Top EU court backs decision on blacklisting PKK

STRASBOURG- Anadolu Agency

The <a title="European Court of Justice" href="/index/european-court-of-justice">European Court of Justice</a> on April 22 annulled a first instance decision from 2018 that ruled in favor of the <a title="PKK" href="/index/pkk">PKK</a> terror organization and sent the case back for trial to the lower court. 

The latest judgement highlighted that the Council of the European Union’s acts of listing the PKK as a terrorist organization between 2014-2017 should not be canceled since the EU body did not fail to state reasons for its decision.

The PKK has been on the EU’s list of people and groups penalized for being involved in terrorist acts since 2002.

The list has to be reviewed every year by the Council of the European Union, which is composed of EU foreign affairs ministers, and the decision requires a detailed reasoning to explain why the bloc considers the blacklisted entities or people terrorists.

The PKK challenged the council’s decisions between 2014-2017 in the hope of being removed from the terror list, arguing that the council failed to state reasons for keeping them on the list.

The first instance decision of the European General Court approved the PKK’s reasoning in 2018, but the council took the case to the EU’s top court for a second review.

In its latest ruling, the European Court of Justice annulled the General Court’s decision, dismissing the PKK’s argument about failure to state reasons for the blacklisting.

However, it ordered the General Court to reopen the file to assess other arguments from the PKK’s original motion against the council’s listing because they had not been examined during the previous trial.

“This procedure might take one and a half years,” Balazs Lehoczki, the press officer of the European Court of Justice, told Anadolu Agency.

He also explained that in case the General Court ruled against the blacklisting, the council could challenge the decision again at the top court.

If that happens, the European Court of Justice would ask for all the evidence to rule definitively on the legality of the bloc’s listing the PKK as a terror organization, Lehoczki added.

EU foreign affairs ministers kept the PKK on the bloc’s terror list during the February review.

The EU’s law enforcement agency EUROPOL has classified the PKK as an “ethno-nationalist” and “separatist” terrorist organization and said in its 2020 report that the group still uses European countries for propaganda, recruitment and fundraising activities.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – also listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the US – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women and children.

EU gets stricter on black pepper from Brazil and peanuts from India

The European Commission has tightened checks on black pepper from Brazil because of Salmonella and peanuts from India because of aflatoxins.

These and other products entering the European Union from non-EU countries are now subject to a temporary increase of official controls. Revised legislation has also seen some checks become less strict.

The basis of the changes is the occurrence of incidents reported through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and information from official controls performed by member states on food and feed of non-animal origin.

Tighter controls
The frequency of identity and physical checks on black pepper from Brazil has been increased from 20 percent to 50 percent. This is because of the large amount of non-compliances with EU requirements for Salmonella contamination detected during official controls in 2019 and early 2020 and the high number of reports in the RASFF during that period.

This year there have been 28 RASFF reports of Salmonella in black pepper from Brazil with most reported by Germany. Serotypes include Rubislaw, Infantis, Saintpaul, Coeln, Matadi, Gaminara, and Javiana.

The frequency of identity and physical checks on peanuts, also known as groundnuts, from India because of aflatoxins has also gone up from 10 percent to 50 percent. Checks on peppers of the Capsicum species, other than sweet, for pesticide residues from Thailand will rise from 10 percent to 20 percent.

Sweet peppers from Turkey are already listed in the regulation because of the risk of contamination by pesticide residues but this has been amended to cover all peppers of the Capsicum species.

Reduced measures
Checks on goji berries from China because of pesticide residues and dried grapes from Turkey because of Ochratoxin A have been relaxed because of improved compliance in the second half of 2019 and first quarter of 2020.

For peanuts from Brazil, the rate of identity and physical checks has been set at 10 percent because of the risk of contamination by aflatoxins. The frequency of non-compliance with EU rules during official controls decreased in the second semester of 2019 and remained at low levels in the first few months of 2020. Controls of this product from China because of the same issue are also at 10 percent.

The frequency of identity and physical checks for hazelnuts from Turkey because of aflatoxins has been reduced to 5 percent.

Foodstuffs containing betel leaves originating in, or being sent from, Bangladesh have been banned since June 2014 because of Salmonella contamination. However, the European Commission approved an action plan submitted by Bangladesh in July 2020 covering all steps of the production chain. The frequency of identity and physical checks will be set at 50 percent.

