labor market, ongoing efforts to enhance the integration of immigrants can further help contain labor shortages.

    The government’s new decarbonization targets are appropriate; meeting these while safeguarding competitiveness and social cohesion will require strong measures.

    Significant progress has been made on climate mitigation, but more is needed given Poland’s costly dependence on coal, which also undercuts competitiveness. The recent draft energy strategy update outlines additional policy targets and measures for bringing emissions in line with EU climate goals. Its success will be supported by EU funds, and depends on removing barriers to private investment in renewable energy, including by adopting EU legislation on faster permitting for green projects, liberalizing regulations for onshore windfarms, and prioritizing NextGen EU funds for expanding electricity grids. Extending carbon pricing to transportation and heating would also be important for reducing emissions; an early and gradual introduction would help limit adjustment costs. The authorities must address social challenges from the climate transition by cushioning the social impact on coal mining regions and reducing energy poverty.

    The mission thanks the authorities and other counterparts for the fruitful discussions.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER:

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/17/CS-poland-2024

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has increased the volume of support for the Project Financing Factory program

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Resolution of October 4, 2024 No. 1337

    The government continues to support investors implementing large projects in priority sectors of the economy. On the instructions of the President, a decision was made to increase the amount of state support for the “Project Financing Factory” program.

    Document

    Resolution of October 4, 2024 No. 1337

    The resolution signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin increases the size of the state corporation VEB.RF’s participation in syndicated loans from 500 billion to 600 billion rubles, which will help increase the total lending for investment projects in priority sectors of the economy to 6 trillion rubles.

    As Mikhail Mishustin noted atGovernment meeting, in general, the program is designed to solve the problem of insufficient capital. Within its framework, large facilities are being built in the gas chemical industry, trunk infrastructure, metallurgy and other areas. They contribute to the achievement of national goals approved by the head of state, the development of Russian regions and the country as a whole.

    The Project Financing Factory was launched in 2018, becoming a new mechanism for attracting investment. The program involves issuing loans for the implementation of investment projects in priority sectors of the economy. Such loans can be obtained for projects worth from 3 billion rubles. The operator of the program, coordinating its work, selecting and examining projects, is VEB.RF.

    The resolution was prepared to implement the instructions of the President following the XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, held in June 2024, and the meeting with members of the board of directors of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, held in April 2024.

    The signed document introduces changes toGovernment Resolution of February 15, 2018 No. 158.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://government.ru/nevs/53023/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Artificial Intelligence Transforms Transport and Road Safety in Moscow

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Department of Transport

    The Moscow Department of Transport has outlined its key projects involving artificial intelligence. From biometric payments to autonomous trams and advanced video analytics, AI-powered innovations are setting new standards in public transport and traffic management.

    Artificial intelligence is transforming transport and road safety in Moscow.

    The Biometric Payment Revolution

    Over the past three years, biometric payment technology has changed the way people move around Moscow. Available at all metro stations, the Moscow Central Circle (MCC), Aeroexpress trains, regular river services and four Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) stations, this cutting-edge system allows passengers to pass through turnstiles with a single glance – no card or smartphone required.

    This seamless service, which provides banking-level security, has already served over 125 million biometric records, making it one of the most convenient and secure payment transit systems worldwide.

    The first autonomous tram in Russia

    The first autonomous tram in Russia has appeared in Moscow – a breakthrough in the field of innovation in public transport. This tram, equipped with the world’s first set of technologies, operates without the use of external control systems. Its software, developed entirely by the metro itself, belongs to the Moscow government and has no analogues in Europe.

    Since its introduction, the autonomous tram has traveled more than 1,800 kilometers without a single traffic violation, proving its reliability and safety on the roads.

    Sphere: Video analytics system ensuring Moscow’s security

    The Sphere video analytics system has played a major role in improving public safety in Moscow. Since September 1, 2020, Sphere has been operating at all metro stations, helping law enforcement agencies detain wanted people and find missing persons, including the elderly and children.

    Since the introduction of Sphere, more than 11,000 criminals have been detained and more than 1,500 missing people have been found, including 300 children.

    Monitoring metro car loading in real time

    To improve passenger comfort, the Moscow Metro uses machine learning algorithms to monitor carriage loads in real time. The system is updated every 10 seconds, taking into account the type and capacity of carriages, main transfer hubs and time data. This unique service is available through the Moscow Metro app and provides unprecedented accuracy in assessing carriage loads.

    Moscow Transport Contact Center Based on Artificial Intelligence

    Since 2019, artificial intelligence has been helping passengers through the Moscow transport contact center (number 3210). The voice assistant automatically processes calls related to vehicle evacuation, helping to optimize work. The contact center, which has been operating for more than 11 years, processes about 6,000 requests daily, providing important information about public transport, including fares, availability of free parking, and much more.

