European Citizens Research Articles

Attitudes of European Citizens Towards Climate Change: A Gender Analysis

The present paper analyses attitudes and perceptions regarding climate change (CC) among European citizens, emphasizing their pivotal role in fostering public engagement and endorsement towards the advancement of mitigatory measures and sustainable lifestyles in accordance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This study delves into the degree of concern among European citizens regarding CC and their inclination towards assuming personal accountability in its alleviation, scrutinizing these facets through the lens of gender attitudes. Utilizing data from the European Social Survey and information on attitudes and perceptions pertaining to CC, the analysis incorporates various variables encompassing socio-economic status, demographics, individual perceptions of societal dynamics, and governmental policies. Employing econometric methodologies, the results confirm that individuals exhibiting trust in scientific authority manifest heightened concerns towards CC. Moreover, those expressing contentment with national governance display augmented levels of concern regarding CC. Gender differentials are also discernible, with females exhibiting greater apprehension towards CC compared to males. Furthermore, advanced age and higher educational attainment correlate with heightened levels of CC concern. Additional findings indicate that females tend to exhibit greater proclivity towards assuming self-responsibility, while individuals harbouring trust in scientific authority evince heightened levels of personal accountability, particularly when content with economic stability and the efficacy of the country's healthcare system. Additionally, older individuals displaying trust in scientific expertise tend to exhibit greater proclivity towards assuming personal responsibility. The findings underscore the imperative of comprehending the gendered ramifications of climate change and advocating for collective endeavours to combat this pervasive global challenge.

AI-Enhanced Strategies to Ensure New Sustainable Destination Tourism Trends Among the 27 European Union Member States

The United Nations 2030 Agenda defines the priorities and aspirations for global development based on seventeen ambitious sustainable development goals encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Tourism plays a vital role in the list of actions for the people and the planet. While the tourism industry drives economic growth, its environmental and social impact is equally high. Sustainable tourism aims to reduce the damage caused by the tourism industry, protect communities, and guarantee the industry’s long-term future. These changes require tourists’ collective and concerted effort. The question arises whether tourists are willing to be more demanding about sustainability when looking for a destination. This study uses artificial intelligence to classify a new trend in European citizens’ search for sustainable destinations and to generate intelligent recommendations. Using data from the Flash Eurobarometer 499, we use a tree-based algorithm, random forest, to obtain intelligent citizens classification systems supported by machine learning. The classification system explores the predisposition of citizens to contribute to the three pillars of sustainability when choosing a destination to visit based on gender, age, and the region of living. We found that European citizens place little emphasis on the social sustainability pillar. While they care about preserving the environment, this competes with the cultural offerings and availability of activities at the destination. Additionally, we found that the willingness to contribute to the three pillars of sustainability varies by gender, age, and European region.

Enhancing smart readiness of buildings: bridging the knowledge gap to European citizens

ABSTRACT This study delves into the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), an innovative measure designed to assess and enhance the smart capabilities of buildings across Europe. Addressing the critical question, ‘How can the SRI be effectively documented, made more accessible to European citizens, continuously monitored, and financially supported to enhance its adoption and under-standing?’ This research aims to bridge the gap between the conceptual framework of SRI and its practical implementation for the benefit of European citizens. The study introduces the SRI FAQ Initiative, a pivotal effort aimed at demystifying the SRI through the compilation and dissemination of essential questions and answers. The establishment of the SRI Observatory is another significant outcome, documenting the ongoing development of SRI and providing annual out-looks for future advancements. The research employs a multifaceted methodology, incorporating field research, extensive literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, and both digital and roundtable discussions.

Article: Mirroring Comparative Fiscal Federalism to Design the EU Revenue Side

This contribution aims to incorporate comparative fiscal federalism into the design of the EU revenue side. The author concludes that there has been no such ‘Hamiltonian moment’ at the EU after the introduction of the Next Generation Economic Recovery Program (NGEU) and the own resources scheduled in the EU Own Resources Decision (ORD) for the period 2021–2027. The ORD follows a short-term vision needed to pay back the massive debts incurred due to the NGEU without fully endorsing a fiscal federalism route. Learning how the revenue side is structured in decentralized countries could offer important proxies to be applied at the EU level, a centripetal or ‘bottom-up federation’. Federalizing the EU revenue side would imply an explicit recognition of the EU’s power to create income/indirect taxes coupled with the need to provide public goods to European citizens.

