The article is devoted to studying the relationship between education and the state of the population’s mental health in wartime. Referencing the results of studies conducted by foreign and Ukrainian scientists, the authors note that in EU countries the level of education is associated with the content of work, the nature of employment, professional status and prestige, as well as with the level of wealth. Thus, people with a higher educational attainment have more prestigious jobs and higher incomes, which, firstly, create conditions for well-being and, secondly, provide wide access to mental health resources and professional help. It is emphasized that in Ukraine there is no stable relationship between the level of education, the prestige of work, and the level of wages, and therefore the level of education cannot be considered a determinant of mental health. Instead, involvement in the educational process forms strong social networks and coping skills and can be a resource, increasing the level of psychological and social resilience. The article considers the results of a study conducted by the Department of Sociology and Psychology at Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, devoted to monitoring the mental health of the population of Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region during the period of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine (two waves of the study in 2023 and 2024; n = 730 and n = 543, respectively). We conducted a secondary analysis of the second wave data aimed at identifying the relationship between education and mental health indicators. The results of the analysis proved that, in wartime, a high level of education is not a guarantee of mental health. In addition, Ukrainian realities are such that neither the level of education nor the stability of employment determine the level of material security. At the same time, we note that continuous involvement in education does have a positive effect on mental health and is an important factor in the psychological resilience and subjective well-being of participants in the educational process.

ABSTRACT Post-industrial governments around the world are increasingly prioritizing policies to accelerate digitalization, but despite the growing literature on technological change and the knowledge economy, we know little about public preferences regarding digitalization policies. We use the case of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) program, an initiative totaling nearly 800,000 million euros with at least 20 per cent earmarked to expedite digitalization in Europe, as a substantively and theoretically important case to test theories about the political fault lines such policies generate. We conceptualize digitalization policies as a type of ‘knowledge economy’ policy and develop expectations about policy preferences derived from material self-interest and ideology. We test our hypotheses with new survey data from five EU countries (Germany, France, Sweden, Poland, and Italy) and detailed measures of support for actual digitalization policies, expected economic impact, and perceptions of the main beneficiaries. Our findings suggest that digitalization policies are most strongly supported by voters of mainstream parties and least favored by supporters of radical and populist parties. Preferences are structured more clearly along ideological socio-tropic lines than along socio-structural economic self-interests. Overall, our results imply that if digitalization policies become politicized, mainstream and challenger parties will likely address this issue differently.

Human activity impacts the natural environment. One example of such an impact is energy production, including energy from renewable sources. The aim of this study was to analyse and assess changes in the state of the environment in 2008, 2015 and 2023, resulting from the development and structure of renewable energy sources in EU countries. Three research questions were formulated: Question 1 (Q1). Is the state of the environment in most EU countries characterised by variability in terms of the level of renewable energy development? Question 2 (Q2). Has the composition of the group of EU countries with the highest environmental status changed? Question 3 (Q3). Is the group of EU countries with the highest environmental status characterised by a diverse structure of renewable energy sources used? The study covers three key periods: 2008, 2015 and 2023. This approach allows for the identification of the impact of crisis factors on the relationship between the energy transition and environmental status. The evaluation applied the TOPSIS, EDAS and Ward’s methods. Based on a substantive and formal analysis, diagnostic variables were selected: 18 describing the structure and level of RES development, 7 economic indicators and 11 reflecting the environmental status of EU countries. The selection criterion was data availability, with sources drawn from the EUROSTAT, IRENA and World Bank Group databases. The results show that the main leaders were Italy, Sweden, France and Germany, with Austria and Denmark maintaining high positions only in 2008. Italy took the lead in 2015 and retained it in 2023 thanks to extensive emission reductions, while Finland joined the top group. Poland and Lithuania ranked last in 2015 and 2023. A growing gap was also observed between the leaders and the lowest-performing countries. Among the highest-ranked countries, hydropower was the dominant RES, while in Germany and Denmark, wind energy and biofuels also played a key role. Cluster analysis using Ward’s method confirmed the diversity of environmental and energy profiles, as well as Belgium’s distinct position. The study confirms the instability of most EU countries’ positions, the persistence of a small group of leaders and widening disparities in sustainable environmental development within the EU.