Foodstuffs consisting of dried beans from Nigeria remain suspended because of pesticide residue concerns. Peanuts and pistachios from the United States are being checked for aflatoxins at a rate of 10 percent.

Other products still subject to a temporary increase in controls include peanuts from Bolivia because of aflatoxins with checks at a frequency of 50 percent; sweet peppers from China because of Salmonella at a rate of 20 percent; sesame seeds from Ethiopia because of Salmonella at 50 percent; palm oil from Ghana because of Sudan dyes at 50 percent and turnips from Lebanon because of Rhodamine B at a frequency of 50 percent.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

European Parliament to vote on EU-UK post-Brexit trade pact

The European Parliament is to hold a vote next Tuesday on ratifying the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement that defines post-Brexit relations with Britain, European sources told AFP.

If MEPs vote in favour, as expected, it would finalise the adoption of the pact by both sides before a mutually agreed deadline runs out at the end of this month.

Currently, the treaty is provisionally applied, pending the European Parliament’s adoption. British MPs ratified it the day it was signed, on December 30, 2020.

The European Parliament had dragged its feet on holding a vote, in part to protest unilateral moves by London to suspend checks on goods entering Northern Ireland.

The European Commission last month launched a lawsuit against Britain over that decision, which it said violated the Brexit divorce deal struck a year before the trade and cooperation agreement (TCA).

The Brexit deal worked out the rights of EU and British citizens in each other’s territory and notably kept the UK’s Northern Ireland region within the orbit of EU customs rules, with a de facto border for goods down the Irish Sea.

That arrangement, which both sides said was necessary to prevent any border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland, has caused trade friction for goods from Britain and triggered violence fuelled by unionist anger. 

The TCA handles the broader relationship, ensuring free trade for British-made goods into the EU and vice-versa and establishes rules for cooperating in a number of areas, including fishing, flights and road haulage and, in a very limited way, services.

The document reflects Britain’s decision to go for a hard Brexit from the European Union, opting for independence from the EU’s single market and customs union, and the European Court of Justice, in the name of “sovereignty”.

Diplomatic tensions between London and Brussels have risen in the wake of Brexit.

Britain argues the EU should show greater flexibility in a range of areas, most notably when it comes to Northern Ireland. 

The European Commission has said it is willing to do so, but only where there is no possibility of undermining its single market.

European Parliament to vote on Brexit trade deal Tuesday

LONDON — The European Parliament will vote to ratify the EU-U.K. Trade and Cooperation agreement on Tuesday.

The vote has been added to the agenda of next week’s plenary session, according to Jaume Duch, spokesperson for the Parliament.

MEPs will hold a debate and a consent vote accompanied by a resolution on Tuesday, just four days ahead of the end of the temporary application period on April 30.

The Parliament’s foreign affairs and trade committees voted in favor of the agreement last week, paving the way for its expected ratification by the plenary.

The deal, which has already been ratified by the U.K., conditionally came into force on December 31, 2020.

European Parliament agrees to April vote on EU-UK trade deal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Parliament will vote on the post-Brexit EU-UK trade deal next Tuesday after political leaders backed down on their threat not to ratify the agreement over British changes to Northern Ireland trading arrangements, a parliament source said.

Parliament faces an end-April deadline to give its approval, but has said it wanted to see Britain move on implementing the Northern Ireland protocol, part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement covering the special position of the British-owned province.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Marine Strauss)

Russia: the European Union in solidarity with the Czech Republic over criminal activities on its territory

Declaration by the High Representative

The European Union strongly condemns the illegal activities on the territory of the Czech Republic that caused the explosions at the Vrbětice ammunition depot in 2014. It resulted in the deaths of two Czech citizens, a serious threat to civilian population and immense material damage. The EU takes extremely seriously the conclusions by the Czech authorities, based on extensive investigations, that officers of the Russian military intelligence GRU perpetrated these actions.

Digital Green Certificate and the way forward for the European Union

Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi has taken part in the informal virtual meeting of the European Union General Affairs Council.

Today’s meeting discussed how the European Union will move forward with the Digital Green Certificate after it has been approved by the European Council.