8.E. Skills building seminar: Methods for measuring the true health cost of pollution

Abstract Healthy environments are essential for physical and mental wellbeing. Air pollution is considered to be one of the most significant environmental risk factors for ill health and premature death within the European Union. Poor air and noise quality have been linked to the exacerbation of symptoms, hospital admissions, and even premature deaths, especially for those with cardiorespiratory diseases. The associated medical costs and productivity losses therefore also impose a large economic cost. Exposure to environmental stressors disproportionately affects socially disadvantaged groups, and therefore contributes to the large socioeconomic inequities in health observed persistently in Europe. The EU has prioritised action on causes of pollution. For example, its Green Deal outlines ambitious plans to address climate challenges such as pollution and align air quality ambitions closer to the World Health Organization guidelines. Likewise, the European Environmental Agency routinely monitors the mortality burden associated with air pollution, while the impact of environmental noise on European citizens is examined through the Environmental Noise Directive. While in the political scene there is interest to advance the reduction of pollution, efforts are hindered by the lack of an harmonized methodology to quantify the socioeconomic cost of environmental stressors. Currently, researchers working with the burden of disease framework face many challenges in its application in the context of environmental stressors. Among others, these challenges include unmet data needs and major lack of transparency in methodological developments. In this skills-building seminar, we will outline an integrated approach for measuring the true health cost of pollution. This approach is currently being trialled in the EU-funded BEST-COST project, which sets out to improve methodologies for understanding the socioeconomic cost of environmental stressors, focusing on air and noise pollution. The project brings together a consortium of 17 partners from Europe and the USA, and is led by Sciensano, the Belgian institute for health. Through a synergy of theoretical outlines and real-life examples, seminar participants will gain methodological insights in the three key components of this integrated approach - i.e., the quantification of the health burden of environmental stressors via comparative risk assessment, the monetization of Disability-Adjusted Life Years to assess economic impact, and the quantification of environmental health inequalities via a novel area-level based framework. Key messages • There are significant unmet needs with respect to both data and methodologies for quantifying the socioeconomic cost of environmental stressors. • We outline an integrated approach for measuring the true health cost of pollution, combining health burden, economic burden, and environmental health inequalities.

11.L. Round table: Fiscal measures for building resilient European health systems

Abstract Currently, over 100 million European citizens are affected by obesity and non-communicable diseases. These health conditions impact individuals and society economically as well as socially. Therefore, an increasing number of Member States has introduced taxes on foods high in fat, sugar, or salt. However, divergent national fiscal health measures can lead to market distortion or fraudulent activities, revealing that, although the responsibility for implementing fiscal measures lies with national governments, health systems of different Member States are much interlinked. The increasing health risks for European citizens and its broader impact underline the importance of resilience in European health systems more than ever before, calling for early response and effective concrete actions from both EU institutions and national governments. Additionally, the topic of resilient health systems currently ranks high on the European agenda, with the Belgian Presidency promoting health system preparedness and early response and health care strengthening as one of their six priorities. The European Commission will also continue its work on this issue for the next five years. The EU has already taken steps in this matter, such as the launch of the European Health Union and the creation of HERA. However, in order to preserve a healthy society, the EU must further develop in this regard. Therefore, this round table discussion will focus on the question of how fiscal measures in Member States can contribute to resilient health systems. It aims to generate ideas on how Ministries of Health can contribute to resilient health systems via fiscal measures compatible with European Community law that promote health and prevent disease. Panellists from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Hungarian Ministry of Health and Ecorys, a research-based consultancy, will provide diverse perspectives on the topic. The added value of the round table is laying out possible ways of how both the EU and Member States can contribute to enhancing the resilience of European health systems. In the discussion, knowledge is derived from various research projects, such as Ecorys’ study for DG TAXUD on health taxes, their study for the Dutch Ministry of Finance on sugar taxes, and their literature study on sugar taxation and VAT reduction on fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, as an example of alternative funding mechanisms for resilient health systems, the Hungarian approach to health taxes will be reviewed, since a portion of the tax revenue from their public health tax is used to finance public health initiatives. From a policy perspective, the round table will aid in formulating recommendations for improving the resilience of EU health systems for the next five years. Key messages • Unhealthy foods and drinks consumption poses significant health risks, impacting economy and society, and requiring evidence-based fiscal measures as part of comprehensive measures. • The round table provides public health stakeholders the opportunity to generate recommendations for improving the resilience of EU health systems for the next five years. Speakers/Panelists Kremlin Wickramasinghe Division of Country Health Programs, WHO/Europe, Denmark Krisztina Biró Ministry of Interior, State Secretariat for Health, Budapest, Hungary Soila Karreinen Tampere University, Tampere, Finland Rana Orhan Pees Ecorys, Rotterdam, Netherlands Sara Cerdas Former Member of the European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