Many countries have increased their commitments to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and the European Green Budgeting Reference Framework (GBRF) by improving their green budgeting. Based on a review of budgetary documents across the 27 EU Member countries, this study utilizes the methodology of coding countries’ green budgeting regulations and environmental practices based on the GBRF. This study found similarities in the practices pursued in EU countries: (a) the country’s political conditions strongly influence the green budgeting process in all countries, (b) all countries have made significant progress in green budgeting since 2000, (c) the green rating system requires an abundance of data and detailed information that cannot be generated within the “traditional” institutional budget structure. We found that the main challenges for applying green budgeting include a lack of a modern performance budgeting framework, a methodology for assessing environmental impacts, and relevant expertise.

This paper examines the nexus of climate taxes and environmental expenditures. The expectation of a statistically significant positive relationship between climate tax revenues and environmental protection expenditure assumes that when countries aim to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on the environment by introducing climate taxes, they should spend the generated revenue on environmental protection, too. The regression analysis is conducted on a sample that comprises 30 European countries from 2000 to 2023, including 27 current European Union members and Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland. To address potential differences across countries, the sample is divided into subsamples using cluster analysis, and the time period is divided into subperiods to capture potential turbulence caused by economic and non-economic shocks. The regression analysis results are ambiguous. By testing the expectation about the positive relationship between climate tax revenues and environmental protection expenditures several turnovers in the relationship are revealed, which corresponds to the periods of crises hampering the economies and causing the a shift away from policies improving the environment in favor of countercyclical government interventions, and other external factors, such as changes in environemtal policy, mainly adopted in the EU countries.

ABSTRACT EU free movement has resulted in social, economic and demographic challenges for some EU countries where large numbers of citizens have left This also implies a de facto transfer of resources between Member States and specifically from the periphery to the core. This article asks what room EU law leaves for acknowledging and mitigating social and economic consequences of emigration and their distributive implications. For this purpose, we conceptualise welfare states as intergenerational and socially reproducing systems. Our analysis reveals that while EU law accommodates concerns tied both to immigration and emigration, fewer legal options exist to address emigration. Looking beyond free movement law, we identify existing mechanisms in EU social security coordination and potential mechanisms relating to taxation and EU funds as legal possibilities to address negative externalities of emigration. The latter emphasise inter-State solidarity and shared risks of free movement. Studying the challenge of emigration, the article draws attention to a largely invisible and rarely discussed way in which EU law structures geographical inequalities.

This study evaluates the extent to which European Union countries are meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It analyses a range of factors to measure the progress being made. The research pays attention to areas such as reducing poverty, promoting gender equality and examining labour markets. The AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method was utilised to determine the importance of the indicators, while the COPRAS method was applied to evaluate and rank the countries according to the effectiveness of their sustainable development policies. The data indicated that Finland, Denmark, and Sweden are at the leading positions in implementing sustainable development, whereas Germany and Spain show less favourable results. The analysis also showed that the main factors impacting sustainable development are the risk of poverty, the gender unemployment gap and long-term unemployment. Article in English. ES šalių pažangos vertinimas siekiant tvarios plėtros tikslų Santrauka Šiame tyrime vertinama, kiek Europos Sąjungos šalys įgyvendina tvaraus vystymosi tikslus (TVT). Jame analizuojami įvairūs veiksniai, leidžiantys įvertinti padarytą pažangą. Tyrime dėmesys skiriamas tokioms sritims kaip skurdo mažinimas, lyčių lygybės skatinimas ir darbo rinkų tyrimas. AHP (analitinis hierarchinis procesas) metodas buvo taikomas rodiklių svarbai nustatyti, o COPRAS metodas – šalims vertinti ir reitinguoti pagal jų tvaraus vystymosi politikos veiksmingumą. Duomenys rodo, kad Suomija, Danija ir Švedija yra pirmaujančios tvaraus vystymosi įgyvendinimo srityje, o Vokietija ir Ispanija rodo mažiau palankius rezultatus. Analizė taip pat parodė, kad pagrindiniai veiksniai, darantys įtaką tvariai plėtrai, yra skurdo rizika, lyčių nedarbo skirtumas ir ilgalaikis nedarbas. Reikšminiai žodžiai: tvarus vystymasis, TVT, skurdas, lyčių nelygybė, nedarbas, korupcija, socialiniai ir ekonominiai rodikliai.

The article provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the fiscal decentralizatio mechanism in Ukraine and the European Union countries, with a focus on its impact on the financial capacity of local self-government. It is substantiated that fiscal decentralization is a key instrument for ensuring sustainable socio-economic development of territories, as it determines the level of budgetary autonomy, the stability of local budget revenues, and the ability of territorial communities to perform their own and delegated functions effectively. The current state and dynamics of fiscal decentralization in Ukraine during 2022–2024 are analyzed, taking into account the influence of martial law and war-related challenges on the structure of local budget revenues and the degree of dependence on interbudgetary transfers. The study conducts a comparative assessment of key quantitative indicators of fiscal decentralization in Ukraine and selected EU countries, including the share of local budgets in the consolidated public budget, the proportion of own-source revenues, the role of intergovernmental transfers, and the level of tax autonomy of local authorities. The results demonstrate that EU countries are characterized by higher financial stability of local governments, a greater share of own revenues, and more effective fiscal equalization mechanisms. Based on the analysis, quantitative benchmarks for adapting European fiscal decentralization practices to the Ukrainian context are proposed, aimed at strengthening the financial capacity of territorial communities. The findings may be used in shaping public finance policy, particularly in the context of European integration and post-war recovery of Ukraine.

ABSTRACT We investigate the impact of Brexit on volatility spillovers across the EU countries. We introduce a Brexit intensity measure that assigns an intensity score reflective of the financial markets' reaction to the events that occurred as Brexit negotiations began to unfold. We find that Brexit‐related events have contributed towards increased volatility transmission within the EU. Country‐wise investigations show that throughout the Brexit timespan, France is the key volatility transmitter within the Union. By contrast, the UK is evidenced as a volatility transmitter during the early stages of Brexit negotiations, under Theresa May as the prime minister. Out of the smallest stock markets of the block, Ireland, Portugal and Spain have been among those particularly affected.

Abstract Background The agricultural landscape of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) is becoming more dominated by large farms. This might impact the Agricultural Production Diversity (APD), with consequences for food system resilience and food security. This study investigates whether changes in the agricultural landscape from 2000 to 2020 impacted the APD in Finland, Sweden, Poland and Latvia. Method The APD is estimated using production data and the Shannon Diversity Index. Correlations between the diversity and five indicators associated with landscape changes are tested and analysed. Results The results show that the diversity increased in the case of Poland, while it decreased in Latvia. For Sweden and Finland, the trend was weak but positive during the studied time period. Moreover, no universal patterns of correlation within the four countries are found, and there is no evidence that landscape changes impact the APD. Three possible explanations for what might impact the APD are discussed within the context of the BSR. Conclusions This study reveals that there is no clear connection between farm enlargement and changes in the APD in the four studied EU countries of the BSR. This partly contradicts findings in similar studies and reveals the complexity of how changes in the agricultural landscape might impact production diversity, food system resilience and food security.

People tend to misperceive economic inequality levels in their country. However, studies investigating such misperceptions focused mainly on appraisals of present inequality. In two cross-sectional studies (Ntotal = 600), we investigated perceived past, present, and future wealth inequality in Italy, as well as accuracy in ranking EU countries by perceived wealth inequality. Confirming past literature, participants underestimated present levels of national wealth inequality. Results also showed the existence of a decline model in estimations of wealth inequality (i.e., optimism towards past, pessimism towards future), such that participants consistently expected an increase of future inequality (roughly corresponding to actual trends). Interestingly, participants were relatively accurate in ordering European countries, including Italy, with respect to levels of wealth inequality. We interpret these findings as reflecting a rational mechanism, where participants linearly project how wealth inequality grows (or declines) over time, and then plot their estimates for specific points in time on such linear projection. We therefore suggest that such schema prompt relative (rather than absolute) evaluations of wealth inequality, which leads to increased accuracy. We conclude that future interventions should accommodate people’s mental reconstruction of inequality.

This paper examines the impact of fiscal policy responses on unemployment across EU countries from 2019 to 2024, a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic as a shock event. A detailed monthly panel data set is used in this study, employing a fixed-effects estimation model with government spending, revenue, and debt as core variables, along with the COVID-19 dummy as a control variable. The findings reveal a strong association between government spending and revenue in reducing unemployment, aligned with countercyclical fiscal policy support. Conversely, increasing government debt is strongly linked to higher unemployment, indicating a risk of excessive borrowing that could hinder future labor market recovery. Moreover, uncertain external economic conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have further intensified labor market distortions. Finally, the results highlight that fiscal policies can effectively mitigate unemployment in the short term; however, excessive debt may pose challenges to long-term fiscal sustainability. This study underscores the importance of well-structured and timely coordinated fiscal policy frameworks that promote employment stabilization, while ensuring long-term debt sustainability.

Formulation of the problem. Conducting cross-country comparisons of human capital development dynamics enables the identification of country rankings based on the ratio of their components. Comparing the results obtained using different metrics enables the objectification of the state of human capital development in countries, based on the use of various indicator systems. The aim of this research is to conduct cross-country comparisons of human capital development in order to identify its priority areas for Ukraine's post-war economic recovery. The objective of the research is to examine qualitative parameters of human capital in a cross-country comparison. The subject of the study is the theoretical and methodological foundations for measuring the quality of human capital and the areas of state regulation that should contribute to socio-economic development in Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. The methods of the research: abstract-logical, graphical, comparative analysis, statistical, and generalisation. The research hypothesis was that cross-country comparisons in conditions of openness of global economic subsystems objectify the measurement of qualitative parameters of human capital development, the state of which is an important factor in Ukraine's post-war recovery. The statement of basic materials. The peculiarities of the interpretation of the concept of ‘human capital’ by leading international institutions and the peculiarities of the methodological principles of its measurement are revealed. The analysis showed that Ukraine maintained a ‘High HDI’ in the 2nd group of the inter-country ranking in the period 2020-2023, which is ensured by its 87th position in the ‘High HDI’ in the Human Development Index (HDI) 2023 ranking system (75-124 ranking places); 53rd place in the ‘High HDI’ category in the 2020 Human Capital Index ranking system (28-73 ranking places); 63rd place in the ‘High HDI’ category in the 2024 SPI (AITI Global Social Progress Index) ranking system (31st-70th place). A comparative analysis was carried out of the structure of the main indicators of the population's life, indicators of the population's education, the impact of the distribution of GNI in Germany, France (positions 5 and 26 in the ‘Highest Group’ of the HDI in the world) and Ukraine (position 87 in the ‘High Group’ of the HDI). This demonstrated the feasibility of adapting foreign experiences on ways to ensure sustainable human capital development in the European Union. The difference between the indicators of EU countries and Ukraine is a development program based on the components of the Human Development Index for Ukraine. Priority areas for human capital development in the context of Ukraine's post-war recovery have been identified. The originality and practical significance of the research are determined by the use of metrics for measuring the quality of human capital based on its structural and functional analysis, which makes it possible to rank countries according to the level and/or potential of human capital development. Comparing the methodological approaches used enables the conduct of accurate cross-country comparisons that objectively assess the level of human capital development. These comparisons can be utilized by various stakeholder groups to inform decisions on planning human capital development in countries and companies. Conclusions and perspectives of further research. To effectively overcome post-war challenges in the development of Ukraine's human capital, it is advisable to focus on priority areas, including the reintegration of internally displaced persons in Ukraine and external migrants who have left Ukraine since 2022; the implementation of state programmes to provide educational support; state promotion of the digital economy and attraction of investment in human capital; the development of state programmes to support the rehabilitation of persons with military injuries into civilian life; financial support for human capital development through educational reforms, medical rehabilitation and economic growth. Prospects for further research include macro-oriented behavioral manifestations of the human factor in crisis conditions, which will enable the identification of behavioral tools to guide the country's sustainable socio-economic development during post-war recovery.

Intellectual property protection is one of the phenomena that requires increased attention in the legal direction. Imperfect legislation leads to the complete absence or low indicators of innovation activity in every country, including the EU. In several EU countries (for example, the Republic of Croatia, Hungary and the Kingdom of Sweden) only one authority has been authorized to deal with such issues. In each of these EU countries an analysis of the national legislative framework is carried out, which determines the legal status of the authority: the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia, the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the Swedish Patent and Registration Office or the Swedish Intellectual Property Office in English. Their subordination and financing are examined. It is established that only the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office is self-financing. The result is exclusively supervision by the Minister of Culture and Innovation. Supervision is a passive action and, accordingly, conditional, because all relations between this minister and the authority take the form of stating facts. Tasks and powers provided for each authority in national legislation are analyzed. A comparative legal analysis of the tasks assigned to certain organisational divisions was conducted at the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia. Both positive (for example, double checking) and negative aspects (for example, assigning tasks that are not inherent to certain organisational divisions of this authority; the powers of the authority are in various legal acts and aren’t presented in the form of a single list) were identified. The tasks assigned to its organisational divisions were also analyzed in the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office. The result was that several organisational divisions of this authority specialize in the legal protection of intellectual property. In the author’s opinion, it is necessary to reorganize these divisions and their assigned tasks. However, the author’s recommendations aren’t included in the study, as the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office is self-financing. The legislation of the Kingdom of Sweden is in the process of formation in the analyzed direction, as a new model of legal status has been formed, where there are no rights or tasks, and only powers. It is not possible to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the new model, in the author’s opinion, because there is no reliable and complete statistical information on the Eurostat website. The author suggests that the Republic of Croatia and Hungary adopt the experience of the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the new model of legal status.

The article presents a comprehensive study of the theoretical, legal and institutional foundations of land management in Russia in the context of the preparation and discussion of the draft federal law «On Land Management» (revision 2025). The work is aimed at identifying the key problems of the current version of the draft law, assessing their impact on the public land management system and formulating scientifically sound proposals for finalizing the law. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the conceptual model of modern land management as a tool for spatial development based on the principles of scientific validity, digitalization and publicity. The methodological basis consists of methods of comparative legal, systemic, institutional and historical-legal analysis. The study uses the regulations of the Russian Federation, the legislation of the EAEU and EU member states, as well as international standards for land management and cadastral data (ISO 19152:2012, INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC). As a result of the analysis of the historical development of the Institute of Land Management (XIX–XXI centuries), four key stages have been identified: the Zemstvo and Stolypin system (before 1917); the Soviet planning and state model (1917-1991); the post-Soviet transition to the cadastral approach (1991-2000); and the modern digital stage (2001-2025). The author emphasizes that each of these stages contributed to the formation of the national school of land management, but the current stage is characterized by institutional fragmentation and regulatory uncertainty. A comparative legal analysis of foreign land management systems has been carried out: Germany and the EU countries demonstrate legal decentralization, public participation and integration of land management with cadastral and urban planning systems; China is an example of a centralized digital model combining land management, ecology and industrial planning; Kazakhstan implements a mixed system, preserving the Soviet heritage and introducing digital cadastral technologies; Belarus represents a unique post-Soviet model with full integration of cadastre and land management under the auspices of the State Property Committee, which ensures sustainability, transparency and completeness of coverage of the territory. The key problems of the draft law of 2025 have been identified: the uncertainty of the conceptual framework, the lack of a coordinating body, duplication of functions, insufficient digitalization and a weak legal framework for control. A system of more than 65 amendments has been proposed, grouped into five functional blocks: regulatory and terminological — the introduction of clear definitions and principles; organizational and managerial — the creation of a federal coordinator and accreditation of performers; documentation — a three — level system of land management documents; regulatory and legal — the formation of supervision and responsibility; financial and economic — a three — level financing model and a transitional period. The necessity of adopting a new version of the law «On Land Management» as a system act of spatial management, ensuring the interface of land, urban planning and environmental legislation, is substantiated. Special attention is paid to the creation of the Federal State Geographic Information System for Land Management (FGIS-ZU), a digital platform that combines all land management, cadastral and territorial data, similar to the Belarusian «Electronic Land Map».

Abstract Carbon (C) sequestration in agricultural soils is forwarded as an option for meeting the objective of making the EU climate neutral by 2050, but the efficiency is questioned due to the non-permanent nature of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. The purpose of this study is to examine cost-effective strategies for enhancing C sequestration in agricultural soil across 26 EU countries from 2020 to 2050 while accounting for non-permanence. We develop a dynamic and spatially disaggregated cost-effectiveness model considering three measures: reductions in grain and straw harvests and catch crop cultivation, used to compare the minimum costs of meeting annual national and EU level targets for either sequestration or emissions. The results show that national targets are about 2.6 times more costly than the corresponding EU targets, and emission targets are about 2.5 times more expensive than the corresponding sequestration targets. Findings suggest C sequestration in agricultural soils has the potential to mitigate approximately 38 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO 2 e) annually from 2020 to 2050 at a marginal cost of approximately 64 euro per tonne. If emissions are targeted, the same mitigation could be achieved at a marginal cost of about 183 euro per tonne. The use of annual targets implies the shadow price on C sequestration in soils is jointly determined by the target stringency in preceding, contemporary, and future time periods. The highest shadow price is found around the year 2030. This suggests the use of temporally varying economic incentives for C sequestration in agricultural soils.

The article examines the key problems of ensuring the efficiency of Ukrainian enterprises during the period of the Russian Federation’s large-scale military aggression in Ukraine. Based on the analysis of key performance indicators of enterprises in the leading sectors of Ukraine’s economy, it is established that the obstacles faced by national producers – such as electricity blackouts, blocking of the Ukrainian border, price increases, destruction of supply chains, loss of counterparties, and reduced demand for goods and services in the domestic market – are only some of the problems that have been a challenge for Ukrainian enterprises over the past two years of their activities. The article proves that full-scale military aggression and its consequences force Ukrainian enterprises to look for new solutions not only to ensure the continuity of their core business processes, but also to mitigate the possible risks of war, such as destruction from military operations, losses from the destruction of assets, migration of the working population abroad, cyberattacks on enterprise management systems, etc. It is established that, in such conditions, almost all business entities need additional financial support from the State. The authors identify the main areas of state support for domestic enterprises and the support provided by foreign partners of the national economic system in 2022-2024. Considering the deficit of national financial resources, in the short term Ukraine’s economy will not be able to rebuild its capacity and overcome the challenges caused by military aggression without the support of foreign partners. According to the authors, one of the priority areas of cooperation in the area of post-war rebuilding and support of the Ukrainian economy today should be close cooperation between our country and the European Union. Combining the efforts of Ukraine and the EU countries will contribute to the economic reconstruction of our country. It is determined that the strategic task of rebuilding Ukraine’s economy can be realized only if the business activity of enterprises in key industries is renewed. It is the industries that have high growth potential in the Ukrainian economy that will provide opportunities for the growth of related industries, increase employment, help strengthen the country’s defense capabilities, and in the future contribute to Ukraine’s high geopolitical status.

Addressing social vulnerabilities resulting from low-carbon energy transition policies in EU-27 countries: A systematic survey of the literature

Social cohesion as a determinant of economic activity amidst the crises of the 21st century in EU countries

This study explores the evolution of family tourism in the European Union from 2014 to 2024, focusing on its impact on household well-being. Using Eurostat and UNWTO (UN Tourism) data, it analyzes key macroeconomic indicators such as tourism expenditure, employment, household income, and tourism's contribution to GDP across several EU countries. The findings reveal a steady growth of family tourism until 2019, a sharp decline during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021), and a strong recovery by 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The research highlights shifts in post-pandemic consumer behavior and the role of family travel in fostering Europe's social and economic recovery. Its originality lies in merging economic and social perspectives through a cross-country comparative approach, offering insights for policy development aimed at promoting inclusive and sustainable tourism that enhances family welfare and contributes to balanced economic growth across the European Union.