    Advanced video analytics on the Moscow Ring Road and major highways

    In Moscow, there are more than 1,500 high-resolution cameras installed on the Moscow Ring Road, the Moscow Ring Road and major highways, covering 100% of the main routes without “blind spots”. These cameras record 13 different types of incidents and transmit video in real time to the Traffic Management Center within a few seconds, which allows for a prompt response to them. Thanks to this intelligent system, the number of traffic accidents with victims on the Moscow Ring Road has decreased by 20% over the past three years.

    World leadership in photo and video monitoring of road traffic

    Moscow’s 3,800-camera photo and video traffic recording system is one of the most advanced in the world. Equipped with artificial intelligence, the system now identifies drivers talking on the phone or not wearing seat belts, and by 2023 it will be able to accurately determine whether motorcyclists are wearing helmets and passengers are wearing seat belts. AI can also detect more complex violations, such as blocking intersections and failing to yield to pedestrians.

    Smart intersections speed up traffic

    Moscow has installed over 600 “smart” intersections equipped with traffic lights controlled by artificial intelligence. These traffic lights are adjusted in real time depending on road conditions, using data from sensors embedded in the asphalt. As a result, city and private transport passes intersections 25-30% faster, and pedestrians wait 20-25% less for the green light.

    Moscow continues to lead the way in using artificial intelligence to revolutionize transportation and road safety, setting global standards for urban mobility innovation. Thanks to AI-powered systems, residents and visitors to the capital can expect safer, faster, and more convenient travel around the city.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Increased sentencing powers for magistrates to address prisons crisis

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    More victims will get the justice they deserve sooner under plans to give magistrates greater sentencing powers.

    • Magistrates can send offenders to prison for up to one year
    • New powers to ease historic crisis in prisons and deal with court backlog
    • Next step in government’s plan to resolve inherited long-term prison capacity issues

    More victims will get the justice they deserve sooner under plans to give magistrates greater sentencing powers, announced by Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood.

    The changes, the latest step in the government’s plans to tackle the inherited crisis in our prisons, will allow magistrates to hand-down prison sentences of up to a year. This will help to tackle the record remand population in jails and address the Crown Court backlog, also at a historic high.

    The Lord Chancellor confirmed the plans to allow magistrates to issue custodial sentences for up to 12 months for a single offence – a doubling of their current powers. The move will save approximately 2,000 days in the Crown Court, so that time can be reserved for the most serious and complex cases.

    Bolstered powers will better support victims, with some who have been waiting months and even years to see justice done due to a system in disarray.

    It will also help the government drive down the record remand population – those who are in prison while they await their trial – and relieve pressure on prison capacity which was left at the brink of collapse.

    Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood said:

    This government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, with dangerously overcrowded prisons and victims waiting far too long to see justice.

    This marks a further step towards addressing the deep challenges in our criminal justice system, both reducing the record remand population in our jails and delivering swifter justice for victims.

    The significant increase in the remand population, which currently stands at a record 17,000, is one of the key factors in the current prison capacity crisis. This is because remand prisoners can only be held in “reception prisons” where the capacity in the prison estate is most acute, where some of our most dangerous offenders must be held, and where all new prisoners are sent to begin their sentences.

    Tackling the backlog of those awaiting trial in prison is a key priority and these reforms build on the government’s work to reduce pressure on the prison estate ahead of launching a sentencing review later this year.

    Mark Beattie, national chair of the Magistrates’ Association said:

    Magistrates are flexible and support the efficient and fair administration of justice. By being able to take on this additional responsibility and hear cases that carry a maximum sentence of 12 months, our members will be able to help prevent an increase in the backlog of cases in the crown courts, enabling the most serious offences to be dealt with quicker in crown courts; speeding justice for all.

    I know our members and colleagues will take up this increased responsibility with professionalism and integrity and will – as always – strive to deliver the highest quality of justice in their courts.

    Allowing magistrates to deal with more cases will also free up valuable Crown Court time in order to try and reduce the outstanding backlog.

    There are currently over 14,000 magistrates in England and Wales who play a vital role in our justice system hearing over a million cases on average every year. Coming from all walks of life they hear cases ranging from petty theft to serious assault. Magistrates and legal advisers will be fully trained in these new measures by the Judicial College in order to deliver longer sentences effectively.  The previous government extended sentencing powers in May 2022 but deactivated them in March 2023.

    Further information

    The Statutory Instrument to increase sentencing powers is due to be laid on 28 October and changes will come into force on 18 November.

    The Magistrates’ Association is a national charity and the membership body for the magistracy. With more than 12,000 members across England and Wales, it is a unique source of information and insight, and the only independent voice of the magistracy.

    The Magistrates’ Association will be available for media interviews stories. Please email media@magistrates-association.org.uk or call 020 3937 8863.

    A sentencing review will be published later this year.

    This power was previously activated in May 2022 and closed in March 2023.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulators urge safer giving to help people impacted by humanitarian crisis in the Middle East

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Fundraising Regulator advise people to give support via registered charities.

    Today (17 October 2024) the Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Fundraising Regulator have published advice on how people can help civilians impacted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

    The advice comes as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launches a humanitarian appeal to help civilians affected by humanitarian crises in Gaza and Lebanon caused by conflict.

