European Perspective Research Articles

Transfer pricing: A European perspective for Ukrainian legislation and practice

The transfer pricing issue is urgent for Ukraine considering the extreme need to attract funds (including from foreign partners) for the reconstruction of the state in the conditions of martial law and post- war times. Given the above, the purpose of this study was to cover the specific features of the implementation practice and court resolutions regarding the transfer pricing disputes in Ukraine, as well as the prospects for implementing the relevant provisions of supranational directives of the European Union. The formal- logical and concrete-legal tools, including the abstraction, formal legal and comparative legal methods, helped to cover the legal status of participants in legal relations, application of the “arm’s length” principle, corresponding and compensating adjustments, procedure and functional characteristics of transfer pricing, evaluating the documentation, guaranteeing access to information sources of the appropriate quantity and quality, considering the practice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine regarding transfer pricing and the regulations of the European Union Transfer Pricing Directive. The study proved that confirming the amounts of expenses is to be implemented following the legally defined procedure for transfer pricing regarding the obligations to increase the financial result of the tax (reporting) period, proper tax reporting and control, responsibility for non-submission/overdue submission of a report on controlled transactions. The application of the “arm’s length” principle was established considering such imperative criteria as determining the taxable profit and checking the factual price in the relations with non-residents, comparability of economic transactions in the context of assessing the factual controlled transaction. Criteria for the comparability of economic transactions were summarised related to assessing the essential properties of the transaction itself, the nature of assets and risks, goods transferred and/or the services rendered, fundamental and dynamic strategies of behaviour, economic status, performed functions of associated participants in legal relations. The practical value of this study for researchers, law enforcement bodies, and stakeholders lies in the coverage of the European perspective on transfer pricing implementation for Ukraine

(Re-)negotiating Masculinities in the Kampoeng: Medical Mercenaries and the Aceh War, c. 1880–1890

ABSTRACT Around 300 physicians from Switzerland, the German as well as the Austro-Hungarian Empire joined the Dutch Colonial Army between 1814 and 1914. While their motives to volunteer in the first place could widely differ, many among them eagerly published on their experiences as medical officers ‘Far East’, presenting their alleged heroic deeds and the struggles they faced as medical men in the tropics to a broad readership in Germanophone Europe. This article zooms in on the lives of three such ‘medical mercenaries’ deployed in Aceh, where the Dutch fought one of the longest, most costly, and deadly wars in their Imperial history: the Swiss Dr. Heinrich Erni, Austrian Dr. Heinrich Breitenstein, and Prussian Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Stammeshaus. By analysing their testimonies of the daily lives in the military camps, it asks how European masculinities were forged, challenged, and contested through medicine and medical experts in colonial wars fought in from a European perspective remote, unknown tropical outdoor spaces.

Concomitant interventions in mitral valve surgery - A European perspective.

In recent years, major findings on concomitant procedures and anticoagulation management have occurred in Mitral Valve (MV) surgery. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the current practices in MV interventions across Europe. In October 2021, all national cardio-thoracic societies in the European region were identified following an electronic search and sent an online survey of 14 questions to distribute among their member consultant/attending cardiac surgeons. The survey was completed by 91 consultant/attending cardiac surgeons across 12 European countries, with 78% indicating MV repair as their specialty area. 57.1% performed >150 operations/year and 71.4% had 10+ years of experience.Concomitant tricuspid valve repair is performed for moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) by 69% of surgeons and for mild TR by 26.3%, both with annular diameter >40mm. 50.6% indicated ischaemic MV surgery in patients undergoing CABG if moderate mitral regurgitation with ERO >20mm2 and regurgitant volume >30mL, and 45.1% perform it if severe MR with ERO >40mm2 and regurgitant volume >60mL. For these patients the preferred management was: MVR if predictors of repair failure identified (47.2%) and downsizing annuloplasty ring only (34.1%).For atrial fibrillation (AF) in cardiac surgery, 34.1% perform ablation with biatrial lesion and 20% with left sided only. 62.6% perform concomitant Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Occlusion irrespective of AF ablation with a left atrial clip. A wide variability in anticoagulation strategies for MV repair and bioprosthetic MV valve was reported both for patients in sinus rhythm and AF. These results demonstrate a variable practice for MV surgery, and a degree of lack of compliance with surgical intervention guidelines and anticoagulation strategy.

