NewzIntel.com

Category: Switzerland

  • MIL-OSI China: China, US officials to meet on trade this week

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

    Beijing confirmed on Wednesday that its top trade negotiator will meet with his US counterpart during a visit to Switzerland this week but issued a pointed warning: dialogue must be genuine, not a cover for continued pressure and unilateral demands.

    In Washington, US Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced that they will meet with their Chinese counterparts for talks.

    The conversations mark the first official public engagement between the world’s two largest economies after Trump administration’s decision of imposing hefty tariffs on China imports plunged the two into a trade war.

    In a statement issued early on Wednesday, China’s Ministry of Commerce said that senior US officials have repeatedly signaled adjustments to its tariff measures and conveyed messages through multiple channels, expressing a desire to engage with China on tariffs and related issues.

    “After careful evaluation of these US overtures and on the basis of fully considering global expectations, China’s interests, and the appeals of US industry and consumers, China has decided to re-engage the US,” a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in the statement.

    The statement said that Vice-Premier He Lifeng, China’s lead representative on economic and trade issues, will hold talks with Bessent during his May 9-12 trip.

    In Washington, Bessent confirmed in an interview that they would meet on Saturday and Sunday.

    But Beijing made clear that it is entering the talks with caution. “If the US wants to talk, our door is always open,” a ministry spokesperson said. “But if you say one thing and do another, or even to attempt to use talks as a cover to continue coercion and extortion, China will never agree, let alone sacrifice its principled position and international fairness and justice to seek any agreement.”

    The spokesperson noted that negotiations must be grounded in “mutual respect, equal consultation and mutual benefit”.

    The ministry’s statement cited an old Chinese saying: “We must not only listen to what they say but also watch what they do,” warning that any future agreement would depend on Washington’s sincerity and actions — not just its words.

    The statement also carries a message to other economies that are engaging with Washington. “Appeasement does not bring peace, and compromise does not earn respect,” it said, adding that only by adhering to principles, fairness, and justice can one truly safeguard interests.

    Ahead of the planned meeting in Switzerland, Bessent said he looked forward to “productive talks”.

    He said the US and China had to de-escalate before they can move forward with trade negotiations.

    “My sense is that this will be about de-escalation, not about the big trade deal, but we’ve got to de-escalate before we can move forward,” Bessent said in an interview on Fox News on Tuesday.

    He also said “the current tariffs and trade barriers are unsustainable, but we don’t want to decouple”.

    In his first 100 days in office since Jan 20, US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping tariffs, starting with a 10 percent blanket duty on all foreign-made imports.

    Dozens of countries received a 90-day pause until July, but tariffs were raised to 145 percent on products from China, which has retaliated by imposing 125 percent levies on US goods.

    Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, said the Switzerland meeting is very important, and that “the news would be warmly welcomed by the financial markets and trading firms”.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: MSF – Israel’s New INGO Registration Measures Are a Grave Threat to Humanitarian Operations and International Law – 55 Organisations Say

     Source: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – Doctors Without Borders

    The undersigned 55 organisations operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) call for urgent action from the international community against new Israeli registration rules for international NGOs. Based on vague, broad, politicised, and open-ended criteria, these rules appear designed to assert control over independent humanitarian, development and peacebuilding operations, silence advocacy grounded in international humanitarian and human rights law, and further entrench Israeli control and de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

    For over a year and a half, humanitarian organisations have continued operating despite unprecedented constraints. In 2024, they reached millions of people across the oPt with essential services – from food and water to mobile clinics, legal aid, and education. The new registration rules now threaten to shut this work down. These measures go beyond routine policy. They mark a serious escalation in restrictions on humanitarian and civic space and risk setting a dangerous precedent.

    Under the new provisions, INGOs already registered in Israel may face de-registration, while new applicants risk rejection based on arbitrary, politicised allegations, such as “delegitimising Israel” or expressing support for accountability for Israeli violations of international law. Other disqualifiers include public support for a boycott of Israel within the past seven years (by staff, a partner, board member, or founder) or failure to meet exhaustive reporting requirements. By framing humanitarian and human rights advocacy as a threat to the state, Israeli authorities can shut out organisations merely for speaking out about conditions they witness on the ground, forcing INGOs to choose between delivering aid and promoting respect for the protections owed to affected people.

    INGOs are further required to submit complete staff lists and other sensitive information about staff and their families to Israel when applying for registration. In a context where humanitarian and healthcare workers are routinely subject to harassment, detention, and direct attacks, this raises serious protection concerns.

    These new rules are part of a broader, long-term crackdown on humanitarian and civic space, marked by heightened surveillance and attacks, and a series of actions that restrict humanitarian access, compromise staff safety, and undermine core principles of humanitarian action. They are not isolated but part of a wider pattern that includes:

    Blocking or delaying aid through arbitrary bureaucratic restrictions, logistical obstacles, and complete sieges, denying essential lifesaving supplies to Palestinians.
    Killing more than 400 humanitarian workers in Gaza, injuring and detaining countless others, and repeatedly attacking marked and notified humanitarian premises, facilities or convoys.
    Passing legislation aimed at curtailing the operations of UNRWA, the largest provider of essential services for Palestinians.
    Advancing legislation to impose a tax of up to 80 per cent on foreign government funding to Israeli NGOs, while barring them from seeking recourse through the Israeli court system – including organisations that serve as partners for INGOs to deliver assistance and uphold protections in communities facing displacement, demolitions, or settler violence.
    Suspending work visas for international staff and revoking permits for Palestinians residing in the West Bank to access Jerusalem, severely disrupting operations.

    And now, making INGO registration conditional on political and ideological alignment, undermining the neutrality, impartiality and independence of humanitarian actors.

    Under international humanitarian law, occupying powers are obligated to facilitate impartial humanitarian assistance and ensure the welfare of the protected population. Any attempt to condition humanitarian access on political alignment or penalise organisations for fulfilling their mandate risks breaching this framework. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to allow unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in three legally binding provisional measures orders in 2024. Yet, these new rules expand and institutionalise existing barriers to aid.

    We call on States, donors, and the international community to:

    • Use all possible means to protect humanitarian operations from measures that compromise neutrality, independence, and access – including staff list requirements, political vetting, and vague revocation clauses.
    • Take concrete political and diplomatic action beyond statements of concern to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and prevent the erosion of principled aid delivery.
    • Support INGOs and Palestinian and Israeli civil society organisations through legal assistance, diplomatic support, and flexible funding to help mitigate legal, financial, and reputational risks. Donors must defend principled humanitarian and human rights work.

    The undersigned 55 organisations stress that engagement with the registration process to preserve critical humanitarian operations should not be misinterpreted as endorsement of these measures.

    These 55 organisations remain committed to the delivery of humanitarian aid, along with development and peacebuilding services and activities that are independent, impartial, and based on need, in full accordance with international law and the humanitarian principles derived from it. INGOs stand ready to engage with Israeli authorities in good faith on administrative processes but cannot accept measures that penalise principled humanitarian work or expose staff to retaliation. These measures not only undermine assistance in the oPt but also set a dangerous precedent for humanitarian operations globally.

    1. Act Church of Sweden
    2. ActionAid
    3. Alianza / ActionAid Spain (ApS/AAS)
    4. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
    5. Anera
    6. Asamblea de Cooperación Por la Paz (ACPP)
    7. Asociación Paz con Dignidad
    8. CARE International
    9. CESVI
    10. Children Not Numbers
    11. Christian Aid
    12. CIDSE – International family of Catholic social justice organisations
    13. Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS)
    14. COSPE
    15. DanChurchAid (DCA)
    16. Danish House in Palestine
    17. Diakonia
    18. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
    19. forumZFD
    20. Global Communities
    21. HEKS/EPER
    22. Humanity First UK
    23. Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International
    24. IM Swedish Development Partner
    25. International Media Support (IMS)
    26. Islamic Relief Worldwide
    27. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
    28. KURVE Wustrow
    29. MedGlobal
    30. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
    31. Médecins du Monde (MdM) France
    32. Médecins du Monde (MdM) Spain
    33. Médecins du Monde (MdM) Switzerland
    34. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
    35. medico international
    36. Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
    37. Movement for Peace (MPDL)
    38. Muslim Aid
    39. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
    40. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
    41. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
    42. Oxfam
    43. Pax Christi International
    44. Plan International
    45. Polish Medical Mission Association (PMM)
    46. Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
    47. Relief International (RI)
    48. Save the Children International (SCI)
    49. Secours Islamique France (SIF)
    50. Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Italia
    51. Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Lausanne
    52. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine
    53. War Child
    54. Weltfriedensdienst e.V. (world peace service)
    55. West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC).

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Latest news – Ordinary Delegation meeting (in camera) – 7 May 2025, Strasbourg – Delegation for Northern cooperation and for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee

    Source: European Parliament

    The Delegation for Northern Cooperation and for Relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee will meet ion Wednesday, 7 May from 16.30 until 18.00 in room WEISS N3.2, Strasbourg.

    The purpose of the meeting will be to prepare for the upcoming 44th EU-Switzerland Inter-Parliamentary meeting which is scheduled in Brussels on 12 May 2025 from 14.30 – 17.30.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $140.5 billion in March, up $17.3 billion from $123.2 billion in February, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit: $140.5 Billion +14.0%°
    Exports: $278.5 Billion +0.2%°
    Imports: $419.0 Billion +4.4%°

    Next release: Thursday, June 5, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, May 6, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    March exports were $278.5 billion, $0.5 billion more than February exports. March imports were $419.0 billion, $17.8 billion more than February imports.

    The March increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $16.5 billion to $163.5 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.8 billion to $23.0 billion.

    Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $189.6 billion, or 92.6 percent, from the same period in 2024. Exports increased $41.1 billion or 5.2 percent. Imports increased $230.7 billion or 23.3 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit increased $14.1 billion to $131.4 billion for the three months ending in March.

    • Average exports increased $4.0 billion to $275.7 billion in March.
    • Average imports increased $18.1 billion to $407.1 billion in March.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $63.2 billion from the three months ending in March 2024.

    • Average exports increased $13.7 billion from March 2024.
    • Average imports increased $76.9 billion from March 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods increased $1.3 billion to $183.2 billion in March.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis increased $2.5 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials increased $2.2 billion.
      • Natural gas increased $0.8 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold increased $0.7 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $1.2 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $0.9 billion.
    • Capital goods decreased $1.5 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft decreased $1.8 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.7 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $1.2 billion.

    Exports of services decreased $0.9 billion to $95.2 billion in March.

    • Travel decreased $1.3 billion.
    • Transport increased $0.3 billion.
    • Financial services increased $0.2 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods increased $17.8 billion to $346.8 billion in March.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis increased $17.8 billion.

    • Consumer goods increased $22.5 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $20.9 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $3.7 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $2.0 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $2.6 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $2.1 billion.
    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $10.7 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $10.3 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold decreased $1.8 billion.
      • Crude oil decreased $1.2 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased less than $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services decreased $0.1 billion to $72.2 billion in March.

    • Travel decreased $0.4 billion.
    • Transport increased $0.2 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $14.0 billion, or 10.2 percent, to $150.9 billion in March, compared to a 10.3 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods increased $2.4 billion, or 1.6 percent, to $149.7 billion, compared to a 1.4 percent increase in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods increased $16.4 billion, or 5.8 percent, to $300.6 billion, compared to a 5.5 percent increase in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Revisions to February exports

    • Exports of goods were revised down less than $0.1 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised down $0.4 billion.

    Revisions to February imports

    • Imports of goods were revised up less than $0.1 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The March figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($4.5), South and Central America ($3.2), Hong Kong ($1.9), United Kingdom ($1.2), Singapore ($0.5), Brazil ($0.5), and Saudi Arabia ($0.2). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with European Union ($48.3), Ireland ($29.3), China ($24.8), Mexico ($16.8), Switzerland ($14.7), Vietnam ($14.1), Taiwan ($8.7), India ($7.7), Germany ($7.5), South Korea ($6.8), Japan ($5.8), Canada ($4.9), Italy ($4.4), France ($3.9), Malaysia ($3.2), Australia ($1.0), Israel ($1.0), and Belgium ($0.1).

    • The deficit with Ireland increased $15.3 billion to $29.3 billion in March. Exports increased $0.1 billion to $1.4 billion and imports increased $15.5 billion to $30.7 billion.
    • The deficit with France increased $2.4 billion to $3.9 billion in March. Exports increased $0.1 billion to $4.0 billion and imports increased $2.6 billion to $7.9 billion.
    • The deficit with Switzerland decreased $4.1 billion to $14.7 billion in March. Exports increased $1.1 billion to $3.5 billion and imports decreased $3.0 billion to $18.3 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: June 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, April 2025

    Notice

    Country Name Changes

    With this release of the “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services” report, references to “Congo (Brazzaville)” and “Congo (Kinshasa)” are replaced with “Congo” and “Democratic Republic of the Congo,” respectively, to reflect the countries’ recent name changes. These changes also align with the names recognized by the U.S. Department of State and the International Organization for Standardization.

    Impact of Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Release of CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM)

    The CBSA introduced a new accounting system (CARM) on October 21, 2024. As a result, importers in Canada have experienced delays in filing shipment information. These delays affected the compilation of statistics on U.S. exports of goods to Canada for September 2024 through February 2025, which are derived from data compiled by Canada through the United States – Canada Data Exchange. A dollar estimate of the filing backlog is included in estimates for late receipts and, following the U.S. Census Bureau’s customary practice for late receipt estimates, is included in the export end-use category “Other goods” as well as in exports to Canada. This estimate will be replaced with the actual transactions reported by the Harmonized System classification in June 2025 with the release of “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, Annual Revision.” Until then, please refer to the supplemental spreadsheet “CARM Exports to Canada Corrections,” which provides a breakdown of the late receipts by 1-digit end-use category for statistics through 2024. This spreadsheet will be updated as late export transactions are received to reflect reassignments from the initial “Other goods” category to the appropriate 1-digit end-use category. Any 2025 impacts will be revised in June 2026.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on 800-549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov.

    Upcoming Updates to Goods and Services

    With the releases of the “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services” report (FT-900) and the FT-900 Annual Revision on June 5, 2025, statistics on trade in goods, on both a Census basis and a balance of payments (BOP) basis, will be revised beginning with 2020 and statistics on trade in services will be revised beginning with 2018. The revised statistics for goods on a BOP basis and for services will also be included in the “U.S. International Transactions, 1st Quarter 2025 and Annual Update” report and in the international transactions interactive database, both to be released by BEA on June 24, 2025.