    DEC brings together 15 leading registered UK aid charities to raise funds quickly and efficiently in times of crisis overseas.

    The appeal will fund the distribution of emergency items such as mattresses, blankets, tents, food and water to those in need of basic humanitarian relief in the region.

    The government has pledged to match donations received by the DEC appeal, up to £10million, which will make the public’s generosity go up to twice as far to help those in need.

    Many people in the UK will separately be wishing to support charities operating in or supporting those across communities impacted by recent events in Israel. Checking charity registers before donating will ensure that support reaches its intended cause.

    By supporting existing, registered charities, including through the DEC, people can be assured that they are giving safely.  

    David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said:

    As we’ve watched the appalling humanitarian crisis unfold in the Middle East, many of us will be asking how best to help the millions of people in need of basic aid.

    Registered charities with experience working in incredibly complex and dangerous circumstances, across and within borders, are the best organisations to support financially to ensure donations reach civilians in need.

    That’s why we’re reminding people to give with confidence through registered charities, including the appeal launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee.

    Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Regulator said:

    The ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Middle East is devastating for so many people. The generosity of the British public means that many will be eager to support those affected in any way they can.

    Supporting registered charities, which have infrastructure established within the region, ensures that your donations will reach those who need it.

    Steps to giving safely 

    People can give with confidence to relief efforts by following a few simple steps: 

    • consider donating through the DEC’s emergency appeal
    • for those who choose to donate to other charities, the charity regulator is reminding people to check charities are registered and legitimate
    • look out for the Fundraising Badge – the logo that says ‘registered with Fundraising Regulator’ – and check the Fundraising Regulator’s Directory of organisations committed to fundraise in line with its Code of Fundraising Practice. 
    • contact a charity directly or find out more online about the charity that you’re seeking to donate to or work with to understand how it is spending funds 
    • make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information 
    • be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them 
    • check the charity’s name and registration number on the Charity Register – most charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered in England and Wales 

    ENDS  

    Notes to editors:  

    1. Further tips on donating with confidence to registered charities are available on GOV.UK 
    2. The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its purpose is to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen society. It can be reached on 
    3. There are separate registers for charities in England and Wales, charities in Scotland and charities in Northern Ireland. Charities can be on more than one register, reflecting the nations where they operate
    4. The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further guidance on giving safely to charity is available on the Fundraising Regulator’s website. It can be reached on FR@pagefield.co.uk

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: GIANTX Gaming and Samsung UK Unite for EGX Comic Con 2024

    Source: Samsung

     
    London, UK.  October 17, 2024 –  Today, GIANTX, is excited to announce its collaboration with electronics manufacturer Samsung, set to make a mark on the gaming world with a uniquely tasteful collaboration at the first ever EGX Comic Con event in October in London. This activation stands as a testament to the synergy between two brands, driven by their shared commitment to enhancing gamer experiences and shaping the future of interactive entertainment.
     
    Taglined as “ONE TAP”, the campaign encapsulates the spirit of the collaboration – the ease and efficiency of Samsung’s gaming experience delivered through Samsung Gaming Hub*, emphasising that everything a gamer needs is available at their fingertips. Coupled with referencing the term for a perfect shot in gaming – a single, precise move that hits the target.
     
    This dual meaning reinforces the idea that Samsung’s gaming platform offers both precision and ease, making it the ultimate destination for gamers seeking a seamless and high-quality experience.
     
    Samsung Gaming Hub is a game streaming service that has been built into all Samsung gaming TVs and monitors as standard since 2022[1]. It provides quick and easy access to more than 3,000 top gaming titles from Xbox[2] NVIDIA GeForce NOW and other popular streaming services. It’s all cloud based so there are no downloads, no storage limits, and no console or PC is required – simply stream and play.
     
    Plus there are added features in certain Samsung TV models such as AI Auto Game Mode that recognises the genre of the game you are playing and then adjusts the settings accordingly for the ultimate immersive gaming experience and ultra smooth motion.
     
    The booth will include:
    Multiple Samsung TV and mobile gaming stations
    Sonic themed space
    Play to win activities
    Prizes worth up to £3000
    Red Bull refreshments
     
    The brands will work together to showcase Samsung’s premium product lines across its Odyssey Gaming range of gaming monitors and its innovative NEO QLED  TV range that both have Samsung’s Gaming Hub built in, as well as a selection of the newest models across the brand’s mobile and tablet ranges.
     
    Luis Garcia, Commercial Director at GIANTX, expressed his excitement:
     
    “We are delighted to welcome Samsung to the GIANTX family. We look forward to activating together at EGX Comic Con 2024, bringing a unique experience to fans from the UK and beyond, showcasing the latest of Samsung technology to our captive audience of gaming and esports enthusiasts.”
     
    Zeena Hill, Director of Marketing for TV/AV at Samsung Electronics in the UK and Ireland, said: “We’re really excited to be collaborating with GIANTX to provide thousands of fans at EGX Comic Con and beyond in the multiple benefits of  our superior TV range. We know that gaming is a huge passion point for so many of our customers which is why Samsung’s Gaming Hub is made so easily accessible – all you need is a controller and away you go.
     
