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Category: Trade

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Integrates Solana Pay to Enable Instant Crypto Payments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has integrated Solana Pay, enabling users globally to make instant, low-fee crypto payments. The move expands Bitget Wallet’s real-world utility and supports its goal of making crypto seamless and accessible for everyday use.

    With this integration, Bitget Wallet users can scan Solana Pay QR codes to complete transactions using stablecoins like USDC and other Solana tokens. The feature supports both in-store and online payments, with upcoming compatibility for national QR code systems in regions such as Southeast Asia and Latin America. Transactions are settled directly from the user’s wallet, fee-efficiently and without intermediaries. This is part of Bitget Wallet’s growing PayFi suite, which aims to make crypto practical for commerce.

    “Our mission is to make crypto useful in everyday life — not just to hold or trade, but also to spend,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “By integrating Solana Pay, we give users a fast and affordable way to use crypto globally. Combined with features for trading, staking, and DApp exploration, Bitget Wallet is becoming a true all-in-one platform for Solana and beyond.” The wallet supports 130+ blockchains, offers swaps across hundreds of DEXs, and connects users to thousands of Web3 apps in a secure, self-custodial environment.

    Solana Pay is an open-source payments framework built on Solana that enables decentralized, instant, and low-cost payments. The integration was made possible through collaboration with Venta, a Solana-powered payments provider offering scalable infrastructure for real-world blockchain payments. Venta connects wallets, merchants, and ecosystems to accelerate crypto adoption. “People everywhere deserve modern payments that don’t drain their pockets. Helping Bitget Wallet integrate Solana Pay for their millions of users shows that open, composable rails are the answer, letting any wallet, merchant, or developer tap into instant, low-cost transactions with just one integration. Together, Venta and Bitget Wallet are making that a reality,” said K, Co-Founder & CEO of Venta.

    Bitget Wallet offers a full Solana feature set across Trade, Earn, Pay, and Discover. Users can access Solana-native limit order trading through integration with Jupiter DEX, perform cross-chain swaps, and stake SOL via the wallet’s Earn suite. The wallet also supports reclaiming idle SOL through Solana account rent refunds, provides built-in MEV protection, and enables gas fee coverage using GetGas with Solana Paymaster support. Additionally, users can explore a wide array of Solana-based DApps directly within the app. These capabilities reflect Bitget Wallet’s broader commitment to making onchain finance more accessible, efficient, and secure for users engaging with the Solana network.

    To showcase the integration, Bitget Wallet will join the Solana Summit 2025 as a major partner. Taking place from June 5 to 7 in Da Nang, Vietnam, the summit will gather nearly 2,000 developers, founders, and ecosystem leaders. Bitget Wallet will host a branded booth with free coffee, exclusive merchandise, and live demos. The team will also lead a developer workshop and join a panel discussion, highlighting the wallet’s growing role in real-world crypto adoption. An evening side event will also offer a more informal setting for connecting with builders and partners.

    Find out more on Bitget Wallet’s official channels.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
    For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com

    About Venta
    Venta is a Solana-powered payments provider revolutionizing the payment landscape with scalable solutions, empowering merchants, consumers, and tech teams alike with an express lane to distribution and innovation. For more information, please visit https://www.venta.xyz/

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecaf0437-beae-428f-bd47-f006f696735a

    The MIL Network –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: 67 North Carolina Students Headed to National History Day® Contest in Maryland

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: 67 North Carolina Students Headed to National History Day® Contest in Maryland

    67 North Carolina Students Headed to National History Day® Contest in Maryland
    jejohnson6
    Wed, 06/04/2025 – 10:35

    After months of in-depth research, creativity, and competition, 67 students from 24 schools across North Carolina have earned their spot at the 2025 National History Day® Contest, taking place June 8–12 at the University of Maryland in College Park. They will join nearly 3,000 middle and high school students from across the globe in a celebration of historical scholarship and storytelling.

    The students qualified through North Carolina History Day, a statewide program that reached more than 5,000 participants this year. Managed by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), the program encourages students to explore the past through hands-on research aligned with this year’s theme: “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Participants chose topics that mattered to them, ranging from civil rights movements to constitutional debates, and brought them to life through exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites, and research papers.

    “The most powerful part of this program is that it’s student-driven,” said Karen Ipock, State Coordinator for N.C. History Day. “Students pick topics that genuinely interest them, which sparks deep engagement and creative expression — whether that’s designing a website, writing a paper, or producing a live performance. It’s a program that brings history to life and gives students a voice in telling its stories.”

    Competitions began with eight regional contests held across the state, coordinated by DNCR and local partners. Top entries advanced to the state-level contest on May 3 at UNC Greensboro, where finalists were selected to represent North Carolina at nationals.

    Beyond the contest itself, several North Carolina students have also been selected for exclusive workshops and showcases in Washington, D.C., on June 11 — an added recognition of the quality and impact of their work.

    • 8th grader Thanapat Lucksanapirak from Alston Ridge Middle School in Cary, N.C., will have his documentary, “The WTO: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Global Trade,” shown in the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

    • 10th grader Andrew Lar from Watauga High School in Boone, N.C., will attend a writer’s workshop with the White House Historical Association for his research paper, “‘Not in Our Name’: The Central American Sanctuary Movement and the Struggle for Salvadoran Asylum Rights.”

    • 6th grader Elsie-Mae Clayton from Swain County Middle School in Bryson City, N.C., will showcase her exhibit at the National Museum of American History, “The Federal Government and the Broken Promises,” about the building of Fontana Dam and the Road to Nowhere.

    • 10th and 11th graders Ava Karis Renegar, Campbell Hodge, Elianna Yoder, Jonah Hardin, and Kyle Malt from Classical Scholars in Mills River, N.C., will perform their project, “Nothing About Us Without Us: How One Group of Disability Rights Activists Fought for Recognition by Forcing the Government to Accept Responsibility for Discrimination,” at the National Museum of American History.

    “The doors this competition opens for students are incredible,” said Ipock. “They’re not only sharing their research in some of the nation’s most prestigious museums, but also learning firsthand from historians, scholars, and museum professionals who are leaders in their fields.”

    The National History Day® contest wraps up on Thursday, June 12, with a highly anticipated awards ceremony recognizing the top three entries in each category. Students will also be eligible for a range of special prizes —  some up to $2,000 — for outstanding work in specific areas of historical research.

    North Carolina’s impact doesn’t end with its student competitors. Two outstanding educators — Jeffrey Stanek of Holly Shelter Middle School in Castle Hayne and Emily Lemus of EDGE Academy of Health Science in Rocky Mount — are national nominees for excellence in history education. Both have been recognized for their exceptional work in the classroom, using historical inquiry to engage and inspire students. Final selections for these prestigious teaching awards will be announced during the national contest, and North Carolina is proud to have such dedicated educators in the running.

    Students competing from each N.C. region include:

    West:  Charlie Hurwitz and Owen McAbee, Cane Creek Middle (Buncombe County); Isaiah Zebley, Gemma Edwards, and Lilly Cacawa, ArtSpace Charter (Buncombe County); Kate Huscher and Maddux Hansel, Hendersonville Middle (Henderson County); Cayden Rybicki, North Hendson High (Henderson County); Campbell Hodge, Ava Karis Renegar, Elianna Yoder, Jonah Hardin, Kyle Malt, Kathleen Godfrey, Colin Brown, David Ruland, Ezra Kushigian, Rowan Maishman, Ryan Malt, Anslee Renegar, Evie Koppin, Tybi Dugdale, and Zia Cartrett, Classical Scholars (Henderson County); Elsie-Mae Clayton, Swain County Middle (Swain County); Andrew Larsen, Watauga High (Watauga County)

    Piedmont: Anisa Hasanaj, North Carolina School Of Science and Mathematics (Durham County); Elena Gale, Emma Rose Laurell, Sophia Siebert, and Zelie Polnaszek, St. Michaels Homeschool Co-op (Gaston County); Marnie Lasher, Early College at Guilford (Guilford County); Riley Gale and Woody Taylor, Woodlawn School (Iredell County); Finn McElwee and Suh Hee Shin, Chapel Hill High (Orange County); Laura Cratty and Louisa Cratty; Cratty Family Homeschool (Orange County); Thanapat Lucksanapirak, Alston Ridge Middle (Wake County); Magali Murray, Holly Springs High (Wake County); Arsema Belete, Kaana Anda-Morelli, Katelyn Kwark, Olivia Steigerwald, and Max Wagner, Pine Springs Preparatory Academy (Wake County); Catherine Kendall, Ellen Lan, and Joyce Xu, Cary Academy (Wake County)

    East: Joselyn Hutson, Sadie Lankford, Scarlett Rauen, Ben Gardner, and Gavin Oplinger, Holly Shelter Middle (New Hanover County); Lyla Varnum and Abigail Blair, The International School at Gregory (New Hanover County); Lily Atwill, Anah Stough, and Kayligrace Moody, Isaac M Bear Early College High School (New Hanover County), Olivia Stetler, Wilmington Early College High (New Hanover County); Adam Politi, Jackson Renton, Rowan Forkin, and Slade Forkin, Cape Fear Academy (New Hanover County), Mariana Nieblas-Lugo, Pamlico County Middle (Pamlico), Blondge Phanor, Wayne School of Engineering (Wayne County)

    Each year, more than half a million students from all 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and international schools take part in the National History Day® program. North Carolina’s affiliate, North Carolina History Day, is proudly administered by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and supported by the North Caroliniana Society and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies. To learn more, visit www.dncr.nc.gov/nchistoryday.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Jun 4, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: From sovereignty to sustainability: a brief history of ocean governance

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Kevin Parthenay, Professeur des Universités en science politique, membre de l’Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Université de Tours

    The United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) will open in Nice, France, on June 9, 2025. It is the third conference of its kind, following events in New York in 2017 and Lisbon in 2022. Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, the conference will bring together 150 countries and nearly 30,000 individuals to discuss the sustainable management of our planet’s oceans.

    This event is presented as a pivotal moment, but it is actually part of a significant shift in marine governance that has been going on for decades. While ocean governance was once designed to protect the marine interests of states, nowadays it must also address the numerous climate and environmental challenges facing the oceans.

    Media coverage of this “political moment” however should not overshadow the urgent need to reform the international law applicable to the oceans. Failing that, this summit will risk being nothing more than another platform for vacuous rhetoric.

    To understand what is at stake, it is helpful to begin with a brief historical overview of marine governance.

    The meaning of ocean governance

    Ocean governance changed radically over the past few decades. The focus shifted from the interests of states and the corresponding body of international law, solidified in the 1980s, to a multilateral approach initiated at the end of the Cold War, involving a wide range of actors (international organizations, NGOs, businesses, etc.).

    This governance has gradually moved from a system of obligations pertaining to different marine areas and regimes of sovereignty associated to them (territorial seas, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), and the high seas) to a system that takes into consideration the “health of the oceans.” The aim of this new system is to manage the oceans in line with the sustainable development goals.

    Understanding how this shift occurred can help us grasp what is at stake in Nice. The 1990s were marked by declarations, summits and other global initiatives. However, as evidenced below, the success of these numerous initiatives has so far been limited. This explains why we are now seeing a return to an approach more firmly rooted in international law, as evidenced by the negotiations on the international treaty on plastic pollution, for example.

    The “Constitution of the Seas”

    The law of the sea emerged from the Hague Conference in 1930. However, the structure of marine governance gradually came to be defined in the 1980s, with the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982.

    UNOC 3 is a direct offshoot of this convention: discussions on sustainable ocean management stem from the limitations of this founding text, often referred to as the “Constitution of the Seas”.

    UNCLOS was adopted in December 1982 at the Montego Bay Convention in Jamaica and came into force in November 1994, following a lengthy process of international negotiations that resulted in 60 states ratifying the text. At the outset, the discussions focused on the interests of developing countries, especially those located along the coast, in the midst of a crisis in multilateralism. The United States managed to exert its influence in this arena without ever officially adopting the Convention. Since then, the convention has been a pillar of marine governance.

    It established new institutions, including the International Seabed Authority, entrusted with the responsibility of regulating the exploitation of mineral resources on the seabed in areas that fall outside the scope of national jurisdiction. UNCLOS is the source of nearly all international case law on the subject.

    Although the convention did define maritime areas and regulate their exploitation, new challenges quickly emerged: on the one hand, the Convention was essentially rendered meaningless by the eleven-year delay between its adoption and implementation. On the other hand, the text also became obsolete due to new developments in the use of the seas, particularly technological advances in fishing and seabed exploitation.

    The early 1990s marked a turning point in the traditional maritime legal order. The management of the seas and oceans came to be viewed within an environmental perspective, a process that was driven by major international conferences and declarations such as the Rio Declaration (1992), the Millennium Declaration (2005), and the Rio+20 Summit (2012). These resulted in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN’s 17 goals aimed at protecting the planet (with SDG 14, “Life Below Water”, directly addressing issues related to the oceans) and the world’s population by 2030.



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    The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED, or Earth Summit), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, ushered in the era of “sustainable development” and, thanks to scientific discoveries made in the previous decade, helped link environmental and maritime issues.

    From 2008 to 2015, environmental issues became more important as evidenced by the regular adoption of environmental and climate resolutions.

    A shift in UN language

    Biodiversity and the sustainable use of the oceans (SDG 14) are the two core themes that became recurring topics in the international agenda since 2015, with ocean-related issues now including items like acidification, plastic pollution and the decline of marine biodiversity.

    The United Nations General Assembly resolution on oceans and the law of the seas (LOS is a particularly useful tool to acknowledge this evolution: drafted annually since 1984, the resolution has covered all aspects of the United Nations maritime regime while reflecting new issues and concerns.

    Some environmental terms were initially absent from the text but have become more prevalent since the 2000s.

    This evolution is also reflected in the choice of words.

    While LOS resolutions from 1984 to 1995 focused mainly on the implementation of the treaty and the economic exploitation of marine resources, more recent resolutions have used terms related to sustainability, ecosystems, and maritime issues.

    Toward a new law of the oceans?

    As awareness of the issues surrounding the oceans and their link to climate change has grown, the oceans gradually became a global “final frontier” in terms of knowledge.

    The types of stakeholders involved in ocean issues have also changed. The expansion of the ocean agenda has been driven by a more “environmentalist” orientation, with scientific communities and environmental NGOs standing at the forefront of this battle. This approach, which represents a shift away from a monopoly held by international law and legal practitioners, clearly is a positive development.

    However, marine governance has so far relied mainly on non-binding declaratory measures (such as the SDGs) and remains ineffective. A cycle of legal consolidation toward a “new law of the oceans” therefore appears to be underway and the challenge is now to supplement international maritime law with a new set of measures. These include:

    • the adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (known as the BBNJ Agreement) aiming to protect marine resources in the high seas;

    • the negotiation of a treaty on marine plastic pollution, still in progress and not finalized yet;

    • the agreement on fisheries subsidies adopted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to preserve fish stocks, which so far has failed to be fully implemented;

    • lastly, the Seabed Authority’s Mining Code, designed to regulate seabed mining.

    Of these agreements, the BBNJ is arguably the most ambitious: since 2004, negotiators have been working toward filling the gaps of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) by creating an instrument on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

    The agreement addresses two major concerns for states: sovereignty and the equitable distribution of resources.

    Adopted in 2023, this historic agreement has yet to enter into force. For this to happen, sixty ratifications are required and to date, only 29 states have ratified the treaty (including France in February 2025, editor’s note).

    The BBNJ process is therefore at a crossroads and the priority today is not to make new commitments or waste time on complicated high-level declarations, but to address concrete and urgent issues of ocean management, such as the frantic quest for critical minerals launched in the context of the Sino-American rivalry, and exemplified by Donald Trump’s signing of a presidential decree in April 2025 allowing seabed mining – a decision that violates the International Seabed Authority’s well established rules on the exploitation of these deep-sea resources.

    At a time when U.S. unilateralism is leading to a policy of fait accompli, the UNOC 3 should, more than anything and within the framework of multilateralism, consolidate the existing obligations regarding the protection and sustainability of the oceans.

    Kevin Parthenay is a member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF).

    Rafael Mesquita ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    – ref. From sovereignty to sustainability: a brief history of ocean governance – https://theconversation.com/from-sovereignty-to-sustainability-a-brief-history-of-ocean-governance-258200

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: Removing Trade Barriers With Other Provinces, Federal Government

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Trade barriers between Nova Scotia, several provinces and the federal government will soon be removed.

    Nova Scotia, along with Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Prince Edward Island have taken action to remove barriers and red tape that will open up new trade and investment opportunities. It is also anticipated that the federal government will do the same.

