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| WORLD-LEADING 3D PRINTER USED BY BRITISH ARMY IN THE FIELD FOR FIRST TIME

A Sapper from the Royal Engineers removing a part from the cold metal 3D printer

A cutting-edge 3D printer is being used by the British Army for the first time in the field on the largest NATO deployment in Europe in a generation.

9 Theatre Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, are using the technology to make spare parts for vehicles as well as print vital modifications to battle-winning equipment on NATO exercise Steadfast Defender – the largest NATO deployment in Europe in a generation.

The Army’s use of both metal and plastic mobile printers in the field, which can be easily transported between locations, is the first time in the world the technology has been used by any military in direct support of a large-scale NATO Exercise.

With the ability to produce metal parts from the back of a truck in less than an hour, 3D cold metal printing can eliminate the need for parts to be shipped out for repair, saving on transport costs and time.

The metal printed technology works by using computer-aided design to digitally produce a component. A fine metal powder, such as copper, aluminium, or steel, is then fired through a nozzle at three times the speed of sound as a mechanical arm shapes the component, building the object one layer at a time. Once constructed, the component is then subjected to post-processing such as heat treating, milling, and finishing.

The printer is currently being used to maintain older vehicles such as the Land Rover by printing harder-to-obtain spare parts. Ambitions for the future include having catalogues of components for new fleets of vehicles such as BOXER and AJAX, so parts can be printed on demand in the field.

Lieutenant Colonel John Anthistle, Commanding Officer of 9 Theatre Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers yesterday said:

“This equipment gives the Army the flexibility it needs to make spares, components, and modifications to our equipment in the field, at point and time of need. Not only does it save us weeks and sometimes months of having to wait for replacement parts, it also enables us to print components which aren’t available anymore; conduct battle damage repair, and modify equipment to match changing threats.

If you have a broken-down vehicle which needs to be back in the field the next day because it’s a vital piece of equipment, that’s where this technology comes in. It can reduce logistical issues, save money and critically, speed up getting battle-winning equipment back into the fight.”

| MAJESTIC CHATEAU D’ARMAINVILLIERS HITS THE MARKET: LISTED BY IGNACE MEUWISSEN FOR €425 MILLION

Once home to the Rothschilds and King Hassan II. Ideally situated in the southwest of Paris, this property boasts 2,500 square meters of living space and is surrounded by 1,000 hectares of picturesque landscape.

Ignace Meuwissen, who confidentially represents buyers and sellers of off-market estates, mainly Eastern European, Central & East Asian clients, is managing the sale.

The estate consists of 36 buildings with services such as a hair salon, hammam, dental facility, staff accommodation, 50 horse stables, and a parking lot.

| TOBACCO SMUGGLING: OVER 600 MILLION ILLICIT CIGARETTES SEIZED THANKS TO OLAF IN 2023

During 2023, international operations involving the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) led to the seizure of 616 million illicit cigarettes, 140 tonnes of raw tobacco and 6 tonnes of water pipe tobacco. OLAF investigators took part in multiple operations with customs and law enforcement authorities worldwide to counter tobacco smuggling, preventing losses of over 150 million euro to the EU and national budgets.

OLAF Director-General Ville Itälä said: “These seizures averted over 150 million euro of damage to public revenue, shielding taxpayers from bearing the burden. Crucially, OLAF’s work against tobacco smuggling is also a blow to the criminal networks behind it. Their business model remains diverse: production inside and outside the EU, different means of transportation, various kinds of products. OLAF’s investigators cooperate closely with national authorities in the EU and in third countries alike. We stay ahead of evolving trends in illicit tobacco and support national authorities in their fight on the ground. Intelligence provided by OLAF investigators often results in raids, seizures and criminal networks dismantled.”

331.1 million illicit cigarettes – from the overall total of 616 million – were intercepted at EU borders, before they could be smuggled into the European Union. Proving again that tobacco smuggling is a global issue, some of the countries involved were Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Montenegro and Indonesia.

In addition, OLAF’s tip offs led to the confiscation of 144.2 million cigarettes outside of the European Union.

Cigarettes seized thanks to OLAF from illicit production inside the EU amounted to 140.6 million units. These seizures contribute to fighting an evolving pattern in the illicit production of cigarettes inside the EU where traffickers and illicit producers have been fragmenting their production lines, with smaller reserves of raw tobacco or finished cigarettes. Their aim is to be able to move their production tools and goods faster, and to try to limit losses caused by law enforcement busts and raids.

Tobacco smugglers often operate as part of international trafficking networks, changing their business models swiftly to adapt to ongoing developments. Together with its partners, OLAF remains consistent in its efforts to analyse new trends and patterns.

Background

The fight against tobacco smuggling is a central part of OLAF’s investigative activities. OLAF identifies and tracks lorries and/or containers loaded with cigarettes misdeclared as other goods at EU borders. OLAF gathers intelligence from a range of sources, including the industry, and exchanges its information in real time with EU Member States and third countries. If there is clear evidence that shipments are destined for the EU contraband market or that there are illicit production activities inside the EU, national authorities are ready and able to step in and stop them.

| COUNCIL OF EUROPE ADOPTS FIRST INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AI generated image

The Council of Europe has adopted the first-ever international legally binding treaty aimed at ensuring the respect of human rights, the rule of law and democracy legal standards in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The treaty, which is also open to non-European countries, sets out a legal framework that covers the entire lifecycle of AI systems and addresses the risks they may pose, while promoting responsible innovation. The convention adopts a risk-based approach to the design, development, use, and decommissioning of AI systems, which requires carefully considering any potential negative consequences of using AI systems.

The Council of Europe Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy, and the rule of law was adopted in Strasbourg during the annual ministerial meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, which brings together the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the 46 Council of Europe member states.

The convention is the outcome of two years’ work by an intergovernmental body, the Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI), which brought together to draft the treaty the 46 Council of Europe member states, the European Union and 11  non-member states (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, the Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Peru, the United States of America, and Uruguay), as well as representatives of the private sector, civil society and academia, who participated as observers.

The treaty covers the use of AI systems in the public sector – including companies acting on its behalf – and in the private sector. The convention offers parties two ways of complying with its principles and obligations when regulating the private sector: parties may opt to be directly obliged by the relevant convention provisions or, as an alternative, take other measures to comply with the treaty’s provisions while fully respecting their international obligations regarding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. This approach is necessary because of the differences in legal systems around the world.

The convention establishes transparency and oversight requirements tailored to specific contexts and risks, including identifying content generated by AI systems. Parties will have to adopt measures to identify, assess, prevent, and mitigate possible risks and assess the need for a moratorium, a ban or other appropriate measures concerning uses of AI systems where their risks may be incompatible with human rights standards.

They will also have to ensure accountability and responsibility for adverse impacts and that AI systems respect equality, including gender equality, the prohibition of discrimination, and privacy rights. Moreover, parties to the treaty will have to ensure the availability of legal remedies for victims of human rights violations related to the use of AI systems and procedural safeguards, including notifying any persons interacting with AI systems that they are interacting with such systems.

As regards the risks for democracy, the treaty requires parties to adopt measures to ensure that AI systems are not used to undermine democratic institutions and processes, including the principle of separation of powers, respect for judicial independence and access to justice.

Parties to the convention will not be required to apply the treaty’s provisions to activities related to the protection of national security interests but will be obliged to ensure that these activities respect international law and democratic institutions and processes. The convention will not apply to national defence matters nor to research and development activities, except when the testing of AI systems may have the potential to interfere with human rights, democracy or the rule of law.

In order to ensure its effective implementation, the convention establishes a follow-up mechanism in the form of a Conference of the Parties.

Finally, the convention requires that each party establishes an independent oversight mechanism to oversee compliance with the convention, and raises awareness, stimulates an informed public debate, and carries out multistakeholder consultations on how AI technology should be used. The framework convention will be opened for signature in Vilnius (Lithuania) on 5 September on the occasion of a conference of Ministers of Justice.

| A NEW DEFENSE AID ENSURES AIR DEFENSE AND ARTILLERY FOR UKRAINE

Lockheed Martin F-16AM:BM Fighting Falcon of the Danish Air Force © Danish Air Force

The Danish Ministry of Defence has announced a new defence aid package to Ukraine valued at EUR 750 million. Of this, EUR 320 million kroner is allocated to air defense. A portion of the funds will also go towards the donation of the future Ukrainian F-16 capacity.

Additional contributions to the upcoming F-16 donation, air defense, maintenance of artillery pieces, and financial contributions for the donation of further artillery pieces, shells, and anti-tank mines are part of the capacities that a new package for Ukraine will help finance.

“With today’s package, we are meeting Ukraine’s urgent need for more air defense, artillery, and ammunition. As part of the package, the government is also reserving further funds for investments directly in the Ukrainian defense industry. It makes sense to produce the weapons where they are used and by those who use them. It is also about future-proofing Ukraine’s defense capability. Ukraine has the skills but lacks the funding. Hopefully, more countries can be inspired to follow this model,” says Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.”

Additionally, funds are allocated for financing a number of NATO CAP projects. The government also plans to reserve further funds for investments in the Ukrainian defense industry.

“The situation in Ukraine is very serious. There is no doubt that Ukrainians need continued and massive support from allies. With this package, we are sending an unequivocal signal to both Ukraine and the world. We are providing donations now, and we are ready to invest massively and long-term in the Ukrainian defense industry. Their fight for freedom is also our fight,” says Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.

The Ukraine Fund, established by the Danish government, has allocated a total of EUR 8.7 billion for military support to Ukraine for the period 2023-2028. This includes a recent increase of EUR 590 million for 2024, agreed upon in April 2024. To date, decisions have been made to provide military support worth EUR 5.7 billion under the Ukraine Fund during this period.

| IT TAKES TOO LONG TO RECOVER MISSPENT EU MONEY

© Wikicommons
  • €14 billion of irregular EU expenditure reported from 2014 to 2022
  • Money not recovered may incentivise further lax spending, and has reputational risks
  • Auditors recommend better reporting and tighter recovery times

The EU auditors found that, while the European Commission ensures that irregular expenditure is recorded accurately and promptly, getting this money back often takes too long. For jointly managed agricultural funds where member states have primary responsibility, recovery rates are generally low, but with significant differences between EU countries. From 2014-2022, €14 billion of such irregular EU expenditure (misspent funds) was reported in all areas. Recovering it is a key element of the European Union’s financial integrity and internal control system.

‘Recovering’ EU funds means requesting the refund of some or all of the amounts paid to an implementing organisation or beneficiary that was subsequently deemed not to have adhered to EU funding requirements. However, once that money has been paid out, it is often a lengthy process to get it back, if at all. The EU auditors noted that it typically takes 14-23 months from the end of the funded activities until a repayment request is even issued, and a further 3-5 months before the funds are retrieved, with 1-8% of them simply being waived.

‘No effort should be spared to recover misspent EU money without delay’, said Jorg Kristijan Petrovic, the ECA Member responsible for the audit. ‘The EU owes this to taxpayers, and any failure to recover money would be detrimental to EU citizens’ trust’.

According to the European Court of Auditor’s 2022 Annual Report, between 2021 and 2022 the rate of misspending rose from 3% to 4.2% of the budget, making the effective recovery of funds an increasingly pressing issue. However, since just 20% of the budget is directly managed by the European Commission, eliminating error and recovering those funds can be difficult.

The auditors found that the main issues with recovering funds under direct and indirect management lie in the long delay between a financial irregularity being identified and a recovery order being issued. They also found that there is incomplete information in external actions about the impact of some irregular expenditure.

To improve the timeliness of recoveries in the area of external actions, the auditors recommended reducing not only the time it takes to establish irregular expenditure, but also the time it takes to then launch recovery proceedings. To do so, they suggested improving the planning of audit work and examining the financial impact of systematic irregular expenditure. They also suggested that incentives that were present in the previous funding cycle should be reintroduced in order for member states to recover funds in agriculture. In the previous cycle, member states had to repay half of the funds that they had not recovered within 4-8 years to the EU budget.

The auditors further recommended that the Commission should provide accurate and complete annual data on what spending had been found to be irregular, and what measures were taken to correct it, so that the process can be refined in the future.

| INNOVATIVE AVIATION LIQUID HYDROGEN PROJECT LAUNCHED

© Airbus

An innovative aviation hydrogen handling and refuelling project, led by Airbus and supported by academic partners, airport operators and leading hydrogen-industry companies, has been launched to demonstrate small-scale liquid hydrogen aircraft ground operations at three European airports.

The urge to decarbonise our economy and to develop Europe’s energy independence is leading to a major trend of hydrogen for mobility and stationary applications. Hydrogen will also be a solution to decarbonise short- and medium-haul aviation and will be crucial for the advancement of low-carbon aviation operations.

“The GOLIAT (Ground Operations of LIquid hydrogen AircrafT) project* will receive funding of €10.8 million from the EU’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme via CINEA, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. The project duration is four years and it will demonstrate how high-flow liquid hydrogen (LH2) handling and refuelling technologies can be developed and used safely and reliably for airport operations.

The GOLIAT consortium consists of 10 partners from eight countries: Airbus (France, Germany, UK), Chart Industries (Czech Republic, Italy), TU Delft (Netherlands), Leibniz University Hannover (Germany), Royal Schiphol Group (Netherlands), Rotterdam The Hague Airport (Netherlands), Vinci Airports (France, Portugal), Stuttgart Airport (Germany), H2FLY (Germany), and Budapest Airport (Hungary).

The group will support the aviation industry’s adoption of LH2 transportation and energy storage solutions by:

  • Developing and demonstrating LH2 refuelling technologies scaled-up for future large commercial aircraft;
  • Demonstrating small-scale LH2 aircraft ground operations at airports;
  • Developing the standardisation and certification framework for future LH2 operations;
  • Assessing the sizing and economics of the hydrogen value chains for airports.

As a clean and efficient fuel, LH2 offers a promising solution for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with airport operations and their dependence on fossil fuels. LH2’s high energy density enables long-range travel for aircraft, yet there are many steps to the widespread deployment of hydrogen at airports, including the need to better understand the operational, regulatory, economic and safety impacts, as well as the capacity and performance of technologies.

The benefits of hydrogen in aviation

Hydrogen is a high-potential technology with a specific energy-per-unit mass that is three times higher than traditional jet fuel. If generated from renewable energy through electrolysis, hydrogen emits no CO2 emissions, thereby enabling renewable energy to potentially power large aircraft over long distances without the undesirable by-product of CO2 emissions.

Because hydrogen has a lower volumetric energy density, the visual appearance of future aircraft will likely change to better accommodate hydrogen storage solutions that will be bulkier than existing jet fuel storage tanks.

Hydrogen has been safely used in the aerospace and automobile industries for decades. The aviation industry’s challenge is to adapt this decarbonised energy carrier to commercial aviation’s needs.

There are two primary uses for hydrogen:

Hydrogen propulsion: Hydrogen can be combusted through modified gas-turbine engines or converted into electrical power that complements the gas turbine via fuel cells. The combination of both creates a highly efficient hybrid-electric propulsion chain powered entirely by hydrogen.

Synthetic fuels: Hydrogen can be used to create e-fuels, which are generated exclusively through renewable energy.

| MANTA RAY UUV PROTOTYPE COMPLETES IN-WATER TESTING

Manta Ray vehicle on the surface between test dives off the coast of Southern California © (photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman).

A Manta Ray is a social creature that frequents the tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Their curiosity and playful nature make the Manta Ray a favorite among scuba divers. Inspired by the graceful glide of these magnificent sea creatures, Northrop Grumman is creating a new class of UUV for undersea missions.

The Manta Ray prototype uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) completed full-scale, in-water testing off the coast of Southern California. Testing demonstrated at-sea hydrodynamic performance, including submerged operations using all the vehicle’s modes of propulsion and steering: buoyancy, propellers, and control surfaces.

“Our successful, full-scale Manta Ray testing validates the vehicle’s readiness to advance toward real-world operations after being rapidly assembled in the field from modular subsections,” said Dr. Kyle Woerner, DARPA program manager for Manta Ray. “The combination of cross-country modular transportation, in-field assembly, and subsequent deployment demonstrates a first-of-kind capability for an extra-large Unmanned underwater vehicle.”

Northrop Grumman shipped the Manta Ray prototype in subsections from the build location in Maryland to its test location in California. The demonstrated ease of shipping and assembly supports the possibility of rapid deployment throughout the world without crowding valuable pier space at naval facilities.

“Shipping the vehicle directly to its intended area of operation conserves energy that the vehicle would otherwise expend during transit,” said Woerner. “Once deployed, the vehicle uses efficient, buoyancy-driven gliding to move through the water. The craft is designed with several payload bays of multiple sizes and types to enable a wide variety of naval mission sets.”

Manta Ray aims to develop and demonstrate a new class of long-duration, long-range, payload-capable UUVs ready for persistent operations in dynamic maritime environments. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is engaging with the U.S. Navy on the next steps for testing and transition of this technology.

Manta Ray is:

Payload-capable to support a variety of missions

Autonomous, without the need for on-site human logistics

Energy-saving, with the ability to anchor to the seafloor and hibernate in a low-power state

Modular, for easy shipment in five standard shipping containers to support expeditionary deployment and in-field assembly world-wide

| THE  EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND NASA UNITE TO LAND EUROPE’S ROVER ON MARS

NASA’s Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate Nicky Fox and ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration Daniel Neuenschwander signing an agreement on the Rosalind Franklin mission at ESA’s headquarters in Paris

NASA’s Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate Nicky Fox and ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration Daniel Neuenschwander signing an agreement on the Rosalind Franklin mission at ESA’s headquarters in Paris © ESA/Damien Dos Santos

NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) announced they signed an agreement to expand NASA’s work on the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, an ESA-led mission launching in 2028 that will search for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet.

With this memorandum of understanding, the NASA Launch Services Program will procure a U.S. commercial launch provider for the Rosalind Franklin rover. The agency will also provide heater units and elements of the propulsion system needed to land on Mars. A new instrument on the rover will be the first drill to a depth of up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) deep below the surface to collect ice samples that have been protected from surface radiation and extreme temperatures.

“The Rosalind Franklin rover’s unique drilling capabilities and onboard samples laboratory have outstanding scientific value for humanity’s search for evidence of past life on Mars,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “NASA supports the Rosalind Franklin mission to continue the strong partnership between the United States and Europe to explore the unknown in our solar system and beyond.”

Through an existing, separate partnership with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), NASA is contributing key components to the Rosalind Franklin rover’s primary science instrument, the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer, that will search for the building blocks of life in the soil samples.

NASA has a longstanding partnership with the Department of Energy to use radioisotope power sources on the agency’s space missions and will be partnering again with the Energy Department for the use of lightweight radioisotope heater units for the rover.

The Rosalind Franklin rover mission complements the Mars Sample Return multi-mission campaign led by both agencies.

| U.S. AND UK ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP ON SCIENCE OF AI SAFETY

A rare Rolex with a split-second chronograph sold for €3.3 million ($3.5 million) at auction in Monaco, a record price for the model. The Rolex 4113, produced in 1942 and one of just 12 ever made and nine known to exist, was sold at the Monaco Legend Group auction.

The sale beats the model’s previous record of 2.4 million Swiss francs ($2.6 million) which was paid in 2016 at a Phillips auction in Geneva.

The Rolex 4113 is no stranger to breaking auction records. In 2011, it became the first Rolex ever to cross the million-dollar mark. Rolex only made 12 of these watches in the 1940s, and they were never sold publicly.

These pieces were originally designed for aviation but, according to Monaco Legend Group, race car drivers adopted them as well.

Instead of selling them, Rolex gave them to members of various racing teams, making them even more exclusive and attractive eight decades later. Another feather in this model’s cap is that it’s the only split-seconds chronograph Rolex ever made. (A split-seconds chrono, or rattrapante, is a feature that allows the wearer to time intervals, like a lap function on a stopwatch.)

| AI-ASSISTED OPTRONICS: AN UNPRECEDENTED EUROPEAN PROJECT TO INCREASE COMBAT PERCEPTION CAPABILITIES

© THALES
  • The European Commission signed the Grant Agreement for the launch of the STORE (Shared daTabase for Optronics image Recognition and Evaluation) collaborative research project, coordinated by Thales and funded by the EDF (European Defence Fund).
  • Bringing together a consortium of 20 partners (manufacturers, SMEs and academics) from 8 EU Member States and Norway, this project aims to build a shared image database secured by most advanced technology and to develop and evaluate artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms dedicated to data analysis of ground platform imaging systems.
  • This project will contribute to the automatic management and tactical analysis of information in land combat situations, thanks to technological innovation in deep learning of optronic data.

To address a complex and constantly changing threat environment, the European Defence Fund is supporting the European Union’s STORE collaborative project to accelerate the introduction of AI and associated shared database in the imaging systems for land forces.

As threats become increasingly sophisticated (hypersonic missiles, combat drones, drone swarms, etc), optronic sensors are more strategically important than ever and need to deliver the highest levels of performance in the field.

STORE will lay the foundations for Europe’s first shared, scalable database of defence imagery and explore different algorithm solutions for threats detection. In particular, it will address issues of data governance and the cost-effective development of sovereign technologies.The STORE project, by combining optronic sensors with AI-based analysis techniques, will set-up future functionalities related to augment war fighters’ perception of the battlefield, enhancing their tactical situational awareness, shortening the decision loop to accelerate reaction times and, consequently, improve survivability.

We are proud that the EDF is financing this project which entrusts Thales as project lead and coordinator of this network of partners, European industrial and technological jewels. We will leverage all of our experience and expertise in optronics and artificial intelligence to offer high perception capacities, providing decisive tactic superiority on battlefields.Benoît Plantier, Vice-president of Optronics and Missile Electronics activity, Thales. 

| UKRAINE PLAN: COUNCIL GREENLIGHTS REGULAR PAYMENTS UNDER THE UKRAINE FACILITY

The Council has adopted an implementing decision giving a positive assessment to the ‘Ukraine Plan’, which sets out the intentions of the government of Ukraine regarding the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of the country, and the reforms it plans to undertake as part of its EU accession process in the next four years.

The Council considered in particular that thanks to this plan, Ukraine fulfils the precondition for support under the Ukraine Facility (up to €50 billion), and that now regular payments can start to flow.

“An important step has been made to deliver much-needed, regular and predictable financial support to Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernisation over the next four years. The EU has once more confirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s stability and growth” says Vincent van Peteghem, Belgian Minister of Finance and President of the Council

Payments to Ukraine will be disbursed by the EU subject to the implementation of the agreed reform and investments in the form of the qualitative and quantitative steps set out in the annex of the Council implementing decision. The reforms and investments foreseen have a significant potential to enhance growth, sustain macroeconomic stability, improve the fiscal situation and to support Ukraine’s further integration with EU.

Vincent van Peteghem, Belgian Minister of Finance and President of the Council

The decision provides further details on the arrangements and timetable for its implementation, including the envisaged timetable for disbursement of the support and its payment schedule. The final qualitative and quantitative steps are to be completed by the end of 2027.

In addition, financial support under the ‘Ukraine Plan’ will be made available under the precondition that Ukraine continues to uphold and respect effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights. Financial support is also dependent on strengthening of the rule of law, upholding the independence of the judiciary, strengthening the public administration reform, and fighting corruption – in particular high-level corruption – and money laundering.

The decision will enable the Commission to disburse up to €1.89 billion in pre-financing until regular disbursements tied to the implementation of reform and investment indicators under the Ukraine Plan will start.

Background

The Ukraine Facility, which entered into force on 1 March 2024, foresees up to €50 billion of stable financing, in grants and loans, to support Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernisation for the period 2024 to 2027. Of this, up to €32 billion of the Ukraine Facility is indicatively earmarked to support reforms and investments set out in the ‘Ukraine Plan’, whereby disbursements will be conditioned to the delivery of identified indicators. Since its entry into force, the Ukraine Facility already disbursed €6 billion by way of bridge financing, after fulfilment of agreed policy conditions.

| PARLIAMENT APPROVES FIRST EVER EU RULES ON COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

° Actions to prevent rape and increase understanding of consent

° Forced marriage and female genital mutilation considered crimes

°  Disclosing private information online without consent is prohibited, as is “cyber-flashing”

° Specialised assistance for victims

The new rules aim to prevent gender-based violence and protect its victims, especially women and victims of domestic violence.

The EU Parliament has adopted with 522 in favour, 27 against, and 72 abstentions, the first ever EU rules on combating violence against women and domestic violence. The directive calls for stronger laws against cyberviolence, better assistance for victims, and steps to prevent rape.

The new rules prohibit female genital mutilation and forced marriage and outline particular guidelines for offenses committed online, such as the disclosure of private information and cyberflashing.

The new legislation will include a longer list of aggravating circumstances for offenses that carry more severe penalties, such as crimes against public figures, journalists, or human rights defenders. The list also includes the intention to punish victims based on their gender, sexual orientation, skin colour, religion, social origin, or political beliefs, and the desire to maintain or restore “honour.”

Sexual and reproductive health services to be made available

The safety and well-being of victims should be prioritised, including through access to sheltered accommodation. Healthcare should be made accessible, including sexual and reproductive health services. Member states authorities will have enhanced reporting and evidence gathering obligations, and will have to raise public awareness of the fact that non-consensual sex is considered a criminal offence.

Due to Parliament’s insistence, the Commission will report every five years on whether the rules should be revised.

The co-rapporteur from the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, Frances Fitzgerald (EPP, IE), said: “Today Parliament has taken the first steps to make Europe the first continent in the world to end violence against women. This is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that will prevent violence against women, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators, thereby ensuring a holistic approach to tackling these heinous crimes. There can be no equality without eradication of violence against women; we must ensure that there can be no impunity for those who commit such crimes.”

The co-rapporteur from the Civil Liberties Committee, Evin Incir (S&D, SV), said: “This ground-breaking directive embodies our unwavering commitment to strengthening the rights of women and saving lives. As we march forward, let us remember this moment as a first historic step in strengthening women’s rights and illuminating the path towards a future where every woman can live free from fear and oppression. This is a victory for justice and equality across the European Union.”

Next steps

The new rules will come into force twenty days after their publication in the EU Official Journal. Member states have three years to implement the provisions.

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