    “This collaboration with GIANTX will not only showcase the stunning clarity and gaming performance of our TV technology but also the ease in accessing thousands of top game titles without the need for a console.”
     
    The announcement brings Samsung UK into the GIANTX partnership line-up alongside other household names like HSBC UK and EE, with the brands aligning on the values of inspiring through technology while demonstrating commitment to the UK gaming scene. It demonstrates GIANTX’s commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to an unrivalled global fan base and showcase excellence in associated commercial propositions.
     
    For more information, please visit GIANTX.
     
    [1] Internet connection, additional gaming service subscription and compatible controller required. Gaming Hub not available in Republic of Ireland.
    [2] Requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Internet connection and compatible controller required.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: G7 Cyber Expert Group recommends action to combat financial sector risks from quantum computing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    G7 Cyber Expert Group publishes guidance for the finance sector on planning for quantum computing.

    The G7 Cyber Expert Group (CEG) – chaired by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Bank of England – released a public statement on 25 September highlighting the potential cybersecurity risks associated with developments in quantum computing and recommending steps for financial authorities and institutions to take to address those risks.

    G7 Cyber Expert Group statement on planning for the opportunities and risks of quantum computing (PDF, 483 KB, 3 pages)

    Quantum computers are being built that will be able to solve computational problems currently deemed impossible for conventional computers to solve within a reasonable amount of time.  While potentially providing significant benefits to the financial system, these powerful computers will also carry with them unique cybersecurity risks.  One of the most significant is that cyber threat actors could use quantum computers to defeat certain cryptographic techniques that secure communications and IT systems, potentially exposing financial entity data, including customer information.

    While the exact timeline for developing quantum computers with these capabilities is uncertain, there is a real possibility that such capabilities could emerge within a decade. These quantum computers would not only put future data at risk, but also any previously transmitted data that cyber adversaries have been able to intercept and store with the intent of decrypting later with quantum computers. Due to the potentially long lead time needed to put in place quantum-resilient technologies, the time to start planning is now.

    An initial set of quantum-resilient encryption standards was released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) last month. Additional standards from NIST and other standard-setting bodies are expected in the future. It is important for financial entities to maintain the agility required to incorporate new encryption standards in a timely and appropriate manner as they become available.

    With the availability of NIST’s standards, some financial entities may be in a position now to start making the needed changes to implement quantum resilient technologies within their systems. Others may be dependent on vendors and other third parties to develop implementations of the new standards that can be incorporated once they become available. No matter where entities are in their adoption timelines, the G7 CEG strongly encourages financial authorities and institutions to begin taking the following steps to build resilience against quantum computing risks:

    1. Develop a better understanding of the issue, the risks involved, and strategies for mitigating those risks.
    2. Assess quantum computing risks in their areas of responsibility.
    3. Develop a plan for mitigating quantum computing risks.

    The CEG statement provides additional details on quantum computing risks and the specific actions that financial entities can start taking to build quantum resilience within the financial system.

    The G7 CEG’s membership includes representatives of financial authorities across all G7 jurisdictions as well as the European Central Bank.  It was founded in 2015 to serve as a multi-year working group that coordinates cybersecurity policy and strategy across the member jurisdictions.  In addition to policy coordination, the G7 CEG also acts as a vehicle for information sharing, cooperation, and incident response.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Mint 230th Anniversary Flowing Hair Silver Medal™ Now on Sale

    Source: United States Mint

    WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) began accepting orders for the 230th Anniversary Flowing Hair Silver Medal on October 15 at noon ET. The medal pays homage to the Flowing Hair dollar coin, the first dollar coin issued by the U.S. Federal government on October 15, 1794. Mintage is limited to 75,000 medals.

    As part of the release, the Mint will celebrate the year in which the Flowing Hair dollar coin was issued and the number of years that have elapsed since the coin was introduced. 1,794 medals will feature a “230” privy mark. 230 of the privy-marked medals will also include a certificate of authenticity hand-signed by the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson, Director of the United States Mint. The 1,794 medals will be interspersed among the inventory of medals and randomly shipped to customers.

    Struck at the Mint’s Philadelphia facility, this historic medal is 99.9 percent fine silver with an uncirculated finish. Its obverse (heads) design is a faithful rendition of the first dollar coin, designed and sculpted by Robert Scot, the Mint’s first Chief Engraver. The portrait of Liberty faces right and is surrounded by 15 stars, representing the 15 states that had ratified the Constitution by 1794. The design retains the “LIBERTY” inscription and includes an updated “2024” date.

    The obverse was re-sculpted by Mint Medallic Artist John P. McGraw.

    The medal’s reverse (tails) design stays true to the 1794 original, depicting a laurel wreath surrounding an eagle with spread wings in the center, an early predecessor of the American heraldic eagle. The inscription is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

    Mint Medallic Artist Eric David Custer re-sculpted the reverse.

