Switzerland to expand EU defense ties with new cyber-defense role

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Switzerland has received the European Union's approval to join a multinational military cybersecurity project, the EU's Council announced this week.
The decision allows Switzerland to become part of the Estonian-led Cyber Ranges Federations project under the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) framework, marking a notable advance in Swiss–EU military cooperation. This comes despite Bern's famously longstanding policy of strict military neutrality.
Switzerland had applied to join the project in October of last year, shortly after submitting an application for another joint project focused on military mobility. Two formalities remain before becoming a full project member: Estonia must invite Switzerland to the cooperation, and Bern needs a so-called administrative arrangement with the EU governing formalities such a data exchange and other parameters.
The Swiss government welcomed this week's EU decision, saying that the country 'will take part in the European PESCO project.'
Switzerland has beefed up its own cyber defense capabilities in recent years with its Swiss Cyber Training Range and a Cyber-Defence Campus.
The EU's Cyber Ranges Federations initiative seeks to centralize capacity, pool unique services and automate processes across member states, reducing manual workload during exercises and accelerating the development of advanced cybersecurity technologies.
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Italy and Luxembourg are already members of the project, in addition to Estonia.
Under PESCO's third-state participation rules established in 2020, non-EU countries may join individual projects if they share EU values and pose no threat to member states' security interests. The Council confirmed that Switzerland meets the required political, legal and substantive criteria and will bring 'substantial added value and mutual benefit' to the federation, it said in a press release.
The Council retains oversight of third-state involvement and may adjust conditions should security considerations evolve, ensuring alignment with the EU's collective defense objectives.
Swiss defense planners have balanced these new engagements with Bern's policy of armed neutrality, with federal officials calling cooperation in PESCO initiatives 'ad hoc collaboration on specific projects which are thematically in the interest of both parties and which do not create critical dependencies for neutrality.'
Participation in the cyber project enables Switzerland to contribute – and benefit from – expertise and infrastructure without entangling the country too deeply in broader EU defense commitments, from Bern's point of view. The Swiss government said that 'participation will take place selectively and on a needs-oriented basis.'
The latest project represents part of Switzerland's broader strategic approach to selective participation in PESCO projects that align with its defense interests while maintaining neutrality.
It's not Switzerland's first brush with EU defense initiatives. In January, the government received the green light to join an EU-led military mobility project, which it applied for in September 2024. The Military Mobility project aims to simplify and standardize national cross-border military transport procedures, enabling swift movement of military personnel and assets throughout the EU via road, rail, sea, or air. Other non-EU countries, such as the UK, Northway, the USA and Canada are also part of this project.
In addition to deepening engagement with the EU, Switzerland has also been a member of NATO's partnership for peace since the 1990s, as has its neutral eastern neighbor, Austria.
Hardline neutrality defenders have long taken issue with Swiss engagement on military projects beyond its own borders. Their criticism received new urgency in the aftermath of Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022. Last year, a civil movement garnered more 130,000 certified signatures to organize a national referendum on strengthening Switzerland's international neutrality. The referendum organizers specifically want to prevent what they see as a gradual erosion of Switzerland's traditional neutrality through strengthened international defense cooperation.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Business Upturn

