EU Member Research Articles

THE EUROPEAN UNION'S CONTRIBUTION TO COUNTERING THE EFFECTS OF THE ALMOST TWO-YEAR RUSSIA'S WAR OF AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE

For almost two years, Ukraine has faced the Russia's full-scale invasion and war of aggression, an illegal, premeditated and illegitimate act that represents an attack not only against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, but also a flagrant violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. The brutal military aggression against Ukraine caused destruction, material damages and widespread suffering for civilians, which has led to the worst humanitarian crisis in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Consequently, the dramatic situation in Ukraine has caused new and unanticipated challenges for neighbouring countries, including Romania, given their proximity to the conflict zone. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to highlight, first of all, the EU emergency response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and also solidarity with Ukraine. Taking into account Romania's status as an EU member, the next objective of this study is to point out Romania's involvement and comprehensive support for Ukraine in the humanitarian field, especially on protection and inclusion of Ukrainian refugees. For almost two years, Ukraine has been facing the Russia's full-scale invasion and war of aggression, an illegal, premeditated and illegitimate act that represents an attack not only against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, but also a flagrant violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. The brutal military aggression against Ukraine caused destruction, material damages and widespread suffering for civilians, which has led to the worst humanitarian crisis in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Consequently, the dramatic situation in Ukraine has caused new and unanticipated challenges for neighbouring countries, including Romania, given their proximity to the conflict zone. Therefore, the research undertaken for this study has been focused, first of all, on the EU's contribution to countering the effects of the Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, with accent on the EU emergency response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and also solidarity with Ukraine. Taking into account Romania's status as an EU member, the next objective of this study is to point out Romania's involvement and comprehensive support for Ukraine in the humanitarian field, especially on protection and inclusion of Ukrainian refugees. In order to achieve these proposed objectives, qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilised, written data being used, but also logical or statistical observations to draw conclusions. As well, inductive reasoning conducted the research from the specific to the general situations, while deductive reasoning allowed to make an inference by going from general premises to specific conclusions.

Is there a geography of Euroscepticism among the winners and losers of globalization?

ABSTRACT Support for EU membership has long been an important topic of study. Individual-level research shows that winners of globalisation, including the higher educated, express greater EU support as they profit from economic and cultural conditions resulting from European integration. Recent context-focused work suggests that individuals in ‘left-behind’ places are less supportive of EU integration because of their home regions’ weaker long-term economic conditions. This paper brings these two research strands into conversation with each other by examining how the relationship between EU support and individual-level education is contingent on subnational economic conditions. Using harmonised Eurobarometer data from almost 750,000 respondents spanning 2004–2019, combined with subnational economic data from 201 European regions, we find no evidence that subnational economic conditions influence the relationship between EU support and respondents’ education level. At the same time, when cross-sectionally comparing long-term differences between regions, we find that EU support is positively related to regional GDP per capita (though unrelated to regional unemployment), among both the higher and lower educated, and especially in the post-Great Recession period. Longitudinally, EU support is positively related to declining regional unemployment, both among the higher and lower educated, but not to increasing regional GDP per capita.

The “Visegrad Inititative “VIS-À-VIS“ Open Balkan Inititative” in the process of European Integration

Following the collapse of the communist regimes, in Central European countries, the belief that collaborative efforts could facilitate both social transformation and European integration, served as a key motivation for establishing of the Visegrad Group (V4), comprising of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. In Southeastern Europe, given the war conflicts that occurred during the 1990s, in 1999, the EU Council initiated the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP) to encourage Western Balkans countries (WB) to cooperate among themselves and confirmed their eligibility for EU membership. After the V4 countries joined the EU, the Visegrad Declaration on cooperation in 2004 emphasized the idea of supporting the European integration of neighboring regions, including the Western Balkan region. From 2004 to the present day, the WB countries have applied for EU membership, and they have been granted EU candidate country status. In 2014 they became a part of the Berlin process (BP)initiative and for three of them – Albania, North Macedonia (N. Macedonia) and Serbia – accession negotiations with EU have already been opened. These three countries launched the Mini Schengen initiative in 2019, which was transformed into Open Balkan initiative (OB3) in 2021. Since that both Visegrad and Open Balkan in itiatives aim to enhance interstate cooperation and facilitate European integration process for their respective countries, the purpose of this paper is to consider the role of regional organizations and initiatives in accelerating the integration process, to examine whether the OB3 can draw valuable lessons from V4 experience and to elucidate how V4 supports the integration process of OB3.