Cost-effectiveness of teduglutide in adult patients with short bowel syndrome – a European socioeconomic perspective

BackgroundShort bowel syndrome with intestinal failure (SBS-IF) is a rare but devastating medical condition. An absolute loss of bowel length forces the patients into parenteral support dependency and a variety of medical sequelae, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Interdisciplinary treatment may include therapy with the effective but expensive intestinotrophic peptide teduglutide. ObjectivesA time-discrete Markov model was developed to simulate the treatment effect [lifetime costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and life years (LYs)] of teduglutide plus best supportive care compared with best supportive care alone in patients with SBS-IF. MethodsThe health status of the model was structured around the number of days on PS. Clinical data from 3 data sets were used: 1) an Austrian observational study (base case), 2) pooled observational cohort studies, and 3) a prospective study of teduglutide effectiveness in parenteral nutrition-dependent short bowel syndrome subjects. Direct and indirect costs were derived from published sources. QALYs, LYs, and costs were discounted (3% per annum). ResultsUnder the base case assumption, teduglutide is associated with costs of 2,296,311 € per patient and 10.78 QALYs (13.74 LYs) over a lifetime horizon. No teduglutide is associated with 1,236,816 € and 2.24 QALYs (8.57 LYs). The incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) amounts to 123,945 €. In case of the pooled clinical data set, the ICUR increases to 184,961 €. If clinical data based on the study of teduglutide effectiveness in parenteral nutrition-dependent short bowel syndrome subjects were used, the ICUR increased to 235,612 €. ConclusionsTeduglutide in treating patients with SBS-IF meets the traditional cost-effectiveness criteria from a European societal perspective. Nevertheless, the varying concentrations of teduglutide efficacy leave a degree of uncertainty in the calculations.

The Role of Civilian Cybersecurity Companies in Military Cyber Operations

Abstract The Russia-Ukraine war has clearly shown that critical infrastructures are prime targets for cyber operations in addition to the physical domain. In practice, in many cases, these critical infrastructures are protected by civilian cybersecurity companies in the context of a managed security service, so their defense operations must necessarily be coordinated with military defense activities. This includes among others the sharing of information classified under different classification systems (national, EU, NATO) between different actors in national cyber defense, the inclusion of appropriate civilian experts in the armed forces, and the usage of cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies (e.g. AI-enabled solutions) that are first introduced for civilian use, with military organizations only having access to them later or possibly not encountering them at all due to procurement difficulties. The main goal of this paper is to introduce the existing opportunities and obstacles to civilians’ involvement in military cyber operations in the areas of legislation, technology, and human resources from the European perspective. Moreover, the paper deals with the actual questions of cybersecurity intelligence sharing between civilian and military entities and the European Union’s actions in order to improve the overall cybersecurity posture of the region.

Advancements in integrated robotic sensing: A European perspective.