Global health resource distribution during COVID-19 and in future pandemics: Here’s what people say

Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, countless individuals across the world needed novel and sophisticated health care resources simultaneously, leading to dramatic global shortages. How to distribute resources in such situations? This dilemma is neither new nor understudied: Its complexity is well known to medical ethicists, public health scientists and philosophers. Building on this knowledge, powerful global distribution frameworks were proposed already early into the pandemic. Despite this knowledge, no globally consensual regulations existed (and exist) on the political sphere. Worse still, numerous countries hoarded resources for themselves, increasing global inequalities and prolonging the pandemic for everyone. For future emergencies, it is thus necessary to develop immediately applicable strategies. Because public acceptance is key for such interventions, evidence on the public opinion towards allocation principles is strongly needed. In 2021, we asked representative samples of N = 2694 adults in England and Germany to rate seven COVID-19-specific global allocation principles. In line with literature on justice attitudes in general, extensions of bifactor(S-1) models showed that participants would have preferred a more equity- or equality-based global resource distribution during the pandemic, presenting themselves as more cosmopolitan than global leaders. Trying to understand these attitudes better, we tested preregistered hypotheses on relations with other constructs and found positive associations between equity- and equality-directed preferences and global human identification, among others. To ensure generalisability on future pandemics, we collected data from a second cohort in spring 2024. All results will be presented in detail. With their responses, European citizens call upon the development of fairer and more efficient global distribution mechanisms. This global public health perspective could inform preparations for future global emergencies. Key messages • European citizens would have preferred a more equity- or equality-based global distribution of scarce health care resources during the COVID-19 pandemic than global leaders organised. • Citizens’ global perspective on public health and their strong emphasis on global fairness should inform preparations for future pandemics and other global emergencies.

9.Y.1. Breaking down silos: Maximizing the impact of different EU funding schemes in health

Abstract The European Commission (EC) has established various funding schemes to support large health initiatives, such as EU4Health, Horizon Europe, and Digital Europe. These initiatives aim to support research and innovation in order to tackle different health challenges faced by EU member states, improve the health and well-being in European citizens and invest in resilient health systems Funding can come in different forms such as grants, subsidies, loans, prizes, and procurements and is managed by different Directorates General of the European Commission. The EC offers a wealth of financial resources, enabling health scientists to conduct cutting-edge research. However, to make the full potential of the EC funding programmes it is essential to achieve interactions and synergies. Thematic interactions consider the underlying policies of specific actions, striving to connect projects focused on related topics rather than letting them work in isolation, and transferring results from one to another. Implementation interactions involve the sequential or cumulative funding of one or multiple projects. Moreover, the abundance of financial sources poses the possibility for duplication of efforts and redundancy among the various programmes. In addition, complexities in rules and guidelines pose challenges for researchers to fund their long term research projects through cumulative funding. To avoid redundancy and tackle health issues efficiently, it is essential to ensure collaboration and coordination across funding schemes to effectively address both overarching and specific health topics. The aim of this roundtable is to share with the audience the different funding mechanisms provided by the European Commission, explore barriers and challenges to fostering collaborative innovation through the funding programs, and demonstrate best practices for optimizing synergies across different programs. This round table gathers panelists from a variety of backgrounds covering the European Commission, national health institutes, NGOs and SMEs. Key messages • The European Commission provides diverse and rich funding schemes supporting health research and innovation to tackle European health challenges. • Complexities in rules and guidelines pose challenges and combined efforts of both the European Commission and research communities can foster collaborative innovation across the funding schemes. Speakers/Panelists Jinane Ghattas Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium Agnès Mathieu-Mendes HaDEA, EC, Brussels, Belgium Anabela Isidro Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica, Lisbon, Portugal