Taking Stock: A Socio-Economic Assessment of Moldova’s Europeanisation in Light of Its EU Membership Prospects

Taking Stock: A Socio-Economic Assessment of Moldova’s Europeanisation in Light of Its EU Membership Prospects

Advancing European Integration in Central and Eastern Europe: A Comprehensive Examination of Reconciliation and Collaborative Progress in the Western Balkans

This article examines the European Union’s integration efforts in the Western Balkans within the broader context of Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on the challenges and strategies post-Yugoslavia. It outlines the EU’s application of “conditionality” in guiding candidate countries towards democratic governance and market-oriented economies, emphasizing the Copenhagen Criteria for accession. The text explores the unique challenges faced by the Western Balkans, including historical conflicts and political turbulence, and discusses the EU’s Stabilization and Association Process (SAP) as a mechanism for facilitating integration. Additionally, it highlights the importance of legal reforms, cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and the advancement of ethnic harmony and minority rights as prerequisites for EU membership. The article concludes with an assessment of regional cooperation and the progress towards reconciliation, underscoring the EU’s role in promoting stability and development in the region.

The harmonization of national legislation of the Republic of Moldova with the EU legislation and the acceleration of the accession process to the European Union

This article is a concise reflection of the EU integration process of the Republic of Moldova, that represents a key component of the country’s development strategy. Moldova interest regarding forthcoming accession to the European Union is not just a political and economic matter, it is also first a legal issue. Taking into consideration the new geopolitical context that appeared, on March 3, 2022, Moldova applied for EU membership. Shortly, on June 17 of the same year, the European Commission issued its opinion on the application for EU membership. And on June 23, 2022, the European Council granted candidate status to Moldova on the condition that it fulfills nine conditions in practice in one year. As a result, on October 5, 2023, the European Parliament voted the Resolution recommending the start of negotiations with the Republic of Moldova with a view of accession to the EU by the end of 2023.

Pledge and Forget? Testing the Effects of NATO’s Wales Pledge on Defense Investment

Abstract Do informal international agreements without coercive mechanisms affect states’ behavior? While scholars have long been interested in this question, answering it often poses empirical challenges, particularly in the arena of international security. By asking and answering a narrower question—Is NATO’s Wales Pledge on defense spending working?—I can empirically test the extent to which states have adhered to a public agreement without formal or coercive enforcement mechanisms. I argue that the Wales Pledge has led to higher spending because NATO the organization uniquely enables allies to influence one another’s defense planning, publicly and privately. I find support for this argument by interrogating disaggregated defense expenditures of NATO and EU members, and by comparing NATO allies Denmark and Norway with non-allies Finland and Sweden. Although the Wales Pledge has been maligned, it served its purpose by encouraging allies to spend more on defense, particularly on equipment modernization.

Analysis of Factors That Have Hampered Economic Growth in Italy

Italy's economic growth since 1990 faced domestic challenges, including structural issues, tax evasion, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and political corruption. Externally, as an EU member and participant in global economic forums, Italy's fiscal policy constraints and the need for a comprehensive strategy to foster economic development are evident. This article employs a multifaceted research approach to analyze the economic development of Italy in 1990. First, the documentary analysis includes a comprehensive review of the academic literature of various economists, the historical record of Italy and Europe, and the study of national institutions to understand the economic situation at that time. In addition, quantitative data analysis was conducted using economic indicators such as GDP, unemployment rate, and investment and trade data. These data were statistically analyzed to identify trends and implications for the development of the Italian economy. A combination of literature and data analysis methods were used to comprehensively analyze Italy's economic development since 1990 and to provide an overall understanding of both internal and external factors that influenced its economic development. Finally come out with recommendations for Italy's economic development that will help it to develop effective policies and strategies that will lead to a more sustainable path of economic growth.

The development of Greenland’s self-government and independence in the shadow of the unitary state

ABSTRACT The article investigates whether the development of Greenland’s autonomy over the past 40 years can be fruitfully understood as a case of path dependency or, alternatively, as a series of changing equilibriums marked by critical junctures. The article addresses the following questions: 1) What were the drivers behind the establishment of Greenlandic home rule in 1979? 2) What were the drivers behind the establishment of Self Government in 2009? 3) What are the implications for today’s constitutional debate in Greenland? It is shown that the 1979 Greenland Home Rule Act followed from a critical juncture triggered by the Greenlandic ‘no’-vote on EU membership. The subsequent 2009 Greenland Self Government Act was, to a large extent, a consequence of endogenous change within a path dependency flowing from the Home Rule Act. The logic from home rule was carried over into self-government: the gradual transfer of policy areas to Greenlandic self-government when Greenland was willing and able to take over the policy areas. It is suggested that there is a potential tension between path dependency arising from the GSGA and intensified Greenlandic expressions of political identity which may challenge the GSGA logic, while there are still dynamics which pull towards the GSGA logic.