    The medal is encapsulated and placed in a stylish clamshell. A classic black presentation case embellished with the United States Mint seal and an outer sleeve with a silver embossed image of the Flowing Hair Liberty complete the packaging. A certificate of authenticity with matching imagery accompanies each medal.

    The 230th Anniversary Flowing Hair Silver Medal is priced at $104. To place an order, visit https://catalog.usmint.gov/230th-anniversary-flowing-hair-silver-medal-24YH.html/ (product code 24YH).

    Orders are limited to one medal per household for the first 24 hours of sales. The household order limit will be enforced at the time the product launches online and applied across all retail channels.

    This product is included in the Mint’s Authorized Bulk Purchase Program (ABPP). Products listed in the ABPP will be eligible for early release, carry an AB suffix in the product code, and carry a premium. Early released products are not eligible for discounts.

    The medal will also be available at the Mint’s sales centers at the Philadelphia Mint, 151 N. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (on 5th Street between Arch Street and Race Street); the Denver Mint, 320 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80204 (on Cherokee Street, between West Colfax Avenue and West 14th Avenue); and the Mint Headquarters Coin Store in Washington, D.C., 801 9th St. NW, Washington, DC 20220.

    The Mint will open sales for the 230th Anniversary Flowing Hair High Relief Gold Coin on November 14. In addition, the Mint will auction a select number of these companion gold coins to the public. Details will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Please use the Mint’s catalog site at catalog.usmint.gov/ as your primary source of the most current information on product and service status or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech impaired customers with TTY equipment may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468).

    About the United States Mint
    Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

    Note: To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, the United States Mint will not accept and will not honor orders placed prior to the official on-sale date of October 15, 2024, at noon EDT.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Definitive Healthcare launches Monocl Conferences to improve conference planning and participation for biopharma and medtech organizations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Definitive Healthcare (Nasdaq: DH), a leader in healthcare commercial intelligence, today announced the launch of Monocl Conferences. This solution is designed to enhance conference planning and participation for life science organizations by providing medical affairs, marketing, and conference planning teams with rich, contextualized conference data and access to the experts driving conference activities.

    By delivering a comprehensive overview of key conference insights—including information about presenters, timing, and locations of the most relevant scientific and medical updates—Monocl Conferences can help biopharma and medtech organizations make the most of every conference.

    Key features of Monocl Conferences include:

    • Visualized conference data: A user-friendly dashboard delivers powerful data visualization, making key insights easy to understand and eliminating the need for cumbersome spreadsheets.
    • Searchable conference insights: Users can quickly find relevant sessions, speakers, and topics across numerous presentations to identify important discussions and data readouts to attend.
    • Comparable data: Organizations can monitor year-over-year trends, presentations, topics, and conference activity of other key players across the industry with historical conference data for deeper insights.

    “We understand the vital role that conferences play in the biopharma and medtech industries,” said Kristoffer Gustafsson, VP Platform Monocl at Definitive Healthcare. “Monocl Conferences is designed to streamline the planning process, drive strategic engagement, and ultimately support organizations in delivering innovative therapies and medical devices that improve patient outcomes.”

    Monocl Conferences offers quick access to presentations, allowing users to uncover both their and their competitors’ share of the program. Additionally, the platform provides insights into conference discussions via social media listening, revealing trending topics and key online contributors, along with access to presentation titles and abstracts that highlight conference focus areas and details about the presence of centers of excellence.

    Monocl Conferences is tailored to support diverse teams within life science organizations. It can help enhance scientific communication and expert engagement for medical affairs teams, streamline event organization and execution for conference planners, and provide marketing teams with insights to inform their conference selection, messaging, and presence. Together, these capabilities enable organizations to refine their conference strategies and derive maximum value from every event.

    For more information about Monocl Conferences, visit definitivehc.com/conferences.

    About Definitive Healthcare

    At Definitive Healthcare, our mission is to transform data, analytics, and expertise into healthcare commercial intelligence. We help clients uncover the right markets, opportunities, and people, so they can shape tomorrow’s healthcare industry. Our SaaS products and solutions create new paths to commercial success in the healthcare market, so companies can identify where to go next. Learn more at definitivehc.com.

    Media Contacts:
    Bethany Swackhamer
    bswackhamer@definitivehc.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Brian Denyeau
    ICR for Definitive Healthcare
    brian.denyeau@icrinc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How images of knives intended to stop youth knife crime may actually be making things worse

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Charlotte Coleman, Deputy Head of the Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University

    Nicole Kwiatkowski/Shutterstock

    You’d be forgiven for thinking that young people are behind most knife crime in the UK. Media coverage often focuses on youth involvement, and the government’s plan to halve knife crime focuses specifically on young people and vulnerable teenagers.

    Evidence shows that most knife-involved crime is committed in the home, between adults, in the form of intimate partner violence. Only around 18% of knife offences are carried out by 10- to 17-year-olds. These usually involve other young people.

    Although young people’s share of knife crime is low, their involvement is a significant concern and has risen starkly in the last decade.