Citizen needs towards personalised medicine and genetic testing: results from a European survey

Abstract Introduction Personalised Medicine (PM) aims to tailor diagnostic and therapeutic pathways for patients. Despite technological advancements in this field, public awareness of PM remains limited, representing a barrier to its clinical integration. Methods We conducted a survey across eight European Countries (France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain) via the private platform YouGov, in April 2023. Our web questionnaire explored knowledge of PM, willingness to embrace it, and trust in information delivered by mass media. Results Of 6,581 respondents, approximately 42% lacked sufficient knowledge of PM and genetic testing, while 36.3% found information about the topic not easily accessible. Healthcare providers were the most trusted source of information (according to 80% of responders), followed by educational institutions (71.4%). Education, age, and gender significantly influenced the acceptance of PM and mass media trust, highlighting the association between high education level, readiness to embrace PM, and high trust in academic sources of information. Additionally, age, gender, and geographical location influenced the perception of PM and genetic tests in various ways across Europe. Despite the geographical differences, 63.2% of respondents want to know more about PM, and 60% support its implementation in clinical practice. Conclusions Although the growing interest in PM genetic, and -omics technologies, large sections of the population still lack access to information and understanding, indicating a disconnection between technological advancements and public awareness. The study emphasizes the importance of providing focused citizen engagement initiatives to implement PM approaches. Citizen participation in defining personalised diagnostic and therapeutic pathways is vital to empower individuals and enable them to make informed health choices. Key messages • Understanding European citizens’ attitudes and needs regarding Personalised Medicine is crucial for creating policies and facilitating access to new technologies and treatments. • Despite limited knowledge, European Citizen recognize the importance of Personalised Medicine for their health, seek further understanding, and place trust in Academic Sources of Information.

8.H. Scientific session: Coordinated actions to improve our response to Long COVID at EU and national levels

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic still has very real and far-reaching consequences for European citizens, healthcare systems and economies. It has been estimated that approximately 10%-20% of people that were infected by SARS-CoV-2, develop Long COVID. Countries within the European Union and elsewhere have been responding to Long COVID in various ways. Some countries initiated a more extensive response to Long COVID, including the creation of multidisciplinary Long COVID clinics. In other counties, Long COVID should be addressed within existing infrastructures within the health care system, which can be hampered by the siloed approach of how services for people with chronic conditions is organised. Moreover, a coordinated and uniform response to Long COVID is complicated by the fact that there is a large variety of terms and definitions of Long COVID and the fact that long COVID symptom are often similar to symptoms of other diseases, thus hampering specific characterisation of patients. While substantial progress has been made in understanding Long COVID we still need more answers about its causes and the most effective treatments. It is also important to understand the impact that Long COVID has on individual lives of those who are being affected - and their families - as well as on societies as a whole. The session aims to take stock of a number of recent insights relating to Long COVID, also with the purpose to identify opportunities for a more coordinated and harmonized approach towards Long COVID at national and international levels. The session will provide room for discussions and engagement with the audience, allowing to help inform future policy agendas. As such, better ways to understand and address Long COVID can also be beneficial for health systems as a whole, given the parallels with how services are provided and policies are set up to address other chronic (non-communicable) diseases. Key messages • Long COVID is still poorly understood, in part relating to the complexity of the condition, also having considerable impacts on individuals and societies. • A more harmonised response can help improve the manners to address it, this to support those still suffering from this long term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harnessing social marketing for interdisciplinary health management: enhancing public health outcomes