    Revised statistics on trade in goods will reflect:

    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics for goods on a Census basis.
    • End-use reclassifications of several commodities.
    • Recalculated seasonal and trading-day adjustments.
    • Newly available and revised source data on BOP adjustments, which are adjustments that BEA applies to goods on a Census basis to convert them to a BOP basis. See the “Goods (balance of payments basis)” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    Revised statistics on trade in services will reflect:

    • Newly available and revised source data, primarily from BEA surveys of international services.
    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics.
    • Recalculated seasonal adjustments.
    • Revised temporal distributions of quarterly source data to monthly statistics. See the “Services” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    For more information, see “Preview of the 2025 Annual Update of the International Economic Accounts” in the Survey of Current Business.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on (800) 549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov or BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares Launches Cronos ETP to Expand Access to Emerging Web3 Infrastructure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New product offers investors regulated exposure to the fast-growing Cronos blockchain, powered by Crypto.com

    Zurich, 6 May 2025 – 21Shares AG (“21Shares”), one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange-traded products (“ETPs”), today announced the launch of the 21Shares Cronos ETP (ticker: CRON), offering investors exposure to CRO, the native token of the Cronos blockchain. 

    Exchange Product Name Ticker ISIN Fee
    Euronext Paris and Euronext Amsterdam 21Shares Cronos ETP CRON CH1443364232 2.50%

    Cronos is a fast, scalable, and low-cost Layer 1 blockchain designed to support decentralised finance (DeFi), NFTs, and Web3 applications. Built for interoperability, Cronos seamlessly integrates with both Ethereum and Cosmos networks, creating a multi-chain environment that bridges centralized and decentralised ecosystems. The network also stands at the forefront of Web3 innovation, merging blockchain technology with AI to power the next generation of finance, gaming, and business applications.

    “Cronos is uniquely positioned at the intersection of centralised access and decentralised innovation,” said Mandy Chiu, Head of Financial Products Development at 21Shares. “By launching a Cronos ETP, we are offering investors easy, regulated exposure to a blockchain ecosystem that is driving real-world adoption and pioneering the future of Web3.”

    “Providing more ways for traders to engage with cryptocurrencies is central to our vision of further mainstreaming crypto,” said Eric Anziani, President and COO of Crypto.com. “Crypto.com is proud to be a long-time supporter and contributor to the Cronos ecosystem, and we are incredibly excited to partner with 21Shares to enable even more exposure to Cronos and Web3 infrastructure.”

    The 21Shares Cronos ETP provides investors a straightforward way to integrate CRO into their portfolios through traditional banks and brokers, eliminating the need to directly handle digital wallets or exchanges. Cronos benefits from a strong network and offers a compelling investment case with its focus on scalability, interoperability, and AI-driven applications.

    Notes to editors

    About 21Shares

    21Shares is one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange traded product providers and offers the largest suite of crypto ETPs in the market. The company was founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP in 2018, building a seven-year track record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most liquid securities exchanges globally. Backed by a specialized research team, proprietary technology, and deep capital markets expertise, 21Shares delivers innovative, simple and cost-efficient investment solutions.

    21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralized finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com

    Media Contact
    Matteo Valli
    matteo.valli@21shares.com

    About Cronos

    Cronos (cronos.org) is a leading blockchain ecosystem, adopted by Crypto.com and more than 500 application developers and partners representing an addressable user base of more than 100 million people around the world. Cronos’ mission is to make it easy and safe for the next billion crypto users to adopt self-custody in Web3, with a focus on Decentralized Finance and Gaming.

    The Cronos universe encompasses 3 chains: Cronos (EVM), the leading Ethereum-compatible blockchain built on Cosmos SDK; Cronos POS, a leading Cosmos chain for payments and NFTs; and Cronos zkEVM, a new high performance layer 2 network.

    Cronos ranks among the top 15 blockchain ecosystems, safeguarding more than 6 billion dollars of user assets. Since launching in 2021, it has securely settled more than 100 million transactions.

    Cronos Labs is the $100M startup accelerator focused on Cronos.

    About Crypto.com

    Founded in 2016, Crypto.com is trusted by more than 140 million customers worldwide and is the industry leader in regulatory compliance, security and privacy. Our vision is simple: Cryptocurrency in Every Wallet™. Crypto.com is committed to accelerating the adoption of cryptocurrency through innovation and empowering the next generation of builders, creators, and entrepreneurs to develop a fairer and more equitable digital ecosystem.

    Learn more at https://crypto.com.

    DISCLAIMER

    This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.

    This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.

    This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

    Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

    Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website under www.21Shares.com.

    The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

    This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2024 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with BX Swiss AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2024 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectus or https://21shares.com/ir/kids).

    ###

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 26/2025・Trifork Group: Interim report for the quarter ending 31 March 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Trifork Group AG
    Company announcement no. 26/2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 6 May 2025
    Interim Financial Report for the first quarter ending 31 March 2025

    Trifork Group reports revenue growth of 14.1% and EBITDA growth of 29.4% in Q1 2025

    CEO Jørn Larsen comments on the first quarter:
    “Q1 showed good progress toward our strategic ambition of becoming a more product- and solutions-led business. To support this direction, we revamped Trifork.com in Q1 to highlight our full range of products and platforms, and I invite you to explore our current offering. AI continues to break new ground, and we now discuss AI with most of our customers in one form or another. Our platforms Corax and AI Assist are seeing strong interest as they bring significant value to our customers very fast, in a very flexible, scalable, and secure way without customers needing to employ large data science teams.

    In Q1, we began to see the impact of several larger deals initiated in 2024. In Denmark, the good trend from Q4 continued in Q1, with the activities in the public sector increasing the most. The US business doubled its revenue and became the second-largest in the Group in Q1, proving that our IP-anchored strategy, executed in close collaboration with our Labs companies and global tech partners, can unlock new avenues of growth in revenue and profits.

    We have now completed most of the organizational changes announced last year and have identified cost-saving measures expected to deliver annual savings of EUR 10 million based on 2024 activity levels. For the remainder of 2025, we will continue to focus on further optimization and cost-efficiency across the Group, and I am encouraged by the strong and constructive cost savings efforts of our entire organization.”

    First quarter 2025

    • Trifork Group
      • In Q1 2025, Trifork Group revenue amounted to EURm 57.5, a net increase of 14.1% from Q1 2024, the combined result of an organic growth of 10.8% and an inorganic growth of 3.5%. In the quarter, Trifork had EURm 4.2 more revenue from hardware and third-party licenses compared to Q1 2024. Excluding these revenues, Group revenue growth was 5.9% in Q1 2025.
      • Trifork Group adjusted EBITDA amounted to EURm 6.9, corresponding to growth of 29.4% compared to Q1 2024. The margin was 11.9% (Q1 2024: 10.5%). No special items were recorded.
      • Trifork Group EBIT amounted to EURm 2.8, corresponding to growth of 95.5% compared to Q1 2024. The margin was 4.9% (Q1 2024: 2.8%).
    • Trifork Segment
      • In Q1 2025, adjusted EBITDA in the Trifork Segment amounted to EURm 7.4 (Q1 2024: EURm 5.8), corresponding to growth of 26.3%. The margin was 12.8% (Q1 2024: 11.6%).
      • Sub-segments
        • Inspire revenue increased by 25.0% to EURm 0.7 and realized an adjusted EBITDA of EURm -0.8 (Q1 2024: EURm -1.0).
        • Build revenue declined by -1.2% to EURm 38.3 and realized an adjusted EBITDA margin of 15.2% (Q1 2024: 15.7%).
        • Run revenue increased by 68.5% to EURm 18.5. Adjusted for hardware and third-party licenses, revenue growth was 33.9%. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 15.0% (Q1 2024: 13.1%).
    • Trifork Labs
      • In Q1 2025, fair value adjustment of Trifork Labs investments was EURm -0.1 (Q1 2024: EURm 2.0).
      • At 31 March 2025, the book value of active Labs investments amounted to EURm 82.7 (31 March 2024: EURm 73.4).

    The financial outlook for full-year 2025 provided on 28 February is maintained:

    • Revenue is expected to be in the range of EURm 215-225, equal to 4.4-9.3% total growth
    • Organic revenue growth is expected in the range of 2.9-7.8%
    • Adjusted EBITDA in Trifork Segment is expected in the range of EURm 32.0-37.0
    • EBIT in Trifork Group is expected to be in the range of EURm 14.5-19.5.

    The guidance does not include potential effects from new acquisitions or divestments.

    Main events in the first quarter of 2025

    • Inspire
      Q1 is seasonally a quarter with low conference activity. With more than 2 million views in Q1, the online GOTO universe have reached 83 million video views in total. At the end of the quarter, we had 1.1 million video subscribers. We are continuously sharpening our planning of events and have optimized our cost structure. Our business development efforts are anchored in technology partnerships, where workshop and conference presentations are central to the efforts. We hosted multiple events, including our Observability day in Copenhagen, and attended NVIDIA GTC together with Lenovo, who also co-attended an industrial conference in Germany with us. We held multiple events focusing on SAP.
    • Build
      Build revenue accounted for 66.6% of Group revenue in Q1 and declined by 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. We spent the quarter focusing our Build activities closer to our own product offerings so that focus is more on implementation, integration, and customization of these and building individual extensions on top. Generally, corporates continued to take a cautious approach to IT spending in light of the global economic and geopolitical uncertainty, but our business development efforts made up for some of the private market weakness. Our public sector customer base primarily consists of Danish engagements. Danish public revenue grew 23.4% in Q1 compared to the same quarter last year and accounted for 47% of revenue in Denmark. In Q1, we announced new engagements with SBSYS (41 municipalities and two regions) and Aalborg University, and a new partnership with Cognizant focused on testing-as-a-service for implementation with KOMBIT (all Danish municipalities).
    • Run
      Run revenue accounted for 32.2% of Group revenue in Q1 and increased by 68.5% in Q1 compared to the same quarter last year (33.9% growth excluding revenues from third-party licenses and hardware, which can be volatile on a quarterly basis). In Q1, we revamped our website Trifork.com to increase focus on our products and platforms, which are central to our growth strategy and which provide more stability to our revenues as the licenses are sold on a recurring basis. Our Cloud Operations business has built a good pipeline supported by our Contain product offering, and it seems that the interest in cloud hosting in our Danish data centers increased in Q1. This was driven by both public and private customers. Our managed services security business continues to be in discussion with potential strategic partners to accelerate growth and market share, and we look forward to updating the market on the progress. Any potential deconsolidation is not included in the current financial guidance for the year. Overall, revenue within Hosting and Security operations increased by 23.2% in Q1.
    • Trifork Labs
      No new investments or exits were completed in Trifork Labs in Q1. Activities in the quarter primarily included reviewing investment proposals from new or existing investors in individual Labs companies in relation to upcoming financing rounds, including the announced EURm 11.5 financing round in Dawn Health led by existing investors Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO). We see this as a testament to continued strong belief in the company’s potential after showing significant progress with large pharma partners such as Merck and Novartis. The investment is aimed at supporting Dawn Health’s strategy to deliver its platform and product suite through a SaaS model, while continuing to invest in further offerings within the Dawn Product Suite.

    Results presentation
    Trifork will host a results presentation and Q&A session with CEO Jørn Larsen and CFO Kristian Wulf-Andersen today, 6 May 2025 at 11:00 CEST in a live webcast that can be accessed via the following link, or via the investor website:

    https://trifork.zoom.us/j/96719631909?pwd=sI6nAeNybYebaVXxyFn3Wp8tpU5BOL.1#success

    A recording will be made available on our investor website. More information can be found at https://investor.trifork.com/events/.

    Investor & Media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director
    frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 7317


    About Trifork Group
    Trifork is a pioneering and global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative digital solutions. With 1,215 professionals across 71 business units in 16 countries, Trifork specializes in designing, building, and operating advanced software across sectors such as public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. The Group’s R&D arm, Trifork Labs, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic, high-potential technology companies. Trifork also owns GOTO, which inspires the global tech community through conferences and an online video channel with over 1.1 million subscribers and 83 million views. Trifork Group AG is publicly listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Economy – KOF Employment Indicator falls to lowest level in four years – KOF

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    The KOF Employment Indicator has fallen again in the second quarter of 2025 and is now at its lowest level since the beginning of 2021, when the Swiss labour market was still being affected by the COVID pandemic. The Swiss labour market is expected to see subdued growth in both the current quarter and the next.

    The boom years on the Swiss labour market appear to be over for the time being. The KOF Employment Indicator stands at 0.6 points in the second quarter of 2025, down from 2.7 points in the first quarter of this year (revised from 2.6 points). This is the indicator’s lowest level in four years. Analysis for the second quarter of 2025 is based on the responses of around 4,500 firms that were surveyed in April 2025 about their employment plans and expectations. As the KOF Employment Indicator is a leading indicator of actual employment trends, its current value points to a moderate employment outlook for the Swiss labour market over the coming months.

    The decline in the employment indicator is attributable to both of its sub-components: the firms surveyed rate both their current staffing levels and the employment outlook for the next three months less positively than they did in the last quarter. While their assessment of their current staffing levels remains positive on balance, the employment outlook for the next three months is sliding into negative territory, which means that there are more firms that want to reduce their headcount in the next three months than those that are planning to increase it.

    Bleak employment prospects in the manufacturing sector

    The employment outlook in the wholesale, manufacturing and banking sectors is the most negative of all. On balance, a clear majority of the firms surveyed in manufacturing expect to see a reduction in employment. The KOF Employment Indicator for this industry stands at minus 13.2 points. Compared with the last quarter, the indicator for this sector has fallen again and has now been in negative territory since mid-2023.

    On balance, a majority of the firms surveyed in the retail and hospitality sectors are also planning to reduce their workforces. In the remaining sectors, however – particularly in insurance, construction and other services – the number of firms that expect to increase their staffing levels continues to exceed those that do not.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Credit Suisse Services AG Admits to Conspiring with U.S. Taxpayers to Hide Assets and Income in Offshore Accounts and Admits that Credit Suisse Breached Its Prior Plea Agreement

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Credit Suisse Services AG Admits to Conspiring with U.S. Taxpayers to Hide Assets and Income in Offshore Accounts and Admits that Credit Suisse Breached Its Prior Plea Agreement

    Credit Suisse Services AG pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to conspiring to hide more than $4 billion from the IRS in at least 475 offshore accounts. The guilty plea by the Swiss corporation is the result of a years-long investigation by U.S. law enforcement to uncover financial fraud and abuse.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Credit Suisse Services AG Admits to Conspiring with U.S. Taxpayers to Hide Assets and Income in Offshore Accounts and Admits that Credit Suisse Breached Its Prior Plea Agreement

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Credit Suisse Services AG Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes, Signs a Separate Non-Prosecution Agreement Related to Conduct in Singapore, and Agrees to Pay More Than $510M

    Credit Suisse Services AG pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to conspiring to hide more than $4 billion from the IRS in at least 475 offshore accounts. The guilty plea by the Swiss corporation is the result of a years-long investigation by U.S. law enforcement to uncover financial fraud and abuse.