Robotic Non-destructive Testing and Sensing stands at the forefront of technological innovation, offering capabilities in assessing structural integrity, safety, and material quality across diverse industries. This comprehensive review article provides a detailed exploration of the field, focusing on the substantial contributions of European researchers and institutions. The need for non-destructive testing has been a constant in industries that rely on structural integrity, including aerospace, manufacturing, energy, construction, and healthcare. Traditional testing methods, such as radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, and dye penetrant testing, have been integral for quality control and safety assurance. However, the robotisation of such methods has marked a profound shift, enabling precise, fast, efficient, and repeatable testing while minimising human exposure to hazardous environments. European researchers and institutions have played an instrumental role in driving the evolution of integrated robotic sensing. The historical perspective of the field reveals the pioneering spirit of Europe, as collaborative initiatives led to the development of robotic platforms equipped with advanced sensors and testing techniques. A critical aspect of the European impact on robotic inspection applications lies in developing advanced sensors, innovative robotic platforms, novel robotic path-planning and control approaches and data collection and visualisation tools. These developments continue to influence the global landscape of robotic sensing. European researchers remain at the forefront of current trends and innovations as the field continues to evolve. This review article will delve into these recent advancements, highlighting Europe's pivotal role in pushing the boundaries of technology and application. The implications and applications of robotic sensing reverberate across multiple sectors worldwide. From inspecting critical aerospace components to ensuring the quality of manufactured goods, these technologies underpin safety and quality standards.

Green bonds as the driving force of environmental performance – the European perspective

This paper identifies regions with high environmental performance by assessing the size of green bond issuance in European countries from a cause-and-effect perspective. Cluster analysis and descriptive statistics were used to meet this research objective. The research subject was the size of green bond issuance, understood as the driving force for the green economy in European countries. The main findings of the research show a strong correlation between the size of green bond issuance and environmental performance. Due to limited access to source data, the analysis of green sources of financing was restricted only to the size of green bond issuance, excluding other funding sources. Identifying the regions with high environmental performance and high value of green bond issuance will allow for an effective support plan for pro-ecological actions by using soft and complex tools of green policy, bearing in mind existing limitations, too. This approach determines groups of countries that share similar features, i.e., the ones that take advantage of green projects financed by the issuance of green bonds and simultaneously have a high environmental performance index.

The ‘temporariness’ of temporary agency work assignments

To prevent the misuse of the equal treatment principle and successive assignments designed to circumvent the TAW Directive's provisions, Member States have to take appropriate measures in accordance with national law and/or practice (Art. 5(5)). One such measure, as mentioned but not further defined by the TAW Directive itself (Art. 3(1)(b) to (e)), involves limiting the duration of assignments. Not limiting, in one way or the other, the maximum period during which a temporary agency worker may be assigned to a user undertaking then might be problematic for a Member State, and may result in the TAW Directive being transposed incorrectly. Yet, the failure of the TAW Directive itself to set a maximum duration, while also not providing criteria by which to establish whether an assignment leads to a circumvention of the provisions of the Directive (Art. 5(5)), may lead to legal uncertainty for Member States and for those making use of the legal rules on temporary agency work. Against this background, this article addresses the question of the extent to which limiting the duration of the assignment, from both a European and national perspective, can prevent the misuse and circumvention of the provisions of the TAW Directive.

U. S. vs. EU Insider Trading Regulation: Risks and Challenges from a European Perspective

Abstract 822In an ever more globalized financial market, investors are increasingly exposed to regulation and enforcement by multiple jurisdictions with varying rules, including different insider trading regimes. From a European perspective, potential exposure to the U. S. insider trading regime is particularly challenging. Especially for the non-U. S. practitioner, the U. S. insider prohibition is very complex and offers little legal certainty. And this uncertainty is all the more problematic for Europeans because the U. S. insider ban applies extraterritorially. Even more worrying, violations of the U. S. insider trading regime are often met with harsh consequences, ranging from stiff prison sentences to ruinous financial penalties. First, this article broadly outlines the contours of the U. S. insider trading regime as well as the current state of play for insider trading enforcement under U. S. law. Second, it outlines the fearsome (extra-) territorial reach of the U. S. insider trading ban, to allow a better assessment of a European’s potential exposure to the U. S. insider trading regime in different situations. Third, it highlights the main differences between the U. S. and the EU insider trading regulations, to identify the areas in which market participants on both sides of the Atlantic should be particularly cautious.

Eptacog beta for the management of patients with haemophilia A and B with inhibitors: A European perspective.

Eptacog beta (activated), a recombinant human factor VIIa (rFVIIa), was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020 (SEVENFACT®, LFB & HEMA Biologics) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2022 (CEVENFACTA®, LFB). In Europe, eptacog beta is indicated for the treatment of bleeds and the prevention of bleeds during surgery or invasive procedures in adults and adolescents (≥12 years old) with congenital haemophilia A or B with high-titre inhibitors (≥5 BU) or with low-titre inhibitors who are expected to have a high anamnestic response to factor VIII or factor IX, or to be refractory to increased dosing of these factors. The efficacy and safety of eptacog beta were evaluated in three Phase III clinical studies, PERSEPT 1, 2 and 3. For the EMA filing dossier, the analysis of data from PERSEPT 1 and 2 differed from the analysis used to support the filing in the US. In this review, we summarise current data regarding the mode of action, clinical efficacy and safety of eptacog beta for the management of haemophilia A and B in patients with inhibitors from a European perspective. In addition to providing a valuable summary of the analyses of the clinical data for eptacog beta conducted for the EMA, our review summarises the potential differentiators for eptacog beta compared with other current bypassing agents.

Etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of peri-implantitis: A European perspective.

Peri-implantitis is a plaque-associated pathological condition occurring in tissues around dental implants. It is characterized by inflammation in the peri-implant mucosa and progressive loss of supporting bone. Over the last 30 years, peri-implantitis has become a major disease burden in dentistry. An understanding of the diagnosis, etiology and pathogenesis, epidemiology, and treatment of peri-implantitis must be a central component in undergraduate and postgraduate training programs in dentistry. In view of the strong role of European research in periodontology and implant dentistry, the focus of this review was to address peri-implantitis from a European perspective. One component of the work was to summarize new and reliable data on patients with dental implants to underpin the relevance of peri-implantitis from a population perspective. The nature of the peri-implantitis lesion was evaluated through results presented in preclinical models and evaluations of human biopsy material together with an appraisal of the microbiological characteristics. An overview of strategies and outcomes presented in clinical studies on nonsurgical and surgical treatment of peri-implantitis is discussed with a particular focus on end points of therapy and recommendations presented in the S3 level Clinical Practice Guideline for the prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases.

A review on existing sustainable indices on efficient energy.

This paper reviews the set of existing sustainability indices which are related to energy efficiency a critical factor in the actual moment, unveiling the main differences between indices, focusing the attention on those indices more adequate to policy making, finding the most adequate sources for indicators to compose the indices from a European perspective, showing the inconsistencies and limitations of most indices and the need of a simple index based on several complementary indices.

The European Integration Process of Western Balkans, Time for a New Approach

The paper tries to prove that the initiatives for the integration of the Western Balkans in EU, both those generated from outside and those from inside the region, seem to be without a clear product. Using Albania as a case study, we compare the effectiveness of the Berlin Process and the Open Balkans in the perception of young people. The paper sheds light on the data and facts which show that the objectives of the Berlin process and those of the Open Balkans are not fulfilled at all. We seek to answer questions like: Was the Berlin process a retaining, encouraging or simply failed strategy? Did the Open Balkans increase division or collaboration in the region? Through the comparative approach, it is demonstrated that integration still seems far away and the challenges that are holding it back are both political and economic ones. Considering the resurgence of old conflicts in Western Balkan countries due to slow processes and the impact of new geopolitical developments on the region, this paper seeks to address whether ensuring the European perspective for the Western Balkans is possible through a targeted intervention of both economic and political measures. Simultaneously, the paper explores the potential for alternative initiatives in this context. It is also analyzed whether these interventions should be imposed from outside the region or encouraged by the region itself. The paper concludes that a rapid European response is required today through new initiatives mostly based on a crucial financial framework and a stronger political approach. Reconstructing the region in economic terms and remodeling the Western Balkan societies could be as successful as it resulted for European states itself after War World II through the Marshall Plan. 
 
 Received: 6 October 2023 / Accepted: 25 December 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

Mental health and work: a European perspective.

Among the many social determinants of health and mental health, employment and work are getting momentum in the European political agenda. On 30-31 January 2024, a 'High-level Conference on Mental Health and Work' was held in Brussels on the initiative of the rotating Belgian Presidency of the European Union. It addressed the issue developing two different perspectives: (1) preventing the onset of poor mental health conditions or of physical and mental disorders linked to working conditions (primary prevention); (2) create an inclusive labour market that welcomes and supports all disadvantaged categories who are at high risk of exclusion (secondary and tertiary prevention). In the latter perspective, the Authors were involved in a session focused on 'returning to work' for people with mental disorders and other psychosocial disadvantages, with particular reference to Individual Placement and Support as a priority intervention already implemented in various European nations. The themes of the Brussels Conference will be further developed during the next European Union legislature, with the aim of approving in 4-5years a binding directive for member states on Mental Health and Work, as it is considered a crucial issue for economic growth, social cohesion and overall stability of the European way of life.

Justifying the Cost of Implementing Contactless Travel in Non-Primary Airports: A European Perspective

Justifying the Cost of Implementing Contactless Travel in Non-Primary Airports: A European Perspective

Uncertainty of Climate Models and Policy Implications: A European Perspective

Uncertainty of Climate Models and Policy Implications: A European Perspective

Uncertainty of Climate Models and Policy implications: A European Perspective

Uncertainty of Climate Models and Policy implications: A European Perspective

Economic Policy Objectives of the First Orbán Government (1998–2002)

The right-wing coalition government, which came to power in May 1998, led by Viktor Orbán, broke with the former applied neoliberal paradigm and began to pursue economic patriotism, which placed emphasis on assisting the activities of Hungarian SMEs. It also focused on boosting domestic consumption by supporting families to have children through state incentives. Thanks to these measures introduced between 1998 and 2002, both the government deficit and gross government debt started to fall substantially, which reduced the external vulnerability of the Hungarian economy. The objective of this paper is to analyse the economic policy objectives of the first Orbán government between 1998 and 2002. Emphasis will be placed on evaluating the key macroeconomic indicators of Hungary while taking into account both internal and external factors. Due to length constraints, the essay will not highlight domestic politics, but it gives an overview of the main features of economic patriotism from a European perspective.

ЕВРИСТИЧНИМЙ ПОТЕНЦІАЛ ГРОМАДЯНСЬКОГО СУСПІЛЬСТВА В РЕАЛІЗАЦІЇ СТРАТЕГІЇ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКОЇ ІНТЕГРАЦІЇ УКРАЇНИ: КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНІ ВИМІРИ

The radical transformations that modern Ukrainian society is experiencing in the conditions of full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and its acquisition of the status of a candidate for the EU require a proper, in-depth and comprehensive analysis of Ukraine’s humanitarian development strategies, the implementation of the European integration vector of its development. The humanitarian strategies of Ukraine’s development in the context of full membership in the European Union are studied. It is shown that they should be determined by the national interests of the entire society, ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens, and updating the system of fundamental values of the Ukrainian people. Paradigmatic European values include Ukrainian civilizational identity (spirituality), state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, high level of human development, democratic society, full standards of living, gender equality, etc. The focus of the research is: artifacts of totalitarian society and their overcoming; European experience and the Ukrainian way in forming a system of values; civil society and state institutions; synergy of interaction in the European integration context; formation of collective memory and rethinking of Ukraine’s past in a European perspective. Special attention is paid to the dynamics of the processes of democratization and decommunization, cultural and linguistic policy, interethnic and interreligious relations, etc.

The effect of industry level characteristics and cross-country differences on earnings management: A European comparative perspective

The effect of industry level characteristics and cross-country differences on earnings management: A European comparative perspective