The proposal for a regulation on this certificate provides for a legal framework in the European Union with a view to creating a single system to facilitate the free movement of persons between Member States.

It was explained that following the European Council’s approval, negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament are expected to begin shortly.

Parliamentary Secretary Zrinzo Azzopardi expressed the satisfaction of the Maltese Government for the approval of a Digital Green Certificate by the European Council and described this as an important key action in the efforts against the Covid-19 effect.

He called for maintaining certain elements of flexibility in the position taken by the Council to allow room for amendment if there are currently unknown scientific developments.

Furthermore, he said that certain elements relating to the competences and prerogatives of the Member States should also be maintained due to the fact that the situation of the spread of the virus is not the same in all Member States.

The General Affairs Council also discussed the work being done by the three European Union institutions on the Conference on the Future of Europe. The conference is seen as a broad and inclusive exercise, with the aim of giving European Union citizens from all walks of life their views on the future of Europe so that policy makers can be guided.

A multilingual digital platform has already been launched with the aim of launching online activities organised by stakeholders in all Member States.

Parliamentary Secretary Zrinzo Azzopardi said that Malta is preparing for this conference and “will work hard to put Maltese citizens at the heart of this exercise of discussion focused on the realities of citizens, the needs, and their aspirations.”

The Conference on the Future of Europe is expected to start on the 9th of May.

Facial recognition, other ‘risky’ AI set for constraints in European Union

European Union Moves to Regulate Artificial Intelligence

The European Union’s executive branch on … public places.
The draft EU regulations include rules for other … the U.S. and China.
 EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry … be enacted with EU member governments and the European Parliament before coming into …

European Commission Reveals Rules & Actions for AI in the European Union

Today, the European Commission proposed new rules and actions as part of an effort to turn the European Union into a global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The “first-ever” legal framework is designed to ensure trust and safety while fostering AI innovation.

In a speech by EC Executive Vice President Margarethe Vestager, five obligations were outlined for AI in Europe:

• AI providers are required to feed their systems with high-quality data to make sure the results don’t come out biased or discriminating;
• They also need to give detailed documentation about how their AI systems work, for authorities to assess their compliance;
• Providers must share substantial information with users to help them understand and properly use AI systems;
• they have to ensure an appropriate level of human oversight both in the design and implementation of Artificial Intelligence;
• and finally, they must respect the highest standards of cybersecurity and accuracy.

Vestager said that their strategy for Europe’s digital future, is to create, “an ecosystem of trust goes together with an ecosystem of excellence.”

“For Europe to become a global leader in trustworthy AI, we need to give businesses access to the best conditions to build advanced AI systems,” said Vestager. ” This is the idea behind our revised coordinated plan on Artificial Intelligence. It coordinates the investments across Member States to ensure that money from Digital Europe and Horizon Europe programs is spent where we need it the most. For instance in high-performance computing or to create facilities to test and improve AI systems.”

In a statement by the Commission, high-risk AI systems were outlined:

• Critical infrastructures (e.g. transport), that could put the life and health of citizens at risk;
• Educational or vocational training, that may determine the access to education and professional course of someone’s life (e.g. scoring of exams);
• Safety components of products (e.g. AI application in robot-assisted surgery);
• Employment, workers management and access to self-employment (e.g. CV-sorting software for recruitment procedures);
• Essential private and public services (e.g. credit scoring denying citizens opportunity to obtain a loan);
• Law enforcement that may interfere with people’s fundamental rights (e.g. evaluation of the reliability of evidence);
• Migration, asylum and border control management (e.g. verification of authenticity of travel documents);
• Administration of justice and democratic processes (e.g. applying the law to a concrete set of facts).
• High-risk AI systems will be subject to strict obligations before they can be put on the market:

Adequate risk assessment and mitigation systems;

1. High quality of the datasets feeding the system to minimise risks and discriminatory outcomes;
2. Logging of activity to ensure traceability of results;
3. Detailed documentation providing all information necessary on the system and its purpose for authorities to assess its compliance;
4. Clear and adequate information to the user;
5. Appropriate human oversight measures to minimise risk;
6. High level of robustness, security and accuracy.

Overall, the goal is to create “enabling conditions for AI to grow and develop. Next steps in the policy initiative include having European Parliament and the Member States adopting the Commission’s proposals on the approach for AI, as well as Machinery Products, in the legislative procedure. Once adopted, the Regulations will be directly applicable across the EU.

