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Category: Scandinavia

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint donor statement on humanitarian aid to Gaza 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Joint donor statement on humanitarian aid to Gaza 

    Joint statement on behalf of 25 humanitarian partners on aid to Gaza and the proposal for a new aid delivery model.

    Joint statement:

    “Whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid entering Gaza for over two months. Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza’s people must receive the aid they desperately need.  

    “Prior to the aid block, the UN and humanitarian NGOs delivered aid into Gaza, working with great courage, at the risk of their lives and in the face of major access challenges imposed by Israel. These organisations subscribe to upholding humanitarian principles, operating independently, with neutrality, impartiality and humanity. They have the logistical capacity, expertise and operational coverage to deliver assistance across Gaza to those who need it most.  

    “Israel’s security cabinet has reportedly approved a new model for delivering aid into Gaza, which the UN and our humanitarian partners cannot support. They are clear that they will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect the humanitarian principles. Humanitarian principles matter for every conflict around the world and should be applied consistently in every warzone. The UN has raised concerns that the proposed model cannot deliver aid effectively, at the speed and scale required. It places beneficiaries and aid workers at risk, undermines the role and independence of the UN and our trusted partners, and links humanitarian aid to political and military objectives.  Humanitarian aid should never be politicised, and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change.  

    “As humanitarian donors, we have two straightforward messages for the Government of Israel: allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity. We remain committed to meeting the acute needs we see in Gaza. We also reiterate our firm message that Hamas must immediately release all remaining hostages and allow humanitarian assistance to be distributed without interference. It is our firm conviction that an immediate return to a ceasefire and working towards the implementation of a two-state solution are the only way to bring peace and security to Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability for the whole region.”

    This statement has been signed by:

    • The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. 

    • The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management and the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Covid-19 death tolls in Europe highlight stark regional differences in 2020 and 2021

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Florian Bonnet, Démographe et économiste, spécialiste des inégalités territoriales, Ined (Institut national d’études démographiques)

    The political decisions made during 2020 and 2021 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic profoundly altered daily life. Professionally, societies faced partial unemployment and widespread adoption of remote work; personally, individuals endured lockdowns and social distancing measures. These interventions aimed to reduce infection rates and ease pressure on healthcare systems, with the primary public health goal of minimizing deaths.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    More than five years after the pandemic began, what do we know about its impact on human longevity? Here’s a closer look.

    A decline in global life expectancy

    Initial assessments of the pandemic’s toll have been refined over time. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published in May 2024, global life expectancy declined by 1.8 years between 2019 and 2021, erasing a decade of progress. These estimates rely on “excess mortality”, a metric that measures the difference between observed mortality during the pandemic and expected mortality in its absence.

    Excess mortality can be quantified using different indicators, such as the number of excess deaths. However, comparing this indicator between countries of different sizes and age structures can be challenging. Another informative metric is the loss of life expectancy at birth, calculated globally by organisations such as the WHO.

    The regular calculation, publication and dissemination of excess mortality indicators are vital for comparing the pandemic’s impact across countries at the national level. However, it is important to recognise that the pandemic did not affect all areas within countries equally. Variability in the severity of the pandemic’s impact often stemmed from differing confinement strategies implemented to contain the virus.

    This uneven distribution highlights the need to quantify these indicators at a more granular geographical level. Such localised analysis can reveal the regions most severely affected, providing valuable insights into the pandemic’s effects and enabling the development of targeted response strategies.

    In a series of studies conducted in 2024, we introduced an innovative method to calculate excess mortality at the regional level. We used this method to estimate excess mortality in 561 European regions in 2020 and expanded the scope to 569 regions across 25 countries in 2020 and 2021. The findings, based on loss of life expectancy at birth, reveal stark contrasts in the pandemic’s impact across Europe.

    In 2020, significant declines in life expectancy were observed in northern Italy and Spain

    Figure 1 illustrates the spatial distribution of estimated losses of life expectancy in 2020. These losses were highest in northern Italy and central Spain. In the Italian regions of Bergamo and Cremona, life expectancy dropped by nearly four years, while Piacenza experienced a decline of three and a half years. In Spain, the regions of Segovia, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Madrid saw losses of approximately three years.

    The losses were even more pronounced among men (data not presented here), who were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In Cremona, the decline in life expectancy among men reached nearly five years, while in Bergamo, it was close to four and a half years.

    Figure 1: Estimated loss of observed life expectancy at birth (e0) in 2020 across 569 regions in 25 European countries. Estimates are for both sexes combined.
    Fourni par l’auteur

    Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, along with eastern Sweden and northern and eastern France, also experienced significant, though less severe, declines. In France, the Paris region and areas near the German border recorded the highest losses, ranging from 1.5 to 2 years.

    In contrast, other regions saw much smaller impacts. This is particularly true for southern Italy, much of Scandinavia and Germany, southern parts of the United Kingdom, and western France. In these regions, observed life expectancy is close to what would have been expected in the absence of the pandemic. In France, the implementation of lockdown measures in March and November likely prevented the pandemic from spreading across the entire country from the initial clusters in the north and east.

    In 2021, a shift in the pandemic toward Eastern Europe

    Figure 2 shows the estimated losses of life expectancy in 2021. At a glance, the regions most affected by excess mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic differed significantly from those in 2020. The most substantial losses were concentrated in Eastern Europe.

    Figure 2: Estimated loss of observed life expectancy at birth (e0) in 2021 across 569 regions in 25 European countries. Estimates are for both sexes combined.
    Fourni par l’auteur

    Among regions where life expectancy declined by more than two years, 61 of Poland’s 73 regions, 12 of the Czech Republic’s 14 regions, all eight Hungarian regions, and seven of Slovakia’s eight regions were affected. In contrast, only one Italian region and one Spanish region experienced losses exceeding two years, despite these countries being heavily impacted in 2020.

    Germany saw much greater losses in 2021 than in 2020, particularly in its eastern regions, where declines often exceeded 1.5 years. In southern Saxony, Halle and Lusatia, losses approached two years. Conversely, Spain and Scandinavia recorded the lowest declines in life expectancy.

    In France, the losses were more uniform than in 2020, generally ranging from 0 to 1.5 years. The highest loss occurred in the Parisian suburbs, particularly Seine-Saint-Denis, where life expectancy fell by 1.5 years – or two years for men.

    What is the overall assessment for these two years?

    To determine the overall impact of 2020 and 2021 in terms of life expectancy loss, we used an indicator that sums up the years of life lost due to the pandemic over this two-year period. This method allows us to rank the 569 European regions.

    The regions most affected were Pulawy, Bytom and Przemyski in southeastern Poland, along with Kosice and Presov in eastern Slovakia. Among the top 50 regions, Eastern Europe dominated, with 36 Polish regions, six Slovakian regions, two Czech regions, one Hungarian region, and both Lithuanian regions included. Italian regions such as Cremona, Bergamo and Piacenza also ranked high, falling between the 15th and 30th positions. In France, Seine-Saint-Denis ranked 81st, while all other French regions were outside the top 100.

    It is crucial to analyse the impact of a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic at a fine geographical scale, as within-country disparities can be significant. This was particularly evident in Italy in 2020, where the north was far more affected than the south, and in Germany in 2021, with stark differences between the west and the east.

    Our study highlighted the severe impact of the pandemic in specific European regions, where life expectancy losses exceeded three years. The most affected regions shifted over time, moving from areas with traditionally high life expectancy (such as northern Italy, central Spain and the greater Paris region) in 2020 to regions with traditionally lower life expectancy (Eastern Europe) in 2021. France was relatively spared compared to the rest of Europe, with the notable exception of Seine-Saint-Denis.

    The coming years will be critical in determining whether life expectancy levels can return to their long-term trajectories or if the pandemic has caused lasting structural changes in certain regions.

    Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.

    – ref. Covid-19 death tolls in Europe highlight stark regional differences in 2020 and 2021 – https://theconversation.com/covid-19-death-tolls-in-europe-highlight-stark-regional-differences-in-2020-and-2021-246374

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sara McQuillan talks about International Women in Maritime day

    Source: International Marine Contractors Association – IMCA

    Headline: Sara McQuillan talks about International Women in Maritime day

    May 18 marks the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) annual International Women in Maritime day, and in honour of it, we asked one of the members of our team to speak to us about her experiences of working offshore, and how her gender might have impacted her compared to her male colleagues.

    Q: Hi Sara, thank you for agreeing to speak to us, could you describe your journey into hydrographic surveying and what drew you to work at sea in this specialised field?

    A: I studied Geography at university and became interested in geospatial information systems which led me to pursue a hydrographic survey course. This opened the door for me to join an offshore construction company as a graduate hydrographic surveyor. Despite not knowing much about the offshore industry, I enjoyed the discipline and thought I would give it a go. Little did I know, it would become something I am so passionate about! Fifteen years later, I’m still working with fantastic hydrographic survey professionals developing technical guidance to support other survey professionals and supporting programs to ensure safety and quality offshore.

    Q: What did a typical day look like for you onboard, and what were some of the most memorable or challenging projects you’ve worked on?

    A: At the start of a job, during mobilisation, the surveyor has a lot of work to do – installation of sensors, calibrations, verifications, setting up the navigation software, liaising with the relevant teams for the job (ROV/Dive/Marine/OM) to ensure the team was prepared. After a couple of years offshore, my preferred shift was midnight to noon and although this meant I was usually the only surveyor on shift and there was minimal onshore support available, it was quieter and I enjoyed the responsibility. 

    I would be responsible for ensuring all the survey sensors were operating as required, and to the accuracy expected. That all necessary data was provided in real time to the required teams on board, logged and reported. I was primarily based on construction vessels, so my day to day would involve positioning support for subsea installations.

    In 2013 I took part in the Guara-Lula project offshore of Brazil which was the development of a field in the Santos pre-salt basin. This project was a completely different kettle of fish for the survey team on this vessel after years in the UK, the North Sea and Norway. The operations involved were in 2km of water depth and therefore required the use of a wide suite of sensors to obtain accurate subsea positioning in deep water. This required the installation and maintenance of two very large (18 transponder) subsea positioning arrays along with high grade ROV based sensors for the installation operations. This was a very busy project working in a small survey team of five. It was the best project I worked on as it was the time I learned the most. It was incredibly busy and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!

    Q: How has your experience been as a woman working in the maritime sector, particularly in the often male-dominated environment of offshore surveying?

    A: I am fortunate to have discovered a field I am passionate about. Hydrographic Survey, as a scientific discipline, draws academics who are dedicated and focused on their work. However, the general offshore environment when I began in 2010, was challenging  and I was often singled out for my gender. On a vessel of around 120 people, there would have been around five women on board. Sexism and misogyny was always present  but not acknowledged, addressed or prevented. Thankfully, towards the end of my offshore career, things started to change. More women were present and that alone changed the dynamic away from being solely a male world. In my offshore space, attitudes were shifting towards an environment where gender wasn’t noted. However,  there was, and still is, a way to go but I was glad to see it moving.

    Q: Have you noticed any shifts in how women are perceived or supported in maritime careers since you began, and what further changes would you like to see?

    A: In 2025 I am happy to see there are more opportunities for women in the Maritime sector and a move towards a more gender balanced workforce. In my opinion this is down to some of the incredible professionals across the world who forged through male-dominated environments and changed perceptions, not just by those currently in the space, but also by those looking to enter it.

    In general, the maritime industry seems to be prioritising diversity by focusing on attracting women to careers in the sector. Initiatives run by organisations like the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) and the IMO promote inclusive policies, recruitment, and education for women. Simply changing the gender balance should open doors and careers for those who may not have considered it previously, changing these spaces for everyone, but particularly women.

    Q: What advice would you offer to young women considering a career in hydrographic surveying or maritime more broadly?

    A: If you enjoy a subject, go for it. If you are apprehensive of entering a male dominated place because of your gender, just get in, take up space, work hard, earn respect, make it your space. Don’t allow your gender to define what you can do.

    As for Hydrographic Survey and Hydrography in general, it is full of women. Fantastic academics and practical professionals, working across many different industries, developing new technologies and working within a real-world environment. It’s a fantastic discipline to enter with endless possibilities for careers supporting things like mapping the unknown parts of the ocean, Global Positioning Systems, climate change and environmental sustainability (among others) whilst using and developing state-of-the-art technology. It’s an exciting place to be, come join us.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Bank of Åland Plc: Pasi Poikkeus appointed Deputy Head of the Finnish Mainland Business Area

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Bank of Åland Plc
    Change, Board/Executive Team/Auditors
    May 19, 2025, 17.00 EET

    Pasi Poikkeus appointed Deputy Head of the Finnish Mainland Business Area

    Pasi Poikkeus has been appointed Deputy Head of the Finnish Mainland Business Area, thereby also becoming a deputy member of the Executive Team. Poikkeus holds degrees in Master of Social Sciences (econ.) and Executive Master of Business Administration and is Head of the bank’s Private Banking within the Finnish Mainland Business Area. He has been with Bank of Åland since 2023 and will assume his new position immediately.