    “Removing these barriers will open up new opportunities for Nova Scotian businesses and help grow our economy – that means more jobs for Nova Scotians,” said Premier Tim Houston. “This is how Nova Scotia and Canada can be more economically secure.”

    The barriers being removed by Nova Scotia focus on three key areas:

    • ending Canadian Free Trade Agreement exemptions that limit interprovincial trade with Nova Scotia
    • allowing goods or services that are legally sold, used or provided in another province to automatically be able to be sold/used/provided in Nova Scotia without having to meet Nova Scotia’s specific labelling, packaging, certification or inspection requirements
    • removing labour mobility barriers by requiring regulators to process equivalent licences within 10 business days and restricting application requirements to evidence of good standing and liability insurance.

    The Province introduced the Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act in February 2025 to help create mutual recognition of goods, services and labour mobility between Nova Scotia and other jurisdictions in Canada. The act allows the Province to remove barriers to trade and investment with others that will do the same for Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia’s removal of trade barriers with Alberta and P.E.I. comes into effect immediately, while barriers with the other provinces and federal government will be removed upon proclamation of their equivalent legislation.


    Quotes:

    “Alberta is proud to stand alongside Nova Scotia in advancing a more open and co-operative Canadian economy. I commend Premier Tim Houston and the Nova Scotia government for taking meaningful action to support freer trade within Canada. By recognizing Alberta-approved goods without additional red tape, Nova Scotia is showing leadership that supports businesses, strengthens interprovincial ties and moves us closer to the internal trade framework Canadians expect and deserve.”
    — Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta

    “With tariffs and tariff threats taking aim at Canada’s workers and businesses, it’s never been more important for us to work together from coast to coast to tear down internal trade barriers so we can make Canada stronger and more united than ever before. We’re going to keep working with our federal, provincial and territorial partners to unlock economic opportunity and build a more competitive, resilient and prosperous country that can stand up to tariffs and anything else that comes our way.”
    — Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario

    “This announcement is one of the first tangible steps in adopting mutual recognition policy and breaking down interprovincial trade barriers, showing that the Premier and his government are serious about free trade within Canada. Simply put, this is good news for small businesses in our province. Now, eight in 10 small businesses across Canada are looking to their provinces to take the necessary steps to follow Nova Scotia’s lead.”
    — Duncan Robertson, Director of Legislative Affairs (Nova Scotia), Canadian Federation of Independent Business


    Quick Facts:

    • interprovincial exports contribute about 17 per cent of Nova Scotia’s gross domestic product
    • interprovincial exports make up about half of Nova Scotia’s total exports (about 48 per cent of all goods and services)
    • in 2023, the value of Nova Scotia’s interprovincial exports was nearly $29 billion
    • one-third of Canadian businesses participated in internal trade by buying or selling goods across provincial or territorial borders
    • more than $530 billion worth of goods and services moves across provincial and territorial borders every year – equal to 20 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product

    Additional Resources:

    Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/free%20trade%20and%20mobility%20within%20canada.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Senators Demand Explanation After Trump Admin Greenlights Giant Rocket-Redfin Merger, Warn of Potential Price Hikes for American Homebuyers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 04, 2025
    Rocket has a history of anticompetitive behavior in the housing industry
    “At a time when families already face a housing affordability crisis, these deals…may reduce choice and raise prices for American families in the housing market.” 
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeking an explanation for the agencies’ failure to challenge Rocket Companies’ (Rocket) recent acquisition of Redfin, which creates a massive housing company that threatens to reduce choice and raise prices for American families in the housing market. 
    This merger allows Rocket, an online mortgage lending and real estate platform, to exert even greater control over each step of the homebuying process by taking over Redfin, a popular real estate search platform, and Mr. Cooper, the nation’s largest mortgage servicing firm. On May 8, 2025, the Trump Administration allowed the merger waiting period to expire without taking action to block or review the transaction. 
    After the Rocket-Redfin merger is completed, Rocket will have the power to steer Redfin users to Rocket’s real estate agents, limiting business for local, independent agents and brokerages. Rocket could also discourage Redfin users from comparison shopping for better mortgage offers by steering homebuyers to Rocket’s mortgages. Comparison shopping has been shown to save homebuyers an average of $76,410 over a 30-year mortgage.
    In addition, Rocket’s acquisition of Mr. Cooper will create a mortgage finance behemoth. By acquiring seven million mortgage servicing clients, Rocket would have a reduced need to compete for new customers. Altogether, with these acquisitions, Rocket would triple its current client base and control one in six mortgages in the United States. Rocket’s efforts to consolidate and control the homebuying market onto a single online platform sets a dangerous precedent for consumers, the industry, and the U.S. housing market as a whole at a time when house prices and mortgage rates continue to rise.
    Rocket has a history of anticompetitive efforts to steer homebuyers to its products. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued Rocket in 2024 for allegedly steering homebuyers into purchasing Rocket mortgages and charging higher rates and fees. The CFPB dropped the lawsuit just three weeks after President Trump installed new leadership at the agency. 
    Under the DOJ and FTC’s merger enforcement guidelines, the acquisitions raise multiple concerns, including: 
    Under Guideline 6, which warns that “mergers can violate the law when they entrench or extend a dominant position”; 
    Under Guideline 7, which directs the DOJ and FTC to “examine whether a trend toward consolidation in an industry would heighten … competition concerns”; 
    Under Guideline 8, which clarifies that “when a merger is part of a series of multiple acquisitions, the agencies may examine the whole series”; and 
    Under Guideline 9, which warns that “mergers involving platforms can threaten competition.” 
    “Rocket’s proposed acquisitions…create the potential for Rocket to steer homebuyers to its own products, hike prices based on private data, and block competition. We ask that you provide an explanation for your agencies’ failure to challenge the Rocket-Redfin merger during the premerger review period,” wrote the senators. 
    The lawmakers asked the two agencies to provide clarity on why they declined to challenge the merger by June 17, 2025. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, met with the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the World Trade Organization (WTO), H.E. Syahril Syazli Ghazali, at the OECD Headquarters, in Paris, France, on 4 June 2025. SG Dr. Kao congratulated Malaysia on the success of the recently-concluded 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as well as underscored ASEAN’s commitment to upholding an open, transparent, rules-based multilateral trading system based on the WTO.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Investment Forum Partners Sign Partnership Framework Agreement at African Bank Development Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, June 4, 2025/APO Group/ —

    On the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings (www.AfDB.org), founding partners of the Africa Investment Forum signed a Partnership Framework Agreement, reinforcing their collective commitment to mobilize transformative investments across the African continent.

    The new framework creates a clearer partnership model that sets out the roles and benefits for the founding partners. It also opens the door for expansion to new partners, ensuring everyone benefits while increasing the Forum’s overall impact.

    Launched in 2018, the Africa Investment Forum platform has solidified its standing as  Africa’s premier investment marketplace for global investors and has garnered nearly $225 billion in investment interest to date.

    Principals of the African Development Bank Group, Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) signed the agreement. The other partners are Trade and Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Afreximbank.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, President of the African Development Bank Group and chairperson of the Africa Investment Forum, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina said:

    “This agreement is a testament to our shared vision: that Africa will not be developed by aid, but by investment. The AIF has changed perceptions and proven that Africa is indeed a bankable destination.”

    Dr Fahad Abdullah Aldossari, Chairman of BADEA’s Board of Directors said: “The signing of the AIF Framework Agreement marks a remarkable milestone to ascertain both effectiveness and efficiency as well as financial sustainability for AIF 2.0 in a bid to advance more projects to bankability and crowd-in transformative investments to the continent.”

    Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa 50 said: “This signature marks our renewed commitment to support the objectives of the Africa Investment Forum, launched under the visionary leadership of President Adesina. It is a much-needed deal-making platform that helps strengthen collaborations and leverage innovative models to unlock private capital to accelerate the delivery of bankable projects on the continent. It is critical for African Institutions to support it”.

    “As a Founding Partner, we are proud to see this initiative formally take shape. Through AIF, we’ve proven what Africa can achieve when we collaborate — building the continent’s first investment platform that truly mobilizes capital for bankable, high-impact projects,” said Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation.

    “We have to continue leveraging the AIF as a platform for capital mobilisation in Africa, to bridge the infrastructure funding gap in the continent,” said DBSA’s CEO Boitumelo Mosako.

    The signing of the Partnership Framework Agreement takes place ahead of what is expected to be an expanded and impactful Market Days 2025, to be held from 26 to 28 November 2025 in Rabat, Morocco. Market Days, the centerpiece of the Africa Investment Forum platform, brings together investors, deal sponsors and heads of government to advance transformational African projects toward financial close.   

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Flywire Named to PCI Security Standards Council 2025-2027 Board of Advisors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    For the second consecutive term, Flywire joins other leading organizations to help shape the future of security standards and protocols

    David King, Flywire’s CTO, and Barbara Cousins, Flywire’s CIO & CISO, leverage their extensive security and payment experience to represent Flywire on the prestigious Board

    BOSTON, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flywire Corporation (NASDAQ: FLYW) (Flywire), a global payments enablement and software company, today announced that it has been named to the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) 2025-2027 Board of Advisors. Flywire’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), David King, and Chief Information Officer / Chief Information Security Officer (CIO / CISO), Barbara Cousins, will represent Flywire on the PCI SSC Board of Advisors and provide their expertise to help shape the future of payment security.

    Flywire’s second consecutive appointment to the PCI SSC Board of Advisors builds on the Company’s longstanding relationship with the PCI SSC. Flywire’s CTO David King has regularly been Flywire’s representative as a Participation Organization on the PCI SSC. Additionally, King was part of the original team in 2003-2004 that helped to draft the initial version of PCI DSS 1.0. King will now bring his technical insights, expertise, perspectives and ideas to help shape the development of forthcoming security standards and programs.

    “We are incredibly proud to join the PCI SSC Board of Advisors and continue the important work designed to create more secure, compliant payment solutions across industries,” said David King, Flywire CTO. “It is a very dynamic landscape for payments security, and we are excited to apply our unique expertise working in highly regulated industries to help solve the most pressing payments challenges of our time.”

    The appointment also validates Flywire’s commitment to maintaining the security and integrity of the payments it delivers across the industries it serves. Flywire prioritizes robust security and compliance, demonstrating this commitment through rigorous internal controls and adherence to the highest industry standards. Flywire is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, the most stringent level for credit card data security, and undergoes annual SOC II Type II audits, attesting to their strong information management processes. Beyond these foundational certifications, Flywire proactively manages global regulatory requirements, maintaining comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering (AML) / Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF) programs and complying with various data protection laws like GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA, HIPAA and FERPA.

    Flywire’s security capabilities are a key differentiator for many of the company’s global clients. For Nordic Visitor, one of the largest tour operators in Scandinavia, Flywire’s robust security and compliance features were paramount in its decision to select Flywire to be its international payments provider:

    “Flywire’s solutions are much more modernized and capable of handling new technology. Security was a main driver for choosing Flywire, along with the cost savings,” said Magnús Freyr Erlingsson, Chief Operating Officer at TravelConnect, which oversees operations of Nordic Visitor.

    “At Flywire, being a leader in security and compliance isn’t just about meeting regulatory checkboxes; it’s about building and preserving the fundamental trust our clients and their customers place in us,” says Barbara Cousins, CISO of Flywire. “We have always maintained proactive and superior security protocols to protect sensitive data and ensure seamless, secure transactions. We are thrilled to help apply our knowledge and expertise to help contribute to a more secure and reliable financial future for everyone.”

    “The Board of Advisors provides industry expertise and perspectives that influence and shape the development of PCI security standards and programs,” said PCI SSC Executive Director Gina Gobeyn. “We look forward to working with Flywire in our efforts to help organizations secure payment data globally.”

    About the PCI Security Standards Council

    The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) leads a global, cross-industry effort to increase payment security by providing industry-driven, flexible and effective data security standards and programs that help businesses detect, mitigate and prevent cyberattacks and breaches. Connect with PCI SSC on LinkedIn. Join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) @PCISSC. Subscribe to the PCI Perspectives Blog. Listen to the Coffee with the Council podcast.

    About Flywire

    Flywire is a global payments enablement and software company. We combine our proprietary global payments network, next-gen payments platform and vertical-specific software to deliver the most important and complex payments for our clients and their customers.

    Flywire leverages its vertical-specific software and payments technology to deeply embed within the existing A/R workflows for its clients across the education, healthcare and travel vertical markets, as well as in key B2B industries. Flywire also integrates with leading ERP systems, such as NetSuite, so organizations can optimize the payment experience for their customers while eliminating operational challenges.

    Flywire supports more than 4,600 clients with diverse payment methods in more than 140 currencies across more than 240 countries and territories around the world. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA, USA with global offices. For more information, visit www.flywire.com. Follow Flywire on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Flywire’s expectations of its security and data privacy policies. Flywire intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as, but not limited to, “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “target,” “plan,” “expect,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations that involve risks, changes in circumstances, assumptions, and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in Flywire’s forward-looking statements include, among others, the factors that are described in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of Flywire’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Flywire undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contacts:

    Sarah King
    Flywire
    Media@Flywire.com 

    Investor Contacts:

    Masha Kahn
    IR@Flywire.com 

    The MIL Network –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Onfolio Holdings Launches Pace Generative to Help Brands Dominate AI-Generated Search Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Onfolio Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONFO, ONFOW) (OTC: ONFOP) (“Onfolio” or the “Company”) today announced the launch of Pace Generative LLC, a dedicated Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) agency created to help brands appear in AI-generated answers – a rapidly emerging opportunity in digital discovery and trust-building.

    As AI assistants start to replace traditional search engines as the primary way people discover and evaluate services, GEO has emerged as a mission-critical strategy. It ensures that a brand’s insights and authority are embedded in the answers delivered by AI tools – positioning businesses at the point of decision-making, not just after the fact.

    Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) helps businesses become part of the answers AI platforms generate, by embedding their expertise directly in real-time, conversational responses.

    When a user asks an AI assistant, “Who’s the top cosmetic surgeon near me?”, “What wealth management firm should I trust with my portfolio?”, or “Which estate planning attorney is most experienced in my area?”, GEO helps to determine which businesses are cited in the answer. These moments often shape high-value decisions, before a search engine is ever consulted. For example, a law firm that appears in ChatGPT’s response to “best estate attorney in Miami” could earn immediate trust and consideration well before a potential client sees competing websites.

    AI-driven discovery is accelerating. A recent Elon University study found that 52% of U.S. adults already use AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and Copilot. ChatGPT alone now serves 400 million weekly active users globally, including nearly 68 million in the U.S. With platforms like Perplexity gaining traction, AI assistants are becoming the default source for trusted, real-time answers. According to McKinsey, generative AI could add as much as $4.4 trillion in annual economic value, with marketing and sales among the most directly impacted sectors.

    This shift is transforming how brands are discovered, evaluated, and chosen.

    As traditional search becomes a fallback rather than the starting point, GEO has emerged as a critical strategy for relevance. Unlike SEO, which helps websites rank in search results, GEO ensures a brand’s insights, authority, and offerings are embedded directly in AI-generated answers.

    SEO earns clicks. GEO earns trust, by making brands part of the answer, not just part of the results. Today’s search engines send users to websites. AI platforms deliver the answer itself. If a brand isn’t cited, it may be invisible at the moment of decision.

    Onfolio brings deep experience in SEO, having led successful campaigns across multiple agencies and industries. With a strong foundation in content strategy, technical optimization, and performance publishing, the Company is now applying that expertise to the next era of online visibility: GEO.

    The launch of Pace Generative marks a strategic evolution. Purpose-built for the AI era, with proprietary frameworks, scalable systems, and specialized processes designed to help brands be recognized and cited by AI platforms.

    Our core services are designed to help brands become part of the answers AI platforms deliver and not just compete for placement in crowded search results:

    • Question-Driven Content CreationWe craft authoritative content; articles, guides, FAQs, that mirrors how real people ask questions in tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
    • AI-Optimized Site StructureWe organize websites so that AI models can easily understand, access, and reference key information – ensuring important expertise isn’t overlooked.
    • Language and Topic AlignmentWe align messaging with the terms and topics AI platforms associate with credibility – positioning content to be cited accurately and confidently.
    • Strategic Publishing and DistributionWe publish and distribute content in formats, channels, and timelines that signal trust- improving the likelihood of being included in AI-generated answers.

    These services improve the chances that a brand will be surfaced in the moment a customer asks for a trusted recommendation and will help position that brand as part of the decision-making conversation.