Of course, AI is already fairly prolific within various industries – financial services being a key benefactor from the technology.

The EU plans to dedicate €1 billion per year in AI while attracting over €20 billion in overall investment in AI – each year.

Only time will tell if this structured approach will drive greater innovation and adoption or if a more laissez-faire policy may be superior.

The new rules, as well as Q&As, are available here.

Support to Eastern Partnership states – key pillar for European Council, Charles Michel says

By Trend

Support for the Eastern Partnership states is a key pillar for the European Council, President of the European Council Charles Michel said, Trend reports citing the press office of the European Council.

Michel made the statement after his meeting with President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbors: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia.

—

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz  

European Union reaches major climate deal ahead of Biden’s climate summit

The European Union has reached a tentative climate deal that should make the 27-nation bloc climate-neutral by 2050, with member states and parliament agreeing on the targets on the eve of a virtual summit that US President Biden will host.

“Our political commitment to becoming the first climate neutral continent by 2050 is now also a legal commitment. The Climate Law sets the EU on a green path for a generation,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen early Wednesday (local time).

Under the provisional deal reached after officials negotiated through the night, the EU also commits itself on an intermediate target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

“It was high time for the agreement, as Europe has to show where it stands in view of the positive developments in the USA and China,” said Member of the European Parliament Peter Liese, the negotiator for the European People’s Party Christian Democrat group.

READ MORE:
* Biden’s climate summit is Govt’s chance to unveil tougher emissions-reduction pledge
* US President Biden pressed on emissions goal as climate summit nears
* US and China agree to cooperate on climate crisis with urgency
* Delay is the new climate denial – what the Government needs to do to step up our ambition

Up to now, the 2030 target had been 40 per cent but under the pressure of increasing evidence of climate change and a more environmentally-conscious electorate that target was pushed up, even if the EU legislature had wanted at 60 per cent target.

The Greens specifically complained that too many accounting tricks had been used to reach the level of 55 per cent while in reality the reduction would be lower.

The United States, the world’s second-biggest polluter after China, is preparing to announce its new target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Under Biden, the United States has returned to the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and all global partners will be meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, to push for strong targets.

Both Washington and Brussels are aiming to go “carbon neutral” by mid-century, a goal scientists say needs to be achieved to keep average global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.

<

p class=”sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph”> The Paris accord’s more ambitious target of capping global warming at 1.5 C by the end of the century compared with pre-industrial times would likely require even more drastic worldwide cuts in emissions.

<

p class=”sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph”> Wednesday’s EU deal still needs to be officially approved by the member states and the legislature but should be little more than a rubber stamp.

Voices Live: Should an independent Scotland join the EEA instead of the European Union?

The Scottish Government has long insisted that an independent Scotland would re-join the European Union.

Burkina Faso: Council conclusions on the European Union’s Integrated Strategy in the Sahel

Sahel: Council approves conclusions on the EU’s integrated strategy in the region

The Council approved conclusions reaffirming the importance of a solid and long-term partnership between the EU and the Sahel, and of stepping up that partnership through an ambitious EU strategy setting the framework for its policies and actions in the region.

Since 2012 the Sahel has faced a profound security crisis that has hampered its development and, together with other long-term trends such as climate change, demographic pressure, the access to natural resources and epidemic risks, risks wiping out the progress made in recent decades.

During the period of the previous EU Sahel strategy (2011-2020), the EU has mobilised all instruments at its disposal, from humanitarian aid to security forces, to support the Sahel populations, and now intends to intensify its political efforts through a new, ambitious, inclusive and flexible strategy based on the principle of mutual accountability with Sahel partner authorities.

In line with international coordination efforts within the Sahel Coalition, the EU emphasises the importance of a ‘civilian and political leap forward’ focusing both on short-term stabilisation and long-term prospects for sustainable social, environmental and economic development, above and beyond military involvement.

The promotion protection and fulfilment of all** human rights **will continue to remain at the heart of EU support for the Sahel, as well as efforts in the areas of governance and the rule of law, anti-corruption, and the provision of basic public services to all people.