    For further information, please contact:
    Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Bank of Åland Plc, tel. +358 204 291 225
    Pasi Poikkeus, Head of Private Banking Finland, tel +358 50 358 3000

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How aid cuts could make vulnerable communities even less resilient to climate change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kalle Hirvonen, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Insitute; Research Fellow, UNU-WIDER, United Nations University

    An irrigation project in Mozambique. Marcos Villalta / Save the Children, CC BY-NC-ND

    As global temperatures rise and climate-related disasters become more frequent, the need to adapt is rapidly increasing. That need for adaptation – from adjusting farming practices to diversifying livelihoods and strengthening infrastructure – is most acute in vulnerable low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti and Vietnam.

    Despite contributing a negligible share of historical global greenhouse gas emissions, these countries are facing the brunt of climate change. Yet as the demand for long-term resilience grows, international aid priorities are shifting in the opposite direction.

    Over the past three years, several major rich countries have substantially cut their development aid budgets. Remaining funds have been redirected towards emergency relief.

    This shift could undermine the climate finance commitments made by wealthy countries to mobilise US$300 billion (£228 billion) a year for climate action in the most vulnerable low- and middle-income countries by 2035.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Emergency aid, while vital for saving lives during crises such as droughts and floods, is reactive by nature. It arrives only after disaster has struck, often with a substantial delay.

    By contrast, climate adaptation is proactive. It focuses on anticipating future risks and helping communities prepare for changing environments.

    A key part of this is supporting transitions away from sectors like crop agriculture that are particularly vulnerable to climate-related shocks. In some cases, adapting to a changing climate may also require helping families move safely — turning relocation into a choice rather than a last resort.

    In Ethiopia, one of the world’s most drought-prone countries, a US government-funded food security programme aimed to strengthen resilience by offering livelihood training, organising savings groups and providing a US$200 lump sum to poor rural households. Research shows that this programme improved food security and protected assets during periods of drought.

    Livestock farming in the Somali region of Ethiopia which was severely affected by droughts in 2011.
    Malini Morzaria/EUECHO, CC BY-NC-ND

    In Nicaragua, families who received cash transfers alongside vocational training or investment grants were better protected against drought shocks than those relying on cash alone. These households could supplement farming with other income sources. This made them less vulnerable to drought-related losses and helped stabilise their earnings throughout the year.

    These schemes are known as “cash-plus programmes”. They help create the conditions for households to adapt and thrive. But when climate and environmental shocks overwhelm the resilience of local communities, relocation may still become the only viable option.

    That’s why proactive adaptation efforts need to be scaled up and broadened — not only to meet immediate needs but to support longer-term transitions. This includes investing in sustainable livelihoods through diversified income sources, skills training and, when necessary, enabling safe and voluntary relocation.

    Some pilot interventions that supported seasonal rural-to-urban migration have shown what’s possible. In Bangladesh, a small migration subsidy of just US$8.50 helped the participating poor farm households affected by seasonal famine cover travel costs.

    Migration for temporary work increased by 22%, and families back home experienced improvements in food security. With even modest support, people were able to access job opportunities in cities and strengthen their resilience.

    Programmes that make it easier for people to choose to move from rural areas to cities could help families move with dignity rather than in desperation. However, scaling up such initiatives successfully remains a challenge, requiring strong political commitment and effective governance.

    Climate relocation

    Without proactive planning and support, migration often happens out of necessity rather than choice. This kind of displacement typically occurs within national borders rather than across continents — contrary to popular narratives.

    In fact, 59% of the world’s forcibly displaced population live within their own country. By the end of 2023, a record 75.9 million people across 116 countries were internally displaced — a 51% increase over the previous five years, driven in part by climate change.

    A family leave their home in Oklahoma, US, as a result of the 1930s dust bowl disaster.
    Dorothea Lange/Library of Congress, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information.

    History provides sobering lessons about relocation triggered by environmental collapse. In the 1930s, a severe drought and dust storms struck the Great Plains in the US, creating the “dust bowl”. This devastated farmland and forced millions of people to leave their homes, as economic hardship became widespread and the land so degraded that crops wouldn’t grow.

    Today, similar patterns loom as droughts, floods and rising seas threaten livelihoods around the world. Small island states such as Tuvalu face existential threats from rising sea levels, with entire communities at risk of being displaced.

    These mounting threats underscore a hard truth: the window for effective climate adaptation is rapidly closing. As climate disruptions intensify, the case for long-term investment in resilience has never been clearer. Without proactive adaptation, the cycle of crisis and response will only deepen.

    Societies can adapt, but doing so takes foresight, investment and courage. In the face of escalating climate risks, bold, forward-looking policies are not a luxury — they are a necessity. By supporting longer-term strategies, rich-country governments and aid charities can enable vulnerable communities to withstand, adapt and, when necessary, move with dignity.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Kalle Hirvonen’s recent and ongoing research has been funded by the CGIAR Trust Fund (https://www.cgiar.org/funders/), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

    Olli-Pekka Kuusela 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 aid cuts could make vulnerable communities even less resilient to climate change – https://theconversation.com/how-aid-cuts-could-make-vulnerable-communities-even-less-resilient-to-climate-change-255358

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Moomin merchandise and fashion: 80 years of ultra-savvy marketing that taps into childhood nostalgia

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kiera Vaclavik, Professor of Children’s Literature & Childhood Culture, Queen Mary University of London

    On a visit to the British Library in London to research this piece, I was preceded by a woman with a lilac-coloured tote featuring a mischievous-looking girl with a severe top knot and black dress. I instantly recognised the distinctive outline of Tove Jansson’s Little My, one of the many brilliant characters of the Moominverse.

    A committed researcher, I summoned up the courage to ask about the bag and the woman carrying it. Anna – visiting the library to work on her fairy tale novel – immediately told all about her hold-all. About how she felt a connection with “fiery and independent” Little My specifically and Moomins generally. About how they took her back to her Swedish childhood, when she would hand-knit the distinctive rotund creatures. I had clearly hit the jackpot with Anna – Moomin owner, wearer and maker, all in one.

    Anna had bought the bag in Sweden, but you don’t have to go to the Scandinavian birthplace of the Moomins to buy into their world. Anna could have gone to the Moomin emporium 30 minutes’ walk away in Covent Garden, or just shopped online.

    This is part of a series of articles celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Moomins. Want to celebrate their birthday with us? Join The Conversation and a group of experts on May 23 in Bradford for a screening of Moomins on the Riviera and a discussion of the refugee experience in Tove Jansson’s work. Click here for more information and tickets.

    Today’s Moomin empire is vast and varied. The Moomins is a brand worth multi-millions, with 800 licencees worldwide. This 80th anniversary year will see capsule collections galore from the likes of Comme des Garçons, Acne Studios and Polarn O. Pyret.

    The products span interior décor, clothing and accessories, ceramics and much, much more. Driven in part by the extension into media that includes video games and TV, Moomins can be found on everything from planes to pencils. It’s very possible to eat, sleep, wear, play Moomin – to immerse yourself entirely in the Moomin world.

    It’s all very typical of the 21st-century media and entertainment asset landscape. And yet, as Moomin aficionados know full well, none of it is new. There has been Moomin merch for as long as there have been Moomins.

    Their creator Tove Jansson took an active role in the development of the Moomin industry. Part of her training had been in illustrations for advertising and when the books and comic strips took off, she herself provided images for a drinks manufacturer selling themed whortleberry juice and other libations. Jansson also designed a board game and supported and oversaw the development of several products and lines, taking immense care over their quality and details.

    The scale of the operation soon became overwhelming and Jansson became increasingly frustrated and resentful of the demands on her creative time. One of her characters, Snufkin, is bemused by why people “liked to have things” (Finn Family Moomintroll, 1948) and the books have a certain anti-consumerist bent. From this perspective, the vast Moomin industry today goes against the spirit of the works.

    And yet. The same book in which Snufkin spoke this way is also a book (whose Finnish original title is The Hobgoblin’s Hat) full to the brim with … things. And those things are invested with immense fascination and power. As the Snork character points out “a top hat is always somewhat extraordinary, of course”.

    Jansson herself had a strong impulse to work with others to extend and flesh out her creations, releasing them from the confines of the books. She was actively involved in early stage adaptations, crafting sets and costumes, and later became absorbed in the long-term creation of a Moominhouse diorama (and series of associated tableaux) with partner Tuulikki Pietilä and physician friend Pentti Eistola.

    Making her creations tangible and tactile was clearly a huge draw for this sculptor’s daughter. One of the most striking features of the Moomins on paper is their smooth rotundity – they’re almost begging to be made into three dimensions.

    So much for the creator. But what of Moomin consumers? People around the world have clearly long wanted to feel closer to the Moomin world, and to buy into it. But why? The reasons are both aesthetic and affective. As for the Swedish-born writer I encountered at the British Library, the Moomins are often keyed into the nostalgia and innocence of childhood. And, as with Anna’s sense of kinship with Little My, people often feel an instinctive affiliation with one or more of the Moomin’s vast and varied cast.

    The books also encapsulate and convey a whole host of associations (or “values” in brand speak) which people identify with, want to share and display. Some of these are relatively banal (though fundamental) and apparent elsewhere – things like friendship, warmth, family and acceptance.

    But there are also features quite specific to Moomins and to Jansson herself: a relish of life and sensuous experience, gender fluidity, space for both light and dark, for wanderlust and the joy of cocooning at home. All of this is conveyed in words and images of exceptional quality and distinction.

    The whimsy is delivered with distinctive Scandinavian style and flair: a clean, pared-back aesthetic and sharp lines accompanied by a rich and bold colour palette. Who wouldn’t want to wear a hand-painted silk AALTO dress by Finnish designer Tuomas Merikoski that transposes the lush greens of one of the later Moomin books, The Dangerous Journey?

    Eight decades after their first publication, Moomins continue to be highly covetable and to catalyse creativity. As with Anna’s Little My tote, they are set to accompany and assist many more generations of writers and creatives in their imaginative endeavours.

    Kiera Vaclavik 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. Moomin merchandise and fashion: 80 years of ultra-savvy marketing that taps into childhood nostalgia – https://theconversation.com/moomin-merchandise-and-fashion-80-years-of-ultra-savvy-marketing-that-taps-into-childhood-nostalgia-256168

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Study trip to Finland for representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: Study trip to Finland for representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan

    Study trip to Finland for representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan | OSCE
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • Jaishankar engages with strategic experts in the Netherlands, calls for stronger India-EU ties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during his official visit to the Netherlands on Monday, engaged with strategic experts in The Hague, highlighting the importance of deepening India-Netherlands and India-European Union relations in a rapidly evolving global landscape marked by multi-polarity and strategic autonomy.

    In a post on X, Jaishankar said: “A good exchange of views with strategic experts in The Hague this morning. Discussed why India and the Netherlands/EU should engage more deeply in an era of multi-polarity and strategic autonomy.”

    https://x.com/DDNewslive/status/1924413567106740449/photo/4

    Jaishankar arrived in the Netherlands on Monday as part of a multi-nation official visit that also includes Denmark and Germany, scheduled from May 19 to 24. According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation on global and regional issues of mutual interest.

    During his engagements, Jaishankar is expected to meet with the leadership of all three countries, covering a comprehensive agenda that spans political, economic, and strategic collaboration.

    This marks Jaishankar’s first foreign visit following the recent four-day military confrontation between Indian and Pakistani forces.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI: Sydbank A/S share buyback programme: transactions in week 20

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company Announcement No 23/2025

    		 Peberlyk 4
    6200 Aabenraa
    Denmark

    Tel +45 74 37 37 37
    Fax +45 74 37 35 36

    Sydbank A/S
    CVR No DK 12626509, Aabenraa
    sydbank.dk
    19 May 2025  

    Dear Sirs

    Sydbank A/S share buyback programme: transactions in week 20
    On 26 February 2025 Sydbank A/S announced a share buyback programme of DKK 1,350m. The share buyback programme commenced on 3 March 2025 and will be completed by 31 January 2026.

    The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of Sydbank A/S and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.

    The following transactions have been made under the share buyback programme:

      Number of shares VWAP Gross value (DKK)
    Accumulated, most recent
    Announcement

    762,000

    		  

    317,038,140.00
    12 May 2025
    13 May 2025
    14 May 2025
    15 May 2025
    16 May 2025    		 15,000
    15,000
    14,000
    13,000
    12,000    		 420.71
    425.19
    426.66
    430.82
    436.83    		 6,310,650.00
    6,377,850.00
    5,973,240.00
    5,600,660.00
    5,241,960.00
    Total over week 20 69,000   29,504,360.00
    Total accumulated during the
    share buyback programme

    831,000

    		  

    346,542,500.00

    All transactions were made under ISIN DK 0010311471 and effected by Danske Bank A/S on behalf of Sydbank A/S.

    Further information about the transactions, cf Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse and Commission delegated regulation, is available in the attachment.

    Following the above transactions, Sydbank A/S holds a total of 833,985 own shares, equal to 1.62% of the Bank’s share capital.

    Yours sincerely
            
    Mark Luscombe        Jørn Adam Møller
    CEO        Deputy Group Chief Executive

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ASEAN, the Netherlands, Committed to Advancing Development Partnership

    Source: ASEAN

    ASEAN and the Netherlands convened the Second Meeting of the ASEAN-Netherlands Development Partnership Committee today at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides commemorated reviewed progress made under the ASEAN-Netherlands Norway Practical Cooperation Areas (2025-2029). They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation across areas of common interest to bring the partnership to greater heights.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Republic of Iceland launches cash tender offer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    19 May 2025. The Republic of Iceland (the “Offeror”) announces today an invitation (such invitation, the “Offer“) to holders of its €500,000,000 0.625 per cent. Notes due 3 June 2026 (ISIN: XS2015295814) (of which €500,000,000 in aggregate nominal amount is outstanding as at the date hereof) (the “Notes“) to tender their Notes for purchase by the Offeror for cash.

