diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 8f896793573..88fc8e2f5e6 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
         <groupId>org.apache</groupId>
         <artifactId>apache</artifactId>
         <version>23</version>
-        <relativePath />
+        <relativePath/>
     </parent>
 
     <groupId>org.apache.karaf</groupId>
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@
         <junit.version>4.13.1</junit.version>
         <jsw.version>3.2.3</jsw.version>
         <log4j.version>1.2.17</log4j.version>
-        <maven.version>3.6.3</maven.version>
+        <maven.version>3.9.6</maven.version>
         <maven.wagon.version>3.2.0</maven.wagon.version>
         <maven-plugin-annotations.version>3.6.0</maven-plugin-annotations.version>
         <maven.resolver.version>1.3.1</maven.resolver.version>
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@
         <winsw.version>2.3.0</winsw.version>
 
 
-        <surefire.argLine />
+        <surefire.argLine/>
 
         <!-- Further used maven plugin versions; e.g. in the docs -->
         <plugin.depends.version>1.4.0</plugin.depends.version>
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@
                                         </goals>
                                     </pluginExecutionFilter>
                                     <action>
-                                        <ignore />
+                                        <ignore/>
                                     </action>
                                 </pluginExecution>
                                 <pluginExecution>
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@
                                         </goals>
                                     </pluginExecutionFilter>
                                     <action>
-                                        <ignore />
+                                        <ignore/>
                                     </action>
                                 </pluginExecution>
                                 <pluginExecution>
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@
                                         </goals>
                                     </pluginExecutionFilter>
                                     <action>
-                                        <ignore />
+                                        <ignore/>
                                     </action>
                                 </pluginExecution>
                                 <pluginExecution>
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@
                                         </goals>
                                     </pluginExecutionFilter>
                                     <action>
-                                        <ignore />
+                                        <ignore/>
                                     </action>
                                 </pluginExecution>
                             </pluginExecutions>