The article analyzes and assesses the American perspective on the ambitions of the Polish Law and Justice authorities to become the leader of Central and Eastern Europe in the context of the war in Ukraine. The research question is whether Poland is perceived by the American authorities as the leader of Central and Eastern Europe and to what extent the war in Ukraine has an impact on this? The hypothesis assumes that Poland's decisive actions in response to the war in Ukraine had a significant positive impact on the American perception of Poland's potential leadership role in the region. Regional integration projects co-initiated by Poland in recent years also had a positive impact. Whether Poland will deepen the image of the CEE leader will depend to a large extent on the outcome of the war in Ukraine and the ability of the Polish authorities to capitalize on the role that Poland played during the war. In order to find an answer to the research question, interviews were conducted with scientists and experts from research institutes in Washington D. C.and New York. During the research, experts and scientists from research institutions in Washington D. C. and New York were interviewed. Selected documents and political statements were also examined using the method of content analysis of text sources.

The aim of the paper is to verify the thesis that throughout the 25 years of forming of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice and migration and asylum policy, participation of non-governmental and international organizations has had its part in real strengthening of protection of fundamental rights. The methodology adopted assumes an analysis of legal norms in terms of their cohesion and completeness and an assessment of their efficiency at the level of their use by their addressees. The methodology also uses a functional analysis of the structure and activities taken up by the organizations analysed. The article analysis the activity of non-governmental and international organizations in the area of migration and asylum: analytical, advocacy and advisory activity and tangible work for the exercise of migrants’ fundamental rights. NGO actions complement projects taken up by Union and domestic institutions in their implementation of a migration policy. Thanks to the NGO activity, they concretize guarantees included in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The analysis points out that the presence of these entities has a real impact on strengthening guarantees of fundamental rights of migrants in the AFSJ. In the last 25 years, the activity and presence and also visibility of NGO action in the area of migration and implementation of Union policies has grown and has been strengthened too.

The article analyses the issue of protecting social rights from the perspective of environmental protection, especially the right to a clean environment established in the practice of law. And although this right does not have normative anchorage in international law, its presence is visible in the interpretation of social rights. The decisions of the European Committee of Human Rights were discussed, which led to the conclusion that there is currently a phenomenon of human rights expansionism in the area of the link between social rights and the right to a clean environment. The methods used in the research will be characteristic of the methods used in the social sciences, and in particular in law: the functional method, the formal-dogmatic method, the comparative legal method and the descriptive method.

This paper examines the structural and operational challenges financial institutions face in developing effective sanctions compliance frameworks within the European Union, particularly in comparison to the more mature Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes. Drawing on recent work at a medium-sized EU-based bank, the research reflects on how sanctions exposure can be systematically incorporated into institutional risk assessments and compliance practices. A case study of institutional responses to the sudden extraterritorial designation of several EU entities and individuals by U.S. authorities highlights the vulnerabilities smaller institutions face when confronted with conflicting legal regimes, in the absence of harmonised sanctions compliance standards. The analysis shows that, although Directive (EU) 2024/1640 expands the visibility of sanctions within the AML compliance architecture, it leaves significant operational uncertainties unresolved, particularly regarding implementation and supervisory oversight. The paper concludes by outlining key areas for capacity-building, including improved risk identification, targeted due diligence instruments, contractual safeguards, contingency planning, and organisational awareness, in order to strengthen sanctions compliance even in the face of fragmented regulatory frameworks.

The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the virus had a huge transformative impact on many sectors of life, causing a great deal of challenge and suffering. Schools were particularly affected during this period, experiencing an immediate transformation. In addition, the closure of borders between countries not only restricted transport and tourism but also affected the daily life of the populations living in the Euroregions. Cross-border mobility and cooperation, natural to these areas, has been significantly reduced. At the same time, the incalculable impact of the pandemic required a search for solutions that allowed customs, relationships and activities to be maintained and sometimes even transformed. The main purpose of this article is to analyze Polish-German educational projects realised in the Pomerania Euroregion the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyses 48 educational projects out of a total of 184 that were implemented as part of the Small Project Fund INTERREG VA COVID-19 Special Selection. In order to prepare the text, the resources were collected, analyzed and described. As a result, the interpretation of facts being the objects of research have been done. Moreover, the reading literature and searching the studies were undertaken. The analysis of the resources were conducted in a qualitative way. The article raises important insights into overcoming difficulties across borders in implementing cross-border educational projects in times of pandemic, demonstrates model activities in the field of distance education, and exposes innovative educational activities shaping new possibilities for building neighbourly relations in the borderland of two countries.

This study examines the influence of digital transformation on human activity and its implications for investment decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research emphasizes the construction of an optimal investment portfolio that balances profitability and risk, with a focus on emerging trends in technology, education, and gaming. Utilizing the Efficient Frontier method, the study determines optimal portfolio weights, while the Sharpe Ratio is employed to evaluate and compare the risk-adjusted returns of these portfolios. The findings reveal that portfolios aligned with technological, educational, and gaming trends achieve a superior balance between profitability and risk. The Sharpe Ratio results further demonstrate that such portfolios yield enhanced risk-adjusted returns, highlighting the growing impact of digital trends on investment strategies. This research contributes to the academic discourse by elucidating the relationship between digital transformation and investment portfolio performance. It offers a novel perspective by linking human needs and the dynamics of modern digitalization with financial strategies, providing valuable insights for investors navigating the post-pandemic economic landscape.

The concept of “adequate” data protection model in third country or organisation plays vital role in General Data Protection Regulation, but more importantly – in business and relations between European Union and other international actors. Understanding what “adequate” means is crucial for ensuring the security of personal data transferred outside EU. However, the European Union has not provided clear guidance on this matter, which may have negative consequences for businesses, individuals, and the EU as a whole. This paper examines the meaning of 'adequate' by analyzing the work of EU institutions through a deep-dive investigation, as well as comparative and conceptual legal research. The outcome of the research allow researchers and professionals to deeply understand adequacy requirements under General Data Protection Regulation and is viable source for further research in the area but also – in the practice of ensuring GDPR compliance by both private and public organisations.

In Poland proper soil classification is essential in connection with the disclosure of this type of data in the land and building register. In particular, agricultural tax rates, annual fees for excluding land from agricultural production, and the correctness of allocating agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes depend on the reliability of registration data. Therefore, the aim of this study is an attempt to analyse and evaluate the procedure for carrying out soil classification specified in the provisions of generally applicable law and to draw de lege ferenda conclusions. Moreover, the relevant EU and selected member states regulations were analysed. The biggest disadvantage of the soil classification procedure is the lack of statutory regulation to determine the qualification requirements for persons applying for the right to perform this classification. A soil classifier may be any person authorized by the district governor, which may result in the risk of incorrectly carrying out classification activities in the field and determining the types of land use and their valuation classes. De lege ferenda, it is necessary to postulate an amendment to the Geodetic and Cartographic Law by specifying appropriately high qualification requirements for persons applying for authorization to carry out soil classification. There is no uniform and harmonized procedure for soil classification in the EU. Each member state applies its own rules and procedures, which are adapted to specific local conditions. There is thus a need to harmonise the procedures and methods for soil classification in order to provide a coherent EU-level framework for a sustainable use of soils.

The issue of sustainable development has been an important problem discussed among academics, practitioners and public authorities for more than thirty years. In theory, this topic has received extensive analysis presented in numerous publications. On the other hand, the introduction of the principles of sustainable development into socio-economic practice is met with many obstacles. The purpose of the article is, on the one hand, to point out the need for a close connection between environmental issues and the economic and social problems that are affecting modern civilization. On the other hand, it is to draw attention to the limitations of the implementation of the idea of sustainable development arising from the effects of global disasters and conflicts, such as global warming, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The methodological basis of the article was the use of the method of analysis of secondary materials, i.e., the literature on the subject, reports of empirical studies conducted, and official documents. The added value of the study is the identification of economic, geopolitical and socio-economic conditions regarding the difficulties of applying the idea of sustainable development. However, a situation that favors its implementation is the need for active cooperation between the world of science, business, public authorities and social organizations.