    The Offer is being made on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the tender offer memorandum dated 19 May 2025 (the “Tender Offer Memorandum“) prepared by the Offeror in connection with the Offer, and is subject to the offer and distribution restrictions set out below and as more fully described in the Tender Offer Memorandum.  Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Tender Offer Memorandum for full details of, and information on the procedures for participating in, the Offer.

    Copies of the Tender Offer Memorandum are (subject to distribution restrictions) available from the Tender Agent as set out below.  Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    A summary of certain terms of the Offer appears below:

    Description
    of the Notes    		 ISIN /
    Common Code    		 Outstanding
    nominal amount    		 Reference Rate Fixed Spread Amount Amount subject
    to the Offer
    €500,000,000 0.625 per cent. Notes due 3 June 2026 XS2182399274/ 218239927 €500,000,000 1 Year Euro Mid-Swap Rate -15 basis points Any and all

    Rationale for the Offer

    The Offeror intends to issue the New Notes. Part of the proceeds from the New Notes will be used for purchasing the Notes. The rationale of the Offer is thus to proactively manage upcoming debt repayments and to extend the average debt maturity profile of the Offeror.

    Purchase Price and Accrued Interest

    The Offeror will pay for any Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer a purchase price to be determined in the manner described in the Tender Offer Memorandum by reference to a yield which is equal to the sum of the fixed spread of -15 basis points (the “Fixed Spread Amount“) and the 1 Year Euro Mid-Swap Rate at or around the Pricing Time, expressed as a percentage and rounded to the third decimal place (with 0.0005 being rounded upwards) (the “Purchase Price“).  Specifically, the Purchase Price will equal (a) the value of all remaining payment of principal and interest on the Notes, up to and including the scheduled maturity date of the Notes, discounted to the Tender Offer Settlement Date at a discount rate equal to the yield, minus (b) the Accrued Interest.

    The Offeror will also pay, on the Tender Offer Settlement Date, Accrued Interest in respect of any Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer.

    New Financing Condition

    On 19 May 2025, the Offeror announced that it intends to issue euro-denominated fixed-rate notes (the “New Notes“) under its U.S.$5,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme (the “Programme“). 

    The Offeror is not under any obligation to accept for purchase any Notes tendered pursuant to the Offer.  The acceptance for purchase by the Offeror of Notes tendered pursuant to the Offer is at the sole discretion of the Offeror and tenders may be rejected by the Offeror for any reason.  The purchase of any Notes by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer is also subject, without limitation, to (i) the pricing of the issue of the New Notes, (ii) the signing by the Offeror and the relevant managers of a subscription agreement in respect of the subscription for the New Notes and (iii) such subscription agreement remaining in full force and effect as at the Tender Offer Settlement Date (the “New Financing Condition“). 

    The Offeror reserves the right at any time to waive any or all of the conditions of the Offer (including the New Financing Condition) as set out in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Priority in Allocation of New Notes

    A Noteholder that wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to tendering Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer will receive priority (the “New Notes Priority“) in the allocation of the New Notes, subject to the completion of the Offer, the issue of the New Notes and such Noteholder making a separate application for the purchase of such New Notes to one of the Dealer Managers (in its capacity as a Joint Lead Manager (as defined herein) of the issue of the New Notes) in accordance with the standard new issue procedures of such Joint Lead Manager. 

    A key factor in the allocation of the New Notes will be whether Noteholders have indicated they have validly tendered or indicated their firm intention to the Offeror or the Dealer Managers to tender their Notes. When considering allocation of the New Notes, the Offeror intends to give preference to those Noteholders who, prior to such allocation, have validly tendered or indicated their firm intention to the Offeror or any of the Dealer Managers to tender the Notes and subscribe for New Notes. However, the Offeror is not obliged to allocate the New Notes to a Noteholder who has validly tendered or indicated a firm intention to tender the Notes pursuant to the Offer and any amount allocated may be more, equal to, or less than the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered or in respect of which a firm intention to tender has been indicated by such Noteholder. Any allocation of the New Notes, while being considered by the Offeror as set out above, will be made in accordance with customary new issue allocation processes and procedures.

    The aggregate principal amount of New Notes, if any, for which priority will be given to any Noteholder will be subject to the sole and absolute discretion of the Offeror and may be less than, equal to or greater than the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered by such Noteholder in the Offer and accepted for purchase by the Offeror.

    Noteholders should note that the pricing and allocation of the New Notes are expected to take place prior to the Expiration Deadline for the Offer and any Noteholder that wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to tendering existing Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer should therefore provide, as soon as practicable, to any Dealer Manager any indications of a firm intention to tender Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer and the quantum of Notes that it intends to tender in order for this to be taken into account as part of the New Notes allocation process.

    If any Noteholder wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to its New Notes Priority it must make a separate application to subscribe for such additional New Notes to a Joint Lead Manager in accordance with the standard new issue procedures of such Joint Lead Manager.

    To contact the Dealer Managers, Noteholders should use the contact details on the last page of the Tender Offer Memorandum. 

    Any investment decision to purchase any New Notes should be made solely on the basis of the information contained in the information memorandum (to be dated on or around the date hereof) prepared in connection with the Programme (the “Programme Information Memorandum“) and the pricing supplement to be prepared in connection with the issue and the listing of the New Notes, and no reliance is to be placed on any representations other than those contained in the Programme Information Memorandum.  Subject to compliance with all applicable securities laws and regulations, the Programme Information Memorandum is available from the Dealer Managers on request.

    The New Notes are not being, and will not be, offered or sold in the United States. Nothing in the Tender Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the New Notes in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Securities may not be offered, sold or delivered in the United States absent registration under, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The New Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act).

    The target market for the New Notes is eligible counterparties and professional clients only, each as defined in Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II“) and the New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC (as amended or superseded), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended or superseded)

    No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction in relation to the New Notes to permit a public offering of securities.

    Acceptance and no scaling

    If the Offeror decides to accept valid tenders of Notes pursuant to the Offer, the Offeror will (subject to satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing Condition on or prior to the Tender Offer Settlement Date) accept for purchase all of the Notes that are validly tendered in full, with no pro rata scaling.

    Tender Instruction

    In order to participate in the Offer, Noteholders must validly tender their Notes for purchase by delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their behalf, a valid Tender Instruction that is received by the Tender Agent by 5.00 p.m. (CEST) on 23 May 2025 (the “Expiration Deadline“).

    Tender Instructions will be irrevocable except in the limited circumstances described in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Tender Instructions must be submitted in respect of a minimum nominal amount of no less than €100,000, being the minimum denomination of the Notes, and may be submitted in integral multiples of €1,000 thereafter. In addition, the New Notes Priority requested must be for an amount which is at least €100,000 in aggregate nominal amount of the New Notes for the relevant Noteholder to be eligible to receive priority in the allocation of the New Notes.

    Tender Instructions which relate to a nominal amount of Notes of less than €100,000 will be rejected.

    Indicative Timetable for the Offer

    Events   Times and Dates
    Commencement of the Offer   Monday, 19 May 2025
    Expiration Deadline   5.00 p.m. (CEST) on Friday, 23 May 2025
    Determination of the 1 Year Euro Mid-Swap Rate   Expected to be on or around 11.00 a.m. (CEST) (the “Pricing Time“) on Tuesday, 27 May 2025
    Announcement of Results and Pricing   As soon as reasonably practicable following the Pricing Time on Tuesday, 27 May 2025
    Tender Offer Settlement Date   Expected to be Wednesday, 28 May 2025

    The Offeror may, in its sole discretion, extend, re-open, amend, waive any condition of or terminate the Offer at any time (subject to applicable law and as provided in the Tender Offer Memorandum) and the above times and dates are subject to the right of the Offeror to extend, re-open, amend, waive any condition of and/or terminate the Offer.

    Noteholders are advised to check with any bank, broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes by when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a Noteholder in order for that Noteholder to be able to participate in, or (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, the Offer by the deadlines set out above.  The deadlines set by any such intermediary and each Clearing System for the submission and withdrawal of Tender Instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines above.

    Unless stated otherwise, announcements in connection with the Offer will be made (i) by publication through RNS and (ii) by the delivery of notices to the Clearing Systems for communication to Direct Participants.  Such announcements may also be made on the relevant Reuters Insider Screen and/or by the issue of a press release to a Notifying News Service. Copies of all such announcements, press releases and notices can also be obtained upon request from the Tender Agent, the contact details for which are set out below.  Significant delays may be experienced where notices are delivered to the Clearing Systems and Noteholders are urged to contact the Tender Agent for the relevant announcements during the course of the Offer.  In addition, Noteholders may contact the Dealer Managers for information using the contact details set out below.

    Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Tender Offer Memorandum for full details of, and information on the procedures for, participating in the Offer.

    Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG and J.P. Morgan SE are acting as Dealer Managers for the Offer and Citibank, N.A., London Branch is acting as Tender Agent.

    Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers.

    THE DEALER MANAGERS

    Barclays Bank Ireland PLC
     One Molesworth Street
    Dublin 2
    D02 RF29
    Ireland

    Attention: Liability Management Group
    Email: eu.lm@barclays.com

    		 Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG
     Börsenplatz 9
    60313 Frankfurt am Main
    Germany

    Attention: Liability Management Group
    Telephone: +44 20 7986 8969
    Email: liabilitymanagement.europe@citi.com
    J.P. Morgan SE
     Taunustor 1 (TaunusTurm)
    60310 Frankfurt am Main
    Germany

    Telephone: +44 20 7134 2468
    Attention: EMEA Liability Management Group
    Email: liability_management_emea@jpmorgan.com

    Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the delivery of Tender Instructions may be directed to the Tender Agent.

    THE TENDER AGENT

    Citibank, N.A., London Branch

    Citigroup Centre
    Canada Square
    Canary Wharf
    London E14 5LB
    United Kingdom

    Telephone: +44 20 7508 3867
    Attention: Exchange Team
    Email: citiexchanges@citi.com

    DISCLAIMER

    This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Tender Offer Memorandum.  This announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer.  If any Noteholder is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences, from its broker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser.  Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee must contact such entity if it wishes to tender such Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer.  Each of the Dealer Managers is acting exclusively for the Offeror and no one else in connection with the arrangements described in this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Offeror for providing the protections afforded to customers of the Dealer Managers or for advising any other person in connection with the Offer.  None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Tender Agent, nor any of their respective directors, employees or affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether Noteholders should tender Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer.

    OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS

    Italy

    None of the Offer, this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum or any other document or materials relating to the Offer have been submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (“CONSOB“) pursuant to Italian laws and regulations.  The Offer is being carried out in Italy as exempted Offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the “Financial Services Act“) and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended.  Accordingly, Noteholders or beneficial owners of the Notes that are located in Italy can tender Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in the Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.

    Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-à-vis its clients in connection with the Notes or the Offer.

    United Kingdom

    The communication of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.  Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom.  The communication of such documents and/or materials may be exempt from the restriction on financial promotion under section 21 of the FSMA pursuant to Article 34 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (“Financial Promotion Order“) or on the basis that any such communication is only directed at and may only be communicated to persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated in accordance with the Financial Promotion Order.

    France

    This announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other offering material relating to the Offer may be distributed in France only to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) as defined in Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus Regulation“). Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum, nor any other such offering material has not been and will not be submitted for clearance to, nor approved by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

    General

    Nothing in this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or the electronic transmission thereof constitutes an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Notes (and tenders of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer will not be accepted from any Noteholder) in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.  In any jurisdiction where the securities, blue sky or other laws require the Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and either of the Dealer Managers or any of their respective affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in such jurisdiction, the Offer shall be deemed to be made by such Dealer Manager or affiliate, as the case may be, on behalf of the Offeror in such jurisdiction.

    Each holder of Notes participating in the Offer will be deemed to give certain representations in respect of the jurisdictions referred to above and generally as set out in the Tender Offer Memorandum. Any tender of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer from a Noteholder that is unable to make these representations will not be accepted. Each of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Tender Agent reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to investigate, in relation to any tender of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer, whether any such representation given by a Noteholder is correct and, if such investigation is undertaken and as a result the Offeror determines (for any reason) that such representation is not correct, such tender may be rejected.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics, protest and some seriously inappropriate songs: who gets censored at Eurovision, and who doesn’t?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University

    As always, Eurovision 2025 was full of glitter, costume reveals, divas, spectacle and, of course, controversy. From ongoing calls to ban Israel from participating, to one song that had to be edited since it was too inappropriate, here’s what you may have missed from this year’s contest.

    A milkshake meltdown

    For Australian viewers, the final may have been a bit of a letdown because, for the second year in a row, our contestant failed to get past the semis.

    Go-Jo’s Milkshake Man seemed like a strong offering, with its daft and suggestive lyrics, huge energy and oversized blender prop – but some weak vocals on the night left us in the cold.

    Other wacky entries of the uniquely Eurovision variety fared better, though. Sweden’s ode to saunas, Bara Bada Bastu, started the night as the favourite to win and ended high with a fourth placing, just behind Estonia’s rubbery-legged Tommy Cash, whose love song to coffee may have just been more relatable to voters.