    “AI is where decisions are being made,” said Dominic Wells, CEO of Onfolio Holdings Inc. “If a brand isn’t part of the answers, it’s not in the market. GEO isn’t just the next evolution of search, it’s the new standard for being found.”

    Pace Generative is built for businesses and professionals in industries where trust, expertise, and timing drive customer decisions – including healthcare, finance, law, education, consulting, B2B services, and high-end consumer markets.

    Onfolio anticipates strong demand for Pace Generative’s GEO service as more organizations adapt their marketing strategies for AI-native visibility.

    As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how the world seeks and selects solutions, Pace Generative is helping forward-thinking companies lead the AI-powered conversations that define tomorrow’s market leaders.

    For more information, visit www.pacegenerative.com or contact Mike at mike@pacegenerative.com.

    About Onfolio Holdings Inc.

    Onfolio acquires, operates, and scales a diversified portfolio of digital companies. The Company focuses on businesses with strong cash flows, long-term growth potential, and experienced leadership—or those that can be effectively managed by Onfolio’s in-house team. By targeting under-optimized businesses with untapped potential, Onfolio adds value through operational expertise, strategic guidance, and advanced technologies. For more information, visit www.onfolio.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “plans,” “explores,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continues,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” and similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding expected operating results, such as revenue growth and earnings, and strategy for growth and financial results. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing new customer offerings, changes in customer order patterns, changes in customer offering mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, delays due to issues with outsourced service providers, those events and factors described by us in Item 1.A “Risk Factors” in our most recent Form 10-K and other risks to which our Company is subject, and various other factors beyond the Company’s control. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Company Contact:
    Investor Communications
    Onfolio Holdings Inc.
    Investors@Onfolio.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Veea and StarGroup Join Forces to Transform Mexico’s Digital Divide with Smart Connectivity and Entertainment Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and MEXICO CITY, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Veea Inc. (NASDAQ: VEEA), a global innovator in edge computing and AI-driven platforms, and StarGroup, one of Mexico’s most dynamic and visionary telecommunications and entertainment providers, are proud to announce a strategic alliance to accelerate digital inclusion, connectivity and entertainment services across underserved rural communities in Mexico.

    Empowering Communities Through Technology and Vision

    As Mexico advances its national mission for universal internet access, Veea and StarGroup are combining their technological strengths and market leadership to deliver high-performance, cybersecure, and affordable digital services to remote areas that have historically been left behind. This transformative partnership reflects a bold step and an unwavering commitment to bridging the digital divide and true digital equity for millions of Mexicans. Moreover, from cloud-managed entertainment to intelligent edge networking, this partnership aims to fuel education, commerce, and innovation for communities that have long been digitally excluded.

    With deep local expertise and a growing presence across the country, StarGroup is uniquely positioned to drive innovation at the edge of connectivity, leveraging Veea’s cutting-edge technology. StarGroup’s deployment of Veea’s virtual Trusted Broadband Access (vTBA) platform marks the beginning of a nationwide rollout that will provide intelligent internet access, IoT integration, and cloud-based applications directly to users’ Wi-Fi-enabled devices—including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. “At StarGroup, we believe technology should be a tool for empowerment, not exclusion,” said Monica Aguirre, CEO of StarGroup. “This partnership with Veea allows us to bring real solutions to real communities—solutions that go far beyond entertainment and connectivity. We are investing in a future where every Mexican family, regardless of geography, can participate in the digital economy.”

    Deployed with satellite backhaul and powered by compact VeeaHub devices and VeeaWare software, the service supports not only seamless connectivity but also a wide range of local IoT applications—from precision agriculture and energy monitoring to public safety and asset tracking. StarGroup is not just deploying infrastructure; it is building the foundation for a smarter, more inclusive Mexico.

    “StarGroup’s adoption of vTBA platform reinforces the growing demand for cost-effective, intelligent connectivity at the edge,” added Allen Salmasi, CEO of Veea. “This collaboration extends far beyond internet access—it empowers communities with real-time AI-driven applications, with the ability to cache content at the edge including for tele-education, tele-medicine, entertainment and precision agriculture, along with the tools that enable the end-users to easily develop applications serving their specific use cases and participate in the digital economy.”

    About StarGroup

    StarGroup is a forward-thinking Mexican telecommunications and entertainment company committed to redefining connectivity for families across the country. Through its STAR brands—including StarTV (pay television), StarGo (internet), StarLine (mobile services), and StarLink (telecommunications), etc.—the company delivers high-quality, reliable services powered by advanced satellite technology, reaching regions beyond the scope of traditional networks.

    With a strong foundation in innovation, customer focus, and social responsibility, StarGroup leverages global partnerships and cutting-edge infrastructure to provide inclusive digital access, foster community development, and promote cultural enrichment. Its integrated approach to entertainment, media, tourism, and connectivity, positions StarGroup as a catalyst for digital transformation in Mexico’s most underserved regions.

    Learn more at www.stargroup.com.mx.

    About Veea

    Veea Inc. (NASDAQ: VEEA) was formed in 2014 and is headquartered in New York City with a rich history of major innovations in the development of advanced networking, wireless and computing technologies. Veea has unified multi-tenant computing, multiaccess multiprotocol communications, edge storage, edge AI with AI-driven cybersecurity in fully integrated all-in-one VeeaHub® products. Similar to cloud-management of smartphones and other user devices, VeeaHub products are cloud- and locally-managed with equivalent capabilities on VeeaCloud™. Applications and services running on VeeaHub devices benefit from cybersecure connections with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), optionally, with a highly simplified, plug and play, 5G-based Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering.

    Veea Edge Platform™ enables network slicing with direct connections from anywhere, through the wide area optical fiber, cellular and satellite networks, to network-managed Wi-Fi and IoT devices on the local area networks, which may be on a mesh cluster created by VeeaHub products. This unique capability enables service providers to offer subscription-based services for one or a group of devices, sensors, machines or other endpoints on the local area networks.

    VeeaWare software stack provides for a virtualized software environment to run applications in Secured Docker™ containers on VeeaHub products and third-party APs and servers with orchestration. Veea Developer Portal and development tools provide for rapid development of edge applications with inferencing or federated learning to cost-effectively enable Edge AI for most enterprise use cases. Veea has received numerous recognitions by Gartner Group, Market Reports World’s and IoT Evolution for Edge Computing and Edge AI since 2021. For more information about Veea and its product offerings, visit veea.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”) as well as Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company’s future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely” or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the Company’s strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties including those regarding: the Company’s business strategies, and the risk and uncertainties described in “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements” and the additional risk described in Veea’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and any subsequent filings which Veea makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in the press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in the press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law. You should read this press release with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

    The Equity Group

    Devin Sullivan
    Managing Director
    dsullivan@equityny.com

    Conor Rodriguez
    Associate
    crodriguez@equityny.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Wedbush Fund Advisers Launches IVES AI Revolution ETF Built on Dan Ives’ Proprietary Research

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wedbush Fund Advisers has launched the Dan IVES Wedbush AI Revolution ETF (Ticker: IVES). The ETF will provide investors with transparent, cost-effective access to 30 names at the heart of the AI Revolution.

    Built around the proprietary research framework of Dan Ives, Wedbush Securities Managing Director and Global Head of Technology Research, the ETF targets companies driving AI’s infrastructure and deployment across semiconductors, hyperscalers, cybersecurity, consumer platforms, robotics, and cloud infrastructure. These companies form the backbone of a multi trillion-dollar investment cycle transforming global industries and accelerating enterprise and consumer adoption.

    Key Features of IVES ETF:

    • Research-Driven Selection: Constituents are drawn directly from Dan Ives’ proprietary research behind “The AI Revolution Theme,” a multi-year analysis identifying 30 public companies at the core of the AI spending cycle;
    • Cross-Sector Exposure: Covers the full spectrum of industries powering the AI economy — from infrastructure to implementation;
    • Balanced Construction: Strategically weighted to reduce concentration risk while maintaining high-conviction thematic exposure;
    • Future-Focused Positioning: Targets companies with both established momentum and long-term potential to lead in enterprise and consumer AI adoption.

    “We’re incredibly excited to bring Dan Ives’ research on the AI Revolution to life through this ETF,” said Cullen Rogers, Chief Investment Officer of Wedbush Fund Advisers. “It’s a response to what investors have been asking for—direct, meaningful exposure to the companies powering the next major economic transformation: artificial intelligence.”

    Wedbush entered the rapidly growing ETF market earlier this year through its new Investment Management division, marking the firm’s commitment to cutting-edge investment solutions and highly curated product development for our Global Family Office, Wealth Management and RIA clients.

    “AI is the most transformational force in the global economy in our lifetime,” said Gary Wedbush, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wedbush Securities. “Dan’s track record speaks for itself. He’s been identifying the drivers of tech disruption for years, and the IVES ETF gives investors a chance to follow that insight in a disciplined, transparent way. We are proud to offer investors exposure to the AI Revolution through the IVES ETF.”

    About Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC

    Wedbush Fund Advisers launched in 2024 to build on Wedbush’s 70-year legacy of market insight, innovation, and client trust. Our mission is to design forward-thinking investment strategies that reflect the evolving nature of markets and investor priorities. Backed by a seasoned team with decades of asset management experience, we’re committed to building a trusted platform that expands Wedbush’s tradition of excellence into the next era of investment innovation.

    Media Inquiries
    Deborah Kostroun
    Phone: +1 201 403-8185
    Email: deborah@zitopartners.com

    Important Information

    Shares of ETFs are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

    Carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds’ prospectuses or, if available, the summary prospectuses which may be obtained by visiting www.wedbushfunds.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

    AI Technology Risk. AI technology is generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, and it is not possible or practicable to incorporate all relevant data into the model that such AI utilizes to operate. Certain data in such models will inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error – potentially materially so – and could otherwise be inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of the AI technology. Companies involved in, or exposed to, artificial intelligence-related businesses may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence, and many depend significantly on retaining and growing the consumer base of their respective products and services. Many of these companies are also reliant on the end-user demand of products and services in various industries that may in part utilize artificial intelligence. Further, many companies involved in, or exposed to, artificial intelligence-related businesses may be substantially exposed to the market and business risks of other industries or sectors, and the Fund may be adversely affected by negative developments impacting those companies, industries or sectors.

    Calculation Methodology Risk. The Index relies directly or indirectly on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser can offer assurances that the Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers or a correct valuation of securities, nor can they guarantee the availability or timeliness of the production of the Index.

    Concentration Risk. The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.

    Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Narrowly focused thematic investments will be more susceptible to factors affecting that sector and subject to more volatility.

    The Wedbush Funds are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, are not affiliated.

    Investment products are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency, may lose value, and are not a deposit of or guaranteed by any bank or any bank affiliate.

    The MIL Network –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: US pushes trade partners for best offer by June 4

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

    The U.S. administration has pressed its trading partners via letters to submit their best offers by Wednesday, the White House confirmed Tuesday.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on June 3, 2025. The U.S. administration has pressed its trading partners via letters to submit their best offers by Wednesday, the White House confirmed Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the letters sent from the United States Trade Representative were “just to give them a friendly reminder that the deadline is coming up.” (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the letters sent from the United States Trade Representative were “just to give them a friendly reminder that the deadline is coming up.”

    Leavitt added that the Trump administration officials are still in talks with trade partners to strike deals during the 90-day pause.

    Local media revealed that the letters asked trade partners to list their best proposals by Wednesday in several key areas, including tariff and quota offers for the purchase of U.S. industrial and agricultural products as well as plans to remedy any non-tariff barriers.

    The 90-day negotiation window from April 9 to July 8 was established after market volatility forced the White House to pause its “Liberation Day” tariffs imposed on April 2.

    The White House did not disclose which economies received the letters.

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 5, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: China commits USD 600,000 to support WTO accession and least-developed countries

    Source: WTO

    Headline: China commits USD 600,000 to support WTO accession and least-developed countries

    The China Programme — launched in July 2011 under the WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative — aims to enable LDCs to better integrate into the global economy by strengthening their participation in WTO activities and helping those not yet members join the Organization. The signing ceremony was held on the side of a meeting of trade ministers hosted by Australia on the sidelines of the annual Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 
    The China Programme finances activities to support, among others:

    An internship programme at the WTO
    China Round Tables on WTO accessions
    Increasing participation of LDCs in WTO meetings
    South-South dialogue on LDCs and development
    Follow-up workshops to LDCs’ Trade Policy Reviews
    LDCs Experience Sharing Programme

    The Programme has also contributed to financing the participation of LDC government officials in WTO ministerial conferences.
    More information can be found here.
    DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I warmly welcome the renewal of this programme, which stands as testimony to China’s commitment to facilitating the integration of LDCs into global trade. A substantial part of this programme goes to support LDCs and other economies in the process of acceding to the WTO, an important step in using trade to meet their economic and development objectives. China’s contribution in current challenging times is mostly welcome.”
    Minister Wang said: “In the past years, by continuously funding various activities of the China Programme, China has been taking every solid step to help developing members, especially the LDCs, better integrate into the multilateral trading system. Noticing the technical assistance resource constraints WTO is currently facing, China raises its contribution to the China Programme to USD 600,000, demonstrating its firm support to WTO capacity building activities for developing members especially the LDCs. In the future, China is willing to continue making contributions, better operate the China Programme together with the Secretariat, and implement the Global Development Initiative (GDI) with practical actions.”
    Each year, the WTO Secretariat and the government of China review the contents and consider the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on the China Programme.
    Since 2008, China has contributed just around USD 11 million (approximately CHF 9.0 million) to assist developing economy members and observers , especially LDCs, in integrating more fully into the multilateral trade system.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: WTO upgrades e-Learning platform to enhance user experience and learning outcomes

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WTO upgrades e-Learning platform to enhance user experience and learning outcomes

    This upgrade marks a major step forward in expanding access to WTO e-Learning courses. Forming part of the technical assistance programmes delivered by the WTO Secretariat to build trade capacity in developing and least-developed members and observers, these courses are also freely accessible to the wider public across all sectors.
    “We are excited to launch the upgraded platform, which reflects our continued commitment to accessible and high-quality trade-related learning,” said Roberto Fiorentino, Head of the WTO e-Learning Unit. “The improvements will enable users to navigate more easily the e-Learning platform, manage their learning more effectively, and engage more deeply with the WTO’s online training.”
    Key upgrades to the platform include:

    A redesigned user interface featuring intuitive navigation, improved accessibility features and simplified access to the course catalogue, certificates and support resources.
    A refined course catalogue with advanced search and filtering options, making it easier to find courses by language, level, topic, training path and duration.
    Greater flexibility in assessments, including extended time limits, retake opportunities for final exams, and enhanced dashboard tools for tracking progress.
    Strengthened community engagement through updated discussion forums and mobile app notifications to foster collaboration among participants.
    Simplified access to learning reports, empowering learners to easily monitor their progress.
    A newly developed Help Centre offering comprehensive guidance on technical requirements, registration, eligibility, certification criteria and more.
    Enhanced data protection through advanced security measures to safeguard user information and ensure a safe digital learning environment.

    The WTO e-Learning platform currently offers 176 free courses covering various WTO agreements and trade-related issues, with additional courses under development. With over 13,000 government officials from developing and least-developed WTO members and observers enrolled in these courses, along with more than 9,000 e-learners from academia, the private sector and other professional communities, the upgraded e-Learning platform is designed to be more user-centric and responsive, ensuring that it meets the evolving needs of its diverse user base.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE: RIB Software Launches Global Customer Campaign: “You See It. Together, We’ll See It Through”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Stuttgart, Germany, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stuttgart, Germany – May 2025 – RIB Software, a global leader in engineering and construction software technology, today announced the launch of its latest global brand campaign: “You See It. Together, We’ll See It Through.” The campaign celebrates the diverse community of industry professionals shaping the built environment – and RIB’s role in empowering them with digital solutions that enable smarter, faster, and more sustainable project outcomes.

    “Whether our customers are creating entire cities, infrastructure, or spaces where people live or work, RIB stands beside them from planning to breaking ground and beyond – with tools that reduce costs, save time, and minimize environmental impact,” explains Mads Bording, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at RIB Software.

    The campaign reflects RIB’s belief that the future of the industry depends on more connected, empowered project teams. Its suite of connected solutions helps architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals simplify operations, improve profitability, and deliver sustainable results – whether they’re managing a small-scale development or a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project. 

    “At RIB, we believe every project starts with a vision,” said René Wolf, CEO of RIB Software. “Our new brand campaign is about showing that we don’t just provide the technology – we commit to the journey. Our customers see the vision, and together, we’re committed to helping them see it through.”

    Trusted by leading AEC professionals worldwide, RIB’s tools provide a digital thread across the entire project lifecycle, ensuring more effective collaboration and better outcomes at every stage. No matter the size or complexity of a project, RIB delivers the insights, automation, and support needed to get it over the line, on time and on budget.

    Every structure begins with an idea. But it takes more than vision to bring complex builds to life. From architects and estimators to project managers and executives, the engineering and construction industry depends on close collaboration, timely insight, and trusted support. RIB’s technology is built with this in mind – tailored to meet the real-world needs of the people who plan, build, and deliver.

    As part of RIB’s Hard Hats & Hi Tech podcast series, customers from around the world have shared their firsthand experience with RIB tools, and how these solutions are helping them meet real challenges on real projects.

    “RIB Candy has made my life easier. Everything is integrated, which means I can manage cost reports, payment certificates, and valuations without switching between tools,” said Luscha Matsane, Quantity Surveyor at Tri-Star Construction. “It’s a platform that understands how we actually work on-site, and it’s changed how I collaborate and justify decisions with clients.”

    “RIB SpecLink helps me work faster, smarter, and with more confidence,” said Eric Letbetter, specification consultant and founder of Letbetter Ink. “The linking engine automates decisions across the spec set, reduces errors, and lets me focus on quality and context. It’s completely changed the way I approach spec writing—and how I teach others to do it.”

    “At RIB, we don’t just build software – we build it the way people in the built environment actually work,” said René. “We understand the pressure of deadlines, the need for precision, and the challenge of coordination across multiple stakeholders. Our role is to help our customers deliver with confidence.”

    RIB invites AEC leaders, innovators, and visionaries to explore the campaign and discover how a partnership with RIB can help them realize their boldest ideas.

    To learn more, visit https://www.rib-software.com/en/rib.  

    [ENDS]

    About RIB Software

    Driven by transformative digital technologies and trends, RIB is committed to propelling the industry forward and making engineering and construction more efficient and sustainable.

    Throughout its 60-year history, the business has expanded its global footprint to incorporate more than 550,000 users and 2,500 talents, with the vision of transforming the operation into a worldwide powerhouse and providing innovative software solutions to its core markets – while placing its people at the heart of everything it does.

    Managing the entire project lifecycle, from planning and construction, to operation and maintenance, the development of RIB’s portfolio of software solutions is driven by industry expertise, best practice and a passion to remain at the cutting edge of technology. 

    Ultimately, it aims to connect people, processes and data in innovative ways to ensure its customers always complete projects within budget, on time and to high quality, while reducing their carbon footprints. 

    RIB Software is a proud Schneider Electric company.

    Press Enquiries

    Kim Immelman
    kim.immelman@rib-software.com

    Attachment

    • 2025_RIB_PR_RIB Software Launches Global Customer Campaign- “You See It. Together, We’ll See It Through”.pdf

    The MIL Network –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax® ETFs Announces Distributions on XYZY, WNTR, SMCY, AIYY, MSTY, and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax® today announced distributions for the YieldMax® Weekly Payers and Group D ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF Ticker1 ETF Name Distribution
    Frequency
    Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution
    Rate
    2,4
    30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date &
    Record Date
    Payment
    Date
    CHPY YieldMax® Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.3455 34.50% 0.38% 100.00% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    GPTY YieldMax® AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2977 33.62% 0.00% 100.00% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    LFGY YieldMax® Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4664 61.02% 0.00% 100.00% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    QDTY YieldMax® Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2307 28.16% 0.00% 100.00% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    RDTY YieldMax® R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2108 24.27% 0.89% 95.29% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    SDTY YieldMax® S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2175 25.86% 0.00% 100.00% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    ULTY YieldMax® Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.0945 78.74% 0.00% 100.00% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    YMAG YieldMax® Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.2089 70.40% 66.50% 97.56% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    YMAX YieldMax® Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1721 65.23% 88.53% 92.64% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    AIYY YieldMax® AI Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3209 88.81% 2.97% 96.86% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    AMZY YieldMax® AMZN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5955 48.28% 3.09% 94.01% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    APLY YieldMax® AAPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3119 30.96% 3.42% 89.96% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    DISO YieldMax® DIS Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5588 50.22% 3.16% 94.89% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    MSTY YieldMax® MSTR Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $1.4707 85.27% 1.76% 97.45% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    SMCY YieldMax® SMCI Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $1.5795 99.93% 3.05% 97.21% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    WNTR YieldMax® Short MSTR Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $3.0725 104.26% 2.89% 97.57% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    XYZY YieldMax® XYZ Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.8732 109.59% 2.93% 98.01% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    YQQQ YieldMax® Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2650 23.18% 3.35% 86.54% 6/5/25 6/6/25
    Weekly Payers & Group A ETFs scheduled for next week: CHPY GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY UTLY YMAG YMAX CRSH FEAT FIVY GOOY OARK SNOY TSLY TSMY XOMO YBIT

    Standardized Performance and Fund details can be obtained by clicking the ETF Ticker in the table above or by visiting us at www.yieldmaxetfs.com

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH, YQQQ and WNTR are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1All YieldMax® ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. YMAG has a management fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.83% for a gross expense ratio of 1.12%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax® ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio of 1.40%, and a net expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.

    2The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on June 3, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

    3The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended May 31, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    4Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.
    5ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage indicates how much the distribution reflects an investor’s initial investment. The figures shown for each Fund in the table above are estimates and may later be determined to be taxable net investment income, short-term gains, long-term gains (to the extent permitted by law), or return of capital. Actual amounts and sources for tax reporting will depend upon the Fund’s investment activities during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. Your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year to tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Contact Vince DiLullo vdilullo@tidalfg.com for more information.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax® ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax® ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax® ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory, and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole. Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to CHPY)

    Semiconductor Industry Risk. Semiconductor companies may face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, and such competition may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Semiconductor companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Semiconductor companies’ supply chain and operations are dependent on the availability of materials that meet exacting standards and the use of third parties to provide components and services.

    The products of semiconductor companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Capital equipment expenditures could be substantial, and equipment generally suffers from rapid obsolescence. Companies in the semiconductor industry are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights would adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax® ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax® ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax® ETFs

    The MIL Network –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Moldova – A10-0096/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Moldova

    (2025/2025(INI))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Republic of Moldova 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0698),

    – having regard to the Commission opinion of 17 June 2022 on the application by the Republic of Moldova (hereinafter ‘Moldova’) for membership of the European Union (COM(2022)0406) and the joint staff working document of 6 February 2023 entitled ‘Association Implementation Report on the Republic of Moldova’ (SWD(2023)0041),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2025/535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 March 2025 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova[1],

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on Moldova,

    – having regard to the Commission analytical report of 1 February 2023 on Moldova’s alignment with the EU acquis (SWD(2023)0032),

    – having regard to the proposal of 9 October 2024 for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova (COM/2024/0469),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 9 October 2024 on the Moldova Growth Plan (COM/2024/0470),

    – having regard to the Council conclusions of 17 December 2024 on enlargement,

    – having regard to the visit of the delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to Moldova on 25-27 February 2025,

    – having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0096/2025),

    A. whereas, following Moldova’s application for EU membership of 3 March 2022, the European Council granted it candidate status on 23 June 2022 and subsequently decided to open accession negotiations on 14 December 2023;

    B. whereas in June 2024 negotiations on Moldova’s EU accession started;

    C. whereas Moldova held a referendum on 20 October 2024, the outcome of which confirmed the embedding of EU accession into its Constitution, despite various forms of manipulative interference to destabilise the country, illicit financing of political actors, disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks;

    D. whereas the Association Agreement[2], which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (AA/DCFTA), remains the basis for political association and economic integration between the EU and Moldova, and a regular political and economic dialogue is ongoing between the two sides;

    Progress with EU accession-related reforms, in particular on the rule of law and governance

    1. Commends Moldova’s exemplary commitment and steady progress with EU accession-related reforms despite significant internal and external challenges – such as Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine – which made it possible for accession negotiations to start in June 2024, half a year after the relevant decision by the European Council on 14 December 2023 and less than two years after the country’s application for EU membership on 3 March 2022;

    2. Recognises that EU-Moldova relations have entered into a new phase, with intensifying cooperation, gradual alignment across all policy areas of the EU acquis and advancement on the EU integration path; welcomes the progress achieved in the bilateral screening process since it started in July 2024 and the recent closing of screening for cluster 1 (fundamentals) and cluster 2 (internal market); commends and supports the ambition of the Moldovan Government to open negotiations on cluster 1 (fundamentals), cluster 2 (internal market) and cluster 6 (external relations) in the coming months, as well as completing the screening process for all clusters by the end of 2025; calls on the Commission to enhance its support to the Moldovan Government in order to ensure the successful achievement of these key objectives; encourages the Council to take a merit-based approach in its decisions on Moldova’s negotiation process; deplores the bilateralisation and instrumentalisation of the EU accession process, such as the opposition of the Hungarian Government to opening negotiations on clusters 1, 2 and 6, which has led to a delay and serves Russia’s objective of obstructing the European integration of the region;

    3. Believes that Moldova’s capacity to consolidate its current progress with EU accession-related reforms and sustain the ambitious pace towards EU membership will require the strong and genuine support of a parliamentary majority after the elections in autumn 2025;

    4. Notes that the outcomes of both the constitutional referendum on EU accession, held on 20 October 2024, and the presidential election, held on 20 October 2024 and 3 November 2024, confirmed the support of a majority of the people of Moldova for the country’s goal of EU membership and the required pro-EU reforms; underlines that this referendum and election were held professionally and with an extraordinary sense of duty and dedication, despite a massive hybrid campaign by Russia and its proxies which used various tools, such as the strategic exploitation of social media, AI-generated content, ‘leaks’ of fake documents, intimidation, which entailed various forms of manipulative interference to destabilise the country, illicit financing of political actors, vote-buying, including by Russia’s instrumentalisation of parts of the clergy from the Metropolis of Chisinau and All Moldova, disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks; recalls that these attacks had four key strategies: divide society, delegitimise institutions, discredit democratic actors and promote Russian influence; welcomes the outcome of the 2024 constitutional referendum which enshrined the commitment to joining the EU in the country’s constitution; strongly condemns the increasing attempts by Russia, pro-Russian oligarchs and Russian-sponsored local proxies to destabilise Moldova, sow divisions within Moldovan society and derail the country’s pro-EU direction through hybrid attacks, the instrumentalisation of energy supplies, disinformation, manipulation and intimidation campaigns targeting civil society organisations and independent media;

    5. Notes that the upcoming parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025 will be of crucial importance for the continuation of Moldova’s pro-EU trajectory; is concerned about the likely intensification of foreign, in particular Russian, malign interference and hybrid attacks ahead of the elections; calls for the EU to increase its support, including financial and technical support, for the Moldovan Government’s efforts to counter such interference in the country’s democratic process, including through additional sanctions listings, an extension and consolidation of the mandate and resources of the EU Partnership Mission (EUPM) in Moldova and the granting of additional support thereto, and the sharing of expertise in foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), countering hybrid threats and strengthening resilience; calls similarly for an increase in efforts by the Moldovan authorities and the EU in support of independent media and pro-democracy civil society, in order to enable journalists at national and regional level to counter FIMI and to strengthen digital literacy;

    6. Stresses the importance of strategic communication, debunking and combating false, Russia-promoted narratives about the EU and its policies and of highlighting the concrete short- and long-term benefits of EU accession for the people of all of Moldova, with a special focus on regions such as Gagauzia as well as socio-economically disadvantaged communities in rural areas; calls for the EU to step up its support for Moldova in this regard;

    Socio-economic reforms

    7. Welcomes the Commission’s Moldova Growth Plan,  which is aimed at supporting Moldova’s socio-economic and fundamental reforms and enhancing access to the EU’s single market; welcomes the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova, which underpins the Growth Plan and is worth EUR 2.02 billion, making it the largest EU financial support package for Moldova since its independence; underlines that this facility provides Moldova with EUR 520 million in non-repayable support and a maximum amount of EUR 1.5 billion in loans, with an 18 % pre-financing rate, demonstrating the EU’s recognition of the urgency of supporting Moldova’s reforms and resilience; calls on the Commission to support the Moldovan authorities in implementing the necessary Reform Agenda for the effective absorption of funds from this facility, ensuring that the benefits of this support are promptly felt by Moldova’s citizens; looks forward to the announced impact assessment of the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova in the form of a Commission staff working document within three months of the adoption of the corresponding regulation;

    8. Calls on the Commission to include adequate dedicated pre-accession funds for Moldova in the EU’s next multiannual financial framework, and to begin preparing Moldova for the efficient use of future pre-accession funds as a newly designated EU candidate country;

    9. Reiterates that the support of the people of Moldova for European integration can be strengthened with a tangible improvement in their livelihoods, by strengthening state institutions and public administration in order to use project funding effectively and to implement and enforce the EU acquis, ensuring a robust welfare system and fighting corruption and oligarchic influence and ensuring accountability; calls on the Moldovan authorities to continue to ensure the meaningful involvement of civil society organisations, diaspora, vulnerable groups and social partners, including trade unions, in order to strengthen trust in democratic institutions and processes and boost public support for EU accession-related reforms;

    10. Stresses the importance of civil society organisations in monitoring governance and progress with EU-related reforms, promoting transparency, defending human rights and countering disinformation and external malign influence by anti-reform political actors and Russian proxies;

    11. Calls for comprehensive social policy reforms to address poverty and persistent large-scale emigration, increase healthcare coverage, strengthen public education, improve working conditions and develop adequate social protection systems; emphasises that economic development must be inclusive and sustainable, with opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises; stresses the need for targeted social investment in Moldova’s young people and rural areas to reduce regional disparities and safeguard social cohesion;

    12. Calls for special emphasis on Moldova’s participation in EU social, educational, and cultural programmes in order to promote social convergence, innovation and technological advancement;

    13. Calls on Moldova to implement the Reform Agenda, which outlines the key socio-economic and fundamental reforms to accelerate the growth and competitiveness of Moldova’s economy and its convergence with the EU on the basis of enhanced implementation of the AA/DCFTA;

    14. Strongly calls for the acceleration of Moldova’s gradual integration into the EU and the single market by continuing to align its legal and regulatory framework with the EU acquis and associating the country to more EU programmes and initiatives, including through the granting of observer status to Moldovan officials and experts in relevant EU bodies, which would deliver tangible socio-economic benefits even before the country formally joins the EU; congratulates Moldova on its inclusion in the geographical scope of the Single Euro Payments Area payment schemes, facilitating transfers in euro and reducing costs for Moldova’s citizens and businesses; welcomes Moldova’s recent progress in the transposition of the EU’s roaming and telecommunications acquis and expresses support for a swift decision on the inclusion of Moldova into the EU ‘roam like at home’ area; calls on the service providers to cooperate in good faith with the Moldovan authorities on implementing ‘roam like at home’;

    15. Welcomes the renewal of the EU’s temporary trade liberalisation measures in July 2024 in order to support Moldova’s economy, substituting the loss of trade caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its unfriendly policies towards Moldova; calls for the EU to take swift and significant steps towards the permanent liberalisation of its tariff-rate quotas, in order to ensure predictability and increase the country’s attractiveness to investors;

    16. Notes that the recent decision of the US administration to suspend support for civil society, independent media, key reforms and infrastructure projects has created additional urgent needs in Moldova, regarding which the EU should step in; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to increase its funding for EU instruments supporting democracy, such as the European Endowment for Democracy, and for other key projects that had until recently been funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and other US agencies;

    Human rights

     

    17. Notes Moldova’s progress towards achieving gender equality, including its adoption of the Programme for Promoting and Ensuring Equality between Women and Men for the 2023-2027 period, and calls for its continued efforts in this regard, particularly to reduce the gender pay gap, fight against stereotypes, discrimination and gender-based violence, and to increase the representation of women in politics and business;

    18. Welcomes the efforts by the Moldovan authorities to combat violence against women and improve protection for survivors, in particular the adoption of the National Programme on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence for the 2023-2027 period; notes that the impact of this, however, is still lacking and therefore calls for the establishment of more shelters for survivors of domestic violence, for adequate attention by the justice system to violence against women and for policy changes and increased awareness-raising among men regarding gender-based violence;

    19. Calls on the Moldovan Government to strengthen its efforts, including the effective implementation of its legislative framework, to combat racial discrimination, marginalisation, racist hate speech and hate crimes targeting members of ethnic minority groups, including the Roma;

    20. Commends Moldova’s efforts to improve the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community in recent years;