an hour ago

• Business Upturn

LEADING EDGE MATERIALS REPORTS QUARTERLY RESULTS TO APRIL 30, 2025

By GlobeNewswire Published on June 21, 2025, 02:30 IST LEADING EDGE MATERIALS REPORTS QUARTERLY RESULTS TO APRIL 30, 2025 Vancouver, June 20, 2025 – Leading Edge Materials Corp. ('Leading Edge Materials' or the 'Company') (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) (FRA: 7FL) announces results for the fiscal period ending April 30, 2025. All references to dollar amounts in this release are in Canadian dollars. Highlights During and After the Quarter During the three months ended April 30, 2025: • On February 9, 2025, the Company provided an update on a Rapid Development Plan ('RDP') for Norra Kärr, to be in production in the shortest possible timeframe, supplying HREE-rich eudialyte concentrate and industrial mineral nepheline syenite. • The Company provided an update on the value creation options being considered for Woxna Graphite, on February 16, 2025, including a possible restart of operations, the production of high-quality flake graphite concentrate. • On March 23, 2025, the Company provided a progress update on Norra Kärr, in the context of the European Commission's ('EC') Joint White Paper for European Readiness 2030, highlighting the increasing geopolitical competition over critical raw materials ('CRMs') and the need for the EU and its member states to build strategic reserves of raw materials. • On March 25, 2025, the EU announced its first list of Strategic Projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act ('CRMA'); Norra Kärr was not included. The Company stated its plan to reapply in the next round of applications. • On April 23, 2025, the Company announced granting of stock options (the 'Options') to directors, officers and consultants of the Company to purchase an aggregate of 6,850,000 common shares (the 'Optioned Shares') of the Company, at exercise price of C$0.24 per Optioned Share, expiring on the date that is 5 years from the date of grant for directors and officers and three years from the date of grant for consultants. The Options will vest 33% on the date of the grant, 33% one year after the date of grant and 34% two years after the date of grant. The Options were issued pursuant to the terms of the Company's Option Plan. Results of Operations Three Months Ended April 30, 2025, Compared to Three Months Ended January 31, 2025 During the three months ended April 30, 2025 ('Q2 2025') the Company reported a net loss of $1,179,168 compared to a reported net loss of $669,216 for the three months ended January 31, 2025 ('Q1 2025'), an increase in loss by $509,952, the increase in loss mainly due to share based compensation expenses of $585,529 (Q1 2025 – $129,292) and foreign exchange loss of $117,063 (Q1 2025 – gain $1,690). Three Months Ended April 30, 2025, Compared to Three Months Ended April 30, 2024 During the three months ended April 30, 2025 ('2025 period'), the Company reported a net loss of $1,179,168 compared to a net loss of $859,529 for the three months ended April 30, 2024 ('2024 period'), an increase in loss of $319,639, the increase in loss mainly due to share based compensation expenses of $585,529 (Q2 2024 – $349,923) and foreign exchange loss of $117,063 (Q2 2024 – $5,754). Selected Financial Data The following selected financial information is derived from the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with IFRS. Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2024 Fiscal 2023 Three Months Ended April 30,2025 $ January 31,2025 $ October 31,2024 $ July 31,2024 $ April 30,2024 $ January 31,2024 $ October 31,2023(Restated) $ July 31,2023(Restated) $ Operations Expenses (1,070,402) (696,037) (97,209) (797,070) (863,745) (660,617) (457,890) (309,832) Other items (108,766) 26,821 (222,820) (25,168) 4,216 (25,311) 195,209 (8,442) Comprehensive profit/(loss) (1,179,168) (669,216) (320,029) (822,238) (859,529) (685,928) (262,681) (318,274) Basic Profit/(loss) per share (0.01) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (0.01) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) Diluted profit/(loss) per share (0.01) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (0.01) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) Financial Position Working capital 1,191,514 2,198,641 3,337,686 3,973,458 1,610,635 2,316,098 2,713,098 848,952 Total assets 28,361,774 28,480,311 29,343,716 28,454,783 24,991,481 26,003,943 25,512,111 23,588,662 Total non-current liabilities (6,009,933) (5,596,369) (5,641,854) (5,683,545) (5,101,289) (5,489,843) (4,670,790) (5,109,575) Financial Condition / Capital Resources During the three months ended April 30, 2025, the Company recorded a net loss of $1,179,168 and, as of April 30, 2025, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $51,201,042 and working capital of $1,191,514. The Company maintains its Woxna Graphite mine in a 'production-ready' basis while minimizing costs. The Company is also evaluating a potential restart of flake graphite concentrate production. The Company anticipates that it has sufficient funding to meet anticipated levels of corporate administration and overheads for the ensuing twelve months however, it will need additional capital to provide working capital and recommence operations at the Woxna Graphite, to fund future development of the Norra Kärr project or to complete exploration activities in Romania. There is no assurance such additional capital will be available to the Company on acceptable terms or at all. In the longer term the recoverability of the carrying value of the Company's long-lived assets is dependent upon the Company's ability to preserve its interest in the underlying mineral property interests, the discovery of economically recoverable reserves, the achievement of profitable operations and the ability of the Company to obtain financing to support its ongoing exploration programs and mining operations. Outlook Concerns about critical raw materials – security of supply, supply chain resilience and defence requirements – have been recurring themes at conferences attended by the Company in recent