The Transnistria Problem and the Crisis in Ukraine: Analysis from the Perspective of the Security Dilemma Argument

Transnistria, an unrecognized state within the borders of the Republic of Moldova, has been in a precarious situation following the Ukrainian crisis, characterized by the annexation of Crimea by the Russia Federation and the internal conflict in eastern Ukraine. This has resulted in Ukraine and Moldova adopting stringent policies against Transnistria, thereby intensifying its already challenging situation. The main concern derives from the fear that Russia might use Transnistria as a base for launching future “hybrid warfare” against Moldova and Ukraine. Thus, it can be said that the current challenging situation in Transnistria is linked to the overall Ukrainian crisis and is a consequence of security concerns shared by Ukraine and Moldova. In addition, the new situation after the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine complicated conditions in Transnistria. Now, the Moldovan government has an opportunity to reintegrate Transnistria, independent of any issues related to the EU membership issue. On the other hand, Russia’s basic policy toward Transnistria has not changed, although Transnistria has requested annexation by Russia many times, so the status quo seems to continue. This composition has continued in the former USSR space because Russia has been using unrecognized states to maintain its “sphere of interest.” This situation can be explained by the “security dilemma” argument.

Does Brexit make the Scottish (and Welsh) independence movements less viable? An exploration of the relationship between EU membership and minority nationalism in the UK

The consequences of the UK’s exit from the European Union have been much discussed, including the relationship between these developments and the UK’s territorial future. This article seeks to contribute to this debate, focusing on the Scottish and Welsh independence movements. It argues that the European Union has been key to the growing viability of these movements over recent decades, providing both an external means of validation to their overriding objective of independence, and a practical support mechanism for its pursuit outside of the context of national politics. Further, it argues that both movements have successfully exploited international institutions and networks to further their goals. Brexit, therefore, in depriving them of such avenues and halting their European institutionalisation presents a threat to their ongoing viability and harms the technical feasibility of Scottish and Welsh independence. These findings significantly disrupt the assumption that the rupture of Brexit makes Scottish (or indeed Welsh) independence more likely, let alone inevitable.

Perceived Corruption and Informality among Croatian Businesspeople

The pervasiveness of corruption in Croatia is documented by corruption perception indicators and surveys, yet there is no comprehensive knowledge about corruption and informality in the private sector. This quantitative study uses primary survey data of Croatian business actors to determine business perceptions and attitudes towards corruption and informality. The results show that Croatian businesspeople express low trust in institutions, but do not see them as obstacles to doing business. Similarly, Croatia’s EU membership is perceived as insignificant in the fight against corruption and informality. The SMEs are allegedly suffering more due to corruption, whereas the large companies are seen as the main generators of corruption. Corrupt behaviour and informal practices in everyday business are more accepted and used by the owners and managers working in small and micro firms. This study thus contributes to research on doing business and managerial behaviour and offers policy recommendations to mitigate the harmful effects of corruption and informality.

The influence of the powers of executive authorities in the EU transport sector on environmental safety (on the example of some EU countries with the lowest number of transport accidents and incidents)

Transport accidents and incidents are closely related to environmental safety. Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership. In addition, Ukrainian legislation must be reformed to speed up EU membership. One of the pressing problems is also the reduction of transport accidents and incidents in order to maintain environmental safety. To do this, it is necessary to analyze the powers of those executive authorities of the EU countries where the smallest number of transport accidents and incidents are observed in order to make the necessary changes to Ukrainian legislation. The author proposed recommendations.

Economic growth determinants in old and new EU countries

The aim of our paper was to construct a model of economic growth determinants for old and new EU and the EU28 countries. We used a strongly balanced panel in the period from 2000 to 2020 and regression equations. For the old EU group, our results showed a high level of statistical significance and a positive effect of gross fixed capital formation, trade openness, government consumption, and population on GDP growth during the observation period. In the new EU group, trade openness, political stability, and government consumption are significant and positively affect economic growth. When we included the moment of accession of new EU members in the analysis, our results showed that gross fixed capital formation, trade openness, political stability, and government consumption had a statistically significant and positive influence on the GDP growth rate. Interestingly, our results did not confirm the expected positive impact of foreign direct investments and renewable energy consumption on economic growth in our sample countries. We found that the crisis is statistically significant and negatively affected the GDP growth rate in both groups with a stronger impact in new EU countries. We conclude our article with policy implications and recommendations for future research.

Synthesis, magnetic and NMR spectroscopic properties of the MAl5Pt3 series (M = Ca, Y, La-Nd, Sm-Er).

Following recent investigation in the ternary system Sr-Al-Pt led to the discovery of SrAl5Pt3 which crystallizes in the orthorhombic YNi5Si3 type (Pnma) structure. Interestingly, only two more aluminum representatives, CeAl5Pt3 and EuAl5Pt3, have been reported to adopt this structure type. Therefore, we decided to investigate the existence range of compounds adopting the YNi5Si3 type structure. Besides the already known Sr, Ce and Eu members, the series could be extended to Ca, Y and La-Nd as well as Sm-Er. All compounds were synthesized from the elements and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. While for CaAl5Pt3 and LaAl5Pt3 also the respective M2Al16Pt9 members were observed, the other compounds could be obtained either as X-ray pure materials or with small amounts of Al3Pt2 as a side phase. The structure of ErAl5Pt3 could be refined from single crystal data, verifying that also the small rare-earth elements adopt the YNi5Si3 type structure. Selected members of the series were furthermore characterized by magnetization and susceptibility measurements. Since YAl5Pt3 could be obtained as a phase pure material and exhibits no paramagnetic behaviour it was investigated by 27Al MAS NMR investigations. Also, XPS measurements were conducted on this compound to gain an insight into the charge distribution. Finally, quantum-chemical calculations supported the NMR measurements and gave an insight into the chemical bonding and the charge distribution.

“Not The Economy, Stupid?” – Exploring the Potential Causes of a Future Polexit Departure from the EU

This paper explores the economic and non-economic factors that could potentially lead to a Polish decision to remain within or leave the EU, following a future potential Polexit referendum. The study aims to determine the relative impact of Polish citizens’ values and attitudes on their support for their country’s continued EU membership and integration, at such a crucial time. The research is based on a survey conducted in December 2021, with a stratified sample of 1,517 respondents, and a statistical analysis of the findings. The results suggest that the relative importance of these factors could vary considerably, with economic factors potentially playing a less significant role than sociocultural and political elements. We argue that this projected outcome is likely to be influenced by citizens’ socio-demographic backgrounds, their perceived levels of economic security or insecurity, and differences in their economic and non-economic values, thereby creating potential opportunities for future populist Eurosceptic politicians in Poland to exploit, underlining the potential implications of these findings.

ІНТЕГРАЦІЙНІ ПРОЦЕСИ В СФЕРІ ДЕРЖАВНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ В УМОВАХ РОСІЙСЬКО-УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ВІЙНИ

The goal of the work. The article examines integration processes in the sphere of public administration in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. On the basis of the analysis, generalization and systematization of scientific sources, the trends of the development of integration processes in the sphere of public administration in modern conditions are highlighted, the need for further efforts in the direction of European integration is proved. Methodology. To achieve the goal, the article used methods of structuring problems, summarizing statistical data and facts, and developing strategic solutions. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the article is that the author justified the steps aimed at reconstruction and effective mobilization of public administration resources to restore the ability of all levels of government, regions and municipalities of Ukraine to solve problems that bring the state closer to EU membership. In the article, the author highlights those problems that were not solved in the pre-war period of the state's development. In particular, we are talking about the need to optimize the system of state regulation, which should be aimed at promoting economic growth and increasing the level of well-being of citizens, as well as at achieving a new quality of state control, creating a "welfare state." The author proposes his own approach to solving the mentioned problems, which is based on the gradual reform of the public administration system, which should lead to a new quality of administration, bringing it closer to the European system of public management. Conclusions. It was concluded that the innovative transformation of the Ukrainian state, its transformation into a European-type state is impossible without changes in the sphere of public administration. The innovations proposed in the article will give a new impetus to the socio-economic development of Ukraine in the post-war period, creating the necessary conditions for the country's full integration into the EU by improving the public administration system. During the war, all authorities gain important experience in development planning and financing, which can be used in the post-war period to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of strategic decisions related to the rapprochement with the European Union. Nowadays, the executive authorities should build their capacity, analyze and implement the best European experience, try to adopt the style of management and communication, which is inherent in the European public administration practice.