    Choosing to carry a knife out of the home, into the streets, or into school is a rare choice that most children never make. Estimates show that between one and four in 100 young people carry knives.

    For those few who do, it is important to understand the complex factors behind why. This is what we, and many other academics, have been studying in our research.

    Both researchers and young people themselves cite protection as a factor in knife carrying. Many young people are fearful of being victims of knife crime, and knife carrying may offer a sense of security and defence from potential threats.

    This fear is not necessarily correlated to reality. Young people tend to overestimate the prevalence of weapon carrying among their peers. What’s more, those carrying knives for defence often end up having their own knife used against them.

    Seeing images of knives

    One reason that young people may have a fear of knife crime is because of how the threat is presented to them through images.

    Media reports and anti-knife campaign material often features images of shocking weapons, such as zombie knives. Depictions of piles of seized weapons and vicious blades all paint a picture of a risky landscape.

    You probably noticed that the photos illustrating this article do not include a picture of a knife. This is a deliberate choice. Our research has found that such knife imagery can evoke fear or excitement for some young people.

    Their heightened emotional responses suggest that these young people are the most likely to be vulnerable to future knife carrying. Those who feel most unsafe in their communities are the most likely to respond negatively to graphic imagery.

    Interestingly, the young people who participated in our research self-reported knife imagery as having little impact on them. But our study investigated their unconscious emotional response through an implicit association test. This approach is key in a research area vulnerable to self-presentation bias, where young people might attempt to hide their true feelings.

    The test we used assessed response speeds to determine associations between images of knives and words relating to fear and excitement. Overall, response times were faster (showed more association) for fear-related words.

    Other evidence suggests that anti-knife crime imagery and messaging can create exaggerated belief about the prevalence of knife carrying. This may increase, rather than reduce, the fear of victimisation, and further encourage people to carry knives.

    Some young people say they carry knives because they feel a need to protect themselves.
    No Knives, Better Lives, © Open Aye, CC BY-NC

    Floods of knife images in a young person’s social and educational environment may normalise knife carrying. Nearly two-thirds of young people report experiencing secondary traumatic stress when viewing knife crime news on social media.

    When knife imagery is used in intervention materials presented by someone in a position of authority (a teacher or police officer, for example), it can validate the fears even more.

    In other words, the more we talk about knife crime, the scarier it can seem, and the more young people feel the need to protect themselves by carrying a weapon.

    Labour’s plan to cut knife crime – including a ban on zombie knives that has just come into effect – should go a long way to reducing the availability of “status” weapons. It may also mean that images of these knives are less prevalent in the media, which, given our research findings, would likely have a positive effect.

    But, as noted earlier, most young people are not at risk, and have had no exposure to knife crime. Knife carrying is not normal behaviour for most young people. Anti-knife messaging would serve young people better by avoiding the use of knife imagery, and instead focus on discussing how to keep safe by avoiding risky behaviour, and how to get help if a dangerous situation arises.

    Dr Charlotte Coleman receives funding from N8 Policing Research Partnership.
    Dr Charlotte Coleman is a member of the Youth Justice Board Academic Liaison Network
    Dr Charlotte Coleman is an executive member of the Society for Evidence Based Policing.

    Jess Scott-Lewis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How images of knives intended to stop youth knife crime may actually be making things worse – https://theconversation.com/how-images-of-knives-intended-to-stop-youth-knife-crime-may-actually-be-making-things-worse-239153

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Department of Veterans Affairs Selects Rise8 for $2.4B Multiple-Awardee IDIQ for Developer Experience Platform Enablement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rise8 announced its selection for a SPRUCE Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle to provide the VA with streamlined delivery services and teams. As one of 10 awardees for the contract vehicle, with a total ordering ceiling of $2.4B, Rise8 will support the VA with a multidisciplinary, expert team to assist with developing modern digital products that maximize results for Veterans.

    With the SPRUCE contract vehicle, the VA will connect VA product owners with best-in-class industry partners to deliver high-quality digital products and improved user experiences. SPRUCE requires expertise in critical areas including software development and operations, technical advising and architecture planning, service design and user research studies, data science and data analytics, and product support operations.

    This is perfectly aligned to Rise8’s mission of enabling large enterprises to continuously deliver valuable software that users love. “We’re proud to be a part of the VA’s mission to incorporate more modern software development practices, and make those streamlined services available to VA employees and Veterans,” said Bryon Kroger, CEO and founder of Rise8. “This opportunity represents much more than just a contract win to me – as a Veteran myself with a father who struggled with VA care, I vowed to take Rise8 to the VA to help the great people there better achieve their mission to serve Veterans and provide exceptional experiences. Working with the VA on this is one of the most meaningful things I have ever been able to do. They are heroes serving heroes, and we can’t wait to serve them.”

    This latest contract award marks another significant milestone in Rise8’s work with the VA. In 2022, the company delivered a continuous Authority to Operate (cATO) to the VA in support of the Lighthouse Program, equipping them with the ability to ship software earlier and continuously. Last month, a separate program within the VA also awarded Rise8 a $10M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract for VA.gov Watchtower, providing support and improvements for observability, monitoring, and site reliability.