months, with HREEs and natural graphite frequently mentioned; geopolitical uncertainties continue, with more talk about the weaponization of global trade in rare earth elements. On June 17, 2025, the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan was announced focused on 'diversifying the responsible production and supply of critical minerals, encouraging investments in critical mineral projects and local value creation, and promoting innovation' in the G7, and with partners beyond, working together and 'to swiftly protect our economic and national security''. Against this backdrop and calls for more action to match the intent of the CRMA, the Company's portfolio is well positioned. Woxna Graphite Mine The Company maintains the Woxna Graphite Mine in a production-ready state while minimizing holding costs. An internal study completed in early 2022 assessed the potential for restarting operations and upgrading the processing plant to produce high-quality flake graphite concentrate. Work is now underway to update this study, forming the basis of a business plan to support possible project financing, customer prepayments, and access to Swedish or EU public funding, and, in addition. Highlighting Sweden's role in CRMs and graphite's importance, Sweden's Energy, Business and Industry Minister Ebba Busch recently stated that 'Sweden has unique opportunities to be and remain a strong player in global mineral politics. We have the most sustainable mining industry in the world – ethically sustainable, environmentally sustainable, and with good working conditions. The graphite that [Talga Group] is planning to produce is a key material in battery manufacturing and the green transition to a fossil-fuel-free society.' Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Element ('HREE') Project As part of its Pre-feasibility ('PFS') workstreams, the Company is developing a Rapid Development Plan ('RDP') for Norra Kärr to enable the earliest possible production of HREE-rich eudialyte concentrate and industrial mineral nepheline syenite. A phased, small-scale start is under consideration to allow early access to the deposit, initial sales of nepheline syenite, early cash flow, and stockpiling of eudialyte concentrate for future processing. This approach is designed to reduce both risk and environmental impacts. Testwork has now been completed on nepheline syenite and aegirine to determine their mineralogy, chemical composition, and leachate chemistry. The promising results are being used to determine possible market segments and specifications that can be achieved, potential demand and pricing, to be included in an updated PFS economic model for Norra Kärr. The Company envisages the PFS will be completed in Q1 2026. On 24 March 2025, the EU announced its first list of Strategic Projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA); Norra Kärr was not included. The Company plans to reapply in the next round of applications having continued to make significant progress since the last application was submitted in August 2024. In recent months, the Company's application for a new Exploitation Concession ('Bearbetningskoncession') 25-year mining lease has been out for consultation with County Administrative Boards ('CAB') and municipalities. The Company understands that CAB opinions have been received by the Mining Inspectorate ('Bergsstaten'). The Company will have an opportunity to respond to opinions and comments. Bihor Sud Nickel-Cobalt Exploration Project Exploration activities at the Bihor Sud project have continued, supported by the hard work of the four new geologists who joined the team in January. Works have included underground mapping, diamond drilling, geophysics, core logging, and sampling. The Company's goal remains to define a large-scale, mineable mineral resource; in gallery G2, targeting promising Zinc-Lead-Copper-Silver mineralization. Results to date are encouraging and underscore the project's strong potential for a significant polymetallic discovery. Financial Information The report for three months ending July 31, 2025, is expected to be published on or about September 19, 2025. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Leading Edge Materials Corp. Kurt Budge, CEO For further information, please contact the Company at: [email protected] Follow usTwitter: Linkedin: About Leading Edge Materials Leading Edge Materials is a Canadian public company focused on developing a portfolio of critical raw material projects located in the European Union. Critical raw materials are determined as such by the European Union based on their economic importance and supply risk. They are directly linked to high growth technologies such as lithium-ion batteries and permanent magnets for electric motors, wind turbines and defense applications. The portfolio of projects includes the 100% owned Woxna Graphite mine (Sweden), 100% owned Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Elements project (Sweden), and the 51% owned Bihor Sud Nickel Cobalt exploration alliance (Romania). Additional Information The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above, on June 20, 2025, at 2:30 PM Vancouver time. Leading Edge Materials is listed on the TSXV under the symbol 'LEM', OTCQB under the symbol 'LEMIF' and Nasdaq First North Stockholm under the symbol 'LEMSE'. Svensk Kapitalmarknadsgranskning ('SKMG') is the Company's Certified Adviser for the Nasdaq First North Growth Market (Stockholm) and may be contacted via email [email protected] or by phone +46 (0)8 913 008. Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute 'forward-looking information', including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words 'may', 'would', 'could', 'will', 'intend', 'plan', 'anticipate', 'believe', 'estimate', 'expect' and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, changes in the Company's intended use of proceeds from the Private Placement, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Attachments LEM – News Release Financial Results – April 30, 2025 Financial Report Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.

3 hours ago

North Carolina Green Party retains official status despite failing vote thresholds

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Green Party will remain an official party in North Carolina, able to field candidates statewide through the 2028 elections, even though their 2024 nominees for governor and president failed to get the votes required by state law. The Republican-led State Board of Elections voted 3-2 on Thursday to continue recognizing the North Carolina Green Party, potentially affecting close contests for president, U.S. Senate and governor or other statewide and local offices. Without Thursday's action, the party would have joined four other small parties who also failed to reach the vote thresholds necessary and are thus no longer recognized — the Constitution, Justice for All, No Labels and We the People parties. None of their candidates received at least 2% of the total vote for governor or president to remain an official party. That means voters who are registered with those four parties are moved to unaffiliated status on voter rolls starting next week. Those groups also would have to collect about 14,000 signatures to regain official party status — an effort that takes time and money. But the North Carolina Green Party petitioned the board this spring to apply another standard. State law also says a group of voters can become a political party if they 'had a candidate nominated by that group on the general election ballot' in at least 35 states in the prior presidential election. The group presented a Federal Election Commission document showing Jill Stein, the Green Party nominee, appeared on the November 2024 ballot in 38 states. In seven states, however, she was not the nominee of the party or of a Green Party affiliate, according to the commission document. For example, she was an independent candidate in three of the seven. Democratic board member Jeff Carmon said he wasn't convinced the standard was met because Stein failed to be nominated in 35 states by the Green Party or an affiliate. Republican members decided otherwise. Although Stein may have been listed as the nominee for a different party or as independent, she was the national Green Party candidate, board Chairman Francis De Luca said. The three Republican members agreed that the North Carolina Green Party could remain an official party. The two Democrats voted no. The board shifted from a Democratic majority to a Republican majority last month after a 2024 state law took appointment authority away from the governor and to the state auditor. With Thursday's action, there will be four recognized political parties in North Carolina — Democratic, Republican, Libertarian and Green. As of last week, the largest bloc of North Carolina's 7.53 million registered voters are unaffiliated, at 2.85 million. About 4,000 voters are registered with the Green Party.

Time Business News

4 hours ago

• Time Business News

Blackcatcard Exchange Feature Enables Seamless Multi-Currency Management for EU-Based Users

In an increasingly borderless economy, consumers and professionals need flexible, real-time solutions to manage currency exchange across digital platforms. The blackcatcard exchange feature, built into the Blackcatcard mobile banking experience, offers users an efficient way to convert currencies at competitive rates directly within their account, without relying on third-party services or incurring excessive fees. Operated by EU-regulated provider Papaya Ltd., Blackcatcard enables users to access personal EUR IBAN accounts, Mastercard payments, and instant currency conversion tools through a single, mobile-first platform. Converting funds between currencies often involves delays, hidden markups, or limited availability across mainstream banking apps. The blackcat exchange feature removes these obstacles by offering users real-time currency conversion from within their account, paired with transparent fees and direct integration with their card balance. Whether users are receiving income in foreign currency, making international purchases, or preparing to travel between Eurozone and non-Euro countries, they can: Instantly exchange funds between supported currencies View real-time exchange rates before confirming the transaction Use converted balances immediately with their Blackcatcard Mastercard Track all transactions within the app's account history panel The blackcat exchange tool is especially valuable for users with cross-border routines, including freelancers paid in foreign currencies, remote workers traveling between EU hubs, and international students managing allowances from home countries. Unlike traditional banking options or standalone forex apps, Blackcatcard users can convert and spend directly from one interface, saving time, lowering costs, and avoiding fragmentation between services. All exchange operations within the Blackcatcard system are conducted under the oversight of Papaya Ltd., a licensed Electronic Money Institution regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). This ensures compliance with EU financial standards, and all user funds are held in safeguarded accounts. Users can access their exchange tools from anywhere, with full visibility into rates, fees, and converted balances—ensuring total control and transparency in every transaction. Blackcatcard is a European digital financial service operated by Papaya Ltd., offering EUR IBAN accounts, Mastercard payment tools, and real-time mobile money management to individuals across borders. The platform supports modern financial needs such as seamless currency exchange, contactless payments, and digital account control via mobile. Learn more about the blackcat exchange and other features by visiting the official site. TIME BUSINESS NEWS