Abstract Social marketing in health leverages the principles of traditional marketing to influence behaviours that benefit individuals and communities. It involves using marketing techniques to promote public health initiatives, aiming to change attitudes and behaviours towards healthier choices. By strategically framing health messages, social marketing can effectively reach diverse populations, encouraging them to adopt practices that enhance their wellbeing. This approach not only increases awareness about health issues but also empowers people to take proactive steps in managing their health, ultimately leading to improved public health outcomes. Showcasing a forward-thinking approach to public health management, this plenary session seeks to shed light on the transformative role of interdisciplinary collaboration in enhancing health outcomes. Recognising that health and wellbeing are influenced by a myriad of actors beyond the healthcare sector, there is a growing imperative to empower professionals from diverse disciplines with health management principles. By effectively ‘social marketing’ health management to those outside the traditional health sector, such as in architecture, urban planning, construction, education, transportation, and manufacturing, health-oriented decision-making can be seamlessly integrated across these fields. The session will highlight innovative approaches for engaging non-health stakeholders in decision-making processes, leveraging the expertise of health management and public health professionals. By facilitating a dialogue between health professionals and experts from other sectors, the session will explore the potential and challenges of intersectoral partnerships, and challenge policymakers, health managers, and stakeholders in the health sector to actively engage non-health professionals in their pursuit of improved health outcomes for European citizens. Case studies from across Europe where interdisciplinary collaborations have led to social programming and infrastructure developments that enhance health and wellbeing will be presented. The case study ‘Compassionate leadership’ will delve into how organisation leaders can harness their health management capacity to foster a supportive environment that prioritises wellbeing. ‘Health-centric design in public spaces’ will demonstrate the impact of designing public areas with a focus on health, showcasing how thoughtful urban planning can significantly enhance community health. The third case study, ‘Architecture for better health and healing’ will highlight the role of architectural design in promoting health and recovery, emphasising the importance of creating spaces that support healing. Finally, ‘Educating to health’ will underline the significance of educating young people to healthy habits, sustainability, and physical and mental wellbeing, illustrating how this can lead to healthier communities. By fostering broader interdisciplinary collaboration, it is possible to unlock innovative solutions to health challenges and ultimately create healthier, more resilient communities across Europe. Moderator Tiago Correia Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal, and Board Member of the EHMA Speakers/Panellists Marina Macchiaiolo Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Italy, and President of the Italian Committee for the United World Colleges Stefano Capolongo Department of Architecture, Construction Engineering and Built Environment (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Contesting patents on COVID-19 vaccines in the EU: the no profit on pandemic campaign

ABSTRACT This article presents and analyses the campaign behind the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘No Profit on Pandemic’ which challenged patents for COVID-19 vaccines. Albeit unsuccessful, we argue that the campaign offers a unique opportunity to study the transnationalisation of European contention during the ‘emergency critical juncture’ of the pandemic. We situate the campaign within (1) the broader Europeanisation of health governance and (2) the wider ‘Access to Medicines’ movement to point to the political obstacles and discursive opportunities for anti-patent mobilisation over the period. We conclude that, despite the discursive opportunities offered, the campaign failed to break through the political push-back and the industry opposition. The article, thus, contributes to the literature on health activism, in general, and progressive social movements during the pandemic, in particular, and hopes to shed some light on the global politics of public health.

Family affairs or Government's duty? The tax morality of a mobile society

PurposeThis paper aims to shed light on the relationship between intergenerational labor mobility and tax morale among European citizens, given the relatively limited evidence on the potential influence of tax compliance behavior on future inequalities.Design/methodology/approachExploiting data from the European Values Study (2008), we show that the larger the intergenerational mobility, i.e. better economic conditions of children respect to their parents, the larger the willingness to pay taxes. In this vein, the subjective tax payment may be meant as an investment which could be rewarded with a more mobile society result by considering different estimation strategies. This evidence remarks the importance to foster intergenerational mobility to build a more tax-compliant society.FindingsThe linkage between mobility and tax morale is stronger and significant across citizens living in high income classes, and in countries where there is a commitment of the Government in guaranteeing more opportunities to citizens regardless of their familiar starting conditions (more defamiliarized countries). We further show that the intergenerational mobility significantly shapes the attitude towards tax payment only among individuals who claim for independence from their family context (i.e. those showing less family ties). This evidence remarks the importance to foster intergenerational mobility to build a more tax-compliant society.Originality/valueWe revisit the linkage between attitude toward tax compliance and inequality, on the light of the intergenerational labor mobility, that may be seen as the dependence between children's and parents' earnings. Given the insights from the existing studies, this paper represents the first empirical work that aims to analyze the potential relationship between intergenerational mobility and personal attitude toward tax payment across European citizens.

Secure in Diversity? Transborder Ethnicity, Transnational Minority Activism, and Ontological (In)Security in the European Union

Abstract The liberal vision of the early 1990s envisaged the eastward extension of the Western European security community formed during the Cold War, based on intergovernmental cooperation and integration around the shared norms embodied by the European Union (EU), Council of Europe, and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Yet, transborder ethnic ties have remained a security concern within the “New Europe.” As well as the external challenges posed by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, growing transborder nationalism exhibited by Hungary and other states has also become a focus of tensions within the EU. These intra-EU concerns, I argue, should be understood primarily as an issue of ontological security and as part of a multilevel security dilemma implicating states, EU institutions, and national minorities as security-seeking non-state actors. The article focuses on the Federal Union of European Nationalities—a transnational umbrella NGO that in 2013–2021 led an unsuccessful European Citizens’ Initiative named “Minority SafePack” (MSPI) calling upon the European Commission to legislate on firmer guarantees of minority rights within EU member states. Applying the ontological security lens to the study of MSPI, I illustrate how it reflects specific claims voiced by transborder kin-minority activists consistently over the past century, before analyzing the counter-securitizing arguments deployed against it by states. Although MSPI was approved with a large majority within the European Parliament, the Commission ultimately rejected it. I consider why this was the case, as well as the implications of the rejection for the in varietate concordia concept that supposedly undergirds the European project.

A Systematic Review on the Neuropsychological Assessment of Patients with LBP: The Impact of Chronic Pain on Quality of Life

Background and objective: Low back pain (LBP) is most common pain syndrome in Europe, affecting approximately 50% of European citizens. LBP is a complex condition that negatively affects many aspects of an individual’s life such as work productivity, mobility, and mental health. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of pain associated with chronic LBP on patients’ quality of life. Methods: Clinical studies reviewed in our search with no time restrictions were identified from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Of the initial 1929 studies, only 15 met inclusion criteria. Results: Results of our study indicate that chronic pain has a negative impact on numerous functions and areas in which the individual is involved and that this condition leads to reduced performance. Conclusions: LBP is a debilitating condition for patients, negatively affecting quality of life. Future studies should focus on validating a standardized assessment that examines all aspects affected by LBP through a customized questionnaire.

Towards new perspectives of stakeholder engagement in sustainability transitions: Bringing the supranational level into view

Although stakeholder engagement is a well-discussed topic within sustainability transitions research, it is underexplored in the context of supranational actors, such as the EU, despite the apparent relevance. Through the case study of the European citizen and stakeholder consultations around European Green Deal (EGD), this paper investigates the implications of stakeholder engagement conducted on a supranational level. By applying a transitions-based engagement framework, gaps are highlighted in the existing knowledge of the particular supranational dynamics in engagement for sustainability transitions. The goals of engagement are entangled and point to the complexity of supranational organisations, as well as specific challenges these organisations face in engagement processes. These include challenges of overcoming scale, relevance for the citizens, as well as legitimizing their own role as a transitions actor. These distinctly supranational challenges of engagement in transitions highlight several new avenues for research. In order to play a more effective role in transitions, supranational organisations must overcome these challenges.

Job satisfaction and happiness keys in the prosocial behavior of citizens in Europe

BackgroundSatisfaction and happiness are two widely studied topics in current literature. Human beings need to find happiness. However, for many authors, satisfaction is a prerequisite for happiness. Satisfaction, in turn, can be approached from different perspectives, such as job satisfaction, health satisfaction, and social life satisfaction. This research analyses the relationship between these variables and their influence on proactive social behaviour.MethodsThe present study utilised the European Social Survey, an academic survey conducted across Europe in its round 10, carried out between 2022 and 2023, with a database of 25,311 valid responses. Structural equation modelling analysis conduct using PLS-SEM with the Smart PLS software.ResultsThe results demonstrate a direct and significant relationship between overall satisfaction and happiness and between happiness and prosocial behaviour. Similarly, a solid indirect relationship exists between satisfaction and prosocial behaviour in society. Furthermore, job satisfaction is among the variables influencing overall satisfaction and happiness. However, it is not the most important, with satisfaction with social life being the most influential on satisfaction.Conclusions and implicationsHappiness is one of the main variables that influence people’s lives. As we have observed, this happiness has a direct and solid relationship with the individual’s level of satisfaction, with job satisfaction and satisfaction with social life being the most influential in this relationship between satisfaction and happiness. Therefore, these conclusions must be understood by both workers and employers and public administrations. Additionally, the relationship between happiness and prosocial behaviour is an interesting topic that the governments of countries and regions in Europe should consider.

The Role of Data Analytics in Enhancing Public Administration in Europe

Sustainable development (SD) represents a growth approach that tries to maintain a social, economic and environmental balance. SD aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. For a sustainable development, a key element is represented by renewable energy (RE). The use of RE on an increasingly large scale brings with it a series of advantages and positively influences aspects such as resource conservation, air and water quality improvement, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, etc. Realization of RE through different ways such as wind energy, solar power, hydropower, etc. and by combining them, European citizens can take an important step in realizing a more sustainable and renewable energy future. The article presents a data mining analysis on the use of RE in EU countries, taking into account the share of industry use such as heating and cooling, transport and electricity. The results of the analysis aim to identify countries that show a similar behavior from the point of view of the use of RE. Based on them, policies and strategies at the EU level can be founded. Keywords: renewable energy, sustainable development, European Union, data mining

Inequalities in health literacy between European population and newly arrived male sub-Saharan migrants in Europe.

Increases in migration pressure from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe have increased in recent years. Despite this trend, the health literacy needs of migrants in host communities have not been sufficiently studied. This research aims to explore the health literacy of migrants newly arriving in Europe and compare it with the health literacy levels of the European population, utilizing data obtained from the European health literacy survey. A convenience sampling cross-sectional study was conducted at the Temporary Immigrant Stay Center in Melilla (Spain) in June 2022 using a validated French and Arabic version of the 16-item European health literacy survey questionnaire. A total of 106 sub-Saharan migrants ≥ 18 years of age were surveyed. The general health literacy index of the migrants was 30.02 points (on a scale of 50), placing it in the 'problematic' level. Of the participants, 57.54% had a limited ability to obtain, understand and apply health information and make appropriate health-related decisions. The largest gap compared to European citizens was observed in skills to understand information related to disease prevention. These results reinforce that migrant status is a social determinant of low health literacy and suggest that health professionals should extend their educational role to this vulnerable group.

Some Developments and Vulnerabilities in the Child Rights Protection System under the Umbrella of the European Family

Bearing in mind that the European Economic Community was originally a purely economic construction, there is no consistent and relevant degree of conventionality in the relationship between the EU, on the one hand, and the family, in all its configuration, on the other. However, indirectly, through its own policies, the Union has shaped certain aspects of the concept of family, the free movement of European citizens and their family members being a case in point. In this study we aim to determine to what extent we can speak of the existence of the concept of the European family and to present the European standards that circumscribe the child in a family unit, including the adaptation of some "classic" rights of EU law to best suit the specific interests and needs of the child. Last but not least, we aim to present some vulnerabilities in the European system of protection of children's rights, caused either by inconsistency of the European legislator or by a lack of refinement in the interpretation of legal provisions relating to fundamental rights. Keywords: Child; Freedom of movement; Citizenship; Family member