    To learn more about how Rise8 works to create a future where fewer bad things happen because of bad software, visit https://www.rise8.us/.

    About Rise8
    Rise8 enables large enterprises with critical missions to continuously deliver valuable software that users love. Rise8 is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with headquarters in Tampa, FL, and a fully remote workforce. Learn more at https://www.rise8.us/ and on LinkedIn, and X.

    The views expressed are those of Rise8 and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. government.

    Media Contact:
    Casey Dell’Isola
    REQ for Rise8
    rise8@req.co

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Progress AI-Powered Flowmon Introduces Up to 10x Search Acceleration for Faster Cyberthreat Hunting and Network Troubleshooting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IP Address Indexing is the first in a series of major performance and scalability enhancements to the Flowmon AI-powered Network Detection and Response & Network Visibility offerings.

    BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Progress (Nasdaq: PRGS), the trusted provider of AI-powered infrastructure software, today announced the latest release of Progress® Flowmon®, the network observability platform with AI-powered detection for cyberthreats, anomalies and fast access to actionable insights for greater network and application performance across hybrid cloud ecosystems. With today’s release, the Flowmon platform enhances IP search efficiency up to tenfold with innovative IP address indexing that empowers network administrators to swiftly track network activities tied to specific IP addresses. The result is a significant reduction in the time needed for data analysis and troubleshooting, providing robust protection for optimal network performance.

    “For many IT teams, retrospective analysis while hunting for threats amidst growing volumes of telemetry data can be time-consuming, especially in large and complex networks. In the ever-shifting terrain of cybersecurity, the urgency to resolve network performance and security issues rapidly—within moments, is paramount,” said Sundar Subramanian, EVP and General Manager, Infrastructure Management, Progress. “With the addition of IP Address Indexing in Flowmon, IT professionals can perform near-immediate searches to process IP address data swiftly, gaining critical insights essential for quick troubleshooting of their networks.”

    As networks grow, the volume of telemetry data expands exponentially. This growth, while beneficial, results in increasingly longer search times and slows threat-hunting efforts. Near-immediate answers to retrospective analysis of compromise indicators are now available such as, “Did anyone from my network communicate with the following malicious IPs last month?” This solution propels IP search queries to new heights, achieving up to tenfold increase in speed. Network administrators and cybersecurity professionals can now rapidly identify network activities associated with specific IP addresses. This significantly reduces the time required for thorough data analysis and effective troubleshooting. Additionally, the IP Address Indexing is designed to scale alongside network growth, driving sustained search efficiency regardless of the expanding number of IP addresses.

    Additional features include:

    • Enhanced Usability and Streamlined Workflows: Flowmon now sets IP Conversation as the standard selection for the most important statistics, delivering instant insights into network interactions. Moreover, the Analysis chart has been updated to allow selectively switching network performance monitoring metrics on or off for a more customized and relevant view of data. The Monitoring Center, along with the Dashboards and Reports, has been improved with new application information icons for external IP addresses and now prominently highlights denied IP addresses from Flowmon ADS blacklists.
    • Precision and Reliability in Event Reporting: Flowmon now introduces flexible event reporting with Syslog messages over the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). This enhancement delivers targeted and reliable event reporting to designated IP addresses, accelerating the time for data processing and capturing and issue identification.

    Flowmon network observability solution, with AI-powered detection for cyberthreats and anomalies, allows fast access to actionable insights for greater network and application performance across hybrid cloud ecosystems. For more information about the latest release of the Flowmon platform, please visit http://www.flowmon.com.

    About Progress
    Progress (Nasdaq: PRGS) empowers organizations to achieve transformational success in the face of disruptive change. Our software enables our customers to develop, deploy and manage responsible, AI-powered applications and experiences with agility and ease. Customers get a trusted provider in Progress, with the products, expertise and vision they need to succeed. Over 4 million developers and technologists at hundreds of thousands of enterprises depend on Progress. Learn more at http://www.progress.com.

    Progress and Flowmon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the US and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

    Press Contact:
    Kim Baker
    Progress
    +1-800-477-6473
    pr@progress.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SMX Awarded $79.4M CFTC cGate Contract Through GSA Alliant 2

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HERNDON, Va., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SMX®, a leader in next-generation mission support, digital transformation, and IT solutions, announced today that it has been awarded the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Cloud Governance and Administration of Technology and Engineering (cGATE) contract through the General Services Administration’s (GSA), Assisted Acquisition Support, Alliant 2 vehicle, to provide cloud-based licensing and services. CFTC cGate is a competitively awarded contract with a total maximum value of up to $79.4M and a 5-year contract length.