    21. Calls on the Moldovan Government to fully align its legislation on the rights of persons with disabilities with the EU acquis and to tackle the systemic problem of children with intellectual disabilities being placed in psychiatric institutions;

    Energy, environment and connectivity

    22. Condemns Russia’s instrumentalisation of energy against Moldova, most recently by halting gas supplies to the Transnistrian region on 1 January 2025, in violation of contractual obligations, and thereby provoking a serious crisis in the region; applauds the Commission’s swift proposal of a Comprehensive Strategy for Energy Independence and Resilience and its support package worth EUR 250 million, which will reduce the energy bills of Moldovan consumers, including in the Transnistrian region, support Moldova’s decoupling from Russia’s energy supplies and integrate Moldova into the EU energy market; emphasises the need for the EU and the Moldovan authorities to effectively communicate about the substantial EU support package aimed at addressing Moldova’s energy crisis;

    23. Commends the alignment of the Moldovan energy sector with the EU acquis; calls on the Moldovan Government to continue its efforts, with EU support that includes the tools available from the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova, to diversify gas and electricity supply routes, develop connectivity, increase energy efficiency and its internal production and storage capacity, as well as advance its full integration into the EU energy market in order to ensure Moldova’s energy security and resilience; stresses the importance of the completion of the Vulcanesti-Chisinau 400 kV overhead power line by the end of 2025 in order to reduce Moldova’s reliance on energy infrastructure in the Transnistrian region; calls on the EU to mobilise the necessary resources to help compensate for the withdrawal of USAID support for Moldova’s energy sector;

    24. Commends the Moldovan Government for its progress on decarbonisation, energy efficiency and transitioning to a green economy, including doubling the share of renewable energy to 30 % by 2030; encourages the EU and its Member States to continue to provide financial support and expertise to Moldovan counterparts in this area; welcomes the adoption in 2023 of Moldova’s National Climate Change Adaptation Programme until 2030 and its Action Plan for this purpose; calls on the Moldovan Government to adopt and begin implementing its National Energy and Climate Plan for the 2025-2030 period; notes the importance of implementing the commitments of the Energy Community’s Decarbonisation Roadmap, and implementing the Monitoring, Reporting, Verification and Accreditation package with a view to introducing carbon pricing and aligning with the EU emissions trading system;

    25. Believes that an extension of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridor Baltic Sea-Black Sea-Aegean Sea (Corridor IX) to include the route of Chisinau-Constanta-Varna-Bourgas would be a strategic investment in the region’s transport infrastructure, enhancing connectivity and promoting economic growth, in view of the enlargement of the EU to the east and the potential positive impact of this extension on the region’s security and stability, serving as a key logistics route for NATO and enhancing the EU’s geostrategic autonomy;

    Rule of law and good governance

    26. Underlines that comprehensive justice reform remains key for the success of Moldova’s democratic and EU accession-related reforms; recognises Moldova’s sustained efforts to build an independent, impartial, accountable and professional judicial system and conclude the vetting process by the end of 2026; calls, therefore, for the EU to continue actively supporting the justice reform and the process of vetting both judges and prosecutors, including the attraction, training and recruitment of qualified judicial personnel and increase in judicial capacity;

    27. Notes that Moldova has achieved progress in the fight against and prevention of corruption, but stresses the need to continue the fight against money laundering; welcomes the entry into force in February 2024 of Moldova’s National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Programme for 2024-2028; highlights the need to ensure enhanced coordination among all key anti-corruption and justice institutions in order to implement comprehensive reforms and to ensure that they have adequate resources and capacities; stresses that results in terms of prosecution and conviction in corruption cases need to be delivered in order to ensure public trust in the ongoing reforms;

    28. Recalls the importance of continuing the investigation and bringing to justice those responsible for the 2014 bank fraud; welcomes the fact that, after long efforts by the Moldovan authorities, Interpol has finally added one of the alleged perpetrators, Vladimir Plahotniuc, to its list of internationally wanted persons;

    29. Welcomes the adoption by Moldova in 2023 of a new national strategy for preventing and combating human trafficking, aligned with the EU acquis, and the cooperation of Moldova with Europol in combating drug trafficking;

     

    30. Expresses its readiness to continue supporting the Parliament of Moldova through mutually agreed democracy support activities that respond to the needs of the institution, its elected members and staff; underlines the importance of the Parliament of Moldova in fostering public debate about the country’s European future and achieving a broad consensus over, and democratic legitimacy of, EU accession-related reforms across political parties and among broader society; highlights the decision of 10 March 2025 to open a European Parliament office in Chisinau to further strengthen Parliament’s engagement with the Eastern Partnership region;

    Cooperation in the field of common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and progress on resolving the Transnistrian conflict

    31. Welcomes Moldova’s consistent cooperation on foreign policy issues and the significantly increased rate, notably from 54 % in 2022 to 86 % in 2024, of its alignment with the EU’s CFSP positions and restrictive measures; invites it to continue to improve this alignment, including on restrictive measures against Russia, and to continue cooperation on preventing the circumvention of sanctions against Russia and Belarus related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;

    32. Underlines that Moldova is a key contributor to the regional and European security, including through its unwavering support to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s war of aggression, for example by welcoming Ukrainian war refugees, and through its contributions to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, for example by deploying firefighting teams to tackle severe wildfires in Greece;

    33. Expresses its support for the EUPM in Moldova and calls on the Member States to contribute the necessary experts and financial resources, in anticipation of a potential intensification of hybrid threats; welcomes the recent extension of the EUPM’s mandate until April 2026; encourages the Moldovan authorities to make full use of the EUPM’s expertise to enhance its preparedness, particularly in view of repeated electoral interference ahead of the parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025; calls for the EU to draw from the experience gained in Moldova in protecting the electoral process and democratic institutions in the EU itself; encourages the European External Action Service and the Commission to use all available EU instruments in the area of countering hybrid threats, in order to continue to support Moldova, including by swiftly deploying a Hybrid Rapid Response Team; welcomes the establishment of Moldova’s Centre for Strategic Communications and Countering Disinformation, as a means of coordinating the fight against foreign interference among the various Moldovan institutions, and of the National Agency for Cyber Security and the National Institute for Cyber Security Innovations; notes that Moldova’s National Security Strategy, adopted in December 2023, highlights EU accession as a key objective and for the first time identifies Russia as the source of major threats to Moldova’s security; stresses the importance of improving information sharing and intelligence cooperation between Moldova and the EU and its Member States on security threats;

     

    34. Reiterates its full commitment to Moldova’s territorial integrity and to the peaceful resolution of the conflict, based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova in its internationally recognised borders;

    35. Welcomes the Commission’s initiatives to include proactive support for the Transnistrian region in its energy emergency support packages, and exchange of information and practical cooperation between the Moldovan Government and the de facto authorities of the Transnistrian region throughout the energy crisis caused by Russia; welcomes the progress regarding the conditionalities for Tiraspol in light of the recent gas transit agreement and calls for the full implementation of these conditionalities, including the release of all political prisoners by Tiraspol and the dismantling of the remaining illegal checkpoints;

    36. Welcomes Moldova’s keen interest in contributing to the EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP) and the fact that Moldova is the first country to sign a security and defence partnership with the EU; welcomes Moldova’s continued active participation in EU missions and operations under the CSDP, its interest in participation in PESCO projects and the ongoing negotiations on a framework agreement with the European Defence Agency; calls on the EU to include Moldova in the EU security and defence programmes and related budget allocations, including the European Defence Industry Programme and Readiness 2030, allowing the country to participate in joint procurement alongside the Member States;

    37. Welcomes the allocation of EUR 50 million to modernise the defence capacities of the Moldovan Armed Forces in the context of the current security challenges through the European Peace Facility (EPF) for 2024; notes that Moldova is the second-largest EPF beneficiary after Ukraine, with a total of EUR 137 million allocated since 2021; welcomes the announced support of EUR 60 million to be provided to Moldova from the EPF budget in 2025; calls on the Member States to progressively increase the EPF funding for Moldova to further enhance the country’s defence capabilities;

    °

    ° °

    38. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union – A10-0094/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT NON-LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the proposal for a Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union

    (05673/2025 – C10‑0012/2025 – 2024/0245M(NLE))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Commission proposal of 2 October 2024 for a Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union (COM(2024)0446),

    – having regard to the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union (C10‑0012/2025),

    – having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10-0012/2025),

    – having regard to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT)[1],

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community[2],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market[3] (EU Timber Regulation),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010[4] (EU Deforestation Regulation),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640),

    – having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal[5],

    – having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2020 on the EU’s role in protecting and restoring the world’s forests[6],

    – having regard to its resolution of 22 October 2020 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation[7],

    – having regard to the Paris Agreement and to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on halting and reversing nature loss,

    – having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part[8],

    – having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,

    – having regard to the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use,

    – having regard to its legislative resolution of [XXXX][9] on the draft Council decision,

    – having regard to Rule 107(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A10-0094/2025),

    A. whereas the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union (FLEGT) entered into force on 1 December 2011 and is one of the first agreements of this kind to be concluded; whereas the VPA’s objective is to provide a framework of legislation, systems, controls and verification procedures to ensure that all timber exports from Cameroon into the EU market have been acquired, harvested, transported and exported legally;

    B. whereas Cameroon has over 18 million hectares of forest, which accounts for approximately 40 % of its national territory; whereas Cameroon is Africa’s largest exporter of tropical hardwoods to the EU; whereas illegal logging and forest conversion, enabled by poor forest governance and driven by trade, are major contributors to deforestation in Cameroon; whereas 900 000 hectares of forest cover were lost between 2011 and 2022, representing 5 % of the country’s forest cover during this period;

    C. whereas nearly half of the total exports from Cameroon are directed to European markets, with timber as the third most important product after oil and cocoa; whereas all three of these sectors generally contribute to deforestation, and the growth of their production is part of Cameroon’s national development strategy for 2020-2030;

    D. whereas all shipments of timber and timber products from Cameroon destined for the EU market should comply with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) requiring operators to perform due diligence checks to ensure the timber products they place on the EU market are legal; whereas since 2015, Cameroon has been developing a timber legality assurance system (TLAS), as required by the VPA; whereas to date, Cameroon has not fully established the TLAS and thereby cannot qualify for a FLEGT licence; whereas the TLAS is based on a legality definition, supply chain controls, verification of compliance, FLEGT licensing and an independent audit; whereas this legality verification system is not yet operational;

    E. whereas the purpose and expected benefits of FLEGT VPAs go beyond the facilitation of trade in legal timber, as they are also designed to bring about systemic changes in forest governance, law enforcement, transparency and the inclusion of various stakeholders in the political decision-making process, including indigenous and local communities and civil society organisations;

    F. whereas the FLEGT licensing scheme, which forms an integral part of the VPA, was expected to be in place within five years of the reform of the legal framework; whereas this licensing scheme is not yet in place, implying that the VPA between the EU and Cameroon is not operational to date; whereas the EU FLEGT VPA programme, coordinated by the French Development Agency, was not implemented in Cameroon as planned for the years 2021-2025;

    G. whereas the forest reform, launched in 2008 with the aim of revising the 1994 forest code, was finalised in July 2024 with the publication of the new Forest Code; whereas illegal logging is conducted partly on the basis of small logging titles (ventes de coupe) that do not require management plans and are more difficult to control compared to the oversight of large-scale concessions; whereas the national control systems are not operational, due to corruption and insufficient resources, so enforcement and governance remain weak, making it possible for illegal and unsustainable logging operations to continue;

    H. whereas the development of the legality verification module in the traceability system is still pending, and the little progress made so far has not been independently audited, which would help build its credibility;

    I. whereas Cameroon has not been able to meet its VPA obligations over the last 10 years and the governance of the forest sector has worsened despite the existence of the VPA;

    J. whereas timber exports have shifted to Asian markets, particularly China and Vietnam diluting the economic incentive of the VPA, and consequently the relevance of the FLEGT licence; whereas Vietnam has become the second largest market for Cameroonian timber (after China), while Cameroon has become the largest supplier of tropical logs to Vietnam (accounting for 25 % of the logs imported between 2016 and 2019, in value); whereas a large part of timber trade flows concerns illegal logging, which deprives the Government of Cameroon of revenue and local communities of shared benefits; whereas the United States and the EU supported discussions between Cameroon and Vietnam to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of improving the transparency of the timber trade between both countries; whereas transparency and traceability in timber trade flows are essential for the credibility of legality assurance schemes; whereas, in this context, the EU should continue encouraging partner countries to strengthen import controls and ensure that timber sourced from them complies with legal requirements under national and VPA frameworks;

    K. whereas the Cameroon-EU VPA entered into force in 2011; whereas, despite the initial positive impacts on legal reform, multi-stakeholder participation, access to information and transparency, the VPA process was stalled in 2018; whereas the parties agreed in 2023 to undertake a joint VPA review, with the resulting report presenting four options for next steps, one of which was termination of the VPA by consensus; whereas this report was not made public until after the Commission notified the Council of the decision to terminate; whereas the Commission made the unilateral call to end the partnership;

    L. whereas key exports from Central Africa to the EU include timber, cocoa and tropical fruits; whereas the EU and the Republic of Cameroon signed a provisional Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in 2009, which remains in force as an interim arrangement while negotiations on a full regional EPA for Central Africa are ongoing; whereas future EU-Cameroon cooperation should aim to align trade policy instruments with sustainability goals, particularly under the EU Deforestation Regulation, in order to promote consistency, mutual benefit and predictability for operators on both sides;

    M. whereas the VPA is tacitly renewed every seven years, unless one party terminates it by notifying the other party of its decision at least 12 months before the expiry of the current seven-year period; whereas each party may terminate the VPA at any time by notifying the other party; whereas the VPA is terminated 12 months following that notification;

    N. whereas the continuation of the VPA could affect the credibility of the EU as a global champion of forest protection, sustainable and multifunctional agroforestry, soil and landscape protection, biodiversity, local rural economy and human rights standards and the integrity of VPAs as EU trade instruments; whereas the unilateral termination of the agreement could also tarnish the reputation of the EU as a reliable forestry actor and defender;

    O. whereas in its communication of 7 November 2024 on a strategic framework for international cooperation engagement, the Commission suggests that forest partnerships could build on or even replace VPAs; whereas, despite the challenges, VPAs have proven to be a key instrument in laying the groundwork for improved forest governance; whereas VPAs are legally binding agreements that can be complemented by forest partnerships; whereas there is a lack of information regarding the impacts of existing forest partnerships on the improvement of governance; whereas the Commission has not informed Parliament of the criteria underpinning its engagement in forest partnerships; whereas this failure to involve Parliament prior to developing partnerships with third countries has already occurred in the past; underscores the need for the EU to remain firmly committed to other existing VPAs;

    P. whereas a move away from the VPA model towards more extractive agreements such as raw materials partnerships or non-binding memoranda of understanding will undermine the EU’s credibility when it comes to the protection of biodiversity and the fight against deforestation;

    Q. whereas civil society in Cameroon is increasingly confronted with hostility and a shrinking space; whereas a circular published on 13 August 2024 obliges NGOs active in the forest sector to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife;

    1. Highlights that deforestation and forest degradation are key environmental challenges and are among the main drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss, while also having major negative social and economic impacts on producing communities and countries, especially on the more vulnerable parts of society and groups such as indigenous communities;

    2. Highlights that the environmental damage caused by deforestation will have hugely negative social and economic consequences for communities engaged in forestry;

    3. Recalls that the Samoa Agreement[10] between the EU and its Member States, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States reaffirms that the parties must promote a multi-stakeholder approach, enabling the active engagement of a wide variety of actors in partnership dialogue and cooperation processes, including parliaments, local authorities, civil society and the private sector, that inclusive partnership dialogue and action tailored to the specificities of the parties are the main tools to achieve these objectives, and that there is a need for a high level of environmental protection, while committing to halting deforestation and forest degradation as a means of protecting ecosystems as well as vulnerable communities and indigenous people, preserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change;

    4. Recalls that sustainable and inclusive forest management and governance are essential for achieving the objectives set out in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on halting and reversing nature loss;

    5. Recalls that in the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, the EU and Cameroon reaffirmed their commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030;

    6. Recalls Team Europe’s efforts in promoting political stability and economic development through sustainable and resilient territorial development in response to climate change;

    7. Underlines that the Global Gateway strategy should support Cameroon in promoting sustainable, inclusive and green development throughout its territory;

    8. Recalls that trade is an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction that helps to promote sustainable development; believes that VPAs provide an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries, but that this requires effective multi-stakeholder dialogue and good cooperation with and commitment from the countries concerned; recalls that in its early stages, the EU-Cameroon VPA resulted in concrete improvements, including on stakeholder participation and access to information, but that unfortunately this progress has stalled over the past 10 years; deplores the lack of progress in the implementation of the VPA with Cameroon, especially with regard to the enforcement, transparency and traceability of commitments, and is highly concerned about the ongoing deforestation and forest degradation not only by illegal logging, but also by other key drivers of deforestation, such as forest conversion for agricultural use and mining;

    9. Highlights the fact that addressing the root causes of deforestation, such as weak governance, ineffective law enforcement, insecure land tenures, lack of access to finance, shrinking civic space and corruption, requires the EU and its partner countries to carry out joint assessments based on the meaningful engagement of relevant stakeholders, such as indigenous people and local communities, with a view to overcoming regulatory implementation hurdles regarding transparency and traceability;

    10. Stresses that a robust and credible TLAS offers forest businesses greater legal certainty, simplified controls and more transparent processes, discouraging informal payments and corruption, while increasing revenues for both communities and the state;

    11. Underlines the importance of including civil society and local authorities in decision-making processes, of benefit-sharing with local communities and of reinforcing security and accountability;

    12. Regrets the need to end the legally binding VPA with Cameroon; agrees with the Commission that, in the light of the VPA’s shortcomings, this is the best policy option for the time being and stresses the need for the Commission to keep engaging with the Government of Cameroon on forestry; expresses concern about the impact of the termination of the VPA on diplomatic and economic relations between Cameroon and the EU and on the EU’s capacity to build meaningful future partnerships with the country; points out the potential negative impact on civic space, as the VPA facilitated dialogue between the Government of Cameroon and civil society; calls on the Commission to assess the impact of this decision on European businesses operating in or sourcing from Cameroon and to explore support mechanisms to preserve responsible trade channels and to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources;

    13. Underlines that the EU remains a committed partner of Cameroon in fostering economic growth and comprehensive human development; calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to engage in dialogue with the authorities of Cameroon to explore possibilities for constructive cooperation based on areas of mutual interest, combat illegal logging, support forest conservation and boost economic cooperation and trade;

    14. Notes with concern that Cameroon ranks 140th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index; urges the Government of Cameroon to work towards stopping widespread corruption and to address other factors fuelling illegal logging and forest degradation, with particular regard to customs, in cooperation with other authorities; stresses the importance of protecting human, labour and indigenous people’s rights, notably by respecting the principle of free, prior and informed consent in all circumstances when sourcing goods and products for the EU market; calls, in this context, on local authorities to extend special protections to children and indigenous communities; emphasises the importance of ensuring that civil society actors are given the necessary space and possibilities to engage with governmental actors;

    15. Highlights the fact that joint consultations with local authorities in Cameroon should be strengthened to drive positive change and reinforce and boost the credibility of local governance;

    16. Stresses that countries all over the world that either have or aim to have regulated import markets for legal timber would benefit from cooperating with and, where possible, endorsing each other’s rules and systems, such as the EU’s FLEGT and VPAs; emphasises that international standards would be more effective and would promote long-term legal security for businesses and consumers;

    17. Recognises the shortcomings of the current forestry zoning system; acknowledges that forest management plans, intended to ensure sustainability, have largely failed due to corruption and weak governance; calls for renewed cooperation between the EU and its partner countries in order to develop new practices and governance mechanisms to address these challenges;

    18. Calls on the Commission to explore alternatives in close dialogue with Cameroon to ensure the legality of timber and timber products originating from Cameroon and to properly address the problem of illegal timber logging; considers that a forest partnership, as outlined in the EU Deforestation Regulation, could be a possible option for cooperation between the EU and Cameroon; emphasises the importance of conducting a thorough diagnostic and independent evaluation of forest governance and trade trends in Cameroon, building on existing assessments, prior to entering into negotiations on a forest partnership; underlines that in order to be effective, any potential future partnerships would have to be developed through an open, transparent, inclusive, deliberative and non-discriminatory process with meaningful participation from civil society, trade unions and local and international NGOs, the private sector including microenterprises and other small and medium-sized enterprises, local authorities, local and indigenous communities, and farmers; stresses that ending impunity in the forest sector is a cornerstone of this process, which requires the protection of environmental defenders as well as an effective system to tackle human rights violations; calls for the EU to continue supporting and engaging in dialogue with Cameroon in order to tackle the challenges arising from deforestation in a spirit of equal partnership, and to promote sustainable and inclusive development throughout its territory including by establishing the robust and transformative timber traceability systems that are necessary to comply with the expanding requirements of consumer market regulations worldwide, whether under the EU Deforestation Regulation or other foreign legislation;

    19. Stresses the importance of the parliamentary oversight and monitoring of the VPA by Parliament’s Committee on International Trade; underlines the need for the meaningful and timely involvement of Parliament with regard to the assessment of the implementation of existing VPAs, as well as the negotiation, signing and implementation of any future forest partnerships; stresses the need to also include consultations with civil society organisations, the private sector and particularly indigenous communities, environmental and human rights defenders and trade unions; asks the Commission to regularly report to Parliament on the implementation of the VPAs and forest partnerships, including on the work of the joint implementation committees and on the strategies to be pursued in the coming years; highlights the need for an in-depth diagnostic and independent assessment of forest governance in Cameroon and for the relevant experiences and lessons learnt from the VPA process to be integrated into any future forest partnership;

    20. Underlines that despite the unprecedented unilateral termination of the VPA with Cameroon, VPAs continue to provide an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries, which has been made possible through good cooperation with and commitment from the countries concerned; stresses that the EU should remain fully committed to existing VPAs and that new VPAs with additional partners should be promoted, as they play a crucial role in facilitating transparent and accountable forest management, addressing the root causes of illegal logging, combating climate change, strengthening local people’s land tenure rights and providing a tool for civil society and forest communities to be involved in decision-making processes;

    21. Calls on the Commission to ensure coherence between the EU’s trade and sustainability frameworks when engaging with Cameroon and the broader central African region; encourages the Commission to ensure that the requirements and objectives of the EU Deforestation Regulation and related legislation are adequately taken into account in the context of the ongoing negotiations on a full regional economic partnership agreement; underlines the importance of providing technical assistance and regulatory guidance to partner countries to help align trade practices with environmental standards, particularly in sectors such as timber, cocoa and tropical agriculture;

    22. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Cameroon and all relevant stakeholders in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement process.

    EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

    The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT) entered into force on 1 December 2011 and is one of the first agreements of this kind that was concluded. The rapporteur regrets that Cameroon has not been able to honour its VPA obligations over the last 10 years and the governance of the forest sector has worsened despite the existence of the agreement. While the rapporteur believes that FLEGT VPAs provide an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries, they can only work properly when both sides are willing to cooperate and to adhere to their commitments. In the present case, the rapporteur believes that the best alternative is to terminate the agreement.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union – A10-0089/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

    on the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union

    (05673/2025 – C10‑0012/2025 – 2024/0245(NLE))

    (Consent)

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the draft Council decision (05673/2025),

    – having regard to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT)[1],

    – having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Articles 207(4) first subparagraph and Article 218(6) second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10‑0012/2025),

    – having regard to its non-legislative resolution of …[2] on the draft decision,

    – having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4) and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

    – having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A10-0089/2025),

    1. Gives its consent to the termination of the agreement;

    2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Cameroon.

     

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

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

     

    Entity and/or person

    Fern

     

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

     

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

    OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT (25.4.2025)

    for the Committee on International Trade

    on the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union

    (05673/2025 – C10‑0012/2025 – 2024/0245(NLE))

    Rapporteur for opinion: Ana Miranda Paz

     

     

    SHORT JUSTIFICATION

    The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the EU and the Republic of Cameroon entered into force on 1 December 2011 for a period of seven years. As it is tacitly renewable, the current seven-year period will expire on 30 November 2025.

    Located in the Congo Basin, nearly 40% of Cameroon’s territory is covered by tropical forests. However, deforestation remains a major issue, with 900,000 hectares of forest cover (equivalent to 5%) lost between 2011 and 2022. The primary drivers of deforestation include agricultural expansion, wood harvesting, extractive activities (such as iron mining and petroleum extraction), and infrastructure development. In addition, illegal and unsustainable logging continues to degrade the forests. Nearly half of Cameroon’s total exports are directed toward European markets, with timber ranking as the third most significant export, after petroleum and cocoa. However, all three sectors contribute to deforestation, and their expansion is a core part of Cameroon’s national development strategy for 2020-2030. The VPA was primarily designed to establish a legal framework ensuring the legality of timber exports to the EU by improving national control systems and governance while introducing legal verification and traceability systems.

    Since the VPA came into force, the Cameroonian government has failed to implement its key measures, particularly the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing scheme, as well as the legality verification and traceability systems. Furthermore, law enforcement remains weak due to a lack of resources and persistent corruption. Some slight improvements have been observed since 2020, including a decline in illegal logging rates in managed forests and a reduction in the share of illegal timber in both the export and domestic markets, as analysed in a report by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). However, the VPA’s contribution to these changes is assessed as relatively weak, especially when compared to similar agreements with other developing countries.

    In recent years, Cameroon’s timber exports have shifted toward Asian markets, where legality and sustainability standards receive little attention. In 2021, 59% of timber exports were destined for China and Vietnam, compared to 38% for the EU. For logs, exports to these two Asian markets accounted for 98%. A 2020 investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Centre pour l’Environnement et le Développement (CED) uncovered widespread violations of export laws, illegal harvesting, and labour violations, all at the core of the illegal timber trade between Cameroon and Vietnam.

    Your rapporteur believes that this situation damages the credibility of the EU as a global leader in forest protection, sustainable and multifunctional agroforestry, soil and landscape conservation, biodiversity, rural economic development, human rights standards, and the integrity of VPAs as EU trade instruments.

    Nonetheless, your rapporteur believes that it is of primary importance to draw key insights from the positive aspects of the FLEGT-VPAs process, particularly in terms of forest governance, and integrate them into any future Forest Partnership. Such partnerships should be established with the full involvement of the European Parliament. To be effective, they must be developed through an inclusive process that actively engages small-scale farmers, civil society, local communities and indigenous people while also incorporating an effective monitoring and enforcement mechanism.

    Given these challenges, the Council considers that continuing the VPA could undermine the credibility of both the EU and the VPAs as trade instruments. The VPA between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon has not been successfully implemented. If it were to be terminated, EU cooperation with Cameroon should shift toward supporting the country in implementing measures aligned with the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation.

    *******

    The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the draft Council decision on the termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union.

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

    The rapporteur for the opinion declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

     

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    Title

    Termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union

    References

    05673/2025 – C10-0012/2025 – 2024/0245(NLE)

    Committee(s) responsible

    INTA

     

     

     

    Opinion by

     Date announced in plenary

    DEVE

    31.3.2025

    Rapporteur for the opinion

     Date appointed

    Ana Miranda Paz

    18.3.2025

    Date adopted

    24.4.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    19

    1

    1

    Members present for the final vote

    Abir Al-Sahlani, Barry Andrews, Robert Biedroń, Udo Bullmann, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Niels Geuking, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Marc Jongen, Isabella Lövin, Thierry Mariani, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Leire Pajín, Kristoffer Storm

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Marieke Ehlers, Marit Maij, Carla Tavares

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

    Wouter Beke, Vladimir Prebilič, Paulius Saudargas, Andrea Wechsler, Tomáš Zdechovský

     

    FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
    BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

    19

    +

    ECR

    Małgorzata Gosiewska, Kristoffer Storm

    PPE

    Wouter Beke, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Niels Geuking, Paulius Saudargas, Andrea Wechsler, Tomáš Zdechovský

    PfE

    Marieke Ehlers, Tiago Moreira de Sá

    Renew

    Abir Al-Sahlani, Barry Andrews

    S&D

    Robert Biedroń, Udo Bullmann, Marit Maij, Leire Pajín, Carla Tavares

    Verts/ALE

    Isabella Lövin, Vladimir Prebilič

     

    1

    –

    PfE

    Thierry Mariani

     

    1

    0

    ESN

    Marc Jongen

     

    Key to symbols:

    + : in favour

    – : against

    0 : abstention

     

     

     

    PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

    Title

    Termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement governance and trade in timber and derived products to the Union

    References

    05673/2025 – C10-0012/2025 – 2024/0245(NLE)

    Date of consultation or request for consent

    18.2.2025

     

     

     

    Committee(s) responsible

    INTA

     

     

     

    Committees asked for opinions

     Date announced in plenary

    DEVE

    31.3.2025

     

     

     

    Rapporteurs

     Date appointed

    Karin Karlsbro

    14.10.2024

     

     

     

    Discussed in committee

    18.11.2024

    7.4.2025

     

     

    Date adopted

    15.5.2025

     

     

     

    Result of final vote

    +:

    –:

    0:

    28

    4

    2

    Members present for the final vote

    Christophe Bay, Brando Benifei, Lynn Boylan, Anna Bryłka, Udo Bullmann, Bart Groothuis, Karin Karlsbro, Bernd Lange, Ilia Lazarov, Thierry Mariani, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Ştefan Muşoiu, Daniele Polato, Majdouline Sbai, Lukas Sieper, Dominik Tarczyński, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Catarina Vieira, Jörgen Warborn, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez

    Substitutes present for the final vote

    Petras Auštrevičius, Markus Buchheit, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Fabio De Masi, Lina Gálvez, Jean-Marc Germain, Pierre Pimpie, Jessika Van Leeuwen

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

    Tobias Cremer, Niels Geuking, Cristina Guarda, Michalis Hadjipantela, Niels Flemming Hansen

    Date tabled

    16.5.2025

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Two incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Two incoming male passengers were sentenced to five months, two weeks, and three days’ imprisonment, and four months’ imprisonment with a fine of $1,000, at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (June 3) and today (June 4) respectively for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare it to Customs Officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

    Customs officers intercepted two incoming male passengers, aged 41 and 20, at Hong Kong International Airport on February 23 and April 8 respectively. About 83 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 24 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $434,000 and a duty potential of about $275,000 in total, were seized from their personal baggage. They were subsequently arrested.

    Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. 

    Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years. 

    Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

    Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Development of fintech

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Robert Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (June 4):
     
    Question:
     
         It is learnt that there are currently over 1 100 fintech companies in Hong Kong, including eight licensed digital banks, four virtual insurers and 10 virtual asset trading platforms. Regarding the development of fintech, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the plans in place to assist licensed fintech companies in expanding their operations and developing products, such as assisting them in expanding their service scope to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promoting the asset-under-management size and turnover of Exchange Traded Funds on Virtual Asset (VA), enhancing the international competitiveness and attractiveness of VA-related products, as well as developing more futures and options products for VAs, etc;
     
    (2) whether it will urge the regulators to allow institutional and retail investors to participate in more VA transactions of different types and currencies and relax the eligibility requirements for professional investors, as well as include VAs as assets under the Securities and Futures (Financial Resources) Rules, so as to facilitate the development of the VA market; and
     
    (3) how the Government will formulate enhancement measures in the three aspects of regulatory statute, tax concessions as well as publicity and promotion, so as to further attract large-scale international fintech companies to establish presence in Hong Kong, and of the plans in place to assist the financial services industry in introducing fintech in order to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs, thereby promoting the upgrading and transformation of the industry?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         As an international financial centre with a robust regulatory environment and abundant business opportunities, Hong Kong is an ideal location for promoting the development of fintech. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the financial regulators maintain close communication with the industry to understand their development needs, with a view to formulating appropriate measures to facilitate the development of fintech.

         My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
     
    (1) To facilitate the continuous and vibrant development of fintech enterprises in Hong Kong, we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy including enhancing Hong Kong’s financial infrastructure, building a vibrant fintech ecosystem, nurturing fintech talents, and strengthening our connection and co-operation with the industry in the Mainland and overseas, with a view to creating and providing a conducive environment, thereby promoting fintech innovation and application.
     
         On advancing investment products related to virtual assets (VAs), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) authorised the first batch of VA futures exchange traded funds (ETFs) for retail investor trading in December 2022, Asia’s first batch of VA spot ETFs in April 2024, as well as Asia’s first VA futures inverse product in July 2024. These products have broadened the product diversity of the Hong Kong market, further enhancing Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading ETF market.
     
         Besides, in February 2025, the SFC promulgated the “ASPIRe” roadmap, aspiring to strengthening the security, innovation and growth of the market in Hong Kong. One of the focuses of the roadmap is to expand the range of VA products and services, so as to fulfil the need of various types of investors under the prerequisite of investor protection, while enhancing the international competitiveness and attractiveness of Hong Kong’s VA market.
     
         The specific measures of the roadmap includes allowing staking services involving VA within systems with sufficient protection measures, to enable for investors to earn additional returns. In this regard, the SFC provided regulatory guidance respectively to licensed VATPs (virtual asset trading platform) on their provision of staking services, and to SFC-authorised funds with exposure to VA (VA Funds) on their engagement in staking. On April 10, 2025, the SFC allowed two licensed VATPs to provide staking services to clients through the imposition of relevant licensing conditions, which was followed by two SFC-authorised VA spot ETFs updating their fund documents in April and May 2025 for their engagement in staking activities.
     
         The SFC is also considering introducing VA derivatives trading for professional investors and will put in place robust risk management measures. These measures will further enrich the product options available in the Hong Kong market while ensuring that transactions are conducted in an orderly, transparent and safe manner.
     
         In light of the latest development of the VA market, the FSTB will promulgate the second Policy Statement on development of VA, articulating the next-step policy vision and direction, including exploring how to leverage the advantages of traditional financial services and innovative technologies in the area of VAs, enhance security and flexibility of real economy activities, and encourage local and international companies to explore the innovation and application of VA technologies.
     
         As for assisting fintech companies in expanding business, the Invest Hong Kong works closely with industry players to conduct publicity and promotion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including participating in major fintech events in the region, as well as connecting with local government departments, regulators, industry associations and innovation and technology parks, with a view to promoting advantages of Hong Kong fintech companies and further expanding into the Mainland market.
     
    (2) Currently, before including any VAs for trading, licensed VATP operators should perform all reasonable due diligence on these VAs, and ensure that these VAs continue to satisfy all criteria. Before providing any VA for retail trading, VATPs should take all reasonable steps to ensure the selected VAs are of high liquidity. The relevant requirements seek to provide sufficient protection for investors (especially retail investors). The SFC will continue to asset the potential risks of VAs in respect of volatility, liquidity, and market manipulation, etc, and keep a close watch of relevant international regulatory development, so as to review the aforementioned requirements. Further, in light of VAs’ nature, characteristics and risks, we will continuously evaluate whether the requirements relating to prudential treatment of VA exposures are in line with those in other jurisdictions.
     
         In respect of professional investors’ qualifying criteria and minimum monetary threshold requirements, the SFC has conducted a review during 2019/20. The outcome of the review was that the current minimum monetary thresholds were simple and easy-to-interpret and appropriately reflected an investor’s loss absorption ability, as well as being in line with those in comparable jurisdictions (such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Australia). We will continue to evaluate whether the professional investor qualification requirements are in line with those in comparable jurisdictions.
     
         It should be noted that with the International Organization of Securities Commissions’ (IOSCO) publication of its Final Report with Policy Recommendations for Crypto and Digital Asset Markets in November 2023, the IOSCO recommends that regulatory frameworks should seek to achieve regulatory outcomes for investor protection and market integrity that are the same as, or consistent with, those required in traditional financial markets, which is an approach adopted by the SFC since as early as 2018.
     
    (3) To attract more large-scale international fintech companies to establish presence in Hong Kong, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) offers one-stop services and special facilitation measures. On regulation, the OASES assists companies in understanding the licensing and regulatory framework of the relevant sectors and co-ordinates with the financial regulators when necessary to facilitate the licence applications. Regarding tax benefits, the OASES shares with companies information of applicable tax benefits and funding schemes and connects companies with the higher education institutions, research and development institutions and innovation and technology parks, with a view to expediting their business development in Hong Kong. Separately, we will further enhance the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest, including the inclusion of VAs as qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions. As for publicity and promotion, the OASES actively engages overseas and the Mainland strategic enterprises to introduce the advantages and policies in relation to fintech in Hong Kong through organising regular duty visits and enterprise exchange activities, thereby attracting more high-potential fintech companies to Hong Kong.
     
         The Government has been working closely with the financial regulators and industry players to actively promote the financial services sector to adopt fintech through multi-pronged measures. According to a survey in 2023, the adoption rate of generative AI in Hong Kong was the highest (38 per cent) among all markets and well above the global average (26 per cent). In October 2024, we issued a policy statement on the responsible application of AI in the financial market. Since the policy statement was issued, we have introduced various initiatives to assist the financial institutions in seizing the opportunities and adopting AI responsibly, including publishing practical guidelines, launching sandbox schemes, as well as organising seminars and talks.
     
         The Government and financial regulators will continue to maintain close liaison with the industry and assess their needs for fintech, with a view to formulating the corresponding support measures for facilitating the development of new quality productive forces.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Fisheries – a priority at the EU-UK summit on 19 May 2025 – P-001609/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission agrees on the importance of EU-United Kingdom (UK) cooperation in the area of fisheries, a key element of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

    The first ever EU-United Kingdom Summit took place on 19 May 2025. The Commission and the United Kingdom agreed a ‘Common Understanding’ which identifies areas of future work for strengthening the bilateral relationship. Throughout the discussions with the United Kingdom to prepare the Summit and to agree on a renewed agenda for EU-United Kingdom cooperation, fisheries was a priority to the Commission.

    The Common Understanding notes the political agreement with the United Kingdom leading to full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 2038. This will protect the rights of EU fishers and ensure stability and predictability for a period of 12 years. During this period, the Parties will have full reciprocal access to fish quota and non-quota stocks in each other’s waters (Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial waters).

    The Commission and the UK have committed to take the necessary steps to formalise this political agreement in the coming weeks and work is ongoing to do this.

    Last updated: 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North – 03-06-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Economic Area (EEA) was set up in 1994 to extend the EU’s provisions on its internal market to the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) countries. The EEA’s parties are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Switzerland is a member of EFTA, but not of the EEA. The EU and Nordic EEA EFTA partners (Norway and Iceland) are also linked by various ‘northern policies’ and forums that focus on the rapidly evolving northern reaches of Europe and the Arctic region as a whole.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic students have developed a model for shelf development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade of SPbPU together with the international logistics company “Aurora Logistics” held a student case championship. Participants were looking for practical solutions for the formation of an effective transport and logistics model for the development of hydrocarbon deposits on the shelf.

    The championship started in early April, when the teams received tasks from the company. For one and a half months, 25 teams from 14 cities in Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan prepared solutions to defend them in the final. The event was held in a mixed format: in person, online and remotely.

    The guys worked on effective transport and logistics solutions for the development of offshore hydrocarbon deposits. Difficult climatic conditions, environmental risks and the need to minimize costs dictate the search for breakthrough solutions. The participants presented projects that combine digital technologies, environmental responsibility and economic efficiency.

    For our institute, it is important to organize and hold events together with the economic sector. It is the case championship format that puts participants in a real situation of finding solutions in conditions of time shortage and uncertainty with some data. The key here is the presence of tasks from partner companies and the competitive element, plus online materials and webinars with experts. All this involves students in the process, motivates, and provides practical experience, – noted Vladimir Shchepinin, Director of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade.

    The jury included representatives of Aurora Logistics: Deputy General Director for Offshore Project Logistics Alexander Kornalevsky and Head of the HR Department Olga Abramova, as well as Director of the Higher School of Industrial Management Olga Kalinina, Professors Mikhail Afanasyev and Alexander Ilyinsky, Associate Professors Anna Timofeeva, Natalya Alekseeva, Lyudmila Medvedeva and Dmitry Metkin, Senior Lecturer Vyacheslav Melokhin and Assistant Konstantin Sharlai.

    The first place was taken by Elizaveta Dasayeva, Karina Malyukova, Yulia Eroshenko and Maria Vshivkova, representing the G. I. Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University.

    Second place was awarded to students of the Higher School of Industrial Management of SPbPU Anastasia Malashchitskaya, Egor Korolev, Denis Krutov and Alexander Khomyakov.

    Third place was shared between two teams. These are students of the Belarusian State Economic University Ekaterina Meshkova, Maria Zakharchuk, Olga Shutova, Ksenia Sarkan. And students of the Higher School of Industrial Management of SPbPU Artur Prokhorov, Diana Svitkova, Alexandra Karkhanova and Nikolai Kazmin.

    The students were awarded winners’ diplomas, certificates, special diplomas for individual nominations and valuable gifts from Aurora Logistics.

    This championship is the result of a strategic partnership between the Higher School of Industrial Management and the company “Aurora Logistics”, fixed in a cooperation agreement. It is extremely important for us that students solve real cases, not abstract problems. This is how our model of practice-oriented education works: through interaction with the industry, we prepare specialists who are ready to immediately get involved in work on complex projects, be it the Arctic or other points of economic growth, – emphasized the director of the Higher School of Industrial Management Olga Kalinina.

    The students immersed themselves in the specifics of developing offshore hydrocarbon deposits and showed themselves to a potential employer. Special thanks to the members of the organizing committee: the head of the HR department of Aurora Logistics Olga Abramova and associate professor of the higher school Anna Timofeeva, – noted the main organizer of the championship, academic director of educational programs in oil and gas management Mikhail Afanasyev.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE study identifies pathways for digital and green energy transition in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The transition to clean energy in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia necessitates a comprehensive overhaul of power systems, with investment needs estimated at $150 billion by 2030. However, by embracing digitalization across all sectors – from generation and transmission to distribution and end-use – and integration with renewable energy, these countries could reduce their carbon emissions by up to 70% and energy costs by as much as 80%, subject to system-wide optimization, outlines the UNECE study “Integrating twin transition with legacy energy systems”   

    The study analyses opportunities and challenges for a digital transformation of energy systems in Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, where about 60% of the total energy mix today comes from natural gas and coal.   

    The study underscores that digital solutions and innovations such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Digital Twins, and Virtual Power Plants, offer significant opportunities in managing and integrating distributed, often variable renewable energy-based resources. It also highlights potential to optimize legacy systems and enhance both cybersecurity and grid resilience. 

    This will require robust policy measures and initiatives to boost investments in advanced, resilient grids. It will also necessitate increased support for innovation and research, strategic planning and massive professional training.   

    Overcoming challenges 

    The study identifies key challenges to be addressed in the region’s largely outdated energy systems: 

    • Ageing energy infrastructure, much of which was built during the Soviet era. For example, in Belarus, over 60% of the thermal power plants are over 30 years old, resulting in high maintenance costs; in Georgia, the average age of electricity transmission lines exceeds 30 years, resulting in transmission losses estimated at 12%.  

    • Energy security risks due to dependence on fossil fuel imports. For example, the Republic of Moldova imports approximately 70% of its electricity, primarily from Romania and Ukraine; in Belarus, about 50% of energy needs are met through natural gas imports from the Russian Federation. 

    • Limited financial resources to invest in modernizing energy systems. For instance, Albania has struggled to secure funding for proposed solar and wind projects totalling approximately $300 million; in Belarus only about 5% of the necessary investments have been secured for planned RE installations; financial constraints limit modernization of ageing hydropower infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan. 

    • Lack of skilled workforce. For example, in Georgia, around 30% of energy sector professionals lack formal training in RE technologies.  

    • Climate and health impacts. For instance, Belarus emits approximately 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually from its energy sector alone, with coal-fired plants being significant contributors. North Macedonia’s reliance on coal contributes to air pollution levels among the highest in Europe.  

    Key strategies identified in the study include: 

    • Cross-border infrastructure projects, such as Trans-Caspian high-voltage direct current lines, are vital for enhancing regional energy trade and digital connectivity; 

    The report identifies three priority action areas: (1) scaling energy efficiency through retrofitting that embraces digital technologies; (2) promoting hybrid energy models that combine gas with hydrogen; and (3) advancing smart grids, standardization, and regional integration. 

    Importantly, the study promotes a human-centered approach to digitalization that  balances innovation with ethical considerations and prioritizes equity, social considerations, and long-term sustainability for a just transition. 

    From research to action 

    The study was showcased during a workshop “Assessing the readiness of the energy sector to implement smart digital energy-efficient technologies in Belarus in view of climate change mitigation” held in Minsk, Belarus, and online on 22 May 2025. The hybrid workshop, organized by UNECE in cooperation with UNDP Belarus and the Department of Energy Efficiency of the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus, brought together over 100 participants including government officials, energy sector representatives, and international experts, to explore how smart digital tools can support energy efficiency, clean mobility, and climate action in Belarus.  

    For more information about UNECE work on Energy Efficiency, please visit: https://unece.org/sustainable-energy/energy-efficiency 

     Photo credit: Adobe Stock Images by Sergii.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Georgia: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 4, 2025

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

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

    Tbilisi: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Alejandro Hajdenberg conducted discussions for the 2025 Article IV consultation with Georgia from May 21 to June 4, 2025, in Tbilisi. At the end of the visit, Mr. Hajdenberg issued the following statement:

    Georgia’s economy has been remarkably resilient despite heightened domestic and geopolitical uncertainty. Growth approached double digits in 2024, is projected at 7.2 percent this year, and is expected to converge to its long-term trend of 5 percent. Inflation has ticked up but remains close to its 3 percent target. Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves have recovered from last year’s lows and continued fiscal discipline has contributed to a further decline in public debt. However, risks to the outlook are elevated and challenges persist due to still high structural unemployment and income inequality. In this context, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) should prioritize building additional reserve buffers while monitoring potential financial sector risks. Strengthening NBG’s governance and independence remains central to macroeconomic stability. Fiscal reforms should aim to raise additional revenues to finance development priorities, improve spending efficiency, and contain fiscal risks. Structural reforms should focus on sustaining strong growth and making it more inclusive, including by enhancing labor market opportunities and outcomes.

    Recent economic developments, outlook, and risks

    Economic activity has remained robust. Real GDP grew by 9.4 percent in 2024 despite domestic political tensions. Growth was driven by consumption, marking a shift from previous years when investment and net exports were the main contributors. Tourism rebounded to pre-Covid levels, while the information and communications technology (ICT) and transport sectors remained key drivers of growth, continuing to benefit from high skilled migrants and transit trade. The unemployment rate continued to decline, albeit remaining structurally high. With strong momentum continuing in the first four months of 2025, growth is projected to moderate slightly to 7.2 percent for this year before converging to its medium-term potential rate of 5 percent.

    Inflation has returned to target after undershooting for two years. Headline inflation averaged 1.8 percent over 2023 and 2024 but rose to 3.5 percent year-on-year in May 2025, mainly due to increasing food prices. Core inflation, however, remains subdued, with the NBG keeping the policy rate unchanged at 8 percent since May 2024. Inflation is projected to average 3.4 percent in 2025 and to converge to the NBG’s 3 percent target in 2026 along with easing domestic demand.

    The current account deficit narrowed in 2024 to 4.4 percent of GDP, with a similar projection for 2025, but reserve coverage remains below adequate levels. The improvement in 2024 was driven by lower imports, partly reflecting lower oil prices. Foreign direct investment (FDI) declined for the second straight year, in part reflecting the absence of new large greenfield projects. Gross international reserves have fallen from a peak of $5.4 billion in August 2023 to $4.5 billion as of April 2025––equal to 80 percent of the Fund’s Assessment of Reserve Adequacy (ARA) metric. Recent favorable inflows have allowed the NBG to offset the sizeable foreign exchange sales made before the October parliamentary elections.

    The fiscal deficit held steady at 2.4 percent of GDP in 2024, despite it being an election year, and is expected to remain unchanged in 2025. Robust tax revenues––supported by strong growth, tax policy measures in the financial and gambling sectors, and improved revenue administration––have helped finance social and capital spending. Amid stronger-than-expected economic activity, the 2025 budget target of 2.5 percent of GDP deficit is well within reach. Public debt, at 36 percent of GDP, has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with an increasing share denominated in local currency. The USD 500 million Eurobond maturing in April 2026 is expected to be rolled over smoothly.

    While uncertainty remains exceptionally high, risks to the outlook appear broadly balanced. The direct impact from tariffs imposed by the U.S. is limited as the U.S. accounts for only 2 percent of total exports—mainly ferroalloys, which are exempt. However, the indirect effects of heightened global trade tensions could be more significant. Weaker investor confidence and slower trading partner growth pose negative risks, but Georgia could benefit from lower oil prices and sustained trade diversion through its territory. A resolution of the war in Ukraine could unwind some gains linked to migration and transit trade but increased regional stability and reconstruction in Ukraine could be offsetting positive factors. Persistent domestic political uncertainty and sanctions affecting Georgia could dampen FDI, discourage tourism, and further pressure the lari. Healthy fiscal and financial sector buffers mitigate these risks.

    Monetary and exchange policies

    The NBG should maintain a broadly neutral policy stance while remaining flexible and data driven to ensure inflation expectations remain anchored. Although wage and employment growth have moderated and business confidence has weakened, heightened global uncertainty warrants caution in considering further policy rate cuts, particularly as the recent increase in domestic food prices may not prove transitory. Should inflationary pressures persist, a tightening of the policy stance may be warranted.

    Exchange rate flexibility, opportunistic reserve accumulation, and monetary policy communication should be enhanced. Efforts to rebuild reserve buffers should be sustained while allowing the exchange rate to act as a shock absorber. The NBG should continue to strengthen monetary policy transmission, effectiveness, transparency, and credibility. Communication of monetary policy should be strengthened by clarifying the NBG’s assessment of the balance of risks and how this informs policy decisions.

    Strengthening NBG governance and independence remains central to macroeconomic stability. The filling of the board vacancies and the governor position is a welcome first step. Efforts should now focus on amending the NBG law to: (i) ensure a non-executive majority on the NBG’s oversight board, (ii) limit the possibility of discretionary financial transfers to the government, and (iii) clarify and further strengthen [the NBG succession framework and] board member qualification criteria. Moving from a presidential to a collegial decision-making model is also advisable.

    Fiscal policy

    With public debt at sound levels, maintaining a broadly neutral policy stance over the medium term is appropriate. A fiscal deficit of 2.3–2.5 percent of GDP would help stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio near its current level. The shift toward domestic debt should proceed carefully, avoiding crowding out the private sector and monitoring borrowing costs and risks linked to a stronger sovereign-bank nexus. While good progress has been made, further tax policy and administration reforms that broaden the tax base and streamline tax expenditures—supported by a stronger medium-term revenue strategy—are needed to secure revenue for spending priorities.  

    There is considerable scope to enhance spending efficiency and further strengthen public investment management (PIM). Despite elevated levels of public investment, infrastructure quality remains below that of many emerging market peers, highlighting the need for more effective implementation of PIM processes, building on recent years’ improvements. Spending on education and health could be more efficient, to achieve better outcomes at similar expenditure levels. Spending reviews could help in this regard. Social assistance is relatively generous but targeting could be improved to prioritize the most vulnerable households.

    Sustained efforts are needed to manage fiscal risks and increase fiscal transparency. The authorities have taken significant steps in enhancing the Ministry of Finance’s financial oversight of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and maintaining this momentum will be important. Efforts should focus on legislation that would separate the state’s shareholder, regulatory, and policy functions beyond the energy sector, where implementation has recently taken place, and strengthen the corporate governance of SOEs. The authorities should address gaps in the coverage of fiscal reporting, particularly from non-market SOEs with significant fiscal risks.

    Financial sector

    Continued vigilance and reforms will help address long-standing and emerging financial sector risks. The banking system remains well capitalized and profitable, and the implementation of the IMF’s 2021 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) recommendations is nearly complete. Key priorities going forward include enhancing the consolidated supervision of financial groups—particularly non-bank subsidiaries and cross-border activities, operationalizing a fully-fledged bank resolution framework, and improving competition in financial services. The NBG continues to implement its long-term dedollarization policy to support financial stability, and recently raised the FX loan threshold for unhedged borrowers further to GEL 750,000. Nevertheless, the share of unhedged foreign currency bank loans is still high, and the deposit dedollarization trend was interrupted amid heightened political uncertainty. Banks—especially smaller ones—have faced lari funding pressures, and the cost of funding has risen, potentially weighing on profitability. Consumer loans have grown rapidly, while riskier nonbank financing—including foreign currency bond issuances by real estate developers—has increased considerably. Neither risk is assessed to be systemic at this stage, but continued close monitoring is warranted.

    Structural reforms

    Structural reforms are needed to sustain high growth and make it more inclusive and job rich. Potential growth remains constrained by structurally high long-term and youth unemployment, low educational attainment, infrastructure bottlenecks in the transport and logistics sectors, and low sectoral productivity, especially in agriculture. An aging population, outward migration, and informality pose challenges for the labor market, along with persistent income inequality. Better targeting of agricultural support, improving teacher quality, and expanding vocational training would help raise rural labor force participation and facilitate the integration of workers into the formal economy. Remittances and return migration could be better leveraged to boost productive investments and knowledge transfers from returning migrants. Continued investment in transport and logistics infrastructure, as well as coordination with regional partners to harmonize fees and procedures, are important to support long-term competitiveness. Finally, the authorities should enhance judicial independence and strengthen the autonomy of the Anti-Corruption Bureau to improve the business environment.

    The mission team would like to thank the Georgian authorities and other counterparts for their close collaboration, candid and informative discussions, and warm hospitality.

    Table 1. Georgia: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2024–28

     

     

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

     

    Actual Projections

    National accounts and prices

    (annual percentage change; unless otherwise indicated)

    Real GDP

    9.4

    7.2

    5.3

    5.0

    5.0

    Nominal GDP (in billions of laris)

    91.9

    102.5

    111.7

    121.5

    131.9

    Nominal GDP (in billions of U.S. dollars)

    33.8

    36.7

    39.2

    41.4

    43.6

    GDP per capita (in thousands of U.S. dollars)

    9.1

    9.9

    10.6

    11.2

    11.8

    GDP deflator, period average

    3.8

    4.1

    3.5

    3.5

    3.5

    CPI, period average

    1.1

    3.4

    3.1

    3.0

    3.0

    CPI, end-of-period

    1.9

    3.6

    3.0

    3.0

    3.0

    Consolidated government operations

    (in percent of GDP)

    Revenue and grants

    28.0

    27.7

    27.8

    27.7

    27.6

    o.w. Tax revenue

    25.3

    25.0

    25.6

    25.6

    25.6

    Total Expenditure

    30.3

    30.0

    30.1

    29.9

    29.8

    Current expenditures

    22.5

    22.6

    22.5

    22.5

    22.5

    Net acquisition of nonfinancial assets

    7.7

    7.4

    7.5

    7.5

    7.3

    Net lending/borrowing (GFSM 2001)

    -2.3

    -2.3

    -2.3

    -2.3

    -2.2

    Augmented net lending/borrowing 1/

    -2.4

    -2.4

    -2.4

    -2.4

    -2.3

    Public debt

    36.1

    34.7

    34.1

    34.3

    34.5

      o.w. Foreign-currency denominated

    25.2

    23.1

    22.0

    21.7

    20.9

    Money and credit

    (annual percentage change; unless otherwise indicated)

    Credit to the private sector

    18.5

    13.7

    9.0

    8.7

    8.6

    In constant exchange rate

    17.0

    15.5

    8.5

    7.4

    7.3

    Broad money

    14.5

    13.3

    11.5

    11.3

    11.2

    Excluding FX deposits

    10.4

    13.7

    11.9

    11.7

    11.6

    Deposit dollarization (in percent of total)

    52.7

    52.1

    51.9

    51.7

    51.4

    Credit dollarization (in percent of total)

    42.9

    42.5

    42.1

    41.7

    41.3

    Credit to GDP (in percent) 2/

    66.0

    67.4

    67.4

    67.4

    67.4

    External sector

    (in percent of GDP; unless otherwise indicated)

    Current account balance (in billions of US$)

    -1.5

    -1.6

    -1.8

    -2.0

    -2.1

    Current account balance

    -4.4

    -4.4

    -4.6

    -4.8

    -4.8

    Trade balance

    -19.2

    -18.9

    -19.1

    -19.2

    -19.3

    Terms of trade (percent change)

    -2.8

    -0.2

    0.1

    -0.3

    0.5

    Gross international reserves (in billions of US$)

    4.4

    4.7

    4.9

    5.5

    6.2

    In percent of IMF ARA metric 3/

    79.6

    81.1

    82.4

    88.0

    95.5

    In months of next year’s imports

    2.7

    2.6

    2.6

    2.7

    2.9

    Gross external debt

    66.8

    62.4

    58.5

    55.9

    53.0

     Sources: Georgian authorities; and Fund staff estimates.

    1/ Augmented Net lending / borrowing = Net lending / borrowing – Budget lending.

    2/ Banking sector credit to the private sector.

    3/ IMF’s adequacy metric for assessing reserves in emerging markets.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Mayada Ghazala

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/04/06042025-mcs-georgia-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 113th International Labour Conference. UK Statement on Myanmar

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    113th International Labour Conference. UK Statement on Myanmar

    Joint Statement on Myanmar at the General Affairs Committee at ILC 113. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

    Chair, I have the honour of speaking on behalf of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and my own country, the United Kingdom.

    We would firstly like to thank the ILO Office for their work on this issue, and the work of the ILO Liaison Office and its staff in Yangon who continue to work under extremely difficult circumstances.

    We also wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Myanmar, who have suffered yet more hardship as a result of the terrible earthquake in March, which has seen large-scale destruction of homes, businesses and places of worship, and most sadly, the tragic loss of lives.

    Chair, at this International Labour Conference, we meet to discuss the Myanmar military regime’s ongoing intransigence in observing Convention 87 on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, and Convention 29 on Forced Labour. Since the Commission of Inquiry for Myanmar was established in 2023, we have heard grave reports of continued repression of trade unions and labour rights, including through active suppression of unionization efforts, and the surveillance, harassment and dismissal of those engaging in union activities.

    Trade Unionists continue to be imprisoned, including the General Secretary of the Myanmar Industries Craft and Services Trade Union Federation, Thet Hnin Aung, whom we and the ILO Office have continued to call for the release of.

    We are also concerned by reports of continued systematic exploitation of civilians for different types of forced labour, including as porters, guides, and human shields, as well as for the cultivation, construction and maintenance of military camps, or for the provision of transport, accommodation, food and domestic work.

    Despite our calls for the Myanmar military regime to urgently address these issues, the regime has failed to address the Commission’s recommendations and continues to engage in far-reaching violations and abuses of labour laws and abuses of human rights, as laid out in ILO reporting and other UN-body findings.

    Back in March at the Governing Body we agreed, by consensus, to adopt measures in line with Article 33 of the ILO Constitution, against Myanmar. We continue to support these measures, including the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to ensure Myanmar’s compliance with the Commission’s recommendations. It is important the ILO continues to closely monitor developments in Myanmar, including the impact of recent events on workers’ incomes and livelihoods.

    Chair, we continue to believe that such measures should not exacerbate the dire humanitarian and economic situation in Myanmar, only made worse by the recent earthquake. Nor should Article 33 measures impact workers in Myanmar, who continue to suffer much hardship. International trade and business have a key role to play; businesses currently operating in Myanmar should be able to continue whilst respecting responsible business practices and human rights.

    The UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are committed to working with the ILO and its constituents to secure compliance by the Myanmar regime with the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations. We call on all constituents to support the adoption of the draft resolution and ensure that the military regime urgently addresses the grave issues as laid out.

    Chair, we support the draft resolution.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 4, 2025
  • India pushes for WTO reforms at Paris Ministerial, urges action on non-tariff barriers and dispute settlement

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India has called for sweeping reforms to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during a high-level mini-ministerial meeting of 25 member countries in Paris, pressing for action against non-tariff barriers and the restoration of the WTO’s stalled dispute settlement mechanism. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal outlined India’s vision for a modernized WTO, emphasizing the need to address trade distortions and bolster multilateral governance ahead of the organization’s crucial ministerial conference next year.

    Speaking to reporters after the Australia-convened meeting, Goyal detailed India’s three-pronged reform agenda: tackling non-tariff barriers that restrict market access, addressing distortions caused by non-market economies, and reviving the WTO’s dispute settlement system, which has been paralyzed since 2009 due to U.S. opposition to appellate body appointments. The minister stressed the importance of preserving the WTO’s consensus-based decision-making and special treatment for developing nations, which India views as cornerstones of the organization’s legitimacy.

    The dysfunctional dispute settlement system has left countries without a mechanism to resolve trade disputes, undermining the WTO’s enforcement capabilities. While some members have proposed the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) as a temporary solution, Goyal expressed doubts about its effectiveness. “Only one or two members spoke about it, but there doesn’t seem to be much consensus or traction. I haven’t heard of any cases resolved through MPIA,” he remarked.

    India also firmly opposed efforts to expand the WTO’s mandate beyond traditional trade issues, particularly rejecting a China-led Investment Facilitation for Development proposal supported by 128 countries. Goyal argued that such initiatives risk fragmenting the multilateral system and creating divisions among members. “Issues mandated at the WTO should take priority and be resolved first. Non-trade issues should not be introduced, as they would deepen differences,” he said.

    The Paris discussions also tackled longstanding challenges, including agricultural trade reforms and environmental concerns. Key priorities included finding permanent solutions for public food grain stockholding programs and addressing overfishing practices that threaten marine ecosystems. Goyal emphasized resolving existing mandated issues before introducing new frameworks, reflecting India’s focus on completing unfinished business.

    Despite growing tensions within the 166-member organization, Goyal dismissed claims of an existential crisis for the WTO. “One should not jump to conclusions about a crisis,” he said, advocating for pragmatic solutions within existing frameworks. He highlighted a collective resolve among participating countries to strengthen the WTO, respect its core principles, and promote global trade growth.

    (With ANI inputs)

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Biometrics: The Most Cost-Effective Way to Pay for Public Transport for the 4th Year Running!

    As reported by Maksim Liksutov, a single trip using biometric payment costs 63 rubles. In comparison, payment via the «Wallet» ticket is 4 rubles more expensive, and payment by bank card costs 11 rubles more.

    Biometrics by the Numbers:

    – Over 400,000 users

    – More than 160,000 trips every weekday

    – 156 million entries since the service’s launch

    Nowhere in the world is the most innovative biometric payment method as extensively and conveniently developed as it is in Moscow. Importantly, this is an absolutely secure service with bank-level protection. All data is reliably encrypted. By the end of this year, following the directive of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we will enable facial recognition payment at all metro turnstiles, — added Maksim Liksutov.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 4, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: The main events of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Yuryevets have begun

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova held a meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the celebration in 2025 in accordance with the decree of President Vladimir Putin of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Yuryevets in the Ivanovo region. The Governor of the Ivanovo region Stanislav Voskresensky, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Rosmolodezh, and Rossotrudnichestvo reported on the program of key events and readiness to celebrate the city’s anniversary.

    “Yuryevets has many attractions that are important for the history of the Russian state and the history of the formation of small towns in Russia. Preparatory work for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets has been completed. The program of the main events of the celebration, which started on June 1 and will last until August 30 of this year, has been published. Some events related to restoration and major repairs will be completed in 2026-2027,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

    The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the plan to prepare for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets included 75 major events and projects financed from the federal and regional budgets. Among them are the repair of buildings, social infrastructure, street and road network, including repair of access roads, modernization of the city’s housing and utilities engineering system, improvement of urban spaces, restoration of cultural heritage sites, educational and cultural events.

    To date, major repairs have been completed at the Yuryevets Secondary School and the Central District Hospital, and all six city kindergartens have been repaired. Gasification of Yuryevets, including its historical part, is underway. The Volga embankment has been completely landscaped. 11 streets in Yuryevets have been repaired, as well as regional roads approaching the city, and street lighting has been updated.

    The Governor of Ivanovo Region Stanislav Voskresensky reported in detail on the program of key events for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets.

    “There is attention to Yuryevets, people come and are interested. I hope that all this will be converted into sustainable development of a wonderful small town. We do not set a main date in the cultural program; significant events will be held all summer. I would like to draw special attention to and invite everyone to a classical music concert as part of the V International Classical Music Festival “Cantata”, which will be held on June 12, Russia Day, on the embankment, from where a beautiful view of the sights of Yuryevets and the endless Volga opens up,” said Governor Stanislav Voskresensky.

    In addition, the governor noted that in accordance with the plan for preparing for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Yuryevets, it is necessary to complete a major overhaul of the city’s heating networks, a major overhaul of the cultural center and the Vesnin Brothers Museum of Architects, and to implement a new concept for the museum’s exposition.

    The program of key events to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city of Yuryevets in the Ivanovo region included the inter-museum exhibition project “Ancient City on the Great River. For the 800th Anniversary of the Founding of Yuryevets”, exhibitions dedicated to the life and work of famous directors who lived in Yuryevets – Andrei Tarkovsky and Alexander Rowe, the forum “Small Towns. New Territories of Creative Industries”, an exhibition of Palekh icon painting and many other projects.

    The Shchusev State Research Museum of Architecture in Moscow will host an exhibition entitled “The Vesnin Brothers Architects. The Beginning,” dedicated to the architectural path of the Vesnin brothers, who were born and began their work in Yuryevets.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 4, 2025
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