Розбалансованість документів стратегічного та просторового планування розвитку та напрями їх узгодження

Modern challenges caused by russia’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine and Ukraine’s obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership require the elaboration / revision and coordination of documents that regularize and regulate strategic and spatial planning in the State at all levels. The issue of formation of strategic and spatial planning documents is especially relevant for local self-government bodies of territorial communities. On the one hand, due to the insufficient number of specialists in strategic and spatial planning during the wartime and the high cost of developing such documents, and on the other hand, due to the vertical and horizontal imbalance (inconsistency) of strategic and spatial planning documents. The aim of the presented study is to determine the directions of coordination of strategic and spatial planning documents for the development of territorial communities on the basis of identifying gaps and shortcomings in the system of strategic and spatial planning in Ukraine. The study focuses on the theoretical and applied aspects of considering the problem of harmonization of strategic and spatial planning in Ukraine. The theoretical component is concentrated around the approach to strategic and spatial planning. In particular, the «top-down» approach to strategic and spatial planning in Ukraine is characterized and critically evaluated. It is noted that in the conditions of wartime and post-war recovery, it is fully justified to prevent the increase in differentiation in the development of territorial communities in different regions of the country and the negative impact of the armed aggression of the russian federation on them. Applied aspects of the study are related to the identification of gaps in the systems of strategic and spatial planning in Ukraine. In particular, special attention is paid to the vertical and horizontal coordination of two key documents to be developed by local self-government bodies of territorial communities – the strategy for the development of the territorial community (strategic planning document) and a comprehensive plan for the spatial development of the territory of the territorial community (spatial planning document). Based on the results of the study, amendments to the legislation related to the vertical and horizontal coordination of strategic and spatial planning documents in order to preserve the integrity of the State regional policy in Ukraine with the simultaneous opening of opportunities for local self-government bodies to form effective, rather than formal documents for the strategic and spatial development of territorial communities are proposed.

The Benefits and Burdens of Being In-between. Discourses in European Parliament on Turkey’s Identity and Geopolitical Role in the Syrian Civil War

This article researches discursive practices of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) regarding Turkey’s identity and geopolitical role in the context of the Syrian Civil War from 2011 to 2016. It argues that MEPs struggled to accept Turkey’s in-betweenness: being European and Islamic/Asian simultaneously. This became particularly visible when Turkish foreign policy-behaviour in the region was colliding with European interests and authoritarianism in Turkey kept increasing. As a result, Turkey was framed more and more as non-European by referring to its religion, history and geography. However, MEPs believed cooperation with Turkey to be necessary due to its (growing) role in the conflict and the region in general. In that vein, parliamentary discourses shifted from EU membership to strategic partnership; perceiving Turkey as a key (regional) actor instead of a bridge and role model. Overall, the article gives valuable insights into the EU’s perception of its own identity and (normative) role, and tensions and challenges related to it.

ПРОТИДІЯ КОРУПЦІЇ ЯК ЧИННИК ДЕТІНІЗАЦІЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ЄВРОІНТЕГРАЦІЇ

Background . Under the conditions of martial law in Ukraine, there is an increase in corruption risks, which in turn negatively affects the level of shadowing of the national economy. Therefore, the effectiveness of the economic policy of the state during the war and the post-war period largely depends on the detinization and anti-corruption mechanisms due to the interdependence and interdependence of these processes. At the same time, one of the conditions for granting Ukraine EU membership is to strengthen Ukrainian anti-corruption legislation and bring it into line with European standards. Methods . A complex of general scientific and special research methods was used: analytical, historical, comparative, systematization, classification, generalization. Results . The general trends and causes of the shadow economy in Ukraine are analyzed. The influence of corruption aspects on the shadow sector of the economy is studied. The growth of the share of the shadow economy in Ukraine under the conditions of martial law has been established. Factors restraining the process of detinization of the economy of Ukraine have been identified. The Anti-corruption Strategy for 2021–2025 and the directions of state policy in the priority sectors of public administration, which it defines, were analyzed, namely: courts, prosecutor's office and law enforcement agencies; state regulation of Economy; public and private sectors of the economy; taxes and customs; construction, land relations and infrastructure; defense sector; the sphere of health care, education and science and social protection. The implementation mechanism and subjects of coordination of the Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2021–2025 have been determined. The expected consequences of its successful implementation are foreseen. It was noted that the Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2021–2025 is an extremely important step in the direction of the European integration movement of Ukraine and a powerful tool for reducing the level of corruption as a factor in the shadowing of the national economy. Conclusions . The directions of the state policy of Ukraine regarding the prevention and counteraction of corruption with the aim of minimizing the level of the shadow economy in the conditions of European integration have been determined. It was established that the state policy in the direction of reducing the level of corruption in Ukraine should be one of the main aspects of the state's activity, which will promote transparency and reduce the level of the shadow economy, which will eventually provide opportunities for the post-war recovery of Ukraine and the fastest possible full membership of Ukraine in the EU.