    The cGATE contract represents a cornerstone of the CFTC’s ongoing efforts to enhance its oversight of the futures and derivatives markets, ensuring integrity and transparency. SMX has supported the migration of several applications and the transition of numerous workloads to Azure and AWS for mission critical data and market oversight applications. Under this contract, SMX will continue to provide cutting-edge technology and support services in the areas of cloud operations, data management, and advanced security, that enable CFTC to advance its critical mission of protecting market participants and the public from fraud, manipulation, and abusive practices.

    Sandeep Dorawala, President of the SMX Digital Solutions Group, commented, “We are honored to have been selected by the CFTC to support their critical mission through the cGATE contract. This award is a testament to our team’s continued dedication and expertise in delivering high-quality technology solutions that meet the complex needs of our federal clients. We look forward to continuing to partner with the CFTC to enhance their capabilities in market oversight and enforcement.”

    As a trusted partner to the federal government, SMX brings deep domain expertise, a commitment to excellence, and a history of successful project execution. This contract award reinforces SMX’s position as a leading provider of IT solutions in the federal marketplace.

    About SMX
    SMX is a leader in next-generation cloud, C5ISR, and advanced engineering and IT solutions operating in close proximity to clients across the U.S. and around the globe. SMX delivers scalable and secure solutions combined with the mission expertise needed to accelerate outcomes for the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, Public Sector, Fortune 1000 and other public and private sector clients. For more information on our services, please visit https://www.smxtech.com/.

    For inquiries about this press release, please contact us at communications@smxtech.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada and Atlantic Coastal Action Program Launch Major Reforestation Project in Cape Breton

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 17, 2024                                Sydney, Nova Scotia                         Natural Resources Canada

    Today, Jaime Battiste, Member of Parliament for Sydney–Victoria, Nova Scotia, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with the Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Cape Breton announced a joint investment of more than $1.2 million to plant over 208,000 trees in eastern Cape Breton through the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program.

    The trees will be planted over four years. Outcomes of this will include:

    • Restoration of ecosystems in areas of eastern Cape Breton that had been deforested.
    • The planting of 208,000 trees, along with native plants and shrubs.
    • Habitat restoration for diverse flora and fauna in Nova Scotia.
    • Increased local capacity to plant and maintain trees thanks to workforce training, mentorship opportunities and student partnerships.
    • Increased community knowledge of forest restoration practices that help mitigate floods and other extreme weather events.

    The 2BT program helps to clean the air, create jobs and fight climate change while protecting nature. By working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non- and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples, Canada continues to build a strong, healthy and green future for generations to come.

    Quotes

    “Forests clean the air we breathe, make our urban spaces more enjoyable, provide new habitats for wildlife and help us adapt to our changing climate while also mitigating its impacts by sequestering carbon emissions. The funding announced today will play an important role in bringing these benefits to Nova Scotians and will help achieve our federal government’s ambitious goal of planting two billion trees over a decade. Through this project, we are showing how collaborative work can ensure that the right tree is planted at the right place at the right time for the benefit of all Canadians.” 

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
    Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

    “Partnership and collaboration play a critical role in the sustainable management of our forests and tackling the dual crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Government of Canada is pleased to be partnering with the Atlantic Coastal Action Program-Cape Breton to continue making progress toward planting trees that will clean the air we breathe, improve water quality and mitigate climate change across Canada, creating a healthier environment for generations to come.”

    Jaime Battiste
    Member of Parliament, Sydney–Victoria, Nova Scotia

    “Trees planted as part of the 2 Billion Trees program create greener, healthier and more resilient communities in the face of a changing climate. Canada is supporting the Atlantic Coastal Action Program-Cape Breton to support the restoration of Canada’s forests and important habitats, all while ensuring there is cleaner air and sustainable jobs in communities across Canada.”

    Mike Kelloway
    Member of Parliament, Cape Breton–Canso, Nova Scotia

    “We are honoured to be part of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees commitment here in Unama’ki-Cape Breton. The trees we plant will help restore forest ecosystems and create a more-resilient climate legacy for our communities as well as the creatures we share this land with. These lands will not only sequester carbon but also provide habitat, food and shade for our warming lands and waters and help filter water in the watersheds that furnish our drinking water.”

    Dr. Kathleen Aikens
    Executive Director, ACAP Cape Breton

    Quick facts

    • Since 2021, the Government of Canada has been supporting governments and organizations across the country to plant trees to help meet the Government of Canada’s commitment to planting two billion trees. 

    • The 2 Billion Trees program collaborates with partners to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Partners report every year, and the program conducts site visits and will be using remote sensing to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites.

    • To date, the Government of Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements to plant over 553 million trees.  

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    Natural Resources Canada
    Media Relations
    343-292-6100
    media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    Cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MAIB Annual Report 2023 published

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    This report provides information on the branch’s activities during 2023.

    Today, we have issued our annual report which details the work of the branch during 2023 and includes:

    • a statement from the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents
    • a feature on MAIB’s new data portal
    • an overview of accidents reported
    • a summary of investigations started
    • details of investigation reports published
    • recommendations issued in 2023 and an update on their status
    • updates on open recommendations made in previous years
    • marine accident statistics

    Read more in our Annual Report 2023.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –