Day: August 20, 2025

Open letter from 57 civil society organisations across EU member states, accession countries and wider Europe urges institutions to raise anti-corruption standards in final negotiations. Recently, 57 civil society organ­isations, including 23 Trans­parency International chapters and partners, published an open let­ter calling on the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament to uphold and strengthen the anti-corruption measures adopted by the European Parliament as part of the proposed EU Anti-Corruption Directive. Designed to establish common standards for preventing and ad­dressing corruption across member states, the Directive is now entering a critical final phase of interinstitutional negotiations. The signatories call on EU leaders to demonstrate genuine political will to combat corruption and set a higher standard for integrity and accountability across the bloc. The letter highlights growing pub­lic frustration with corruption across the EU. According to Transparency International’s research, only 21 per cent of people believe that officials face appropriate penalties for corrup­tion in the EU, while 53 per cent think the government is run by a few big interests serving themselves. Recent scandals such as Qatar­gate and the Huawei controversy have only deepened these concerns. Civil society leaders warn that this is no time for half-measures. EU policymakers must build on, not weaken, the Parliament’s stance. Andrea Rocca, Head of Policy & Advocacy, Transparency Interna­tional, said, “This Directive is a test of the EU’s commitment to integri­ty and good governance. Anything less than the European Parliament’s proposals would send the wrong message to citizens and the world. If the EU is to claim global leadership on corruption, it must be willing to act decisively and set a standard for transparency and accountability that all member states must uphold. This is a pivotal moment, and it must not be missed.” Nick Aiossa, Director of Transpar­ency International EU, said, “Citizens across the EU are demanding account­ability and transparency, and it is now up to policymakers to answer that call. A strong anti-corruption direc­tive would not only hold bad actors accountable but also demonstrate that the EU is serious about upholding the rule of law and defending democratic integrity.” Read More

ASSA ABLOY has ac­quired Calmell, a Spanish manufacturer of smart cards, smart paper tickets and magnetic tickets. “I am very pleased to welcome Calmell to ASSA ABLOY, an excit­ing technological addition that will reinforce our current offering within smart cards, and provide complemen­tary growth opportunities,” said Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. “Calmell is a fantastic addition to our growing public transportation ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome them to the HID family,” said Björn Lidefelt, EVP and Head of HID, “Calmell’s offering and expertise ena­ble people to get where they need to go, aligning well with our desire to help the world travel more freely.” Calmell was founded in 1920 and has some 100 employees. The main office is located in Barcelona, Spain. Calmell will be part of HID´s business area Identification Technologies. Sales for 2024 amounted to about MEUR29 (approx. MSEK330) with a strong EBIT margin. The acquisition will be accretive to EPS from the start. Read More