Recognizing past as well as emerging trends, the EU will continue to support Sahel partners in** fighting terrorist armed groups**, and support their efforts in the field of security sector reform.

The EU will continue strengthening the multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core, alongside regional organisations, especially the African Union, ECOWAS and the G5 Sahel.

Background

The main geographical scope of the EU strategy is the five G5 Sahel countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. However it places EU action in the wider context of regional and cross-border challenges, and of the links that exist in particular between the Sahel, West African coastal states, the Lake Chad Basin and North Africa.

The conclusions were adopted by the Council by written procedure.

Press contacts
Maria Daniela Lenzu
Press officer
+32 2 281 21 46
+32 470 88 04 02

Sierra Leone: European Union brings over 1,2 billion SLL in aid to Freetown fire victims

In response to the devastating fire incident in the capital city of Sierra Leone (Freetown) on 24 March 2021, which left 1,600 families homeless and more than 400 people injured, the European Union has provided €100 000 (1,218,912,700 Sierra Leonean Leones) in emergency funding. Funds will help the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society in assisting the victims with emergency support for shelter and basic non-food items through cash, but also food, psychosocial support and safe water and sanitation to prevent waterborne and hygiene-related diseases outbreaks.

Families also need support to restart their daily activities to avoid slipping into extreme poverty and hunger.The aid will benefit the 1,000 most vulnerable of them (7,000 people) who have lost their homes, food stocks, money and other valuables. Priority will be given to families with members with disabilities, the elderly, lactating mothers, pregnant women and children under 5 and households headed by women.

This funding to the Sierra Leone Red Cross is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises.

Through the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a €3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million.

For more information, please visit the European Commission’s website.

For further information, please contact:

Hilaire Avril
Regional Information Officer for West and Central Africa
European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
Tel:+221 77 740 92 17
Hilaire.Avril@echofield.eu

DG ECHO Website:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en

Twitter and Facebook accounts:

https://twitter.com/eu_echo
https://twitter.com/ECHO_WAfrica
http://www.facebook.com/ec.humanitarian.aid

European Union to unveil military strategy for Asia

With Connor O’Brien

Editor’s Note: Morning Defense is a free version of POLITICO Pro Defense’s morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the day’s biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro.

— The European Union is set to release its strategy for a greater naval presence in the Indo-Pacific to confront China.

— Democrats in Congress re-introduce a bill to limit F-35 sales to the UAE and other Middle East nations.

— The Biden administration insists the mission has been accomplished in Afghanistan, but the debate is only beginning on the risk of withdrawal.

HAPPY MONDAY AND WELCOME BACK TO MORNING DEFENSE, where we aren’t very surprised to learn that the CIA also sought unsuccessfully to assassinate Cuba’s future leader Raul Castro, not just his older brother Fidel, in the early days of the Cuban Revolution, as revealed in previously secret documents obtained by the National Security Archive at George Washington University. The younger Castro stepped down as president this weekend on the 60th anniversary of the CIA’s failed Bay of Pigs invasion to overthrow the Communist government. President John F. Kennedy famously vowed after the debacle to “splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it into the winds.” But he wasn’t the only president who regretted the agency’s covert action role. Harry Truman appealed in a Washington Post op-ed a month after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 that the agency should stick to intelligence. “I never had any thought that when I set up the CIA,” he wrote, “that it would be injected into peacetime cloak and dagger operations.” We’re always on the lookout for tips, pitches and feedback. Email us at [email protected], and follow on Twitter @bryandbender, @morningdefense and @politicopro.

‘WE MUST ENACT PROTECTIONS’: Senior Democrats have reintroduced legislation to constrain the sale of F-35 fighters to Middle East nations outside of Israel as the Biden administration presses forward with a $23 billion weapons sale to the United Arab Emirates originally inked by the Trump administration.

The decision to advance the Trump-era deal, which Biden initially paused, has been criticized by human rights and anti-war groups. Lawmakers have also raised concerns that the F-35’s technology could be compromised and that selling the fighters to Middle Eastern nations will hurt Israel’s military edge in the region.

“[I]f the Administration has decided to proceed with this Trump-era deal, then we must enact protections to ensure the incredibly sensitive technology of these aircraft is not compromised by powers hostile to the United States, including making sure the UAE pulls back from its burgeoning relationship with China and other U.S. competitors,” Senate Foreign Relations Chair Bob Menendez said in a statement.

The bill would require the president to certify that F-35 sales to the region, including 50 slated for the UAE, won’t affect Israel’s military advantage and that assurances have been made the fighters won’t be used for activities detrimental to Israeli security, among other provisions.

Menendez and Sen. Dianne Feinstein filed similar legislation last year after Trump announced the sale of F-35s.

On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee holds a posture hearing with the heads of U.S. Strategic Command and Space Command at 9:30 a.m.

The Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee meets to hear testimony on the Defense Health Program at 9:30 a.m.

And the House Armed Services Committee holds a hearing with the leaders of U.S. Central Command and Africa Command at 11 a.m.

And the Intelligence National Security Alliance holds a virtual discussion on “Securing Microelectronics Supply Chains” featuring Sens. Chuck Schumer and John Cornyn and Rep. Michael McCaul at noon.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Institute of Peace holds “Afghanistan’s Next Chapter: What Happens as U.S. Troops Leave?” at 10 a.m.

The SASC’s Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee holds a hearing on science and technology at 2:30 p.m.

The HASC’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee hears testimony from the commanders of U.S. Strategic Command and Space Command at 4 p.m.

And the virtual C4ISRNET Conference features Gen. David Thompson, vice chief of space operations, and Vice Adm. Jeff Trussler, deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare.

On Thursday, the HASC Readiness Subcommittee holds a hearing on the F-35 fighter jet at 9:30 a.m.

The SASC hears from the heads of U.S. Central Command and Africa Command at 9:30 a.m.

The HASC Tactical Air and Land Forces and Readiness Subcommittees hold a joint hearing on the F-35 fighter program at 9:30 a.m.

The Army Futures Command and Lieber Institute at West Point hold “The Future Character of War and the Law of Armed Conflict” at 9:50 a.m.

And the American Enterprise Institute hosts a discussion with Rep. Adam Smith on defense budget priorities at 10 a.m.

On Friday, AEI holds a discussion on air and space power with Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff Mike Wigston at 2 p.m.

Check out the Pro calendar for a full schedule of events.

NEW TOP STRATEGIST: Biden on Friday nominated Mara Karlin, a longtime defense strategist and veteran of numerous administrations, to be assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans and capabilities, where she would oversee the crafting of the next National Defense Strategy.

Karlin, who worked on the Biden-Harris transition, is the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. She was director of strategic studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and worked for five U.S. secretaries of defense on strategic planning, defense policy and budgeting, future conflicts, and regional security affairs, according to her White House bio.

Here’s Karlin’s most recent public take on “how to do more with less” in the Middle East, published in Foreign Affairs in September. She has also been a vocal proponent of restoring balance in the civil-military relationship, as she laid out in War on the Rocks last year.

Related: Biden taps retired astronaut Pam Melroy to be NASA’s No. 2, via our colleague Jacqueline Feldscher.

‘SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADED’: Threats to the United States posed by al Qaeda from Afghanistan have been “significantly degraded,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken argued on Sunday in defense of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops, our colleague Connor O’Brien reports.

In an interview airing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Blinken said the main objectives of disrupting the terrorist group that carried out the Sept. 11 attacks had been achieved and that terrorist threats have shifted in the two decades since the war began.

“Al Qaeda has been significantly degraded. Its capacity to conduct an attack against the United States now from Afghanistan is not there,” Blinken said. “And of course, Osama bin Laden was brought to justice 10 years ago.”

“The terrorism threat has moved to other places,” he added. “And we have other very important items on our agenda, including the relationship with China, including dealing with everything from climate change to Covid. And that’s where we have to focus our energy and resources.”

Related: Britain’s top general is unhappy about US Afghanistan withdrawal plans, via Defense News.

Plus: ‘High probability’ Biden’s decision to pull U.S. troops from Afghanistan will cause its government to fall, expert says, via Yahoo News.

‘A MEANINGFUL EUROPEAN NAVAL PRESENCE’: The European Union today is expected to commit to increasing its naval presence in the Asia-Pacific, as part of broader plans to beef up its collective efforts to confront China, POLITICO Europe’s Stuart Lau and Jacopo Barigazzi report.

“At a Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, EU countries represented by foreign ministers are expected to adopt a document that for the first time sets out a comprehensive European strategy toward the Indo-Pacific region,” they write. “According to a draft, the strategy seeks to address Beijing’s rise and broaches topics ranging from reducing economic dependence on China to expanding Europe’s role in digitalization throughout Southeast Asia. Most contentiously, the plan will also acknowledge ‘the importance of a meaningful European naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.’”

They add: “For most of the EU, with a chronic aversion to military adventurism half a world away, anything more than token naval missions would be a dramatic change of geostrategic direction, particularly since there are now intense fears about China’s military intimidation of Taiwan and the Philippines.”

One EU diplomat described Monday’s draft as a “pivot,” but it remains an open question how much European nations will commit, in both military forces and diplomatic engagement with partners in the region, to make such a goal reality.

“As long as EU capabilities are not addressed, the EU will not be a major stakeholder,” said Antoine Bondaz, an East Asia specialist with the Foundation for Strategic Research, a Paris-based think tank. “At the moment, France is the only country to have a real security strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

“Strategic autonomy in writing speeches is one thing,” he added, “strategic autonomy in doing things and defending our interests is another.”

Q1 EARNINGS: Lockheed Martin will report its first quarter earnings on Tuesday, kicking off two weeks of financial reports from the Pentagon’s largest contractors.

Earnings calls for the remainder of the big five will happen next week. Raytheon Technologies is on April 27, General Dynamics and Boeing are on April 28 and Northrop Grumman reports on April 29.

J. Scott Goldstein, a major general in the Air Force Reserve and most recently vice president of engineering, integration and logistics at SAIC’s Solutions and Technology Group, is joining Anduril as head of advanced projects.

— In secret Facebook groups, America’s best warriors share racist jabs, lies about 2020, even QAnon theories: NBC News

— Trump’s grip on GOP looms as support falters for independent probe of Capitol riot: The Washington Post

— 51 West Point cadets caught cheating must repeat a year: The Associated Press

— Air Force One subcontractor GDC countersues Boeing: Reuters

— Bids are due for Army’s Bradley replacement and it’s only the beginning: Defense News

— NSA official installed as Trump left office resigns after he was sidelined: The Washington Post

— Rockets hit Balad air base, 2 Iraqi security forces wounded: The Associated Press

— Israel and Greece sign record defence deal: Reuters

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European Union estimates 150,000 Russian troops amassed near Ukraine’s borders

BRUSSELS >> The European Union is estimating that 150,000 Russian troops have already amassed for the biggest military buildup ever near Ukraine’s borders and that it will only take “a spark” to set off a confrontation.

At the same time, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said today that the condition of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was “critical” and that the 27-nation group would hold the Kremlin accountable for his health and safety.

Despite the worrisome developments, Borrell said after a virtual meeting of the EU foreign ministers that, “for the time being, there is no move in the field of more sanctions” to be slapped on Russia.

He also said there wasn’t a request for a synchronized EU diplomatic move of expulsions in the standoff between EU member state the Czech Republic and Russia following Prague’s accusation that Moscow was involved in a 2014 ammunition depot explosion.

More dangerous at this time, Borrell said, was the massing of Russian troops, including military field hospitals, and “all kinds of warfare.”

“It is the highest military deployment of the Russian army on the Ukrainian borders ever. It’s clear that it’s a matter of concern when you deploy a lot of troops,” Borrell said. “Well, a spark can jump here or there.”

Borrell declined to say where he got the 150,000 Russian troop figure from. But it is bigger than the 110,000 estimate provided by Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran on Wednesday.

More than 14,000 people have died in seven years of fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that erupted after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

The EU has steadfastly opposed the annexation but has been unable to do anything about it.

Efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled and violations of a shaky truce have become increasingly frequent in recent weeks across Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland known as the Donbas.

Diplomats had expected there was little to no chance of immediate new sanctions on Moscow, but they now will seek to apply more pressure nevertheless through diplomacy.

And over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron said that while dialogue with Russia is essential, “clear red lines” carrying possible sanctions must also be drawn with Moscow over Ukraine.

“All in all, the relations with Russia, are not improving, but the contrary, the tension is increasing in different fronts,” Borrell said.

“We call on Russia to withdraw their troops,” Borrell said.