    In addition to the plea, Credit Suisse Services AG entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in connection with U.S. Accounts booked at Credit Suisse AG Singapore. Under the NPA, Credit Suisse Services AG agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department in ongoing investigations and to pay significant monetary penalties for maintaining accounts in Singapore on behalf of U.S. taxpayers who were using offshore accounts to evade U.S. taxes and reporting requirements.

    According to the Plea Agreement, NPA, and documents filed in court today: from Jan. 1, 2010, and continuing until about July 2021, Credit Suisse AG, which had ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individual clients around the globe, conspired with employees, U.S. customers, and others to willfully aid U.S. customers in concealing their ownership and control of assets and funds held at the bank. This enabled those U.S. customers to evade their U.S. tax obligations in several ways, including by opening and maintaining undeclared offshore accounts for U.S. taxpayers at Credit Suisse AG, and providing a variety of offshore private banking services that assisted U.S. taxpayers in the concealment of their assets and income from the IRS and allowed for their continued failure to file FBARs. Among other fraudulent acts, bankers at Credit Suisse falsified records, processed fictitious donation paperwork, and serviced more than $1 billion in accounts without documentation of tax compliance. In doing so, Credit Suisse AG committed new crimes and breached its May 2014 plea agreement with the United States.

    Between 2014 and June 2023, Credit Suisse AG Singapore held undeclared accounts for U.S. persons, which Credit Suisse AG Singapore knew or should have known were U.S., with total assets valued at over $2 billion. Credit Suisse AG Singapore failed to adequately identify the true beneficial owners of accounts and failed to conduct adequate inquiry about U.S. indicia in the accounts. In 2023, during the post-merger of UBS AG Singapore and Credit Suisse AG Singapore, UBS became aware of accounts held at Credit Suisse AG Singapore that appeared to be undeclared U.S. accounts. UBS froze some of the accounts, voluntarily disclosed information about those identified accounts to the Justice Department and cooperated by undertaking an investigation into the identified accounts.

    Under today’s resolutions, Credit Suisse Services AG and, by extension, UBS AG, is required to cooperate fully with ongoing investigations and affirmatively disclose any information it may later uncover regarding U.S.-related accounts. The agreements provide no protections for any individuals. Pursuant to the guilty plea and the NPA, Credit Suisse Services AG will pay a total of $510,608,909 in penalties, restitution, forfeiture, and fines.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

    Special Agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C. that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in obtaining important evidence.

    Senior Litigation Counsels Nanette L. Davis and Mark F. Daly as well as Trial Attorney Marissa R. Brodney of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly M. Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Quantum Dot Display Technology Verified as No-Cadmium, Receives SGS Certification

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung announced that the quantum dot (QD) sheet used in its QD TVs has received independent certification of compliance with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive and has been verified to contain no cadmium by the global certification institute, Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS).
    SGS, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is a world-leading testing and certification body that provides services to ensure organizations meet stringent quality and safety standards across various industries, including electronic products, food and the environment.
    In addition to receiving recognition from SGS for the no-cadmium technology in Samsung quantum dot film, the company’s compliance with the EU’s RoHS directive provides shoppers with additional comfort regarding the content of their screen as they watch TV.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Upskill workers to protect ‘employability, not jobs’: Adecco Exec

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Adecco president Christophe Catoir got started at the staffing giant as an intern. He’s had a front-row seat for the biggest trends shaping work ever since. He shares the insights from the firm’s annual skilling report, sharing sobering statistics on the share of workers globally who have been trained in AI so far and what’s needed to keep workers both engaged and employed in an upskilling cycle that will be continuous. He also shares his thoughts on how leaders in remote and hybrid workplaces will need to reevaluate how they coach and train teams, how apprenticeship thinking can help, and how his own career journey has changed him as a leader.

    This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

    About this podcast:
    Adecco: https://www.adecco-jobs.com/

    Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/christophe-catoir-Adecco-upskilling-ai-jobs

    Related Podcasts:
    Meet The Leader – Adam Grant: Future leaders won’t succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

    Meet The Leader – How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP’s Chief Economist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s
    __________________________________________________________________

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/ 
    Twitter ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #WorldEconomicForum

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVPp3zLil4s

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Insurance and pension companies now purchase European stocks

    Source: Danmarks Nationalbank

    Insurance and pension

    Statistics period: March 2025

    Danish insurance and pension companies purchased European listed stocks for kr. 21 billion in the first quarter of the year. They mainly bought Danish, German, and French shares, but also a significant portion of British and Swiss shares. In recent years, the companies have primarily purchased US shares, but in the first quarter of 2025 the purchase has been reversed to a sale of nearly kr. 5 billion. The total sale of US shares reflects that some companies sold shares while others bought shares. US shares still make up the largest portion, 53 per cent, of the companies’ total listed equity portfolio of kr. 1,320 billion, while European shares account for 29 per cent.

    Largest purchase of listed European stocks since 2018

    Note:

    The quarterly net purchases of publicly traded stocks by insurance and pension companies, distributed between Europe and the USA. Danish investment funds have been looked through, such that the pension companies’ equity and bond investments through these funds are included.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: 25/2025・Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 25 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 5 May 2025


    Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    On 28 February 2025, Trifork initiated a share buyback program in accordance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, (Safe Harbour regulation). The share buyback program runs from 4 March 2025 up to and including no later than 30 June 2025. For details, please see company announcement no. 7 of 28 February 2025.

    Under the share buyback program, Trifork will purchase shares for up to a total of DKK 14.92 million (approximately EUR 2 million). Prior to the launch of the share buyback, Trifork held 256,329 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.3% of the share capital. Under the program, the following transactions have been made:

    Date       Number of shares        Average purchase price (DKK)        Transaction value (DKK)
    Total beginning 66,897 85.22 5,701,099
    28 April 2025 1,082 88.61 95,876
    29 April 2025 1,800 89.18 160,524
    30 April 2025 1,700 90.50 153,850
    1 May 2025 1,700 90.48 153,816
    2 May 2025 1,500 91.93 137,895
    Accumulated 74,679 85.74 6,403,060

    A detailed overview of the daily transactions can be found here: https://investor.trifork.com/trifork-shares/

    Since the share buyback program was started on 4 March 2025, the total number of repurchased shares is 74,679 at a total amount of DKK 6,403,060.
    On 25 March and on 25 April 2025, 2,929 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized for the Executive Management’s monthly fixed salary, representing a change from cash payment to payment partly in shares (refer to company announcement no. 1 of 21 January 2025).
    On 1 April 2025, 19,943 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized to serve the RSU plan of Executive Management and certain employees.

    With the transactions stated above, Trifork holds a total of 308,136 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.6%. The total number of registered shares in Trifork is 19,744,899. Adjusted for treasury shares, the number of outstanding shares is 19,436,763.

    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director & Head of Investor Relations
    frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17

    About Trifork
    Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,229 professionals across 73 business units in 16 countries, Trifork delivers expertise in inspiring, building, and running advanced software solutions across diverse sectors, including public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. Trifork Labs, the Group’s R&D hub, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic and high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is a publicly listed company on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 3D-Printed Railway Station & 6 Manufacturing Myths | WEF | Top Stories Week

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    This week’s top stories of the week include:

    0:15 Platform boots workplace inclusivity — Inclusively rounds up what potential employers can offer them from reasonable adjustments to assistive technologies. Employees can log in anonymously and state their disabilities and needs for support or resources.

    3:40 Japan 3D-printed this railway station — Hatsushima’s old wooden station was built in 1948 and needed replacing but building a new one would have taken 2 months. Serendix printed the new station’s parts in a week before transporting them to Hatsushima for assembly.

    5:13 How to identify and fight online harms — Making the digital world safe while protecting freedom of expression is an ongoing challenge. Nearly half of US teens say they’re online almost constantly but how safe is their digital world?

    8:41 6 myths about modern manufacturing — We sat down with 4 manufacturing leaders based in Switzerland, Morocco, Belgium and the US to discuss common mistakes people have about the industry.

    _____________________________________________

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/ 
    Twitter ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #WorldEconomicForum

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PTbZ8cdk0Y

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Nazi Ratlines

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Q: Why did you hold a hearing in March about the rise in antisemitism?
    A: The atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023 underscored how imperative it is to learn from history. The horrific lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten. And yet, Hamas terrorists waged the deadliest attack on Jews since World War II. They butchered children and raped women, murdering more than 1,200 people. The terrorists took 250 hostages, including Americans. The gruesome details were instantly shared around the world through social media. You’d expect these evil crimes to foster a groundswell of support and solidarity for the Jewish people. Instead, an alarming cascade of events took root on college campuses across America. Support for Hamas, genocidal slogans and acts of antisemitism targeting Jewish students, shopkeepers, professors and rabbis served as a wake-up call to the world. Vandalized property, raging hatred and a radical agenda to target Jewish people here in America demanded attention to shed light on what was happening in plain sight. Before the eyes and under the noses of leaders in education and government, antisemitism was gaining foothold here in America. Yet the Democrats refused to hold a hearing on antisemitism last Congress.
    As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I invited witnesses to testify about the rising tide of antisemitism in America, exactly 80 years after U.S. and allied forces liberated survivors from Nazi concentration camps in Europe. The horrors of the Holocaust are memorialized in museums and history pages. It is incumbent upon each successive generation not to ignore the hatred or diminish the truths discovered by American troops in 1945: the “walking skeletons,” emaciated corpses and unthinkable atrocities against humanity, including medical experiments, torture and hard labor. History teaches us we can’t be neutral in the face of hatred. As Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel said during his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
    Q: What’s new with your investigation to trace financial ties between Swiss banks and Nazi war criminals?
    A: In 2023, I received whistleblower allegations of wrongdoing by Credit Suisse during its internal review into potential Nazi-linked accounts that had not previously been disclosed during past investigations. In response, I launched an investigation to examine these allegations, including Credit Suisse’s servicing of Nazi-linked clients. With my leadership, the Senate Budget Committee issued its first subpoena since 1991 to learn more about the bank’s wrongdoing in its internal investigation. My review confirmed previously undisclosed ties with Nazi-connected Credit Suisse account holders. This work is ongoing. My focus remains to keep a bright light shining on one of the darkest chapters in modern human history in the pursuit of truth and justice. This global forensic exam spans three continents and involves countless records, including digital and paper documents originating from the 1930s and 1940s. In February, I wrote a letter to the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, requesting his assistance to provide archival records documenting the use of Nazi “ratlines” during and after World War II. These secret networks provided the monetary and logistical pathways members of the Nazi regime used to escape justice and flee to South America. President Milei’s historic decision to release these records, and make them widely accessible, in response to my request is a victory for transparency and will help advance oversight of this important issue.
    Transparency brings accountability. October 7 ushered in a new era of urgency to stop antisemitism in its tracks. Combing through these historical archives will help piece together the enablers who facilitated the escape of Nazi war criminals, honor the memories of Holocaust victims and deliver justice to the survivors. As time marches on, tenacity matters. We must never forget six million souls were stolen in the Holocaust. I’m working as hard as ever to keep history alive so current and future generations don’t sit on the sidelines when genocide and antisemitism rear their evil heads. Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal said it best, “Hope lives when people remember.”
    May is National Jewish American Heritage Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Antoine Martin: The Extended Liquidity Facility (ELF) – the next step in the Swiss National Bank’s liquidity support to banks

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Good evening everyone

    It is an honour to speak to you here tonight at the International Center for Monetary and Banking Studies. The ICMB has long been an important platform for discussing money, banking and finance – all areas central to the Swiss National Bank. Our institutions have built a strong partnership since 1974, and I am delighted to continue this long-standing dialogue.

    As a central bank, the SNB plays a crucial role in managing banking system liquidity. We do this to implement monetary policy, ensure the smooth functioning of the payment system, and also to support financial stability. Tonight, I will focus on our role in providing liquidity to fulfil our statutory mandate of contributing to financial stability. As lender of last resort (LOLR for short), the SNB stands ready to step in during crisis situations – when banks’ own liquidity buffers are no longer sufficient to cover their needs. A recent example was the liquidity assistance provided to Credit Suisse in March 2023. This event gave rise to renewed interest in how we design and implement liquidity support.

    I would first like to examine the evolution of our role in this regard, and how we developed our framework for emergency liquidity assistance (ELA). Looking to the future, I will then describe our new framework for liquidity support, centred on the Extended Liquidity Facility (ELF). The ELF encompasses ELA and brings liquidity support closer to standard operations. I will end with some recommendations for strengthening banks’ resilience to liquidity risk more broadly.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Burkina Faso and Mali’s fabulous flora: new plant life record released

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cyrille Chatelain, Scientist, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de Genève (CJBG)

    The Illustrated Flora of Burkina Faso and Mali is the first comprehensive documentation of the remarkable plant diversity in these two west African countries.

    Written in French, the book is the outcome of decades of botanical research and scientific collaboration between institutions and botanists from Burkina Faso, Mali, France, Switzerland and Germany. For the first time, it provides a complete inventory of ferns and flowering plants in Burkina Faso and Mali. It catalogues 2,631 species – both native and introduced – with 2,115 identified in Burkina Faso, 1,952 in Mali, and 1,453 shared between both countries.

    Featuring over 800 photographs, 2,631 scientific illustrations, detailed descriptions, distribution maps, and identification keys, it serves as an essential tool for scientific research and biodiversity conservation. It’s also useful for sustainable development in the region.

    We are a team of botanists from Burkina Faso, Mali and Europe who worked on this guide. One of our team is the botanist Jean César, who has carried out botanical research in the region for over 30 years. We based the guide on his earlier work in researching the flora of West Africa, and training young botanists.

    The guide shows how diverse the climate of west Africa is. From the Sahara Desert to the Sahelian zone and the savannas and open forests of the Sudanian region.

    By identifying plant species – whether common, rare, overexploited, or invasive – this guide can play a crucial role in conservation efforts: one can only protect what one knows.

    The publication lays the groundwork for conservation of Sahelian ecosystems, which face increasing degradation with direct consequences for rural communities.

    How we came up with the guide

    As a team, we’ve conducted more than 40 years of research in Burkina Faso and Mali, documenting different plants. We also studied herbarium collections in Paris, Montpellier, Frankfurt and Geneva in Europe and Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso.

    We drew from online resources such as African Plants – A Photo Guide and the African Plant Database. These compile comprehensive data on African plant biology, distribution and taxonomy (the science of classifying and naming plants).

    The book is written in French and includes an index of local plant names in the local languages of Bambara, Dogon, Sonrai, Sénoufo and Peulh. This makes it a valuable resource for local communities and researchers alike. There is an open access digital version to make sure that everyone can use the new illustrated guide.

    Discovering new and rare species

    The book highlights species previously known from only a few observations. These are both widely distributed species and plants that are rare, only found in unprotected areas facing heavy urbanisation.

    About 330 of the plant species in the guide have only ever been seen once in Burkina Faso or Mali, although some are present in neighbouring countries.

    Another 40 near-endemic species (mainly only found in Burkina Faso and Mali) have only been seen once 40 years ago. Most of those are aquatic plants, growing along the Niger River, or in small wetland environments.

    Additionally, this research updates information on more than a hundred poorly understood species that require further study. Some of these are likely new to science and have not even been given formal names. For instance, we found a new type of Brachystegia tree in the Geneva Botanical Garden’s herbarium. It is new to science and will have to be described.

    Many plants documented here hold ethnobotanical value. They are part of the indigenous knowledge of Burkina Faso and Mali and play roles in traditional medicine, agriculture and crafts.

    We found more than 120 species that have medicinal uses. Identifying them with correct scientific names will be crucial for the study of how people can continue to use these plants, especially as medicine.

    Collaboration in difficult times

    The hospitality of Sahelian countries has fostered numerous collaborations over the years under different projects.

    Unfortunately, the current insecurity in the region has made field studies extremely dangerous, threatening conservation projects. For instance, forest rangers can no longer travel freely, and some regions have become inaccessible.

    Publishing this book at such a difficult time brings renewed momentum to scientists and serves as a positive sign of continued collaboration. It gives visibility to botanical studies in both countries and highlights the importance of collaborations among botanists from different continents.

    By recording this biodiversity, this work not only preserves valuable ecological knowledge but also ensures that the knowledge of these species is not lost to conflict-driven environmental degradation. It sheds light on the importance of preserving plants for future generations.

    Cyrille Chatelain receives funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

    Adjima Thiombiano, Blandine Marie Ivette Nacoulma, and Mamadou Lamine Diarra do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Burkina Faso and Mali’s fabulous flora: new plant life record released – https://theconversation.com/burkina-faso-and-malis-fabulous-flora-new-plant-life-record-released-253571

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 to Host Africa-Europe Mining Cooperation Dialogue

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 2, 2025/APO Group/ —

    As home to 30% of the world’s critical minerals – resources essential to Europe’s Green Deal and broader energy transition goals – Africa is attracting heightened interest from European investors and institutions.

    Taking place from October 1–3, 2025 in Cape Town, African Mining Week – the continent’s premier mining event – will host the Europe-Africa Roundtable under the theme, European Partnerships in African Mining: A Mutually Beneficial Future. The roundtable will convene mining stakeholders, policymakers and investors from both continents to explore investment opportunities and foster cross-continental collaboration.

    As Africa seeks to mobilize new capital to drive industrial growth through mining, European-based companies are playing a pivotal role. British multinational Anglo American is advancing copper, nickel, coal and diamond projects in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Nigeria. Glencore, headquartered in Switzerland, maintains major coal, copper and cobalt operations in South Africa and Botswana, while the UK’s Rio Tinto is engaged in a range of mineral ventures across the continent.

    Europe’s junior and mid-tier mining firms are also gaining ground. Pensana is developing Angola’s first rare earths mine at Longonjo, which is expected to meet 5% of global demand for magnet rare earths. Endeavour Mining is leading several gold expansion projects across the continent, including the Lafigué Gold Mine in Ivory Coast, Sabodala-Massawa in Senegal and Kalana in Mali.

    Beyond the private sector, the European Commission is also backing strategic infrastructure to unlock mineral corridors. Notably, it is co-financing the Lobito Corridor, which links the DRC, Zambia and Angola to global markets. Through frameworks such as the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, the Africa-EU Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials, and Strategic Partnerships on Critical Raw Materials, Europe is delivering financial backing and technical know-how to Africa’s mining sector. These efforts aim to secure reliable, responsible and diversified mineral supply chains while fostering sustainable development and value addition on the African continent.

    Within this context, AMW 2025 offers a vital platform to sustain this momentum, deepen cooperation and forge new partnerships that advance mining-led growth. From major investments by European mining giants to infrastructure financing through the Lobito Corridor, Africa is attracting unprecedented levels of capital and collaboration. The Europe-Africa Roundtable will spotlight opportunities across critical minerals, gold, copper and rare earths, while promoting sustainable practices and mutually beneficial engagement.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – IPU welcomes the release of former MP Ahmed Al-Alwani

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday 1 May 2025 – The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) welcomes the release and acquittal of former Iraqi MP Mr. Ahmed Al-Alwani on 23 April 2025, following more than a decade of detention.

    Mr. Al-Alwani was arrested in December 2013 in Ramadi, Iraq, in a raid that violated his parliamentary immunity and resulted in the deaths of his brother and seven others. He was held incommunicado, tortured and sentenced to death by hanging.

    The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has been closely monitoring the case, repeatedly calling for his release and seeking opportunities to engage with Iraqi authorities.

    In August 2023, a breakthrough came when an IPU delegation, including the Committee President at the time, Mr. Samuel Cogolati, and former member Mr. Mushahid Hussein, visited Baghdad. The team met with Iraqi leaders at the highest levels, as well as Mr. Al-Alwani in detention, his family and legal representatives.

    The mission provided a platform for dialogue, transparency and trust-building. During the visit, the IPU used diplomatic channels to urge political and religious leaders to prevent Mr. Al-Alwani’s execution and to seek a satisfactory resolution.

    More recently, the release of Mr. Al-Alwani became possible after the family of a victim from the 2013 raid withdrew their complaint and accepted financial compensation, enabling Mr. Al-Alwani to benefit from the amnesty law.

    The IPU’s efforts, combined with the crucial mediation of tribal leaders and the Iraqi authorities’ commitment to resolving the case, helped overcome longstanding political obstacles and contributed to Mr. Al-Alwani’s release.

    Mr. Al-Alwani’s family have credited the IPU’s consistent advocacy, monitoring and direct engagement with promoting accountability and encouraging the Iraqi authorities to reach a fair and peaceful resolution.

    Background

    The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is the only international complaints mechanism with the specific mandate to defend the human rights of persecuted parliamentarians around the world. Its work includes mobilizing the international parliamentary community to support threatened MPs, lobbying national authorities, visiting MPs in danger and sending trial observers.

    Find out more about the live cases currently being monitored by the IPU: https://data.ipu.org/dataset/human-rights-of-mps/

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 14 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI: iRhythm Launches Zio® Long-Term Continuous Monitoring Service in Japan as the Zio® ECG Recording and Analysis System, Advancing AI-Powered Arrhythmia Detection

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • iRhythm Zio®Long-Term Continuous Monitoring (LTCM) system — commercially introduced in Japan as the Zio®ECG Recording and Analysis System — brings AI-powered, continuous, uninterrupted ECG monitoring for up to 14 days to Japan
    • Launch is timely amid a growing demand for early, accurate detection of arrhythmias in Japan, the second largest ambulatory cardiac monitoring market in the world, where the prevalence is expected to rise alongside an aging population1-3

    SAN FRANCISCO, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRTC) today announced the commercial launch in Japan of its Zio® long-term continuous ECG monitoring (LTCM) system, commercially introduced in this market as the Zio® ECG Recording and Analysis System. The system provides up to 14 days of continuous, uninterrupted ECG monitoring and leverages a deep-learned artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm approved by Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) – and represents a significant advancement over other ambulatory cardiac monitoring options in Japan, including commonly used wired Holter monitors, which capture only 24 to 48 hours of data and other patch-based services that monitor only up to 7 days.

    “We are honored to introduce our AI-powered Zio ECG Recording and Analysis System that provides up to 14 days of continuous, uninterrupted cardiac monitoring to Japan, where we see a meaningful opportunity to help advance arrhythmia detection,” said Quentin Blackford, President and Chief Executive Officer of iRhythm. “Together with our trusted distribution partner, Senko Medical Instrument, we are committed to expanding access to advanced cardiac monitoring that supports clinical excellence and aligns with Japan’s dedication to high-quality, patient-centered care.”

    Advancing Arrhythmia Detection in Japan

    The Zio ECG Recording and Analysis System consists of a prescription-only, patch-based ECG monitoring device (Zio monitor, iRhythm’s latest-generation ECG patch), worn for up to 14 days, and the ZEUS (Zio ECG Utilization Software) system.

    The unique attributes of the Zio ECG Recording and Analysis System offer meaningful advantages for patients and clinicians:

    Zio monitor (Patch ECG Device): Improving Patient Monitoring Experience

    • The latest-generation patch ECG is thinner, lighter, and smaller—designed for comfortable, discreet wear, ease of use,4 and patient satisfaction5,6
    • Enables up to 14 days of continuous, uninterrupted ECG monitoring
    • Demonstrates 99% patient compliance with prescribed wear time6-8 and 99% analyzable data, delivering high-quality, actionable data6,10,11

    Zio Service (End-to-End Monitoring System): Combining Advanced AI with Human Expertise

    • PMDA-approved, deep-learned AI algorithm detects 13 arrhythmia types, as well as sinus rhythm and artifact, and is clinically proven to perform at the level of cardiologists11-14
    • End-of-wear reports are reviewed and validated by certified cardiographic technicians (CCTs), with 99% physician agreement6,8
    • Zio ECG Recording and Analysis System is associated with the highest diagnostic yield and lowest likelihood of retesting compared to other monitoring services, including other LTCMs and 24- to 48-hour duration Holter monitoring services6,8,15-20
    • In clinical settings, the Zio LTCM service may help reduce misinterpretation of ECG data and improve clinical efficiency12

    Zio® monitor by iRhythm Technologies,
    part of the Zio®ECG Recording and Analysis System

    “The Zio service represents a new step forward in how we monitor for arrhythmias in Japan,” said Dr. Kohei Yamashiro, Vice President and Director of the Heart Rhythm Center at Takatsuki General Hospital (Osaka Prefecture), the first hospital in Japan to introduce the Zio ECG Recording and Analysis System. “Its ease of use, extended monitoring period, and clear reporting provide important benefits for both patients and clinicians.”

    Clinically Proven Performance

    The clinical value of the Zio LTCM service has been demonstrated in a robust, growing body of clinical evidence. The Cardiac Ambulatory Monitor EvaLuation of Outcomes and Time to Events (CAMELOT) study, published in the American Heart Journal, found that Zio LTCM service was associated with the highest yield of specified arrhythmia diagnosis and the lowest likelihood of repeat testing compared to all other monitoring services.

    iRhythm’s comprehensive clinical evidence, encompassing more than 125 original research manuscripts21 and insights derived from over 2 billion hours of curated heartbeat data9 and more than 10 million patient reports posted since the company’s inception, underscore the company’s ongoing commitment to expanding evidence that supports improved patient outcomes.

    “The Zio long-term continuous monitoring service offers a clinically validated approach to arrhythmia detection by combining advanced AI with expert clinical review to support accurate and timely diagnoses,” said Dr. Mintu Turakhia, iRhythm Chief Medical Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, and EVP of Product Innovation. “As the need for effective long-term monitoring grows, we believe the introduction of Zio LTCM in Japan presents an opportunity to enhance patient care and support evolving clinical needs in cardiac monitoring—an impact also recognized by the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society.”

    Cardiac Arrhythmias and Prevalence in Japan

    A cardiac arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or irregularly due to abnormal electrical impulses. If undetected and untreated, some arrhythmias can damage the heart, brain, or other organs and lead to an increased risk of stroke and death.22-24

    These potential complications make accurate, timely arrhythmia detection and diagnosis critical to improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

    The prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias continues to rise globally, and Japan is the second largest ambulatory cardiac monitoring market in the world with an estimated 1.6 million tests prescribed annually. This number is expected to continue to increase based on stroke and cardiovascular disease burden in Japan’s aging population.1-3

    Availability in Japan
    Zio® ECG Recording and Analysis System will be available to healthcare customers beginning May 2025, with nationwide availability anticipated by July 2025, through Senko Medical Instrument, iRhythm’s exclusive distribution partner in Japan.

    Outside of Japan, iRhythm offers its Zio® portfolio of cardiac monitoring solutions in Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, and the UK – and remains dedicated to bringing access to its advanced cardiac monitoring to even more patients, clinicians and healthcare systems around the world.

    About iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
    iRhythm is a leading digital health care company that creates trusted solutions that detect, predict, and prevent disease. Combining wearable biosensors and cloud-based data analytics with powerful proprietary algorithms, iRhythm distills data from millions of heartbeats into clinically actionable information. Through a relentless focus on patient care, iRhythm’s vision is to deliver better data, better insights, and better health for all. To learn more about iRhythm and the Zio® LTCM service in Japan, please visit irhythmtech.com/jp/ja. For additional information about iRhythm, please visit its corporate website at irhythmtech.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements 
    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. An investor can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘will’, ‘project’, ‘plan’, ‘believe’, ‘target’ and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future actions or operating or financial performance.  In particular, these include statements regarding the Japanese market opportunity, our ability to penetrate the Japanese market, and expansion of patient access to our products and services in Japan. Such statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those on the Form 10-Q expected to be filed on or about May 1, 2025. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and should not be unduly relied upon. iRhythm disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. 

    Media Contact
    Kassandra Perry
    irhythm@highwirepr.com

    Investor Contact
    Stephanie Zhadkevich
    investors@irhythmtech.com

    —-
    Footnotes

    1. Irie S, Tada H. The Relationship between Holter Electrocardiography and Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis Using Real-World Data in Japan. Int Heart J. 2023;64(2):178-187.
    2. Matsuda S. Health Policy in Japan – Current Situation and Future Challenges. JMA Journal, 2019.
    3. Annual Pharmaceutical Production Statistics, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (“MHLW”).
    4. Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2023.
    5. Zio monitor Instructions for Use. iRhythm Technologies, 2023.
    6. Based on US data.
    7. Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2022.
    8. Zio service provides continuous, uninterrupted recording and a comprehensive end-of-wear report.
    9. Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2024.
    10. Analyzable time is based off median values for a 14-day prescription
    11. Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2020.
    12. Hannun et al. Cardiologist-level arrhythmia detection and classification in ambulatory electrocardiograms using a deep neural network. Nat Med. 2019;25:65-69. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-018-0268-3
    13. Deep learned algorithm is only available in the United States, European Union, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Japan.
    14. FDA 510K clearance, CE mark, UKCA mark, and PMDA-approval.
    15. Reynolds et al. Comparative effectiveness and healthcare utilization for ambulatory cardiac monitoring strategies in Medicare beneficiaries. Am Heart J. 2024;269:25–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2023.12.002
    16. Diagnostic yield was assessed based upon the evaluation of specified arrhythmias, which refer to an arrhythmia encounter diagnosis as per Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) 96.
    17. Based on previous generation Zio XT device data. Zio monitor utilizes the same operating principles and ECG algorithm. Additional data on file.
    18. Zio LTCM service refers to Zio XT and Zio monitor service.
    19. Contraindications: Do not use the Zio monitor for critical care patients or for patients with symptomatic episodes where instance variations in cardiac performance could result in immediate danger to the patients or when real-time or in-patient monitoring should be prescribed. (Refer to the Zio monitor Instructions for Use for the full list of contraindications)
    20. Zio monitor and ZEUS are Japan PMDA approved.
    21. Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2025.
    22. Ataklte et al. Meta-analysis of ventricular premature complexes and their relation to cardiac mortality in general populations. The American Journal of Cardiology. 2013;112(8):1263-1270. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2013.05.065
    23. Lin et al. Long-term outcome of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia in structurally normal hearts. PLOS ONE. 2016;11(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0160181
    24. Wolf et al. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: The Framingham Study. Stroke. 1991;22(8):983-988. doi:10.1161/01.str.22.8.983

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ffe8ed2-1063-4455-8784-d0278fd46373

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: XploradDEX $XP Token Explodes 1,500% in 24 Hours — Market Cap Quadruples as FOMO Grips XRP Traders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, Switzerland, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XploraDEX’s native token, $XPL, has sent shockwaves across the XRP ecosystem after surging over 1,500% in just 24 hours. From a humble market cap of $70K at launch, $XPL has now ballooned to over $288K, sparking an aggressive wave of buying activity and cementing its place as one of the most explosive DeFi launches on the XRP Ledger to date.

    Buy $XPL on MagneticX Exchange

    Massive Momentum: 24-Hour Snapshot

    • 24H Price Change: +1,500%
    • 24H Low: 0.00000411 XRP
    • 24H High: 0.000172 XRP
    • Market Cap: $288,000 (from a $70K launch)
    • 24H Volume: 8,100 XRP
    • Listed on 132 exchanges

    XPL’s jaw-dropping performance has ignited widespread FOMO among XRP traders and DeFi enthusiasts. Since going live on MagneticXc, the token has seen relentless upward price pressure, with new buyers flooding in as it enters its first wave of price discovery.

    Purchase $XPL on MagneticX

    Why This Rally Is Different

    This isn’t a typical meme pump or hype play. $XPL is the gateway to XploraDEX, the first AI-powered decentralized exchange on XRPL. Unlike many tokens that launch with vague promises, XploraDEX is already delivering real utility, including:

    • AI-integrated trading dashboards
    • Smart order execution and automation tools
    • Staking and yield opportunities
    • Governance and protocol voting
    • Launchpad access for future XRPL projects

    The token’s early success is being driven by real utility, cutting-edge technology, and a strong community of early believers who understand the long-term upside of AI-enabled DeFi on one of the world’s fastest blockchains.

    Buy $XPL Token on MagneticX DEX

    The Community Is On Fire

    Telegram is buzzing. Trading pairs on MagneticXc are heating up. And wallets are connecting in record numbers. With 132 exchanges already listing $XPL and 24-hour volume exceeding 8K XRP, the market is clearly responding.

    Early adopters have already seen 15x gains. But with a modest $288K market cap, analysts believe $XPL may just be getting started. As XploraDEX rolls out its staking pools and governance portal in the coming days, more buying pressure could follow.

    Purchase $XPL on MagneticX

    The FOMO is real—and rising.

    If you missed the presale, this is your chance to enter before the next wave pushes the price even higher. The market cap is still under $300K, leaving massive upside potential as more users discover the utility behind $XPL.

    Buy $XPL on MagneticX: https://xmagnetic.org/swap/XPL+rGdwJSadiYfRZcq51A1CKzLmQ4yuBVcYgy_XRP+XRP?network=mainnet

    Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

    Website | Buy $XPL on DEX | X | Telegram

    Contact:
    Oliver Muller
    oliver@xploradex.io
    contact@xploradex.io

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
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    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d69a130-b380-4c88-8126-5b6fb453f1f5

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b537917-6702-4b72-aa5c-a1da7aea99e2

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Advocates Global Action on Chemicals and Waste at BRS COPs 2025

    Source: Government of India

    India Advocates Global Action on Chemicals and Waste at BRS COPs 2025

    Union Minister for Environment Forest & Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav leads Indian Delegation at high-level Segment in Geneva

    Shri Yadav emphasizes India’s Regulatory Framework and Global Leadership on Plastic Pollution

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:27PM by PIB Delhi

    An Inter-Ministerial delegation from India, led by the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, is participating in the Conference of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, taking place in Geneva from 30th April to 1st May, 2025. The theme of this year’s high-level segment is “Make visible the invisible: Sound management of chemicals and wastes.”

    During his address in opening ceremony, Shri Bhupender Yadav emphasized that the theme reflects the global imperative of addressing the often-unseen threats of chemical and waste mismanagement. He reiterated India’s commitment to environmentally sound policies, underpinned by a robust legal and institutional framework.

    Key Interventions and Bilateral Engagements

    At the ministerial roundtable on ‘Means of Implementation’, Shri Yadav highlighted that the effective execution of the BRS Conventions relies significantly on access to finance, technology transfer, capacity-building, technical assistance, and strengthened international cooperation. He outlined India’s integrated approach to implementing the conventions through national legislation such as the Environment (Protection) Act, the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, and the E-Waste Management Rules, 2016, which are supported by sustained investments in institutional and technical infrastructure.

    On the sidelines of the COPs, the Union Minister Shri Yadav participated in a consultation meeting organized by Norway on the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution. He apprised participants of India’s domestic initiatives such as the ban on identified single-use plastic items and the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging.

    Shri Yadav further underlined India’s pioneering role in international environmental governance under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, highlighting that India introduced a resolution on single use plastics at UNEA-4, bringing the issue to the center of global discourse.

    During the bilateral meeting with Ms. Katrin Schneeberger, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, Shri Yadav discussed matters related to the development of a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, and India’s support for the establishment of a Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals and Waste, as mandated by UNEA resolutions.

    Forward-Looking Engagement

    The High-Level Segment of the BRS COPs features ministerial roundtables and interactive dialogues focused on collaborative global action.

    India remains steadfast in its commitment to multilateral environmental cooperation and will continue to advocate for the interests of developing countries while ensuring equitable, science-based, and sustainable solutions for the planet.

    *****

    GS

    (Release ID: 2125922) Visitor Counter : 51

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Available to Indiana Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by September Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations of the May 30, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning Sep. 24, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Rush, Switzerland and Union counties in Indiana, as well as Boone County in Kentucky, and Butler and Hamilton counties in Ohio. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 30, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Whether GDP swings up or down, there are limits to what it says about the economy and your place in it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sophie Mitra, Professor of Economics, Fordham University

    The price of eggs might mean more to some Americans than what’s going on with GDP. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    The Bureau of Economic Analysis released the latest U.S. gross domestic product data on April 30. In the first three months of 2025, it said, GDP contracted by 0.3%. The GDP growth rate captures the pace at which the total value of goods and services grows or shrinks. Together with unemployment and inflation, it usually receives a lot of attention as an indicator of economic performance.

    Some economists and analysts said the economy might not be as bad as this rate’s decline might suggest. While this is the first time in three years that GDP has shrunk instead of growing, it is a relatively small decline.

    This raises a critical question: Does a relatively small GDP contraction mean the economy is in trouble? I have spent much of my working life studying economic well-being at the level of individuals or families.

    What I’ve learned can offer a different lens on the economy than you’d get from just focusing on the most popular indicators, such as the GDP growth rate.

    GDP problems

    The GDP growth rate has many limitations as an economic indicator. It captures only a very narrow slice of economic activity: goods and services. It pays no attention to what is produced, how it is produced or how people assess their economic lives.

    GDP gets a lot of attention, in part, because of the misconception that economics only has to do with market transactions, money and wealth. But economics is also about people and their livelihoods.

    Many economists would agree that economics treats wealth or the production of goods and services as means to improve human lives.

    Since the 1990s, a number of international commissions and research projects have come up with ways to go beyond GDP. In 2008, the French government asked two Nobel Prize winners, Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen, as well as the late economist Jean-Paul Fitoussi, to put together an international commission of experts to come up with new ways to measure economic performance and progress. In their 2010 report, they argued that there is a need to “shift emphasis from measuring economic production to measuring people’s well-being.”

    Considering complementary metrics

    One approach is to use a composite index that combines data on a variety of aspects of a country’s well-being into a single statistic. That one number could unfold into a detailed picture of the situation of a country if you zoom into each underlying indicator, by demographic group or region.

    The production of such composite indices has flourished. For example, the Human Development Index of the United Nations, started in 1990, covers income per capita, life expectancy at birth and education. This index shows how focusing on GDP alone can mislead the public about a country’s economic performance.

    In 2024, the U.S. ranked fifth in the world in terms of GDP per capita, but was in 20th place on the Human Development Index due to relatively lower life expectancy and years of schooling compared to other countries at the top of the list, like Switzerland and Norway.

    Monitoring other indicators

    Another approach is to rely on a larger number of indicators that are frequently updated. These other data points reflect a variety of perspectives about the economy, including subjective ones that convey personal perceptions and experiences.

    For instance, in addition to inflation rates, there is data on stress due to inflation as well as inflation expectations. Both offer insights into people’s perceptions, perspectives and experiences about inflation.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual U.S. inflation rate increased from 1% in July 2020 to 8.5% in July 2022. My research partners and I found, using U.S. Census data, that more than 3 in 4 adults in the U.S. were experiencing moderate or high levels of stress due to inflation at that time and continued to do so even after inflation went down in 2023.

    More recently, the Trump administration’s sporadic tariff changes have made future prices more uncertain, which exposes people to risks. That, in turn, makes people adjust their expectations and feel worse off.

    The share of consumers expecting higher inflation rates has climbed sharply in 2025, while consumer confidence has declined abruptly. About 1 in 3 consumers expect that there will be fewer jobs created in the next six months, which is almost as low as during the Great Recession of 2007-2009.

    Consumers also have negative expectations about their own future income and worry about their own economic status.

    At this moment, the U.S. economy has not officially entered a recession – which requires a longer period of GDP contraction than just one quarter. Although unemployment and inflation rates remain relatively low, the broad picture of the economy that takes into account people’s expectations and perceptions is troubling. To be clear, I’m not saying that just because of what the GDP data may indicate.

    This article includes material from an article originally published on Aug. 7, 2018.

    Sophie Mitra does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Whether GDP swings up or down, there are limits to what it says about the economy and your place in it – https://theconversation.com/whether-gdp-swings-up-or-down-there-are-limits-to-what-it-says-about-the-economy-and-your-place-in-it-255688

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater Welcomes Antitrust Division Leadership Team

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division welcomes a new member of the division’s leadership team. AAG Slater appointed Dina Kallay to serve as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for International, Policy and Appellate. Kallay joins the division’s leadership team including Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, four Deputy Assistant Attorneys General and Chief of Staff.

    “The DOJ Antitrust Division is truly fortunate to have in place a deep bench of experts so early in the Trump 47 Administration. Each team member brings broad experience to their government service, and I am truly grateful to them for stepping into their roles as we take over several landmark cases,” said Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater. “I look forward to working with this talented team as well as the dedicated staff of the Antitrust Division as we work together to enforce the nation’s antitrust laws.”

    The leadership team includes:

    Roger Alford serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Mr. Alford previously served in the first Trump Administration as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division. He is a tenured Professor of Law on leave from Notre Dame Law School, where he has taught since 2012. During that time, he also consulted on antitrust matters, including as an expert witness in the landmark 2023 real estate $1.8 billion litigation against the National Association of Realtors, and since 2019 consulting for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Texas v. Google. He served as a law clerk to Judge James Buckley of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Richard Allison of the Iran- United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. He also practiced law with Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C. and was a Senior Legal Advisor to the Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Activities in Zurich, Switzerland.

    He earned his B.A. with Honors from Baylor University in 1985, his M.Div. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, his J.D. with Honors from New York University, and his LL.M., first in class, from Edinburgh University.

    Omeed Assefi serves as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General with a focus on criminal enforcement. At the beginning of the second Trump Administration, Mr. Assefi served as the division’s Acting Assistant Attorney General. Prior to that position, he litigated criminal prosecutions and led complex investigations against major companies and individuals for antitrust violations as a member of the division’s Washington Criminal Section. Previously, Mr. Assefi served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. There, he prosecuted violent crime in U.S. District Court as well as Superior Court.

    Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Assefi served in the Trump Administration as a Deputy Associate Attorney General in the Office of the Associate Attorney General. There, he helped supervise the Civil, Antitrust, and Civil Rights Divisions. Mr. Assefi also served as Chief of Staff of the Civil Rights Division. Mr. Assefi began his service in the Trump Administration as an Assistant Special Counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office, where he represented the Office of the President in the Department of Justice Special Counsel’s Investigation into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Mr. Assefi earned a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, a M.P.P. from George Mason University’s Schar School of Public Policy, and a B.A. from Trinity College.

    Mark Hamer serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General with a focus on civil litigation and enforcement. He has over 30 years of litigation experience in both public service and private practice.  Before returning to the Division, Mr. Hamer was a partner at a global law firm where he served as Global Chair of its Antitrust & Competition Practice Group, leading a team of over 250 competition lawyers in 43 countries. In private practice, he focused on antitrust litigation and antitrust conduct and merger investigations around the world. Mr. Hamer previously served as a trial attorney in the Antitrust Division handling both merger and non-merger litigation. Mr. Hamer received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a B.A. in History with High Distinction from the University of Virginia.

    Dina Kallay serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Policy & International Affairs. Before joining the Antitrust Division, she was global Head of Competition Law at Ericsson. From 2006-2013, Dina served as Counsel for Intellectual Property & International Antitrust at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Office of International Affairs. Earlier in her career she practiced law at several law firms, most recently with Howrey LLP in Washington D.C., and worked at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition (DG COMP) in Brussels, Belgium

    Dina received her LL.B. magna cum laude and B.A. in economics from Tel Aviv University (1996), and her LL.M. (Int’l Economic Law) (1998) and S.J.D. (2003) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was a student of former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, Professor Tom Kauper. She has taught antitrust and intellectual property at the Hebrew, Bar Ilan and Georgetown Universities, and is a frequent writer and speaker on international antitrust and antitrust-intellectual property topics.

    William “Bill” Rinner serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General with a focus on civil enforcement and mergers. Prior to his return to the division, Mr. Rinner was Senior Regulatory Counsel at Apollo Global Management Inc. There, he was responsible for overseeing antitrust and various other regulatory matters. From 2017-2020, Mr. Rinner served at the Antitrust Division first as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, and subsequently as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel. Earlier in his career, he practiced antitrust law at two major national firms. After law school, he clerked for Hon. Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He received a J.D. from Yale Law School, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame.

    Dr. Chetan Sangvhi serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General focused on Economics. Dr. Sanghvi has deep experience conducting economic research and analyses in the context of antitrust policy. In his tours of duty at the FTC and in private practice, he has evaluated the competitive impacts of hundreds of proposed mergers and other antitrust concerns. He has been recognized by the FTC for his “outstanding intellectual and analytical contributions to a broad range of complex economic issues arising in the FTC’s competition mission” and by professional reference publications. Dr. Sanghvi has taught at New York University, Johns Hopkins University, Rutgers University, and Trinity College and holds a PhD in economics from Rutgers University and a BA in economics from Northwestern University.

    Sara Matar serves as the Chief of Staff. Prior to this role, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington D.C. Sara was previously a senior advisor to Congressman Lee Zeldin on foreign policy and judiciary matters. She also served as a staff member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee where she worked on oversight and Middle East policy. Sara received her J.D from George Washington University Law School and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Emerson College. She served as law clerk to the Honorable Judge Lynn Hughes in the Southern District of Texas.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater Welcomes Antitrust Division Leadership Team

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division welcomes a new member of the division’s leadership team. AAG Slater appointed Dina Kallay to serve as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for International, Policy and Appellate. Kallay joins the division’s leadership team including Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, four Deputy Assistant Attorneys General and Chief of Staff.

    “The DOJ Antitrust Division is truly fortunate to have in place a deep bench of experts so early in the Trump 47 Administration. Each team member brings broad experience to their government service, and I am truly grateful to them for stepping into their roles as we take over several landmark cases,” said Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater. “I look forward to working with this talented team as well as the dedicated staff of the Antitrust Division as we work together to enforce the nation’s antitrust laws.”

    The leadership team includes:

    Roger Alford serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Mr. Alford previously served in the first Trump Administration as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division. He is a tenured Professor of Law on leave from Notre Dame Law School, where he has taught since 2012. During that time, he also consulted on antitrust matters, including as an expert witness in the landmark 2023 real estate $1.8 billion litigation against the National Association of Realtors, and since 2019 consulting for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Texas v. Google. He served as a law clerk to Judge James Buckley of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Richard Allison of the Iran- United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. He also practiced law with Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C. and was a Senior Legal Advisor to the Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Activities in Zurich, Switzerland.

    He earned his B.A. with Honors from Baylor University in 1985, his M.Div. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, his J.D. with Honors from New York University, and his LL.M., first in class, from Edinburgh University.

    Omeed Assefi serves as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General with a focus on criminal enforcement. At the beginning of the second Trump Administration, Mr. Assefi served as the division’s Acting Assistant Attorney General. Prior to that position, he litigated criminal prosecutions and led complex investigations against major companies and individuals for antitrust violations as a member of the division’s Washington Criminal Section. Previously, Mr. Assefi served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. There, he prosecuted violent crime in U.S. District Court as well as Superior Court.

    Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Assefi served in the Trump Administration as a Deputy Associate Attorney General in the Office of the Associate Attorney General. There, he helped supervise the Civil, Antitrust, and Civil Rights Divisions. Mr. Assefi also served as Chief of Staff of the Civil Rights Division. Mr. Assefi began his service in the Trump Administration as an Assistant Special Counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office, where he represented the Office of the President in the Department of Justice Special Counsel’s Investigation into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Mr. Assefi earned a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, a M.P.P. from George Mason University’s Schar School of Public Policy, and a B.A. from Trinity College.

    Mark Hamer serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General with a focus on civil litigation and enforcement. He has over 30 years of litigation experience in both public service and private practice.  Before returning to the Division, Mr. Hamer was a partner at a global law firm where he served as Global Chair of its Antitrust & Competition Practice Group, leading a team of over 250 competition lawyers in 43 countries. In private practice, he focused on antitrust litigation and antitrust conduct and merger investigations around the world. Mr. Hamer previously served as a trial attorney in the Antitrust Division handling both merger and non-merger litigation. Mr. Hamer received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a B.A. in History with High Distinction from the University of Virginia.

    Dina Kallay serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Policy & International Affairs. Before joining the Antitrust Division, she was global Head of Competition Law at Ericsson. From 2006-2013, Dina served as Counsel for Intellectual Property & International Antitrust at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Office of International Affairs. Earlier in her career she practiced law at several law firms, most recently with Howrey LLP in Washington D.C., and worked at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition (DG COMP) in Brussels, Belgium

    Dina received her LL.B. magna cum laude and B.A. in economics from Tel Aviv University (1996), and her LL.M. (Int’l Economic Law) (1998) and S.J.D. (2003) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was a student of former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, Professor Tom Kauper. She has taught antitrust and intellectual property at the Hebrew, Bar Ilan and Georgetown Universities, and is a frequent writer and speaker on international antitrust and antitrust-intellectual property topics.

    William “Bill” Rinner serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General with a focus on civil enforcement and mergers. Prior to his return to the division, Mr. Rinner was Senior Regulatory Counsel at Apollo Global Management Inc. There, he was responsible for overseeing antitrust and various other regulatory matters. From 2017-2020, Mr. Rinner served at the Antitrust Division first as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, and subsequently as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel. Earlier in his career, he practiced antitrust law at two major national firms. After law school, he clerked for Hon. Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He received a J.D. from Yale Law School, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame.

    Dr. Chetan Sangvhi serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General focused on Economics. Dr. Sanghvi has deep experience conducting economic research and analyses in the context of antitrust policy. In his tours of duty at the FTC and in private practice, he has evaluated the competitive impacts of hundreds of proposed mergers and other antitrust concerns. He has been recognized by the FTC for his “outstanding intellectual and analytical contributions to a broad range of complex economic issues arising in the FTC’s competition mission” and by professional reference publications. Dr. Sanghvi has taught at New York University, Johns Hopkins University, Rutgers University, and Trinity College and holds a PhD in economics from Rutgers University and a BA in economics from Northwestern University.

    Sara Matar serves as the Chief of Staff. Prior to this role, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington D.C. Sara was previously a senior advisor to Congressman Lee Zeldin on foreign policy and judiciary matters. She also served as a staff member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee where she worked on oversight and Middle East policy. Sara received her J.D from George Washington University Law School and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Emerson College. She served as law clerk to the Honorable Judge Lynn Hughes in the Southern District of Texas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: WISeKey Confirms June Launch of Next-Generation WISeSat Satellite with SpaceX Featuring Encrypted Communications and SEALCOIN Integration

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WISeKey Confirms June Launch of Next-Generation WISeSat Satellite with SpaceX Featuring Encrypted Communications and SEALCOIN Integration

    Geneva, Switzerland, May 1, 2025 –WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, today announces the upcoming launch of its next-generation WISeSat.Space satellite aboard a SpaceX mission in June 2025. This milestone marks a major technological step forward for WISeSat.Space’s secure space communications infrastructure and the deployment of Transactional IoT (t-IoT) solutions directly from orbit.

    The upcoming satellite launch introduces two significant innovations: first, the capability to establish secure, encrypted communications with WISePhone mobile devices, and second, the integration of SEALCOIN, a decentralized agent embedded in the satellite enabling machine-to-machine (M2M) transactions from space. These features significantly enhance the utility of WISeSat.Space’s constellation, as it evolves toward a fully decentralized, secure IoT and communications network supporting autonomous digital ecosystems.

    This development supports WISeSat.Space’s ongoing mission to deliver secure, scalable IoT connectivity from space and strengthens European independence in satellite communications. By anchoring its infrastructure in Europe, WISeSat.Space ensures data sovereignty and helps reduce reliance on non-European providers for strategic technologies, in line with EU objectives for technological resilience and autonomy.

    The new generation of WISeSat.Space satellites are compact picosatellites that leverage SEALSQ Corp. (“SEALSQ”) (NASDAQ: LAES) semiconductors and WISeKey’s advanced cryptographic keys, including quantum-resistant algorithms. These satellites are optimized for secure, low-power, and long-range data collection in off-grid and remote locations. Their applications span environmental monitoring, disaster management, industrial automation, and smart agriculture. The technology ensures encrypted end-to-end data transmission, enabling safe and reliable operations in critical sectors.

    The launch will also include a Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrating SEALCOIN’s potential to facilitate secure, decentralized satellite-initiated transactions with IoT devices without human intervention. Built on Hedera’s Decentralized Ledger Technology (DLT), SEALCOIN offers transparent, tamper-proof, and autonomous transaction capability,paving the way for a scalable transactional IoT infrastructure. This breakthrough sets the stage for next-generation M2M applications in smart cities, logistics, environmental sensing, and beyond.

    WISeSat a secure nanosatellite platform developed by WISeKey, through its space division, WISeSat.Space, is designed to provide resilient, encrypted, and globally accessible connectivity for IoT ecosystems. Its primary function is to enable secure, satellite-based communication for IoT devices deployed in remote, hard-to-reach, or infrastructure-poor areas where traditional terrestrial networks (such as fiber, 4G/5G, or Wi-Fi) are unavailable, unreliable, or too costly to implement.

    A key use case is in precision agriculture, where WISeSat can connect sensors measuring soil moisture, temperature, crop health, and irrigation needs, helping farmers optimize yields, reduce water waste, and increase sustainability,even in rural or developing regions. This satellite connectivity ensures constant data flow regardless of geography or local telecom limitations.

    Another important application is in environmental monitoring and climate science. Sensors deployed in remote forests, oceans, glaciers, or protected natural areas can transmit real-time data on air quality, deforestation, wildlife movement, or water levels. This helps governments, researchers, and NGOs make faster decisions on conservation, disaster prevention, or policy implementation.

    In industries such as oil and gas, mining, and maritime logistics, WISESat provides critical connectivity to monitor and control assets located in offshore rigs, remote mines, or cargo ships. This includes real-time tracking of machinery health, fuel consumption, emissions, and security status. Similarly, in global supply chains, the platform enables secure monitoring of the condition and location of containers and high-value goods as they traverse continents, oceans, and customs zones, greatly reducing theft, spoilage, and logistical inefficiencies.

    Healthcare is another frontier where WISESat is impactful. In remote or underserved areas, health monitoring devices and mobile clinics can use the satellite network to transmit patient data securely to centralized hospitals or doctors, enabling telemedicine and diagnostics even during emergencies or pandemics. It is especially critical for applications like vaccine refrigeration monitoring, ensuring proper storage temperatures in regions lacking stable electricity or cellular coverage.

    WISeSat also enhances disaster response capabilities. During earthquakes, hurricanes, blackouts or wildfires, terrestrial infrastructure is often destroyed or disrupted. WISeSat ensures that emergency response units and sensor networks continue to transmit data on ground conditions, population movement, and structural damage, enabling faster, data-driven response coordination.

    From a cybersecurity standpoint, WISESat integrates WISeKey’s advanced cryptographic technologies, including post-quantum encryption developed through its SEALSQ subsidiary. This makes it suitable for high-security applications such as defense, critical infrastructure monitoring, smart cities, and government communication, where data integrity and identity verification are essential. It also supports remote identity management, enabling secure authentication of both devices and users over satellite links.

    WISeSat serves as a critical enabler of secure digital transformation in sectors where uninterrupted, trustworthy, and decentralized connectivity is mission-critical. It bridges the digital divide and protects data integrity from the sky, ushering in a new era of trusted space-based communications.

    In parallel, the satellite’s upgraded semiconductor components, developed by SEALSQ, will enhance processing and communications capabilities, enabling faster and more responsive data transmission. These improvements are essential for real-time monitoring and automation in industries affected by climate change and other dynamic conditions.

    With this launch, WISeKey reaffirms its commitment to advancing secure, decentralized digital infrastructure from space while supporting Europe’s leadership in satellite innovation. The June mission represents a major leap forward in enabling trusted connectivity, secure IoT transactions, and autonomous systems that extend far beyond Earth’s surface.

    About WISeKey

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com     		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@equityny.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares and Sui Join Forces to Expand Global Access to Sui Network

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 21Shares, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange traded product providers, has entered a strategic partnership with Sui, the Layer-1 network, to expand global reach as interest in the ecosystem continues to grow.

    “Since our earliest research into Sui, we believed it could become one of the most exciting blockchains in the industry, and we’re seeing that thesis play out,” said Duncan Moir, President of 21Shares. “We operate based on conviction but also investor demand, and our planned roadmap with Sui is a reflection of both.”

    This partnership, which will produce product collaborations, research reports, and other initiatives, highlights the growth of institutional interest in the Sui ecosystem. With impressive speed, throughput, and scalability, Sui has become a destination for real-world asset tokenization, including stablecoins and DeFi.

    Global experience, U.S. expansion

    Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, 21Shares has spent years building out a robust suite of digital asset services in Europe and is now increasingly focused on the U.S. market.

    “Partnering with Sui speaks to where we see the future of blockchain infrastructure heading,” said Federico Brokate, Head of U.S. Business at 21Shares. “We believe Sui has the technical underpinnings, DeFi and developer ecosystems, and institutional alignment to play a central role in crypto for a long time.”

    Scalable blockchain infrastructure designed for consumers & institutions alike

    Sui is a high-performance, secure Layer-1 blockchain developed by former Meta engineers, designed for mass adoption through its object-centric architecture. Its ability to execute transactions in parallel with sub-second finality delivers unmatched speed and scalability, while maintaining a developer-friendly and intuitive user experience. Sui’s infrastructure powers consumer-facing products like the recently launched SuiPlay0X1 gaming console, and simplifies onboarding through features like zkLogin, which enable gasless transactions to entice mainstream users. Sui also supports institutional-grade applications, including Ondo’s tokenized treasuries and ATHEX’s on-chain fundraising platform for Greece’s stock exchange. By bridging Web2-like familiarity with Web3 functionality, Sui is built to serve both everyday users and enterprises alike.

    “Sui was designed to become the global coordination layer for digital assets,” said Kevin Boon, President at Mysten Labs, the original contributor to Sui. “21Shares sees value in that work and is committed to making the ecosystem more accessible throughout the world.”

    About 21Shares

    21Shares is one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange traded product providers and offers the largest suite of crypto ETPs in the market. The company was founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP in 2018, building a seven-year track record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most liquid securities exchanges globally. Backed by a specialized research team, proprietary technology, and deep capital markets expertise, 21Shares delivers innovative, simple and cost-efficient investment solutions.

    21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralized finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com

    Media Contact
    Matteo Valli
    matteo.valli@21shares.com

    Alethea Jadick
    ajadick@sloanepr.com

    About Sui

    Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the ground up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. Its object-centric model, based on the Move programming language, enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications with unrivaled speed at low cost. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform on which creators and developers can build amazing user-friendly experiences. For more information about Sui, please visit https://sui.io

    Contact: media@sui.io

    Important Information

    The information provided does not constitute a prospectus or other offering material and does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy securities or financial instruments in any jurisdiction, including the United States. Some of the information published herein may contain forward-looking statements and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. Additionally, there is no guarantee as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or availability of the information provided and 21.co and its affiliated entities are not responsible for any errors or omissions. The information contained herein may not be considered as economic, legal, tax, or other advice and viewers are cautioned not to base investment or any other decisions on the content hereof.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a temporary derogation from certain provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399 as regards a progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System – A10-0082/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a temporary derogation from certain provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399 as regards a progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System

    (COM(2024)0567 – C10‑0207/2024 – 2024/0315(COD))

    (Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2024)0567),

    – having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 77(2) points (b) and (d) and Article 87(2) point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C10-0207/2024),

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

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

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A10-0082/2025),

    1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

    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.

    Amendment  1

    AMENDMENTS BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT[*]

    to the Commission proposal

    ———————————————————

    REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

    on a temporary derogation from certain provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399 as regards a progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System
     

    THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

    Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 77(2) points (b) and (d) and Article 87(2) point (a), thereof,

     

    Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

     

    After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

     

    Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure[1],

     

    Whereas:

    (1) Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 of the European Parliament and of the Council[2], establishing the Entry/Exit System (‘EES’), provides that the Commission is to decide the date from which the EES is to start operations, provided that certain conditions are met.

    (2) However, the Commission has not received all notifications pursuant to Article 66(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226, which is one of the conditions for deciding on the start of operations of the EES.

    (3) Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 only allows for a full start of operations, requiring all Member States to start using the EES fully for all third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES and to use the EES simultaneously at all their border crossing points. However, a full start of operations of all EES functionalities at all border crossing points simultaneously constitutes a risk for the resilience of the EES as a whole and for passenger flows at the external borders.

    (4) In order to ensure a smooth launch of the EES and facilitate its timely roll-out in all Member States, to provide Member States with the necessary flexibility to start using the EES within a clearly defined period of time and to facilitate technical and operational adjustments when starting to operate the EES, it is necessary to lay down rules for a progressive start of operations of the EES during which Member States should be able to opt for a phased roll-out of the EES. To ensure these adjustments take account of potential travel flows and seasonal peaks, such a progressive start should have a duration of 180 calendar days.

    (5) To enable a progressive start of operations of the EES it is ▌necessary to derogate from certain provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council[3] (‘Schengen Borders Code’). Other rules set out in Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 that are not affected by this Regulation apply as provided for in that Regulation. In particular, the data recorded in the EES throughout the progressive start of operations follow the rules set out in Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and are considered reliable and accurate. This Regulation does not affect the validity of the notifications already provided to the Commission by Member States under Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    (6) Member States that do not intend to use the EES simultaneously at all their border crossing points from the start of operations, should progressively start operating the EES to record, on entry and exit, the data of third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES at one or more border crossing points, or at one or more lanes of such border crossing points. If possible and applicable, Member States should include a combination of air, land and sea border crossing points. To ensure a controlled launch of the EES and to better manage and avoid potential long waiting times at the borders, where relevant, and if necessary, Member States should deploy all the functionalities of the EES progressively and register the data of all third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES gradually. To ensure the full use of the EES at all border crossing points in the Union, where Member States choose a progressive start of operations it should be implemented in phases, which should set the minimum requirements to be reached by Member States. Member States will retain the possibility to accelerate implementation at national level or start operating the EES fully from the start of operations. The gradual processing of data in the EES should be carried out in full respect of the rights of data subjects as set out in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council1a and should not lead, directly or indirectly, to any form of discrimination or profiling. The Commission, in consultation with the European Data Protection Supervisor, should issue guidelines on the processing of personal data in the EES during the progressive start of operations.

    (7) To facilitate a smooth deployment of the EES, the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) should develop a high-level roll-out plan to support the effective and continuous operation of the EES Central System, include fall-back procedures for the functioning of the EES Central System and provide guidance to the end-users, including the Member States and Union agencies on planning and executing the EES deployment during its progressive start of operations and should submit it to the European Parliament, the Commission, Member States and Union agencies. ▌

    (8) To facilitate a smooth deployment of the EES, Member States should develop national roll-out plans in consultation with the Commission and eu-LISA and present those plans to the Commission. For each of the phases of the progressive start of the EES operations, the national roll-out plans should include the information on the set thresholds and requirements, in particular: (i) the date from which the EES will operate at each border crossing point; (ii) the percentage of the estimated number of border crossings to be registered in the EES out of the total number of third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES; and (iii) where applicable, the biometric functionalities to be operated at each selected border crossing point. When preparing their respective national roll-out plans, Member States should appropriately coordinate with the operators of infrastructure where border crossing points are located. and inform relevant stakeholders of the border crossing points where they plan to start operating the EES and of their planned use of the biometric functionalities of the EES. To monitor compliance with the progressive start of operations, Member States should provide the Commission and eu-LISA monthly reports on the implementation of their roll-out plans unless and until the EES is used fully for all third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES and is used simultaneously at all border crossing points in the Member State. Such monthly reports should include corrective measures, where necessary, to ensure compliance with the progressive start of operations. The Commission should issue guidelines to facilitate the adoption of national roll-out plans and monthly reports by the Member States that are concise and proportionate.

    (8a)  To facilitate a smooth deployment of the EES, it is important that neither the start nor the end of the progressive start of operations of the EES coincide with the peak travel seasons in summer, June to August, or winter, December to February.

    (9) Due to the progressive start of operations of the EES and resulting incompleteness of the data recorded in the EES, travel documents of third-country nationals should be systematically stamped on entry and exit during the progressive start of operations of the EES. National authorities should take into account the possible incompleteness of entry/exit records or of refusal of entry records and should consider stamps as prevailing over the information registered in the EES. In addition, when providing information to third-country nationals about the maximum remaining duration of their authorised stay, national authorities should base their assessment on the stamps affixed in the travel documents. The data recorded in the EES should be used in the calculation of maximum remaining duration only in case a stamp is missing.

    (10) Considering that the data registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations of the EES might be incomplete, national authorities should not take into account the results provided by the automated calculator on the maximum remaining duration of the authorised stay of third-country nationals registered in the EES. Similarly, when carrying out their tasks, national authorities should not take into account the automated mechanism to identify or flag the lack of exit records following the date of expiry of an authorised stay or the records for which the maximum duration of authorised stay was exceeded, as well as the generated lists of persons identified as overstayers.

    (11) To provide Member States with the necessary time to adjust to the start of the EES, for the first 60 calendar days of the progressive start of operations, the use of biometric functionalities at border crossing points should not be mandatory. However, Member States are encouraged to make use of those functionalities during that period in order to support a smooth operational transition and to enable the timely detection and resolution of any potential implementation issues. No later than the 90th calendar day of the progressive start of operations, Member States should operate the EES with biometric functionalities at least at half of their border crossing points. Providing biometric data should not be an entry condition for third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES at the border crossing points where the EES is operated without biometric functionalities.

    (12) To accommodate the need to progressively deploy the EES with biometric functionalities at some border crossing points, the biometric verification of third-country nationals subject to registration in the EES should only be carried out at the border crossing points at which the EES is operated with biometric functionalities.

    (13) To ensure coherence of the operations of the interoperability between the Visa Information System (VIS) established by Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council[4] and the EES, the VIS should only be accessed directly at those border crossing points at which the EES is not operated. At the border crossing points at which the EES is operated, border authorities should make use of the interoperability between the EES and the VIS.

    (14) Third-country nationals whose data are to be recorded in the EES should be informed about their rights and obligations regarding the processing of their data in the form of a template as provided in Article 50(5) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. The information to be provided to third-country nationals subject to the EES registration should refer to the progressive start of operations of the EES. Third-country nationals should be informed in the template of their obligation to provide biometric data at border crossing points where it constitutes an entry condition. They should be made aware in the template of the consequences of not providing biometric data. They should be informed in the template that it will not be possible for them to verify the remaining duration of the authorised stay by automated means. National authorities should make all reasonable efforts to provide those third-country nationals with details of the duration of their authorised stay based on the stamps in their travel documents.

    (15) To reflect the progressive start of operations of the EES, the Commission should, at least every month, introduce relevant updates on the EES website.

    (16) The aim of raising awareness among third-country nationals on their specific rights and obligations would be best achieved if Member States customise the implementation of the campaign based on how the EES will operate at their borders at which the EES is operated in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. The information materials developed by the Commission, in cooperation with the supervisory authorities and the European Data Protection Supervisor, and with the support of Member States in the context of Article 51 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 should therefore be adapted to carry out the information campaign accompanying the progressive start of operations.

    (17) During the progressive start of operations of the EES, the web service will not enable third-country nationals to electronically verify the exact duration of their authorised stay.

    (18) This Regulation does not affect the obligations of air carriers, sea carriers and international carriers transporting groups overland by coach as set out in Article 26(1) of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement[5] and Council Directive 2001/51/EC.[6] In this respect, carriers should verify the stamps affixed in travel documents. To ensure effective communication with carriers about the distinct application of the EES at the border crossing points, ultimately benefiting travellers, it is crucial that Member States are transparent about the deployment of the EES at their border crossing points.

    (19) Article 22 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Article 12a of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 provide for a transitional period and transitional measures referring to the start of operations of the EES. It is necessary to derogate from those Articles to ensure that the transitional period and the transitional measures apply only as of the end of the progressive start of operations. That derogation should cease to apply 5 years and 180 calendar days after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    (20) To ensure that national authorities and EU agencies, in the performance of their tasks, avoid taking decisions exclusively based on data registered in the EES, they should take into account that individual files registered in the EES may contain incomplete data sets and should in any case not take decisions adversely affecting individuals exclusively on the basis that a registration of an alleged entry or exit is absent in the EES. That derogation should cease to apply 5 years after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 to reflect the 5-year retention period for data sets for which the exit record is missing as set out in Article 34(3) of that Regulation.

    (21) When ensuring compliance with the provisions in Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 on the amendment of data and advance data erasure, Member States should complete the incomplete data to the extent permitted by the limited availability of the sets of data registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations.

    (22) The European Border and Coast Guard Agency should refrain from using data registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations for carrying out risk analyses and vulnerability assessments due to the incompleteness of the data that could lead to misleading risk and vulnerability assessments.

    (23) To ensure effective management of the external borders during the progressive start of operations of the EES, at the border crossing points at which the EES is not operated, border checks should be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/399 as applicable [the day before the date from which the EES is to start operations as decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226]. At the border crossing points at which the EES is operated, border checks should be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and the Schengen Borders Code. However, specific derogations from these Regulations should apply with regards to the verification at the border crossing points at which the EES is operated without biometric functionalities to enable the progressive start of operations. This should happen without prejudice to verifications of visa holders by using fingerprints, in accordance with Regulation (EC) 767/2008.

    (24) To enable an effective adjustment of technical and organisational arrangements ▌and to address potential exceptional circumstances of failure of the EES Central System, national systems or communication infrastructure, or excessive waiting times at their borders, during the period of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States should have the possibility to suspend the operations of the EES at certain border crossing points, fully or partially. In case of partial suspension, the registration of biometric data in the EES should be suspended. In case of full suspension, no data should be registered in the EES. In both cases, Member States should promptly inform the operators of infrastructure hosting border crossing points and carriers. No later than 6 hours after the start of the suspension, Member States should notify to the Commission and eu-LISA the reason for the full or partial suspension and its expected duration.

    (24a)  To mitigate additional risks related to the deployment of the EES with biometric functionalities, Member States should have the possibility, in exceptional circumstances leading to traffic of such intensity that the waiting times at borders become excessive, to suspend the registration of biometric data in the EES after the end of the progressive start of operations. Such a suspension should be possible for a limited period of 60 days after the end of the progressive start of operations of the EES.

    (25) eu-LISA should publish reports on the statistics on the use of the system, which should serve to evaluate the system’s performance, assess Member States compliance with the eu-LISA high-level roll-out plan and the national roll-out plans, identify areas for improvement, monitor compliance with the progressive start of operations of the EES, and support decision-making relating to the system’s further development and optimisation. Furthermore, eu-LISA should continue its regular reporting to its Management Board, which will in turn oversee the gradual roll-out of EES operations.

    (26) The preparatory work related to the roll-out plans should be triggered by the date of the entry into force of this Regulation. Member States which have not yet submitted their declaration of readiness are urged to do so within 30 days after the entry into force of this Regulation. The progressive start of operations should apply from the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of EES Regulation. As this Regulation provides for temporary derogations, it should cease to apply 180 calendar days after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.  However, the derogatory rules on the application of transitional period and transitional measures, access to EES data, verification by the carriers of stamps affixed in the travel documents and the suspension of the EES should apply for a limited period after the end of the progressive start of operations.

    (27) The objective of this Regulation, authorising derogations from Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399 to provide for a progressive start of operations of the EES, cannot be sufficiently achieved by Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale and impact of the action, be better achieved at Union level. Therefore, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary to achieve those objectives.

    (28) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the TEU and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Regulation and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this Regulation builds upon the Schengen acquis, Denmark should, in accordance with Article 4 of that Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has decided on this Regulation whether it will implement it in its national law.

    (29) This Regulation does not constitute a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland takes part in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC. Ireland is therefore not taking part in the adoption of this Regulation and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

    (30) As regards Iceland and Norway, this Regulation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning those states association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A of Council Decision 1999/437/EC.

    (31) As regards Switzerland, this Regulation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A of Decision 1999/437/EC, read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/146/EC.

    (32) As regards Liechtenstein, this Regulation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A of Decision 1999/437/EC read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2011/350/EU.

    (33) As regards Cyprus, the provisions of this Regulation relating to the VIS constitute provisions building upon, or otherwise relating to, the Schengen acquis within the meaning of Article 3(2) of the 2003 Act of Accession. The operation of the EES requires the granting of passive access to the VIS. As the EES is only to be operated by those Member States that fulfil the conditions related to VIS at the start of the operation of the EES, Cyprus will not operate the EES from the start of operations. Cyprus is to be connected to the EES as soon as the conditions of the procedure referred to in Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 are met.

    (34) The European Data Protection Supervisor was consulted in accordance with Article 42(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and delivered its opinion on [xx].

    (35) This Regulation establishes strict rules concerning access to the EES, as well as the necessary safeguards for such access. It also sets out the individuals’ rights of access, rectification, completion, erasure and redress, in particular the right to a judicial remedy and the supervision of processing operations by public independent authorities. This Regulation therefore respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular the right to human dignity, the prohibition of slavery and forced labour, the right to liberty and security, respect for private and family life, the protection of personal data, the right to non-discrimination, the rights of the child, the rights of the elderly, the integration of persons with disabilities and the right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial. 

    (36) This Regulation is without prejudice to the obligations deriving from the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951, as supplemented by the New York Protocol of 31 January 1967.

     

    HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

    Article 1
    Subject matter

    This Regulation lays down rules on a progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System (EES) at the borders of the Member States at which the EES is operated in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and temporary derogations from Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399.