    Serving what?

    More controversial was Miriana Conte’s song for Malta, originally titled Serving Kant, with kant being the Maltese word for singing. But this thinly disguised attempt to celebrate “serving cunt” was deemed inappropriate by the European Broadcasting Union, and reworked as simply Serving.

    This performance is part of a long Eurovision tradition of celebrating queer culture. Each year, multiple entries use LGBTQIA+ imagery, tropes and lyrics to celebrate the theme of being who you are.

    Last year’s event marked the first time two non-binary performers were featured in the contest. One of them, Switzerlans’s Nemo, won. As a side note, Nemo’s return performance this year may be one of the best things to ever grace the Eurovision stage.

    But it seems Malta’s cheeky play on the theme didn’t pay off, as it landed them in 17th place by the end of the voting.

    Other stand-out performances included Finland’s Erika Vikman, who outperformed a whole crop of big-voiced divas in sparkly body suits by riding a giant flaming microphone to the roof of the stadium during the, ahem, climax to Ich Komme (which translates to “I’m coming”).

    Less in your face, yet strangely compelling, were the women of Latvia’s folk band Tautumeitas. In their forest-nymph-axolotl (?) costumes, they delivered a flawless and gentle performance.

    A heated, close race to the top

    The winner was, as is often the case at Eurovision, a more serious song that showcased a high level of musicianship and vocal ability. Austria’s JJ performance of Wasted Love was stripped-back compared to most of the rivals.

    JJ took to the stage alone, using a completely black and white palette that stood out against the reds that dominated the rest of the night. The way he used his body onstage, and the dynamism of his soprano voice – moving from a conventional pop vocal style to a more operatic delivery – was compellingly dramatic, and was rewarded by the juries and public voters.

    It was a close race for the top spot however. I imagine the broadcasting union breathed a sigh of relief when Austria knocked Israel into second place at the last moment.

    Israel’s presence in the contest has been a source of division and conflict since the events of October 7. For two years there have been highly publicised calls to expel Israel from the competition, in light of the extreme atrocities and human rights abuses taking place on the ground in Gaza.



    Read more:
    1 in 5 Gazans face starvation. Can the law force Israel to act?

    Multiple pro-Palestinian rallies took to the streets in the host city, Basel, and protesters trying to disrupt the Israeli performance found their way into the arena during the rehearsals and final. While they did not make it into the broadcast, there were reports of audience members being removed, staff being hit with paint, and violent clashes with security and police.

    Beyond this, 70 ex-competitors and, separately, more than 4,000 Nordic music workers put their names on open letters protesting Israel’s inclusion in the contest. But these attempts failed, partly because the countries involved did not threaten to withdraw themselves if Israel participated (which was how Russia was expelled from the 2022 contest, in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine).

    What can we expect moving forward

    It’s worth considering what Israel’s inclusion in the contest does allow. In recently published work, my coauthors and I consider what it means to face up to some of the uglier aspects of music and music-making – and to sit with the discomfort, rather than ignore it.

    If Israel had been excluded, those calling for its exclusion may have achieved a sense that a certain wrong had been righted, and the Eurovision party could go on, free from worry.

    Yet the realities of events in Gaza would not have disappeared. Viewers at home would simply not have to think about them.

    Israel’s inclusion – and the opposition to it – forces us to ask what role, if any, cultural institutions can play in helping put a stop to what the International Court of Justice has said can plausibly be called a genocide.

    While the broadcasting union could perhaps put pressure on Israel with a ban, the fissures of Israel’s continued inclusion have shone a spotlight on other types of pressure and resistance – and the power music has in bringing people together for the explicit purpose of being political.

    Catherine Strong 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. Politics, protest and some seriously inappropriate songs: who gets censored at Eurovision, and who doesn’t? – https://theconversation.com/politics-protest-and-some-seriously-inappropriate-songs-who-gets-censored-at-eurovision-and-who-doesnt-256447

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • EAM Jaishankar to embark on six-day visit to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany from May 19

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will embark on an official six-day visit to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany from May 19 to 24, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Sunday.

    The visit is part of India’s continued diplomatic outreach to strengthen strategic partnerships and enhance cooperation with key European nations. The agenda will focus on a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, regional and global developments, and coordination on multilateral platforms.

    According to a statement issued by the MEA, Dr. Jaishankar will engage in high-level meetings with the leadership of all three countries. He will also hold talks with his counterparts to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and discuss matters of mutual interest at both regional and global levels.

    The discussions are expected to address current geopolitical developments, global economic challenges, and shared priorities in international forums. The visit aims to further bolster India’s ties with Europe amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.

  • MIL-OSI China: China clinch two titles at badminton Thailand Open

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China claimed titles in the women’s singles and mixed doubles at the 2025 Thailand Open on Sunday, while Malaysian shuttlers swept both the men’s and women’s doubles events.

    In the women’s singles final, Chen Yufei of China won the gold medal with a convincing straight-set victory over Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong, 21-16, 21-12, in just 48 minutes.

    Winner Chen Yufei (R) of China and runner-up Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand pose during the awarding ceremony for the women’s singles at the Thailand Open 2025 badminton tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, May 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

    Chen said after the match that although the week wasn’t particularly challenging overall, each round presented unique difficulties — including the final, where she still made some unforced errors. She noted that her physical condition has improved since returning to the court, but she is still working to regain the speed and aggression she had previously.

    “My priority now is to improve my ranking to make sure that I have a good draw at each tournament, but I will also balance that with my physical condition to avoid injury,” said Chen, who ranks No. 8 in the latest world rankings.

    In the mixed doubles final, Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping defeated teammates Gao Jiaxuan and Wu Mengying 24-22, 21-16. The first set was tightly contested, but the experienced pair of Feng and Huang prevailed under pressure and went on to close out the match in the second set. After the match, Huang praised their younger teammates for their strong performance.

    “They created immense difficulties for us during the match. They tried their best to challenge us, like how we used to do against top players when we were young,” said Huang.

    Malaysia delivered a strong showing in the doubles events. In the women’s doubles final, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan overcame South Korea’s Jeong Na-eun and Lee Yeon-woo 21-16, 21-17. In the men’s doubles final, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik edged Denmark’s William Kryger Boe and Christian Faust Kjaer in a hard-fought match, 20-22, 21-17, 21-12.

    In the men’s singles final, Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn thrilled the home crowd with a three-set victory over Denmark’s Anders Antonsen.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Mexican Navy tall ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge, injuring 19

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A Mexican Navy sailing ship festooned with lights and a giant flag crashed into the landmark Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, shearing the top of its masts and causing at least 19 injuries, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
     
    Videos online showed the training vessel Cuauhtémoc as it approached the iconic bridge over the East River, close to the Manhattan side of the span, which connects the borough with Brooklyn. Its 147-foot (45-m) masts were too tall to clear the arched bridge at that point and toppled when the vessel sailed underneath.
     
    Naval cadets dressed in white uniforms could be seen dangling from the ship’s crossbeams after the crash. Adams said there were 277 people aboard at the time.
     
    “No one fell into the water; they were all hurt inside the ship,” a police official said.
     
    The official said mechanical issues had probably caused the crash, without providing further details.
     
    At one of the suspension bridge’s bases, located near New York City’s South Street Seaport, online video showed bystanders running in terror as the massive vessel hit the bridge and veered toward the dock.
     
    The bridge, a popular tourist attraction and a main conduit between Manhattan and Brooklyn, was completed in 1883. It was once the largest suspension bridge in the world.
     
    The bridge sustained no major damage, New York City transportation official said. Traffic reopened in both directions after a preliminary inspection.
     
    Mexico’s foreign ministry said on social media that Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S. and other officials were assisting affected cadets and have been in contact with local authorities.
     
    The training ship Cuauhtémoc was built at the Celaya Shipyards in Bilbao, Spain in 1981, according to the South Street Seaport Museum, which said on its website that it was co-hosting the vessel’s visit to New York that was scheduled to conclude on Saturday evening. The public was invited to come aboard the ship during its visit.
     
    The ship was disembarking from New York and heading to Iceland, the New York police official said.
     
    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Five killed in helicopter collision in Finland

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    TALLINN, May 18 (Xinhua) — Two civilian helicopters taking off from Tallinn on Saturday morning collided near Eura airfield in southwestern Finland, killing all five people on board, the Estonian Foreign Ministry confirmed.

    Shortly after 12:30 (09:30 GMT), the Satakunta Province Rescue Service received a report from the road near Eura Airfield that two helicopters had collided in mid-air and crashed to the ground, the Estonian Broadcasting Corporation /ERR/ and the Finnish television channel Yle reported.

    Police said there were five people on board the two four-seat Robinson R44 Raven light helicopters at the time of the collision: two in one helicopter and three in the other.

    At a press conference on Saturday evening, Margus Sarglepp, head of the Estonian Foreign Ministry’s consular assistance department, said there were no survivors. Finnish police are working to identify the dead.

    Several Estonian media outlets reported that Estonian businessmen Oleg Synajalg and Priit Jaagant were among the dead. The names of the other passengers have not yet been released. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sustainability discussions focus on trade policy considerations and practices

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Sustainability discussions focus on trade policy considerations and practices

    Richard Tarasofsky of Canada, a co-convener of TESSD, together with Costa Rica, thanked the facilitators of the working groups for advancing the outcome documents.  “I encourage all of you to engage actively, (as) we are now less than one year away from MC14 ,” he said.
    The four TESSD working groups held technical discussions on their respective topics and exchanged views on the first drafts of possible outcome documents in line with guidance provided by the high-level plenary meeting on 4 December 2024.
    In the Working Group on Subsidies, members explored the role of trade policy and international cooperation in decarbonizing maritime transport. They focused in particular on subsidies and other policy incentives for sustainable marine fuels, port infrastructure and green corridors, as well as on the role of financing and technical assistance to support developing economies in this regard.
    Setting the scene, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced the new IMO Net-Zero Framework with mandatory emission limits. The European Union presented its policies and measures to support sustainable marine fuels, while DNV, a Norwegian private company, and the Global Maritime Forum (GMF), a not-for-profit organization, introduced their work in supporting the establishment of green shipping corridors. MSC Group presented the actions being taken to decarbonize their global fleet and the necessity for regulatory certainty and clarity for private sector investments related to decarbonization. Regarding a possible working group outcome, members considered key design elements in subsidies, including considerations for effective subsidy design and related practices among members.
    The Working Group on Circular Economy – Circularity heard about technical assistance projects offering insights into trade and circular economy, including from the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Mauritius on trade policy and regional cooperation in recycling lithium-ion batteries of electronic vehicles. UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also shared perspectives on trade-related aspects of circular economy in developing economies, highlighting opportunities for technology transfer for water treatment and textile circularity. In terms of a possible working group outcome, members focused on trade-related practices in priority sectors, such as textiles, batteries, electronics and renewable energy.
    In the Working Group on Environmental Goods and Services (EGS), members shared experiences of identifying and facilitating trade in EGS. Jaime Coghi Arias from Costa Rica, Chair of the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation, highlighted the link between good regulatory practices and environmental services. Switzerland introduced approaches used for identifying EGS under the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) undertaken by Costa Rica, Iceland, New Zealand and Switzerland. The United Kingdom shared insights into EGS for climate adaptation in the water sector, and Argentina outlined its work in relation to sustainable agriculture. Members also reviewed suggestions on the working group’s draft outcome document.
    In the Working Group on Trade-Related Climate Measures (TrCMs), members heard presentations on border carbon adjustments (BCAs), with a focus on carbon standards and measurement methodologies. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) introduced its work on interoperability in its “Global Stakeholder Dialogues”. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) highlighted the importance of cross-border data-sharing through digitalization and customs cooperation. With regard to the first draft for an outcome, members brainstormed on how to compile policies in relation to climate objectives.
    Concluding the two-day meetings, Ana Lizano of Costa Rica, co-convenor of TESSD, said: “It was very encouraging to see the participation of the private sector and the sharing of experiences by developing economies across all four groups, even from non-co-sponsors. Looking ahead, we have made significant progress on the outcome documents, reflecting members’ inputs. We look forward to your collective support in refining the documents to ensure they are fit for purpose.”
    Presentations and documents related to the working group meetings are available here.
    Guided by their 2021 Ministerial Statement, TESSD seeks to complement the work of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment and advance discussions at the intersection of trade and environmental sustainability towards identifying concrete actions that members could take individually or collectively. The initiative, which is open to all WTO members, is currently co-sponsored by 78 members representing all regions and all levels of development.

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  • MIL-OSI Economics: Committee on Market Access marks 30th anniversary amid trade tensions

    Source: World Trade Organization

    30 years of the CMA

    Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard spoke at an event prior to the start of the meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of the CMA. Her remarks were followed by a panel discussion that included remarks from former chairs of the CMA.

    “Market access is one of the cornerstones of the multilateral trading system, and it lies at the heart of what the WTO seeks to achieve: enabling trade to flow as smoothly, predictably and transparently as possible through agreed rules,” DDG Ellard said.

    “This is why the work of the Committee on Market Access is not merely technical; it is foundational to the integrity and effectiveness of the entire WTO framework,” she continued. “Even amid widespread uncertainty these days surrounding tariff levels, this Committee provides stability for governments and traders on a wide variety of nuts-and-bolts issues, such as tariff classification, trade restrictions, and information sharing through databases and other means by operationalizing a durable system of rules and a mechanism to address concerns.”

    Achievements of the CMA include enabling members to make their commitments more accessible and ensuring the legal clarity and comparability of concessions across time and among members through the transposition of commitments into updated versions of the Harmonized System used to classify traded goods. Other achievements include strengthening the transparency around applied tariffs and import data through initiatives such as the Integrated Database and, more recently, the new Tariff and Trade Data platform.

    Linked with this event, a special exhibition was set up at the WTO headquarters to mark the 30th anniversary.  The exhibition highlights key historical milestones of the Committee’s work. In particular, it looks at how technology has shaped the preparation of members’ goods schedules, the development of trade and tariff databases, and the broader work of the WTO Secretariat in making trade information accessible to WTO members and the public.

    Joint work on Harmonized System codes for vaccines

    The interim Chair of the CMA, Nicola Waterfield (Canada), welcomed the progress made in the joint effort by the World Customs Organization (WCO), World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO to establish new tariff headings for vaccines under the Harmonized System (HS). 

    “The new HS codes, which will be adopted by the WCO Council in June for implementation on 1 January 2028, help better identify and classify goods vital for responding to health crises and support coherence between trade policies and public health objectives, including ensuring global equitable access to vaccines,” the Chair said.

    Gael Grooby, Acting Director of the Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate of the WCO, said the aim of the exercise is to make the covered goods more visible within trade so that they can be tracked and appropriate measures put into place as needed. She emphasized that the work between the CMA and the WCO on this matter “has been unprecedented”.

    The Chair proposed that the CMA invite representatives from the three organizations to discuss the insights gained from this experience and to collectively reflect on the key elements that facilitated such a successful example of collaboration.

    Committee report on supply chain resilience

    The CMA adopted a report on supply chain resilience, the outcome of a series of thematic sessions on the topic held between 2023 and 2025. Specifically, the report defines supply chain resilience, identifies supply chain vulnerabilities, and describes how members measure and monitor global supply chains and what measures support supply chain resilience. The report also examines the role of international and regional cooperation, and the role of the CMA.  

    The Chair observed that the CMA has created a unique approach to thematic sessions, where members have a space to exchange information, learn from each other and produce concrete results that can be used for future reference.

    Trade fragmentation, EU deforestation regulation

    Canada, the European Union and Norway introduced an agenda item addressing fragmentation of global trade through tariffs and the associated global costs. They voiced concerns about the impact of recent tariff measures and the resulting uncertainty on global trade for businesses, consumers and workers. They also underlined the importance of the rules-based multilateral trading system. Ten other members took the floor on this item, with most echoing these concerns. Several also underlined the importance of WTO reform and improvement of its functions so that it remains a central pillar of the global trading system.

    Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru introduced a joint communication regarding the European Union’s Regulation on Deforestation-Free Supply Chains (EUDR). The four members contend the regulation is a quantitative restriction (QR) on imports and therefore should be notified to the CMA as such. They reiterated their belief that the regulation imposes cumbersome obligations and will virtually ban from the EU market the importation of beef, wood, palm oil, soya, coffee, cocoa and rubber that do not comply with the regulation’s requirements.  The EU said the EUDR is not a market access measure but rather an internal regulation measure designed in line with WTO rules.

    Trade concerns

    Members discussed 33 trade concerns, eight of which were raised for the first time. New concerns dealt with exports of coffee beans and macadamia nuts to China, proposed export restrictions on raw minerals by the Philippines and measures equivalent to quantitative restrictions on the import of wooden boards and viscose staple fibre in India.  Other new concerns covered market access issues for agricultural commodities and food products as well as market access issues faced by the pharmaceutical sector in Thailand, and import restrictions on pocket lighters in India.

    New concerns were also raised in relation to reciprocal tariffs and other tariff measures in the United States and the treatment of like products under the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) concluded by Costa Rica, Iceland, New Zealand and Switzerland.

    The list of specific trade concerns discussed during the meeting is available here.

    Notifications on quantitative restrictions

    The interim Chair drew members’ attention to a new WTO Secretariat report, “Notification Status of Regular/Period and One-Time Only Notifications in the Goods Area (1995-2024)” (G/C/W/859 ). While the document found that there has been an overall submission rate of 68.9% for regular or periodic notifications, compliance with quantitative restrictions notifications, pursuant to the 2012 Decision  on Notification Procedure for Quantitative Restrictions, was the lowest at just over 26%.

    The Chair said she was aware that various initiatives have been undertaken over time by members and the WTO Secretariat to improve the overall compliance record but members still struggle to comply with certain notification requirements. As a result, she invited members to consider what barriers impact compliance and what possible steps could be taken to improve the submission rate and the quality of such notifications. The Committee agreed to hold such discussions at its next informal meeting scheduled in June.

    Next meeting

    The next formal meeting of the Committee on Market Access will take place on 15-16 October.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the modification of customs duties applicable to imports of certain goods originating in or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus – A10-0087/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the modification of customs duties applicable to imports of certain goods originating in or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus

    (COM(2025)0034 – C10‑0006/2025 – 2025/0021(COD))

    (Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2025)0034),

    – having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 207(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C10‑0006/2025),

    – having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 26 March 2025 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Rule 60 of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A10-0087/2025),

    1. Adopts its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal;

    2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

    3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

    Since 2022 when Russia started its full-scale invasion and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has implemented multiple rounds of sanctions as well as increased trade tariffs to reduce trade with the aggressor. As a result, the imports into the EU from Russia have decreased by 85 % compared to pre-war levels.

     

    However, there are still Russian products that flow into the EU market, consequently fuelling the Russian war machine. This has to be stopped and brought to complete standstill.

     

    The EU imports of urea and nitrogen-based fertilisers from Russia have significantly increased over the last years. The import levels were already worryingly high in 2023 (3.6 million tonnes, worth EUR 1.28 billion, representing more than 25 % of total EU imports), and have increased significantly in 2024 to 4.4 million tonnes, worth EUR 1.5 billion and with an import share of 30 %. Therefore, imports of the fertilisers covered by this Regulation currently reflect a situation of growing economic dependence on Russia.

     

    The European Parliament have already called for a ban on importing Russian grain, potash and fertilisers in Resolution on continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States.

     

    The aim of this Regulation is to eliminate dependencies on imports from Russia and to prevent circumvention through Belarus. Such imports, particularly of fertilisers, make the EU vulnerable to potential coercive actions by Russia and thus present a risk to EU food security. This Regulation proposes that the tariff increase on nitrogen-based fertilisers takes place gradually over a transition period of three years. Through increased import duties and prohibitive tariffs, the Russian share of fertiliser import into the EU will gradually be replaced by other sources. Some of the EU Member States have already decoupled from Russian nitrogen-based fertilisers, without seeing shortages of supply or market price increases.

     

    The tariffs will support the growth of the EU’s domestic production of fertiliser, which suffered during the energy crisis and due to the influx of fertilisers from Russia. EU production reached only 14 million tonnes in 2023, down from an average of 18 million tonnes in the previous 5 years. Despite the closure of some production facilities following the increase in energy prices, the European industry has around 20 % spare capacity (ca 3 million tonnes), on top of 9.5 million tonnes of nitrogen fertilisers exported in 2024. If used, it is expected that this spare capacity could almost completely compensate the shortfall of reducing Russian imports into the EU.

     

    The tariff measures will also allow for the further diversification of supply from third countries. There are many suppliers on the world market who can replace Russian exporters, including Egypt, Algeria, Norway, Morocco, Oman and the US. Indeed, there is room to strengthen the transatlantic cooperation. This will help ensure a steady fertiliser supply and foster market competitiveness.

     

    It is vital that we ensure that Russia’s war economy is weakened. At the same time, we must ensure sure that there is a steady stream of quality fertiliser supply for agriculture in the European Union, and, importantly, ensure that fertilisers remain available for EU farmers at an affordable price. Therefore, the proposal includes monitoring provisions and if needed mitigating measures, should a substantial increase in fertiliser prices occur. The gradual phasing-in of applicable tariff measures will allow European farmers to adapt to the new conditions.

     

    In order to prevent circumvention of these measures, the rapporteur welcomes the fact that the tariff measures will also apply to Belarus to prevent potential Russian imports to the EU being circumvented through Belarus. The rapporteur believes that potential increase of imports from other countries, which are not the traditional exporters have to be closely monitored to detect any possible circumvention. 

     

    Besides the import of fertilisers, the Regulation also targets the remaining 15 % of agricultural imports from Russia that had not yet been subject to increased tariffs. With this Regulation, all agricultural imports from Russia will be the subject of EU tariffs. The tariff level would be prohibitive, thus high enough to halt the importation of these goods. Continued imports of the agricultural products concerned could create an additional economic dependence on Russia, which could, if left unchecked, harm the EU’s food security.

     

    The rapporteur welcomes that these combined measures will prevent Russia from benefiting financially from exports to the EU to fund its war of aggression against Ukraine. It is also a matter of EU’s security and strategic autonomy.

    The regulation is not expected to negatively affect global food security because the increase in tariffs applies only to imports into the EU.

     

    The rapporteur welcomes Article 207 TFEU as a legal basis as it is a trade policy measure requiring EP co-decision in line with OLP.

     

    The rapporteur hopes the Regulation will be adopted in its current form and in time for the entry into force by 1 July 2025, in order to ensure rapid implementation.

     

     

    .

    ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

    Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee:

     

    Entity and/or person

    Yara, VP European Government Relations & External Communications, VP Corporate affairs and Industrial Relations

    Zemnieku Saeima (Association Farmers’ Council), Foreign policy specialist

    European Commission, DG Trade Unit E2, DG Trade Unit E3

    Fertilizers Europe, Director General, Trade & Economic Senior Manager

    Association of the Potash and Salt Industry / VKS – Verband der Kali- und Salzindustrie e.V, Managing Director, EU Office Brussels

    Latvijas Lauksaimniecības kooperatīvu asociācija (Latvian Association of Agricultural Cooperatives), Director-General

    Business & Science Poland, Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry, ANWIL

    Permanent Representation of the Republic of Latvia to the EU, Counsellor (SCA Spokesperson, Common Agricultural Policy)

    Council, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the EU, Chair of Trade Policy Committee-Deputies, Vice-Chair of Trade Policy Committee-Deputies

     

     

    The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

     

    Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

    OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (7.5.2025)

    for the Committee on International Trade

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the modification of customs duties applicable to imports of certain goods originating in or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus

    (COM(2025)0034 – C10‑0006/2025 – 2025/0021(COD))

    Rapporteur for opinion: Veronika Vrecionová

     

     

    AMENDMENTS

    The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development submits the following to the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible:

    Amendment  1

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 1

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (1) The Union’s imports of urea and nitrogen-based fertilisers from the Russian Federation were significant at 3.6 million tonnes in 2023 and increased considerably in 2024 by comparison with 2023. The level of the Union’s imports from the Russian Federation of the agricultural goods covered by this Regulation (‘the concerned agricultural goods’) is relatively low for most goods, but could increase significantly if the current trading conditions persist.

    (1) The Union’s imports of urea and nitrogen-based fertilisers from the Russian Federation doubled between 2020/2021 and 2022/2023, followed by further growth in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, the Union’s imports of those fertilisers were significant at 3,6 million tonnes, and increased considerably in 2024 by comparison with 2023. The level of the Union’s imports from the Russian Federation of the agricultural goods covered by this Regulation (‘the concerned agricultural goods’) is relatively low for most goods, but could increase significantly if the current trading conditions persist.

    Amendment  2

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 2

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (2) The imports of the fertilisers covered by this Regulation (‘the concerned fertilisers’) currently reflect a situation of economic dependency on the Russian Federation. Moreover, the imports of the concerned agricultural goods could create a similar and additional economic dependency on the Russian Federation, which should in the present circumstances be prevented and reduced in order to protect the Union’s markets and safeguard the Union’s food security.

    (2) The imports of the fertilisers covered by this Regulation (‘the concerned fertilisers’) currently reflect a situation of economic dependency on the Russian Federation, which continues to hinder Union fertiliser production due to an unequal level playing field. The large volumes of fertilisers from the Russian Federation intended for export are gradually distorting supply diversification by eliminating both local and third-country suppliers. Moreover, the imports of the concerned agricultural goods could create a similar and additional economic dependency on the Russian Federation, which should in the present circumstances be prevented and reduced in order to protect the Union’s markets and safeguard the Union’s food security.

    Amendment  3

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 4 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (4a) Reduction of the Union’s dependence on fertilisers from  the Russian Federation, avoiding the creation of new dependencies, ensuring the steady supply of cost-competitive fertilisers at affordable price levels for Union farmers in the short, medium and long term and increasing the Union’s strategic autonomy require the development of a long-term Union fertiliser strategy that should primarily focus on enhancing the competitiveness of the Union’s fertilisers production sector in order to secure a steady supply of fertilisers at affordable price levels. That strategy should focus on supporting innovation, attracting investments and developing new business models to reduce or eliminate potentially harmful import dependencies, as well as a trade diversification strategy promoting stable trade relations and securing alternative supply chains. In parallel, measures should also improve access to organic fertilisers and nutrients from recycled waste streams and increase the circularity of farming practices. It is noteworthy that, although the European Parliament has repeatedly expressed concerns regarding fertilisers, particularly through its resolutions of 24 March  2022 on the need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine1a, and of 16 February 2023 on the Commission communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers 1b, the Commission has not come forward with clear and sufficient measures to support domestic fertiliser production.

     

    _________________

     

    1a OJ C 361, 20.9.2022, p. 2.

     

    1b OJ C 283, 11.8.2023, p. 51.

    Amendment  4

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 5 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (5a) The production and cost of mineral fertilisers largely depend on the availability and affordability of natural gas.

    Amendment  5

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 5 b (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (5b) Changes are needed to truly address the Union industry and agriculture structural problems, such as access to energy and raw materials at high prices, the European Green Deal, and excessive regulation.

    Amendment  6

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 7

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (7) Imports of the concerned agricultural goods and fertilisers that originate in or are exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus should therefore be subject to higher customs duties than imports from other third countries.

    (7) Imports of the concerned agricultural goods and fertilisers that originate in or are exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus should therefore be subject to higher customs duties than imports from other third countries while securing the Union´s market stability, and food security and affordability.

    Amendment  7

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 8 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (8a) At the same time, it is important to consider the Union’s high dependence on fertiliser imports from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Therefore, this Regulation should be accompanied by the development of a mechanism for balancing fertiliser prices and possible subsidies for farmers if the new tariffs results in an excessive increase in the price of fertilisers and thus in reduced profitability of agricultural production. Revenues generated from higher customs duties should be a part of that mechanism.

    Amendment  8

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 9

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (9) The envisaged increase in customs duties is not expected to negatively affect global food security because the increase in tariffs applies only to imports into the Union and does not affect goods concerned Regulation if they are only transiting through the Union’s territory to third countries of final destination. To the contrary, the envisaged increase in Union import duties may increase the exportation of those goods to third countries and increase the availability of supplies there.

    (9) The envisaged increase in customs duties is not expected to negatively affect global food security because the increase in tariffs applies only to imports into the Union and does not affect goods concerned Regulation if they are only transiting through the Union’s territory to third countries of final destination. However, monitoring transit will be critical to prevent any sort of intentional dumping by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. To the contrary, the envisaged increase in Union import duties may increase the exportation of those goods to third countries and increase the availability of supplies there.

    Amendment  9

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 10

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (10) At the same time, fertilisers play a significant role for the food security as well as for the financial stability of the farmers in the Union. It is therefore necessary to ensure predictable and sufficient access to fertilisers, at affordable price levels for Union farmers, which should in turn contribute to the stabilisation of agricultural markets. During a transitional period, the proposed measure would stimulate stepping up the Union production and allow for reinforcing alternative sources of supply from other international partners, minimising the risk that fertilisers prices for Union farmers increase substantially. To this end, the Commission should monitor closely the evolution of fertiliser prices on the Union market. Should fertiliser prices substantially increase, the Commission should assess the situation and take all appropriate actions to remedy such surge.

    (10) At the same time, fertilisers play an essential role for food security as well as for the financial stability of the farmers in the Union. It is therefore necessary to ensure predictable and sufficient access to fertilisers, at affordable price levels for Union farmers. During a transitional period, the proposed measure would stimulate stepping up the Union production and allow for reinforcing alternative sources of supply from other international partners, minimising the risk that fertilisers prices for Union farmers increase substantially. The Commission shall address the difficult situation of the fertiliser industry in the Union, which has been under strain over the last four years due to high-energy prices, production costs, and challenges posed by existing regulations. The Commission should therefore implement measures to alleviate the high costs burdening the Union industry, which directly impact the entire supply chain, particularly farmers. The Commission should also monitor closely the evolution of fertiliser prices at the Member State and Union levels. Should fertiliser prices substantially increase, the Commission should take all appropriate actions in a timely manner to remedy such a surge.

    Amendment  10

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 10 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (10a) Ensuring farmers’ access to affordable and sufficient quantities of fertilisers is essential for safeguarding food security across the Union. Therefore, the Commission should urgently explore and propose appropriate support mechanisms to guarantee the availability of fertilisers at competitive prices for farmers in the Union and introduce targeted measures to support the farmers impacted.

    Amendment  11

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 10 b (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (10b) The Commission must ensure that the introduction of additional tariffs on fertiliser imports from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus does not generate above-average purchase prices, thereby undermining farmers’ access to essential inputs. Given the significant volumes currently imported and the limited short-term flexibility to shift suppliers without incurring additional costs, such measures should not result in the reduction of fertilised agricultural areas and sub-optimal application rates. The Commission must ensure that those measures do not lead to lower yields, diminish profitability, and have potentially negative consequences for food security and farmers’ livelihoods. Therefore, a mandatory monthly monitoring, including at Member State level, of the prices of products listed in Annex II should be established to ensure timely responses and safeguard the viability of the Union farming sector. The price indicators should be published monthly in order to increase transparency. Furthermore, the role of the EU Fertilisers Market Observatory should be increased. Moreover, the European Board on Agriculture and Food (EBAF) should hold regular exchanges on the availability and price affordability of fertilisers, ensuring an active dialogue with the actors of the food supply chain, including farmers, and provide high-level advice to the Commission on this strategic matter.

    Amendment  12

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 10 c (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (10c) To accelerate the reduction of imports of agricultural goods and fertilisers from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, the Commission should assess the possibility of developing alternative sources of supply from the Union and other international partners and to authorise alternative measures, such as the use of manure and processed animal manure, including RENURE and digestate, as a sustainable alternative which reduces CO2 emissions by decreasing the need for fertiliser imports, aligns with circular economy principles, and strengthens the Union’s agricultural resilience. The Commission should establish a legal and financial framework that makes manure and processed animal manure, including RENURE and digestate, a viable alternative. That framework should provide regulatory flexibility, beyond the limits currently established by the Council Directive 91/676/EEC1a, while upholding environmental protection and the principles of efficiency and safety, and include financial incentives to keep it affordable for the farmers in the Union.

     

    __________________

     

    1a Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1).

    Amendment  13

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 11

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (11) The envisaged increase in customs duties is consistent with the Union’s external action in other areas, as set out in Article 21(3) of the Treaty on European Union. The state of relations between the Union and the Russian Federation has greatly deteriorated in recent years and particularly since 2022. This is due to the Russian Federation’s blatant disregard for international law and, in particular, its unprovoked and unjustified military aggression and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since July 2014, the Union has progressively imposed restrictive measures on trade with the Russian Federation in response to the Russian Federation’s actions vis-à-vis Ukraine.

    (11) The envisaged increase in customs duties is consistent with the Union’s external action in other areas, as set out in Article 21(3) of the Treaty on European Union. The state of relations between the Union and the Russian Federation has greatly deteriorated in recent years and particularly since 2022. This is due to the Russian Federation’s blatant disregard for international law and, in particular, its unprovoked and unjustified military aggression and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since July 2014, the Union has progressively imposed restrictive measures on trade with the Russian Federation in response to the Russian Federation’s actions vis-à-vis Ukraine. If the Union fails to impose the envisaged tariffs, it would indirectly contribute to financing the war efforts of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and risk supporting other autocratic regimes, as sanctioned gas from the Russian Federation would be utilised for the production and export of cheap fertilisers to the Union.

    Amendment  14

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Recital 14 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (14a) Given that fertilisers are widely traded commodities with a substantial risk of circumvention, Member States and their customs authorities should strictly verify and validate the true origin of fertilisers imported into the Union market. That verification process should include thorough scrutiny of shipment documentation and proactive monitoring to prevent any re-export schemes designed to circumvent the tariff-increases. Where circumvention of the measures in force takes place, the imposed tariffs could be extended to goods from other third countries concerned.

    Amendment  15

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point d

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    (d) The Commission may adopt an implementing act laying down the arrangements for monitoring the import volumes referred to in paragraph 2. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure set out in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

    (d) The Commission shall adopt an implementing act laying down the arrangements for monitoring the import volumes referred to in paragraph 2. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure set out in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

    Amendment  16

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    (da) The Commission shall, without undue delay, propose a legal and financial framework to scale up the use of manure and processed animal manure, including Renure, as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilisers.

    Amendment  17

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 2 – paragraph 1

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    1. The Commission shall monitor prices applicable in the Union of the goods listed in Annex II during four years from the application of this Regulation.

    1. From the date of application of this Regulation, the Commission shall, on a monthly basis, monitor prices applicable in the Member States and the Union of the goods listed in Annex II. The Commission shall publish in a transparent way the results of such monitoring.

    Amendment  18

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 2 – paragraph 1 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    1a. The Commission and national customs authorities shall closely monitor imports of the goods listed in Article 1.

    Amendment  19

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 2 – paragraph 2

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

    2. Should the price levels of the goods listed in Annex II substantially exceed the levels of 2024 in the period referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall assess the situation and take all appropriate actions to remedy such surge. This may include, if appropriate, proposing the temporary suspension of tariffs for concerned goods imported from origins other than the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

    2. Should the price levels of the goods listed in Annex II substantially exceed the levels of 2024 in the period referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall take all appropriate actions within 14 days to remedy such surge. This may include, if appropriate, the following actions:

     

    (a) proposing the temporary suspension of tariffs for concerned goods imported from origins other than the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus;

     

    (b) making financial support available to farmers if a substantial increase in fertiliser prices noticeably reduces the profitability of agricultural production.

    Amendment  20

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 2 – paragraph 2 a (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    2a.  If appropriate, the Commission shall propose the temporary suspension of tariffs for goods concerned listed in Annex II and imported from origins other than the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

    Amendment  21

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 2 – paragraph 2 b (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    2b. If it is determined that circumvention practices of the import of products listed in Annexes I and II originating in the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus through a third country to the Union have occurred, the Commission shall initiate an anti-circumvention investigation. In order to prevent circumvention practices, the Commission shall examine the possibility of using a licensing system for imports from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

    Amendment  22

     

    Proposal for a regulation

    Article 2 – paragraph 2 c (new)

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    2c. The Commission shall monitor and assess this Regulation every year in terms of food security and sovereignty and, if necessary, propose that it be repealed.

    Amendment  23

    Proposal for a regulation

    Annex I – table – rows 59 a, 59 b and 59 c (new)

     

     

    Text proposed by the Commission

    Amendment

     

    – Of rape or colza seeds:

     

    2306 41 –Of low erucic acid rape or colza seeds

     

    2306 49 –Other

     

    ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
    FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

    Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for the opinion received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the opinion:

     

    Entity and/or person

    COPA-COGECA,  Secretary General

    European Commission, DG AGRI Unit E.1

    European Commission, DG Trade Unit E2

    Fertilizers Europe, Director General,

    LAT Nitrogen, Head of Public Affairs Europe

    Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes de Fertilizantes (ANFFE) (Spanish National Association of Fertilizer Manufacturers)Secretary General

    Asociación Agraria – Jóvenes Agricultores ASAJA- (Association of young farmers). President, EU Office Brussels

    Cooperativas Agrolimentarias de España, (Sapnish Association of Agricultural Cooperatives) EU Office Brussels

    Unión de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos (UPA) (Association of small farmers) EU Office Brussels

     

    The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for the opinion.

    Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for the opinion declares that she has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

     

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    Title

    Modification of customs duties applicable to imports of certain goods originating in or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus

    References

    COM(2025)0034 – C10-0006/2025 – 2025/0021(COD)

    Committee(s) responsible

    INTA

     

     

     

    Opinion by

     Date announced in plenary

    AGRI

    10.3.2025

    Rapporteur for the opinion

     Date appointed

    Mireia Borrás Pabón

    27.2.2025

    Discussed in committee

    19.3.2025

     

     

     

    Date adopted

    5.5.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    25

    5

    14

    Members present for the final vote

    Sergio Berlato, Mireia Borrás Pabón, Asger Christensen, Barry Cowen, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Ivan David, Valérie Deloge, Salvatore De Meo, Csaba Dömötör, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Herbert Dorfmann, Sebastian Everding, Carlo Fidanza, Maria Grapini, Cristina Guarda, Martin Häusling, Krzysztof Hetman, Céline Imart, Elsi Katainen, Stefan Köhler, Tomáš Kubín, Norbert Lins, Cristina Maestre, Maria Noichl, Gilles Pennelle, André Rodrigues, Katarína Roth Neveďalová, Bert-Jan Ruissen, Arash Saeidi, Eric Sargiacomo, Christine Singer, Pekka Toveri, Jessika Van Leeuwen, Veronika Vrecionová, Thomas Waitz, Maria Walsh

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Peter Agius, Wouter Beke, Benoit Cassart, David Cormand, Claire Fita, Esther Herranz García, Anna Zalewska

    Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

    Giuseppe Lupo, Jana Nagyová

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Tove Jansson used her Moomins comic strip to critique the financial and creative pressures of being an artist

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Elina Druker, Professor in Department of Culture and Aesthetics, Stockholm University

    In 1954, the Finnish artist Tove Jansson was commissioned by the Evening News in London to draw comic strips about the Moomintrolls. The strip was syndicated by hundreds of newspapers, introducing the Moomins to an international audience and marking a dramatic turning point in her career.

    Between 1954 and 1959, Tove Jansson drew 21 comics, some in collaboration with her brother Lars Jansson, who continued to draw the comic strip until 1975.

    The success of the Moomin in the Evening News brought Tove Jansson economic security and helped her with the mortgage of her studio in Helsinki. However, over time, the assignment also became a burden on her creative work – a time-consuming and demanding obligation.

    Perhaps because of this personal conflict, the comics often explore themes such as the struggle of artistic creation, the role of the artist and the value of art. Jansson had previously created humorous and satirical commentaries on the art world in various artists’ magazines in Finland, but here she places the Moomin at the heart of the creative process.

    Unlike the novels and picture books, the Moomin comic strips were created for adults and can be described as satire. Jansson uses the compact format to comment on society, including the art world. The growing conflict in her own life, between the Moomintrolls and her artwork, is brought into focus in the comic strips.

    This is part of a series of articles celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Moomins. Want to celebrate their birthday with us? Join The Conversation and a group of experts on May 23 in Bradford for a screening of Moomins on the Riviera and a discussion of the refugee experience in Tove Jansson’s work. Click here for more information and tickets.

    The theme of the purpose of art and artistic creation is playfully introduced in one of the first comic strips, Moomin and the Brigands. Here Moomin and his friend Sniff embark on a quest for fortune. They engage in several schemes, including capturing rare creatures and selling them to the zoo, marketing magic rejuvenation potions and creating modern art.

    While visiting a Hemulen (a really uptight counterpart to the Moomintrolls who love rules), Moomin and Sniff accidentally break several precious items in her home. Among the broken objects is a large statue of Rebecca at the Well, which falls from its pedestal and shatters. Rebecca at the Well is a classic biblical motif, which often portrays a model of feminine virtue, symbolising divine guidance and exemplifying ideals of hospitality and moral character.

    The friends awkwardly attempt to reassemble the statue by gluing it together. The result is a strangely angular and expressive piece of art, referencing fragmented cubist portraits. Cubism, which emerged around 1907 to 1908, aimed to represent reality in a radically new way by bringing together subjects and figures, resulting in objects that appear fragmented and abstracted.

    Sniff immediately sees the potential of the new Rebecca. “She’s more modern now,” he exclaims joyfully. The friends carry the statue to an enthusiastic art dealer who sells it for £500 in his gallery.

    The episode with the deconstructed Rebecca is, of course, a funny caricature of the trend-sensitive art market. But the shattered statue with its intricate shapes was also a commentary on the debates about the “incomprehensible” and “obscure” nature of modernist art in Nordic countries during the time.

    The destruction of the Rebecca can also be seen as an act of iconoclasm – the breaking of icons or monuments – or rather, a parody of it. While usually associated with vandalism, here, the iconoclastic act leads to the creation of something new. This expresses a desire for renewal and a liberation from restrictive conventions. It is, however, worth noting that Rebecca retains her symbol of virtue – the water jug – even after this pivotal encounter.

    Drawing on the work of French philosopher and anthropologist Bruno Latour, iconoclasm can be understood as both destructive and constructive – an ambiguity that also applies to Jansson’s interpretation of the motif.

    Later in the story, the money offered by the modernist Rebecca lures Moomin to the field of the arts. For a brief moment, he assumes the role of a painter and wholeheartedly embodies the romanticised ideal of the poor, misunderstood artist.

    Moomin dons a Rembrandtian black velvet beret, but despite this, appears lost and bewildered in his new role, muttering: “I only want to live in peace and plant potatoes and dream!”

    In a scene of self-parodying metafiction, he is blinded by his oversized beret and ends up tumbling down a cliff, abruptly ending his artistic career.

    Tove Jansson’s Moomin comic strips for the Evening News use satire to explore artistic creation, the role of the artist, and the art world.

    Through Moomintroll’s and Sniff’s pursuit of fame and fortune via the accidental modernist deconstruction of Rebecca, Jansson satirises romantic notions of the artist, the commercialisation of art and the professions surrounding artistic production. These themes are deeply connected to Jansson’s own experiences as an artist and author, constantly balancing between various professional and artistic demands, between children’s books, public obligations and painting.

    Elina Druker is employed as a professor and researcher at Stockholm University, Sweden.

    – ref. How Tove Jansson used her Moomins comic strip to critique the financial and creative pressures of being an artist – https://theconversation.com/how-tove-jansson-used-her-moomins-comic-strip-to-critique-the-financial-and-creative-pressures-of-being-an-artist-256287

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby City awarded Purple Flag Award for twelfth year in a row

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby is once again celebrating its success on the international stage as it proudly retains its Purple Flag accreditation, a prestigious award that recognises excellence in managing the evening and night-time economy. This will be the twelfth year in a row that Derby has held the Purple Flag accreditation.

    Awarded by an independent panel from the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), the Purple Flag status acknowledges cities and towns that meet or surpass standards of excellence in providing a vibrant, diverse, and enjoyable experience between 5pm and 5am.

    A range of local organisations have come together through Derby’s Purple Flag working group to improve the city’s evening and night-time economy. This group includes representatives from Derby City Council, Derbyshire Constabulary, Marketing Derby, Pubwatch, St Peters Quarter and Cathedral Quarter BIDs, Derby Homes, the University of Derby, and Visit Derby alongside many more. Their collaborative efforts have been key to helping Derby retain its Purple Flag status.

    ATCM noted that recent additions such as Vaillant Live, which has significantly boosted the city’s cultural and event offerings, and the Condor residential development, showcasing urban regeneration at its best, heavily contributed to Derby being awarded the Purple Flag. They also commended the achievements and active participation of the working group in improving Derby’s night life.

    Councillor Sarah Chambers, Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said:

    This latest Purple Flag award is fantastic recognition of the continuous hard work across Derby to create a welcoming, inclusive, and positive experience in the city centre. We know perception matters and this award helps reinforce Derby as a place where people feel excited to spend their evenings. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and even more excited for what’s to come.”

    Brad Worley, BID Manager for both Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter, said:

    The Purple Flag award represents a celebration of the safety, liveliness, and variety found within the evening and night-time attractions of our city. It’s a proud achievement for Derby and a reflection of the dedication and cooperation shown by so many groups working together to make our city centre thrive after dark.”

    There are 90 Purple Flag destinations around the globe across the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Malta, New Zealand and Australia. Derby is proud to be amongst them. You can learn more about the Purple Flag award on the ATCM website.

    There is plenty going on in Derby, learn more about what’s on by visiting the Derby LIVE webpage. You can learn more about Derby Nightlife on the Visit Derby webpage.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CCUS explained: experts answer your questions

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    CCUS explained: experts answer your questions

    Got a question about Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) and the technology involved? Experts answer some of the most common questions here.

    How does CCUS work? 

    Olivia Powis, CEO at the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, says:  

    Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) is essential for reducing emissions from heavy industries. It can also be used to generate low-carbon power by gas power stations with carbon capture and storage as well as enabling hydrogen power. These sources of power are important for when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing.

    This low carbon technology captures carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial facilities, compresses it, and then transports it by pipeline or ship for utilisation or safe and permanent storage deep under the seabed, preventing the CO2 from entering the atmosphere. The CO2 is stored in porous rocks – in old oil fields, gas fields, or saline formation – that act like a sponge and are covered by layers of trapping mechanisms such as impermeable ‘caprock’ – ensuring safe and permanent storage. The CO2 is then monitored to make sure that its stored securely.

    Is CCUS a proven technology? 

    Professor Stuart Haszeldine, Professor of Carbon Capture and Storage at University of Edinburgh, says: 

    Yes, carbon capture and storage has been operating successfully and safely since 1996 at the Sleipner storage site in the North Sea, halfway between Aberdeen and Bergen. A similar project has been developed at Snøhvit offshore in Norway. Experience gained in those operations has led to the Northern Lights project, situated north of Bergen which offers secure CO2 storage commercially to European industries.

    Is CCUS safe? 

    Professor Niall Mac Dowell, Professor in Energy Systems Engineering at Imperial College London, says: 

    Yes, various technical components of the carbon capture, utilisation, transport, and storage value chain have all been extensively deployed in other contexts around the world for decades. In the UK, not only can existing Health and Safety legislation effectively regulate the safety of CCUS, but we are also fortunate to have a wealth of experience in the offshore industry, which will be used to safely store the CO2 several kilometres below the seabed, in formations similar to those that have trapped natural gas for millennia.

    Does CCUS help us tackle climate change? 

    Chris Stark, former CEO at the Climate Change Committee and Head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030 at the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero, says:

    CCUS provides the lowest cost pathway to reaching net zero which is why the independent Climate Change Committee has declared it a ‘necessity, not an option.’ CCUS gives a range of options to decarbonise that would otherwise not be possible, and it minimises the climate warming emissions released to the atmosphere on our journey to net zero. It will be an important part of our industrial future.

    With an increase in renewable energy, why do we need CCUS? 

    Louise Stott, Deputy Director for Policy at Energy UK, says:

    To help secure our energy supply, we need low-carbon power that is available at all times of the day and in all weathers. Gas-fired power stations with CCUS, used alongside all other forms of low-carbon energy generation, will be able to provide flexible power on the system. Beyond power generation, CCUS will also play an important role in the decarbonisation of heavy industry. There are certain industrial processes, such as cement production, which will only be able to decarbonise through technologies like carbon capture.

    Is CCUS too expensive? 

    Mathilde Fajardy, Energy Analyst at the International Energy Agency, says: 

    CCUS technologies are critical to put energy systems around the world on a sustainable path. The cost of a project depends heavily on the source of the CO2 captured, the distance and mode used to transport it, as well as where and how it is stored. The cost of CCUS also needs to be considered against alternative decarbonisation options – in some cases, CCUS may be the only option available today.

    Is there enough space to safely store carbon captured by CCUS projects? 

    Stuart Payne, CEO at the North Sea Transition Authority, says: 

    The North Sea has the potential to store up to 78 GT of CO2 in a combination of depleted oil and gas reservoirs and natural saline aquifers. That could be enough capacity on the UK Continental Shelf to store centuries worth of UK emissions. In fact, we believe we have an exceptional case for the UK to become a carbon storage centre for the world.

    Further information

    Read more about UK carbon capture, usage and storage.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Global partnerships drive justice results, says Eurojust’s Annual Report 2024

    Source: Eurojust

    Over the past five years, Eurojust’s case workload has increased by more than 60%. In 2024 alone, the Agency handled nearly 13 000 cross-border crime cases. This reflects the unprecedented pace at which organised crime in Europe is evolving, as well as national authorities’ reliance on Eurojust to support complex international investigations.

    Eurojust President, Michael Schmid, commented: With a consistently high number of cases in recent years, our need for close cooperation with prosecutors and judges – both within Europe and beyond – is greater than ever. Thanks to our expanded global partnerships in 2024, we can ensure that criminals are held accountable and citizens are kept safe.

    To further strengthen the fight against organised crime, Eurojust launched the European Judicial Organised Crime Network (EJOCN) in September 2024. This expert hub goes beyond investigation-based collaboration and combats organised crime strategically. Even closer cooperation and direct dialogue between judicial authorities will help to resolve legal challenges and align judicial strategies when investigating and prosecuting organised crime.

    The EJOCN’s first priority is combating drug-related organised crime connected to European ports – key transit points for cocaine and other narcotics destined for the EU. Drug trafficking has been identified as the leading criminal activity in Europe, involving 50% of all criminal networks. The supply of illicit drugs continues to rise, as does the associated violence, making drug trafficking one of the most dangerous and lucrative crimes in the EU.

    Successfully tackling the rise in drug trafficking requires close cooperation with judicial authorities in Latin America, where most narcotics smuggled into Europe originate. In 2024, Eurojust took a significant step in enhancing ties with Latin American partners by signing six Working Arrangements with the Prosecution Services of Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Peru. These agreements will strengthen cooperation in key areas such as drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering and cybercrime.

    Over the past three years, the number of Eurojust supported joint investigation teams involving Latin American countries has steadily increased, with Brazil participating in the highest number. In 2024, Latin American countries participated in three times as many coordination meetings on organised crime and drug trafficking cases as in 2023.

    In addition to its Latin American partnerships, Eurojust works with a broad range of third countries to ensure that national borders do not hinder the prosecution of crime or the delivery of justice. The Agency’s recently adopted Strategy on Cooperation with International Partners reinforces Eurojust’s role as a gateway for cross-border judicial cooperation within and beyond the EU.

    In 2024, 1 022 newly opened cases handled by the Agency involved one or more third countries. Eurojust’s international cooperation continues to increase the number of registered cases at the Agency, with 378 new cases owned by third countries opened in 2024 alone. The United Kingdom, followed by Switzerland and Albania, were the non-EU countries involved in the most cases at Eurojust in 2024.

    Third countries with the highest participation in Eurojust cases in 2024

    During the year, international agreements on cooperation with Eurojust were signed with Armenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the United Arab Emirates joined as a new member of the Agency’s network of Contact Points. In March 2024, Eurojust welcomed its first Liaison Prosecutor for Iceland, strengthening cooperation with Icelandic judicial authorities. Enhanced collaboration with South Partner and Western Balkan countries was also achieved through the EuroMed Justice and Western Balkans Criminal Justice projects, both supported by Eurojust.

    Eurojust’s expanded global network enabled the Agency to deliver impressive operational outcomes in 2024. It contributed to the arrest of more than 1 200 suspects and the seizure and freezing of criminal assets worth over EUR 1 billion. The Agency also contributed to the seizure of drugs worth almost EUR 20 billion.

    Reflecting the growing scale of the challenge, the criminal investigations handled by Eurojust in 2024 involved more than three times as many victims and almost double the financial damages compared to 2023. Moreover, the Agency supported 25% more joint investigation teams than in the previous year.

    The top three crime types handled by the Agency in 2024 continued to be swindling and fraud, drug trafficking and money laundering. Notably, the number of core international crime cases rose by 40%, while cybercrime cases increased by one-third and intellectual property crime cases by 20%.

    Overview of Eurojust-referred cases by crime type in 2024

    Eurojust continued to support national authorities through the organisation of 640 international coordination meetings and 32 coordination centres, as well as operational support for 361 joint investigation teams – over half of which were funded by the Agency. Eurojust also assisted with executing judicial cooperation tools such as European Arrest Warrants and European Investigation Orders, helping national authorities bring offenders to justice and deliver real results for victims and communities.

    More information:

    Eurojust Annual Report 2024:

    Key visuals:

    Key cases in 2024:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Welcomes Norway as 55th Nation to Sign Artemis Accords

    Source: NASA

    Following an international signing ceremony Thursday, NASA congratulated Norway on becoming the latest country to join the Artemis Accords, committing to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space.
    “We’re grateful for the strong and meaningful collaboration we’ve already had with the Norwegian Space Agency,” said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro. “Now, by signing the Artemis Accords, Norway is not only supporting the future of exploration, but also helping us define it with all our partners for the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
    Norway’s Minster of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country during an event at the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) in Oslo. Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, director general of NOSA, and Robert Needham, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires for Norway, participated in the event. Petro contributed remarks in a pre-recorded video message.
    “We are pleased to be a part of the Artemis Accords,” said Myrseth. “This is an important step for enabling Norway to contribute to broader international cooperation to ensure the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.”
    In 2020, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, the first set of practical guidelines for nations to increase safety of operations and reduce risk and uncertainty in their civil exploration activities.
    The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices for responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data. 
    Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
    -end-
    Amber Jacobson / Elizabeth ShawHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Cities Unite for Data-Driven Urban Resilience: UNDRR & WCCD Host Workshops in Vaughan, Canada, and Ajman, United Arab Emirates

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Cities around the world have a tremendous opportunity to enhance their urban resilience by leveraging standardized, reliable data. Such data is crucial for evidence-based, needs-driven planning and for attracting investment in disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. By utilizing consistent and verifiable data, cities can present compelling cases to investors, securing the necessary funding for critical infrastructure projects. This approach not only improves immediate disaster preparedness but also supports long-term urban planning and sustainability efforts.

    Recognizing this potential, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and World Council on City Data (WCCD) jointly hosted workshops in Vaughan, Canada, and Ajman, United Arab Emirates. The central theme, “Data for Resilient Cities,” emphasized the importance of standardized, third-party verified city data in fostering collaboration between local governments and the financial sector. This data is essential for strategic planning and mitigating risks through resilient infrastructure investments.

    The workshops, held on 24-25 April in Vaughan welcomed cities primarily from the Americas and Europe—including Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, the Regional Municipality of York (Canada), Reykjavik (Iceland), Montevideo (Uruguay), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Montego Bay (Jamaica)— while the Ajman session on 6-7 May convened participants from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, including Al Madinah (Saudi Arabia), Makati City (Philippines), Windhoek (Namibia), Kisumu (Kenya), Minna (Nigeria), Banjul (The Gambia), Ajman (UAE), and Doha (Qatar). These cities engaged in fruitful exchanges of experience on the use of data, ISO certification, and urban resilience strategies and planning—demonstrating the power of peer learning and global cooperation in advancing resilient urban development.

    Participants were introduced to ISO 37123—Indicators for Resilient Cities and ISO 37125—Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) for Cities. These standards provide a robust framework for cities to align their resilience planning with private sector financing, ensuring informed investment decisions based on reliable ESG metrics.

    Hosted by Vaughan and Ajman—the world first ISO37123 certified cities, the workshops focused on two main areas: strategic planning and resilience data, and financing resilient infrastructure. The session highlighted the importance of data in the implementation of ISO 37123, emphasizing the role of certified resilience data in risk reduction planning, disaster recovery, and urban governance. Peer-to-peer exchanges allowed cities to share lessons learned and discuss resilience challenges and solutions. Additionally, the introduction of ISO 37125 explored how ESG metrics can unlock capital markets. Sustainable finance leaders engaged in discussions on the role of certified city data in supporting municipal bonds, green bonds, and other sustainable investment vehicles.

    Participants left the workshops with a comprehensive understanding of how ISO-certified data can be applied to strengthen disaster risk reduction and capital planning, and how data insights help align local resilience goals with global finance frameworks.

    These workshops were part of the UN-led Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative and support the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and UN Sustainable Development Goals. They mark pivotal moments where cities and the financial sector unite around standardized, verified data to drive resilient investment.

    “We are bringing cities and banks into the same room to address two critical challenges—cities need funding, and investors need data. These workshops equip both with the tools to take meaningful, collaborative action.”

    – Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and CEO of WCCD

    “With disasters accelerating and urban services under increasing pressure, these workshops mark pivotal moments—where cities and the financial sector unite around standardized, verified data to drive resilient investment.”

    – Sanjaya Bhatia, Head of Global Education and Training Institute, UNDRR

    The success of the Vaughan and Ajman workshops sets the stage for future sessions aimed at empowering cities to not just recover but lead in resilience planning and sustainable development.

    MCR2030 is a United Nations-led global partnership that has mobilized more than 1,800 local governments from 93 countries and territories, representing 597 million people, committed to strengthening their disaster and climate resilience.  The workshops highlighted the role of MCR2030 Core Partners —UNDRR and WCCD—in leveraging the technical expertise and global networks of both organizations to guide cities in applying standardized data for risk-informed planning, investment, and governance. The events also underscored the importance of city-to-city learning and exchange in fostering collaboration and network among cities on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – History of the economic and monetary union – 15-05-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The economic and monetary union (EMU) is the result of economic integration in the EU. A common currency, the euro, has been introduced in the euro area, which currently comprises 20 EU Member States. All EU Member States – with the exception of Denmark – must adopt the euro once they fulfil the convergence criteria. A single monetary policy is set by the Eurosystem, comprising the European Central Bank’s Executive Board and the governors of the central banks of the euro area.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: xSuite Nordic Invites Customers to the 2025 User Conference in Copenhagen

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Under the Theme “One Team. One Journey,” the Software Provider Showcases Innovations and Solutions for the Finance Sector

    Copenhagen/Denmark, May 16, 2025 – xSuite Nordic cordially invites users and partners to its 2025 User Conference on June 12 in Copenhagen, offering an immersive experience into future-ready technologies. This one-day event will bring together IT and finance professionals to explore key developments in invoice processing, artificial intelligence, SAP S/4HANA, cloud computing, and SAP Clean Core strategies.

    Attendees will gain valuable insights into how technologies such as AI and cloud platforms are accelerating digital transformation and opening new opportunities in finance. xSuite will present its latest product innovations, share its strategic roadmap, and provide a glimpse into emerging tech trends that are reshaping the financial landscape.

    Program Highlights

    1. Deep Dive: Artificial Intelligence – Discover how xSuite’s Prediction Server delivers AI-powered support for invoice processing within SAP environments. This session will demonstrate how AI is extending its reach across financial workflows and how Large Language Models (LLMs) are revolutionizing document recognition and data extraction.

    2. Deep Dive: SAP S/4HANA and Cloud – With many organizations advancing their SAP S/4HANA migration, aligning with SAP’s Clean Core strategy is becoming critical—even within Private Cloud infrastructures—to avoid future technical debt. This session will provide insights into xSuite’s modern solution architecture, including SAP-integrated Business Solutions 6.0 and applications built on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP).

    The conference will conclude with networking opportunities and open discussions about customer requirements, highlighting xSuite’s role as a trusted partner in digital transformation.

    Event Details:
    xSuite User Conference
    Date: June 12, 2025
    Location: Danish Architecture Center  | Bryghuspladsen 10 | 1473 Copenhagen

    Time: 09:00 AM – 3:00 PM
    More information and registration: xSuite User Conference 2025 in Copenhagen

    About xSuite Group

    xSuite is a software manufacturer of applications for document-based processes and provides standardized, digital solutions worldwide that enable simple, secure, and fast work. We focus mainly on the automation of important work processes in conjunction with end-to-end document management. Our core competence lies in accounts payable (AP) automation in SAP (including
    e-invoicing), for leading companies worldwide, as well as for public clients. This is supplemented by applications for purchasing and order processes as well as archiving – all delivered from a single source, including both software components and services. xSuite solutions operate in the cloud or in hybrid scenarios. We take pride in the high-quality solutions we offer, as evidenced by the regular certifications we receive for our SAP solutions and deployment environments.” With over 300,000 users benefitting from our solutions, xSuite processes more than 80 million documents per year in over 60 countries.

    Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Ahrensburg, Germany, xSuite has around 300 staff across nine locations worldwide – in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Our company has an established information security management system that is certified in accordance with ISO 27001:2022.

    Contact:
    Barbara Wirtz
    xSuite Group GmbH
    Marketing & PR
    Tel. +49 (0)4102/88 38 36
    barbara.wirtz@xsuite.com
    www.xsuite.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: ITTF chief outlines vision for global table tennis

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Seeking her second term as International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) president, Petra Sorling has outlined her vision for the sport’s development in the coming years, especially after the inclusion of the mixed team event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

    Sorling will vie for the ITTF presidency with Mohamed El Hacen Ahmed Salem and Khalil Al-Mohannadi. Her manifesto outlines the future of table tennis built on three key pillars – sharing the benefits of growth with members and where it matters most; securing the ITTF’s place as a leading International Federation; and shaping the future with strategic investments in table tennis.

    President of International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Petra Sorling is seen during the kick-off ceremony of the 2022 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Sept. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

    As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board in April approved the inclusion of the mixed team event for the 2028 Olympics, Sorling is seeking to position table tennis among the top eight sports in the Olympic program, along with those including athletics, football and basketball.

    In an interview with international news agencies on Thursday, the ITTF chief said she had wanted to increase the number of Olympic table tennis events ever since she was president of the Swedish table tennis association.

    “Sweden put forward a proposition in the 2021 [ITTF] AGM to have some kind of mixed [team] world championships, and the congress said this is very interesting and let’s start it,” she recalled.

    “Then I went to my friends in the Chinese Table Tennis Association and discussed it with them, and how this could happen, and it ended up that we created a Mixed Team World Cup.”

    After gaining success in the past two editions of the tournament in Chengdu, the IOC gave the green light for the mixed team event to be included in the Olympic program.

    “We could see in Chengdu how the teams were cooperating much better, not only playing together, but also planning the game together and cooperating in a different way. It was really gender equality in reality, not just on paper,” she noted.

    “I would actually put my head forward and say that the Mixed Team World Cup makes our member associations put priority and resources on female table tennis.”

    Sorling admitted that the inclusion of the mixed team event at LA28 “went much faster than I expected,” while saying it is “a very good proof of concept from the cooperation that we did with the Mixed Team World Cup in Chengdu and from the proposition from 2021.”

    “LA28 will be a new milestone when this event is an Olympic event,” she said.

    Sorling also noted that she and IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry shared the same athlete-centered view.

    “Kirsty has such a good background being a very decorated athlete herself, but not coming from the International Federation (IF) perspective, very much where I’m coming from. She has so much to contribute with the athletes’ point of view, and in table tennis, we also put the athletes first in everything that we are trying to do.”

    “I believe that I can also help her on the IF perspective to take a bigger part in the presentation of our sport, so that we can engage more with the fans. That is where our cooperation can really increase the level of our game,” she said.

    Asked about her expectations for the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals in Doha, which will kick off on Saturday, Sorling said she expected a thrilling competition, but was wary of making any predictions.

    “Just some weeks ago in Macao, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano won the men’s singles title. I would say it will be very hard for anyone to beat China’s number one and two in the men’s singles,” she remarked. “Table tennis is a mental game, it’s all about the preparation into all the details and the tactics, so it’s for the athletes to focus on the game itself.”

    “I’m very excited about the event. I do believe we will see some surprises, but I’m not the one to predict how it will go,” she grinned.

    “I only can say there was big energy in the venue earlier today when the practice started, and we will have the opening ceremony on Saturday, and then the game is on,” Sorling concluded. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Focus on increased trade and EU cooperation as Minister for Foreign Affairs meets with Tunisian counterpart

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard received Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Nafti in Stockholm on 1 April. The purpose of the visit was to deepen cooperation, primarily in terms of trade, but also to discuss regional and global issues and challenges. Mr Ali Nafti was accompanied by a business delegation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The Swedish offer to support ambitious climate plans

    Source: Government of Sweden

    2025 constitutes a critical year for climate action. All parties to the Paris Agreement will present new national climate plans, so called Nationally Determined Contributions, NDC:s, ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in November. It is urgent to act to keep the 1.5ºC limit within reach. At the same time, the green transition offers opportunities for growth, jobs and prosperity. Swedish businesses are in the forefront of innovative green solutions and stand ready to engage with partners.

    MIL OSI Europe News –