    Article 2
    Definitions

    For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 apply. In addition, the following definitions apply:

    (a) ‘progressive start of operations of the EES’ means the period of 180 calendar days starting from the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (b) ‘national authorities’ means the authorities referred to in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (c) ‘estimated number of border crossings’ means a Member State’s estimate of the number of border crossings of third-country nationals referred to in Article 2(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 in each Member State based on the yearly average of the total number of border crossings of third-country nationals travelling for a short stay in that Member State calculated for the preceding two calendar years from the date of application  referred to in Article 8(1), second subparagraph, of this Regulation.

    Article 3
    Roll-out plans and monthly reports

    1. By [the 30th calendar day after the entry into force of this Regulation], the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) shall provide the European Parliament, the Commission, Member States, as well as Europol, with a high-level roll-out plan on the progressive start of operations of the EES, taking into account the phases set out in Article 4. That roll-out plan shall support the effective and continuous operation of the EES Central System, include fall-back procedures for the functioning of the EES Central System and provide guidance on the use of the EES to the end-users, including Member States and Europol ▌. 

    2. By [the 60th calendar day after the entry into force of this Regulation], in consultation with the Commission and eu-LISA, Member States shall develop  national roll-out plans on the progressive start of operations of the EES, taking into account the high-level roll-out plan referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article and present those plans to the Commission. Where a Member State does not start operating the EES fully from the beginning of the progressive start of operations of the EES, the national roll-out plan shall specify how the thresholds and requirements set out in Article 4 shall be met. EU-Lisa shall assess whether the national roll-out plans are consistent with the high-level roll-out plan and shall confirm that they do not contain any deficiencies which could further delay the entry into operation of the EES. Member States shall inform relevant stakeholders of the border crossing points where they plan to start operating the EES and of their planned use of the biometric functionalities of the EES.

    3. ▌

    4. From the 30th calendar day after the date from which the EES is to start operations as decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226, Member States shall provide monthly reports to the European Parliament, the Commission and eu-LISA on the implementation of their national roll-out plans, including corrective measures where necessary to comply with the obligations set out in Article 4.

    5. At the request of the Commission, eu-LISA shall provide the Commission with the statistics necessary for the Commission to monitor the implementation of the high-level roll-out plan and the national roll-out plans, in accordance with Article 63(6) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    5a. The eu-Lisa Management Board shall adopt the high-level roll-out plan referred to in paragraph 1. The Management Board shall also monitor the stability of the EES Central System during the progressive start of operations and suggest additional actions where appropriate.

    5b. The Commission shall issue guidelines to facilitate the provision of concise national roll-out plans and monthly reports by the Member States.

    5c. The Commission, in consultation with the European Data Protection Supervisor, shall issue guidelines on the processing of personal data in the EES during the progressive start of operations.

    Article  4
    Progressive start of operations

    1. By way of derogation from Article 66(6) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 during the progressive start of operations of the EES, the Member States shall use the EES as set out in this Article.

    2. From the first day of the progressive start of operations of the EES, each Member State shall start using the EES on entry and exit at one or more border crossing points with, if possible and applicable, a combination of air, land and sea border crossing points, to record and store data of third-country nationals referred to in Article 2(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. No later than the 30th calendar day of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States shall register in the EES at least 10% of the estimated number of border crossings in that Member State.

    For the first 60 calendar days of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States may operate the EES without biometric functionalities, and national authorities may create or update individual files without biometric data.

    3. No later than the 90th calendar day of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States shall operate the EES with biometric functionalities at least at half of their border crossing points. Member States shall register at least 35% of the estimated number of border crossings in that Member State. The individual files of third-country nationals referred to in Article 2(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 that are registered in the EES shall contain biometric data.

    4. No later than the 150th calendar day of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States shall operate the EES with biometric functionalities at all their border crossing points and shall continue registering in the EES at least 50% of the estimated number of border crossings in that Member State.

    5. No later than the 170th calendar day of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States shall operate the EES with biometric functionalities at all their border crossing points and shall register in the EES all third-country nationals referred to in Article 2(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    6. Refusals of entry, decided at a border crossing point at which the EES is operated, shall be recorded in the EES, as set out in Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. Where the EES is operated with biometric functionalities, refusals of entry shall be recorded with biometric data. Where the EES is operated without biometric functionalities, refusals of entry shall be recorded without biometric data.

    7. From the first day of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Europol shall use the EES as provided for in Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    Article 5
    Other derogations from Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399

    1. In addition to the rules of Article 4, the rules set out in this Article shall apply to all Member States during the progressive start of operations of the EES.

    2. Border authorities shall systematically stamp the travel documents of third-country nationals referred to in Article 2(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 on entry and exit.

    The stamping obligations referred to in Article 42a(1), second subparagraph, and Article 42a(2), (5) and (6) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 shall apply mutatis mutandis in the Member States operating the EES.

    3. For entering, amending, erasing and consulting the data in the EES, national authorities that are competent for the purposes laid down in Articles 23 to 35 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall consider stamps as prevailing over the EES data, including in cases of discrepancy or in cases referred to in Article 16(4) of that Regulation. The data recorded in the EES shall prevail in case a stamp is missing.

    4. In the absence of a stamp affixed in the travel document and of an individual file created in the EES for a third-country national present in the territory of the Member States, national authorities may presume that the third-country national does not fulfil or no longer fulfils the conditions relating to entry or stay in the Member States.

    This presumption shall not apply to third-country nationals who can provide, by any means, credible evidence that they enjoy the right of free movement under Union law, ▌ or that they hold a residence permit or a long-stay visa.

    This presumption may be rebutted where the third-country nationals provide, by any means, credible evidence that they have respected the conditions relating to the duration of a short stay.

    Where the presumption is rebutted, national authorities shall perform one or more of the following tasks at the border crossing points at which the EES is operated, to the extent allowed by this Regulation:

    (a) create an individual file for that third-country national in the EES, if necessary;

    (b) update the latest entry/exit record by entering the missing data;

    (c) erase an existing file where Article 35 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 provides for such erasure.

    5. Border authorities shall make use of the interoperability between the EES and the VIS referred to in Article 8(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 only at the border crossing points at which the EES is operated. Border authorities shall continue accessing the VIS directly:

    (a) at the border crossing points at which the EES is not operated;

    (b) where the EES is suspended in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation.

    6. National authorities and Europol shall disregard the following:

    (a) the results of the automated calculator that provides information on the maximum duration of the authorised stay referred to in Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (b) the automatically generated list of overstayers and its consequences in particular as referred to in Article 6(1), points (c) and (h), Article 12(3), Article 16(4), Article 34(3), Article 50(1), points (i) and (k), Article 63(1), point (e) of that Regulation.

    7. Processing operations by Member States that comply with this Regulation shall not be considered as unlawful or not compliant with Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 for the purposes of Articles 45 and 48 of that Regulation.

    8. Verification of the identity and previous registration of third-country nationals pursuant to Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall be carried out on the third-country nationals referred to in Article 2(1) and (2) of that Regulation at the border crossing points at which the EES is operated with biometric functionalities, including through self-service systems, where available.

    9. In addition to the specific information referred to in Article 50(5) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 that is to be added by the Member States in the template to provide information to third-country nationals about the processing of their personal data in the EES, Member States shall accompany the template to be handed over to third-country nationals at the time the individual file of the person concerned is being created  with the following information:

    ‘The Entry/Exit System is being progressively rolled out. During this roll-out period [from …], your personal data, including your biometric data, might not be collected for the purposes of the Entry/Exit System at all Member States’ external borders. If we need to mandatorily collect this information and you choose not to provide it, you will be refused entry. During this period of the progressive roll-out your data will not be automatically added to a list of overstayers. In addition, you will not be able to check how much longer you are authorised to stay using the website or equipment available at border crossing points. You may address any queries regarding the duration of your authorised stay to the relevant national authorities at the external borders.

    Please note that when the progressive roll-out of the EES is completed, your personal data will be processed according to the information provided in the document accompanying this form.’

    10. The information on the EES website referred to in Article 50(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall be adapted by the Commission to reflect the progressive start of operations.

    11. The information campaign referred to in Article 51 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 accompanying the start of operations of the EES, shall reflect the specific conditions at the border crossing points, ensuring that the relevant information is communicated to those affected, and taking into account the phases set out in Article 4 of this Regulation. The Commission, in cooperation with the European Data Protection Supervisor and national supervisory authorities, shall support Member States in preparing the adapted materials of the information campaign.

    12. The application of Article 12(1) and (2), Article 13(1) and (2), Article 20 and Article 21 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall be suspended.

    13. By way of derogation from Article 22 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Article 12a of Regulation (EU) 2016/399, the transitional period and the transitional measures set out in those Articles shall apply from the first day after the progressive start of operations of the EES has ended.

    14. At the border crossing points at which the EES is not operated, border checks shall be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/399 as applicable on the day before the date from which the EES is to start operations as decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    At the border crossing points at which the EES is operated, border checks shall be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and Regulation (EU) 2016/399.

    By way of derogation from the second subparagraph, at the border crossing points where the EES is operated without biometric functionalities, Article 6(1), point (f)(i), and the provisions on the verification of third-country nationals based on biometric data, solely for the purposes of the EES, referred to in Articles 6, point (f) (ii) and Article 8 (3), points (a) and (g) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 shall not apply.

    For the purposes of this Regulation, Article 9(3) and Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 shall be suspended.

    Article 6
    Access to the EES data

    1. When accessing the entry and exit records registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations of the EES in the performance of their tasks:

    (a) national authorities and Europol shall take into account that, due to the variable operations of the EES in each Member State during the progressive start of operations of the EES, the data could be incomplete;

    (aa)  national authorities and Europol shall not take decisions adversely affecting individuals solely on the basis that a registration of an alleged entry or exit is absent in the EES;

    (b) national authorities shall take into account that the data could be incomplete when communicating data in accordance with Articles 41 and 42 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (c) the ETIAS Central Unit shall take into account that the entry and exit records registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations of the EES could include incomplete sets of data for the purpose of verification in accordance with Article 25a(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. 

    2. Competent authorities, the Commission and relevant Union agencies shall take into account that the data registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations of the EES may be incomplete when accessing data for reporting and statistics as referred in Article 63 of Regulation EU 2017/2226.

    3. By way of derogation from Article 13(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226, carriers may start using the web service referred to in that Article from the 90th calendar day of the progressive start of operations of the EES. Carriers shall verify the stamps affixed in the travel documents with a view to fulfilling their obligations under Article 26(1) of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement and under Council Directive 2001/51/EC for the duration of the progressive start of operations of the EES.

    For a period of 180 calendar days after the end of the progressive start of operations of the EES, carriers shall, in addition to using the web service as referred to in Article 13(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 continue verifying the stamps affixed in travel documents with a view to fulfilling their obligations under Article 26(1) of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement and Council Directive 2001/51/EC.

    4. When fulfilling the obligations referred in Articles 35 and 52 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 in relation to the completion of personal data recorded in the EES, Member States shall complete the relevant data only to the extent possible taking into account the limited availability of the sets of data collected during the progressive start of operations of the EES. Where applicable, the administrative decision referred to in Article 52(4) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall refer to the conditions set out in Article 4 of this Regulation that allow for the registration of incomplete files.

    5. By way of derogation from Article 63(1), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226, the duly authorised staff of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency shall not access the data registered in the EES during the progressive start of operations of the EES for the purpose of carrying out risk analyses and vulnerability assessments.

    Article 7
    Suspension of the EES

    1. During the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States may fully or partially suspend operating the EES at certain border crossing points in case of failure of the EES Central System, national systems or communication infrastructure, or events leading to traffic of such intensity that the waiting time at a border crossing point becomes excessive.

    In case of partial suspension, the data referred to in Articles 16 to 20 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall be collected, with the exception of biometric data.

    In case of full suspension, Member States shall completely suspend the EES operations and shall not collect the data referred to in Articles 16 to 20 of that Regulation.

    In both cases, Member States shall promptly inform the operators of infrastructure hosting border crossing points and carriers. No later than 6 hours after the start of the suspension, Member States shall notify to the Commission and eu-LISA the reason for the partial or full suspension and its expected duration ▌. Once the ▌circumstances that led to the suspension cease, Member States shall end the suspension and promptly notify the Commission, eu-LISA and the operators of infrastructure hosting border crossing points and carriers thereof.

    2. For a period of 60 calendar days after the end of the progressive start of operations of the EES, Member States may partially suspend operating the EES as referred to in paragraph 1, second subparagraph, at a certain border crossing point for a limited time of maximum 4 hours within a day and only in exceptional circumstances leading to traffic of such intensity that the waiting time at a border crossing point becomes excessive. Member States shall be relieved of their obligation set out in Article 21(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 as regards biometric data. In those cases, Member States shall promptly and no later than 6 hours after the start of suspension notify the reason for the suspension and its expected duration to the Commission and eu-LISA.

    3. ▌

    4. ▌

    Article 8
    Entry into force and application

    1. This Regulation shall enter into force on the fourth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

    It shall apply from the date from which the EES is to start operations as decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226.

    However, Article 3 of this Regulation shall apply from the entry into force of this Regulation.

    2. This Regulation shall cease to apply 180 calendar days from the date from which the EES is to start operations as decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. However:

    (a) Article 5(13) shall cease to apply 5 years and 180 calendar days after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (b) Article 6(1), (2), (4) and (5) shall cease to apply 5 years and 180 calendar days after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (c) Article 6(3), second subparagraph, shall cease to apply 360 calendar days after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

    (d) Article 7(2)) shall cease to apply 240 calendar days after the date decided by the Commission in accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

     (e) ▌.

    This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

    Done at Brussels,

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: KOF Economic Barometer: Outlook for the Swiss Economy darkens

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    The KOF Economic Barometer falls strongly in April. After an increase in the previous month, it now drops below its medium-term average for the first time this year. The outlook for the Swiss Economy is considerably subdued.

    In April, the KOF Economic Barometer decreases strongly by 6.1 points to a level of 97.1 (after revised 103.2 in the previous month). The negative developments are reflected in the majority of the indicator bundles included in the Economic Barometer. In particular, the indicator bundle for manufacturing experiences a strong setback. Similarly, the indicator bundles for other services and hospitality are under downward pressure. Solely the level of the indicator bundle for financial and insurance services remains nearly unaltered.

    Within the producing industry (manufacturing and construction), the sub-indicators for different aspects of business activity all show negative developments, except for the sub-indicators for the stock of finished products, which show slight positive developments. Particularly negatively impacted are the sub-indicators for exports, production activity and the competitive situation.

    Within manufacturing, the indicators for vehicle and also machinery and equipment manufacturers, for paper and printing producers as well as for the electrical industry are slowing down most noticeable. The indicators for the metal industry remain nearly unaltered.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –