European Scale Research Articles

Home ranges and hatching success of threatened Eurasian curlew in north-eastern Europe relates to habitat type: Natural vs. agricultural landscapes

Farmland birds are among the most threatened species in Europe, largely as a result of the intensification of agriculture leading to widespread biodiversity losses. Ground-breeding shorebirds in grassland and arable habitats are particularly exposed to human threats and predation in highly modified landscapes; however, parts of their populations still breed in natural habitats and could provide a reservoir for threatened populations. This study aimed to improve our knowledge of the spatio-temporal use of breeding habitats by Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata arquata in a core area of the population in remote north-eastern Europe. A total of 83 adult birds across Europe were tagged with GPS devices between 2014 and 2022 to analyse their home-range sizes, habitat use and hatching success. Birds were distributed at breeding sites from 52°N to 66°N between Finland and the Ural Mountains. Forty-one percent of individuals nested in bogs, 33% in grassland, and 20% in abandoned farmland. Birds nested predominantly in bogs at northern latitudes and in grassland at southern latitudes, while abandoned farmland was mainly used at intermediate latitudes. The mean home range was largest for birds breeding predominantly in grassland while birds in bogs had the highest hatching success rate. Russia and Finland host the core population of the subspecies N. a. arquata during breeding period, which is essential for preserving the species on a European scale. Their survival may depend on well-preserved bogs and the maintenance of grassland areas, given that large areas of abandoned farmland are destined to become either forest or to be reclaimed for cereal crops or fodder grass in the short and medium terms. Given the large breeding populations in both countries, Russia and Finland have major responsibilities to maintain these essential populations on a biogeographical scale.

Helminth ecological requirements shape the impact of climate change on the hazard of infection.

Outbreaks and spread of infectious diseases are often associated with seasonality and environmental changes, including global warming. Free-living stages of soil-transmitted helminths are highly susceptible to climatic drivers; however, how multiple climatic variables affect helminth species, and the long-term consequences of these interactions, is poorly understood. We used experiments on nine trichostrongylid species of herbivores to develop a temperature- and humidity-dependent model of infection hazard, which was then implemented at the European scale under climate change scenarios. Intestinal and stomach helminths exhibited contrasting climatic responses, with the former group strongly affected by temperature while the latter primarily impacted by humidity. Among the demographic traits, larval survival heavily modulated the infection hazard. According to the specific climatic responses of the two groups, climate change is expected to generate differences in the seasonal and spatial shifts of the infection hazard and group co-circulation. In the future, an intensification of these trends could create new opportunities for species range expansion and co-occurrence at European central-northern latitudes.

Psychometric Evaluation and Misophonic Experience in a Portuguese-Speaking Sample.

Misophonia, a disorder characterised by an extreme sensitivity to certain sounds, is increasingly being studied in cross-cultural settings. The S-Five scale is a multidimensional psychometric tool initially developed to measure the severity of misophonia in English-speaking populations. The scale has been validated in several languages, and the present study aimed to validate the European Portuguese S-Five scale in a Portuguese-speaking sample. The scale was translated into Portuguese using a forward-backwards translation method. The psychometric properties of the S-Five scale were evaluated in a sample of 491 Portuguese-speaking adults. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a five-factor structure consistent with previous versions of the S-Five scale. The five factors were as follows: (1) internalising appraisals, (2) externalising appraisals, (3) perceived threat and avoidance behaviour, (4) outbursts, and (5) impact on functioning. The satisfactory psychometric properties of the S-Five scale further indicated its cross-cultural stability. As a psychometrically robust tool, the S-Five can measure misophonia in Portuguese-speaking populations, allowing future studies to explore and compare misophonia in this population.

Reviving Europe's rivers: Seven challenges in the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to restore free‐flowing rivers

AbstractThe EU Nature Restoration Law represents an important opportunity for freshwater habitat restoration and, consequently, freshwater biodiversity protection. However, a number of challenges must be anticipated in its implementation, which may compromise its success. Some aspects, particularly those relating to freshwater ecosystems, require more clarification. We use riverine ecosystems to illustrate existing ambiguities in the proposed legislation and the potential consequences of leaving these aspects open to interpretation during the implementation process. We also discuss potential solutions to these problems which could help ensure that the law's objectives are met. We argue that river network structure and connectivity dimensions, which result into river meta‐ecosystems, must be explicitly considered. For that purpose, we ask for clear definitions of the critical terms “free‐flowing rivers,” “barriers,” and “reference areas.” In addition, we recommend developing methods for integrated assessment of connectivity across river networks. As a key property of river ecosystems, this must be used to prioritize actions to increase the length and number of free‐flowing rivers. Adequate restoration planning at larger spatial scales will benefit from a meta‐ecosystem perspective and accurate representation of aquatic‐terrestrial linkages, which will significantly improve the efficacy of restoration efforts. Furthermore, stakeholder and citizen engagement offer important opportunities at local, national, and European scales, and should be fostered to ensure inclusive decision‐making. The conservation challenges outlined here are particularly important for rivers, but they also have implications for other ecosystems. These considerations are useful for policymakers, conservationists, and other stakeholders involved in the Nature Restoration Law and related policy initiatives.This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness Human Water > Water Governance

Towards a genomic resolution of the Phengaris alcon species complex

AbstractTaxonomic entities below the species level often pose difficulties for conservation practice, especially when they are ecologically distinct from the nominal species. Genomic tools provide the opportunity to study and potentially resolve such cryptic diversity. The Alcon blue butterfly Phengaris alcon species complex is such a cryptic example, comprising different ecotypes or even subspecies, one of them is the high elevation taxon P. rebeli from the European Alps. We sequenced a first reference genome for Phengaris alcon. Furthermore, we generated whole genome resequence data for individuals of three Swiss ecotypes, i.e., the low elevation P. alcon, the mid elevation and high elevation alpine P. rebeli and integrated genomic data from across Europe to study the relationship among these ecotypes. At a European scale, our results suggest that for the P. alcon complex, biogeography and the evolutionary context of diversification is more multifaceted than previously suggested, falling in the range of more recent ecological speciation. In Switzerland, the three ecotypes were genetically isolated with only limited current gene flow between them. Past gene flow, however, could have given rise to the mid elevation ecotype. Our findings emphasise that high elevation P. rebeli in the Alps should be treated as a distinct species. Our study highlights how the availability of reference genome assemblies allows to address so far open taxonomic questions in conservation research and that broadscale studies are needed to understand the biogeographic history of apparent diversification.

Assessment of hydrogen storage capacity in porous media at the European scale

A first assessment of the storage resource at European scale for underground hydrogen storage in porous media is presented for the European Union and some neighboring countries (Norway, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom). The study includes different types of porous media: existing underground gas storages, depleted oil and gas fields, deep saline formations. The storage resources are computed based upon a volumetric analytical approach which accounts for hydrogen physical characteristics (density, viscosity, sweep efficiency and capillary trapping). The computed storage resource is in good agreement with published dynamic storage capacity of deep saline formations in Poland.The extension to the continental scale enables a consistent estimate of the various storage resources. The working storage resources at the European scale are about 8000 TWh among which 37 % are onshore which covers the expected storage requirements. The agreement with previously published working storage capacities for depleted gas fields in the UK continental shelf is quite good at about 2662 TWh. However, at the field level, there might be significant differences linked with the consistency requirements at European scale of this study which estimates the production of oil and gas fields without using the actual field production.Despite its restriction of publicly available data, these results show significant storage resources. The working capacities are not evenly distributed over the continent. However, assuming no competitive usage, the working storage resource would be extremely significant when accounting for onshore and offshore potential. Amongst the different porous media, the underground gas storages present the most interest for conversion to hydrogen underground storage despite their smaller storage resource, 460 TWh, than for depleted gas fields, 5440 TWh for the onshore and offshore. The estimate of working storage resource in deep saline formation is quite low, only 46 TWh as it relies upon traps that were previously characterized.

Prevalence and predictors of poor self-care behaviors in patients with chronic heart failure

Despite the indispensable role of self-care behavior in managing heart failure, the practice of self-care behavior remains poor, especially in developing countries. There is a scarcity of research focusing on poor self-care behavior and its determinants within our specific context. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of poor self-care behavior among ambulatory heart failure patients. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Ethiopia, involving patients with heart failure. We utilized the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale (EHFScBS-9) to evaluate adherence to self-care behaviors. Data were gathered through patient interviews and a review of medical records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of poor self-care behavior in heart failure patients. We included a total of 343 participants in the final analysis of this study. The findings revealed that a majority of the patients (73.8%) demonstrated poor overall self-care behavior. Specifically, the majority of patients did not engage in regular exercise (76.1%), failed to consult doctors in case of rapid weight gain (75.6%), did not monitor weight daily (71.5%), did not restrict fluid intake (69.9%), and did not contact doctors in case of experiencing fatigue (68.6%). Additionally, 32.4% of patients did not reach out to doctors when experiencing shortness of breath, 30% did not restrict salt intake, 29% did not adhere to prescribed medication, and only 7% did not consult doctors if edema occurred. Our findings indicated that rural residence (AOR: 5.76, 95% CI: 2.47–13.43), illiteracy (AOR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.52–6.31), prior hospitalization (AOR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.21–3.61), and taking five or more medications (AOR: 1.83, 1.01–3.33) were significant predictors of poor self-care behavior. In conclusion, a majority of the participants in our study demonstrated poor self-care behavior. Risk factors for this behavior included rural residence, illiteracy, prior hospitalization, and taking five or more medications. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize these high-risk patients and implement interventional programs aimed at improving self-care behaviors and overall treatment outcomes in heart failure patients.

Mitochondrial genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe

The cestode Echinococcus multilocularis is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis, a fatal zoonotic parasitic disease of the northern hemisphere. Red foxes are the main reservoir hosts and, likely, the main drivers of the geographic spread of the disease in Europe. Knowledge of genetic relationships among E. multilocularis isolates at a European scale is key to understanding the dispersal characteristics of E. multilocularis. Hence, the present study aimed to describe the genetic diversity of E. multilocularis isolates obtained from different host species in 19 European countries. Based on the analysis of complete nucleotide sequences of the cob, atp6, nad2, nad1 and cox1 mitochondrial genes (4,968 bp), 43 haplotypes were inferred. Four haplotypes represented 62.56 % of the examined isolates (142/227), and one of these four haplotypes was found in each country investigated, except Svalbard, Norway. While the haplotypes from Svalbard were markedly different from all the others, mainland Europe appeared to be dominated by two main clusters, represented by most western, central and eastern European countries, and the Baltic countries and northeastern Poland, respectively. Moreover, one Asian-like haplotype was identified in Latvia and northeastern Poland. To better elucidate the presence of Asian genetic variants of E. multilocularis in Europe, and to obtain a more comprehensive Europe-wide coverage, further studies, including samples from endemic regions not investigated in the present study, especially some eastern European countries, are needed. Further, the present work proposes historical causes that may have contributed to shaping the current genetic variability of E. multilocularis in Europe.

The Baget Karstic System and the Interstitial Environment of Lachein, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the Pyrenees (France)

Located in Lestelas-Balaguères massif, central northern Pyrenees, France, the Baget catchment covers 13.25 km2 and is highly karstified: so far, more than 80 caves have been recorded. The main outlet of the system, the exsurgence de Las Hountas, has an average flow of 550 L/s. Downstream, it is connected with the hyporheic of the Lachein stream. The Baget system, formed by both the karstic system and the hyporheic, has been intensively investigated by cave biologists and is known to be a hotspot for subterranean biodiversity. The synthesis provided here lists no less than 17 troglobionts and 40 stygobionts, with 3 single site endemics, making the Baget system the richest subterranean hotspot in the Pyrenees. This is notably due to the diversity of subterranean habitats and to the comprehensive knowledge of the stygofauna, likely unmatched at the European scale. Considering the significant speleological findings of the last 15 years that have not been yet biologically investigated, we can expect new discoveries, especially for the troglofauna.

POLITICAL DETERMINANTS OF THE ORTHODOXY JURISDICTIONAL DIVISION IN UKRAINE IN THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT

The events of recent years in Ukraine testify to the growing importance of religious and political factors in Ukrainian society, which requires a rethinking of the phenomena and processes associated with them. For young Ukraine, the formation of an autocephalous church is a matter of national security, establishing the reference point of national self-identification, the prestige of the state in the international arena, and most importantly, the possibility of consolidating citizens into a single, largest confession in the country. The purpose of the article is to highlight the problems of political influence in a European scale on the process of total division of the branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy into different jurisdictions. The evolution of political processes during the formation of the autocephalous system is revealed. It has been established that the future unification of Ukrainian Orthodoxy will contribute to the consolidation of Ukrainian society. This is the key task of the state, the church and all civil institutions in conditions of open war on the part of the aggressor. It has been proven that the reason for the evolution of state and political processes in Europe is the lack of clear regulation of the procedure for declaring a new autocephalous church, which deepened the division of churches in Ukraine.

Source parameters and scaling relationships of stress drop for shallow crustal seismic events in Western Europe

For an ω2-source model, moment-based estimates of the stress drop are obtained by combining corner frequency and seismic moment source parameters. Therefore, the moment-based estimates of the stress drop are informative about the amount of energy radiated at high frequencies by dynamic rupture processes. This study aims to systematically estimate such stress drop from the harmonized dataset at the European scale and to characterize the distributions of the stress drop for application in future stochastic simulations. We analyze the seismological records associated with shallow crustal seismic events that occurred in Western Europe between January 1990 and May 2020. We processed 220,000 high-quality records and isolated the contributions of the source, site, and path contributions using the Generalized Inversion Technique. The source parameters, including the corner frequency, moment magnitude, and stress drop, of 6135 seismic events are calculated. The events processed are mainly tectonic events (e.g., earthquakes of the central Italy 2009–2016 sequence), although non-tectonic events associated with the Groningen gas field and mining activities in Western Europe are also included in the analysis. The impact of different attenuation models and reference site choices are evaluated. Most of the obtained source spectra follow the standard ω2-model except for a few events where the data sampling considered does not allow an effective spectral decomposition. The resulting stress drop shows a positive correlation with moment magnitude between 3 and 4, and a self-similarity for magnitudes greater than 4 with a mean stress drop of 13.8 MPa.

A framework for co‐designing decision‐support systems for policy implementation: The LANDSUPPORT experience

AbstractThis work proposes a framework for co‐designing decision‐support tools for sustainable land management and soil protection at multiple scales. Geospatial dashboards, due to their key capabilities in the use of spatial or geospatial information, are quickly gaining traction for planning and policymaking. Developing the decision‐support system (DSS) as a transversal system capable of capturing trends in land and soil properties at the local, regional, national, and EU levels has been co‐designed with policy stakeholders. This work seeks to link (i) the main goal of the Soil Mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to raise awareness and knowledge on soil conditions (ii) and the LANDSUPPORT (LS) project cross‐evaluation on how the spatial decision‐support system (SDSS) can support policy‐related stakeholders and help them to take evidence‐based decisions. To achieve this objective, we present the user engagement process to ensure broad testing and evaluation of the LS SDSS's ability to support selected EU policies and soil‐related SDGs by testing the LS platform's European scale tools, including an analysis and conformity check of the data delivered by the LS tools and a critical review of results. The indicators were assessed via direct contact with end users, such as semi‐structured interviews (SSI) and 184 questionnaires. Results of the test series have been analyzed by the spatial scale per respective tool and performance indicators. We present a unique, integrated, science‐based approach to co‐create data‐driven decision‐making with the stakeholders to promote sustainable land management practices. This methodology strives to involve many stakeholders in scientific research, empowering them to participate in the decisions on topics that directly affect them. Public bodies responsible for land policy implementation, environmental stakeholders, spatial planners, and other users have engaged in the process to ensure broad testing of the LS platform from 2020 to 2022. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis provided a synthesis of the performance of the LS tools. The testing phase proved the utmost importance of usability, underlining that the mixed method of testing allowing quantitative and qualitative analyses based on the same key indicators proved essential for co‐designing SDSS tools to be used by a wide range of stakeholders.

From EGMS Data to a Differential Deformation Map For Buildings at Continent Level

The European Ground Motion Service (EGMS) uses Sentinel-1 data to monitor and measure land displacement on a European scale, providing accurate and consistent data on ground motion phenomena. Since 2022, three types of EGMS products have been made available to all users in a free and open-access manner via the Copernicus platform. As a result, analysis of spatial gradients of displacements is achievable by using reliable and annually updated information on ground motion, particularly in urban areas.The Geomatics research unit of the Center Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) is working on a project with the main purpose of computing the spatial gradient of land deformation and generating a wide-area Differential Deformation map that allows identifying buildings and urban structures that could potentially be vulnerable to damage. The final output of the project will be made available to the public through a web server. The project involves configuring a self-hosted, low-cost web server using open-source tools; developing software pipelines to compute the spatial gradient of deformation and convert deformation data; and setting up a tailored web visor to display the results. Because the project must manage a large volume of data with millions of Measurement Points (MP) and extensive processing times, automation is critical to its success. The obtained information is not only beneficial for monitoring anthropogenic phenomena, but it is also vital for urban management and risk mitigation planning.

Disentangling rural smartness in European policies: a critical overview of the Smart Village concept

<p>In recent years, several policies have increasingly considered smart technologies as a potential solution to overcome territorial marginality in rural areas, where digitalization and smart innovation could help local communities address challenges such as depopulation and socio-economic deprivation. At the European scale, the Smart Village Action was launched in 2017 to address the so-called "circle of decline", showing to what extent rural smartness has been recently gaining momentum in transnational cohesion policies. This work aims to critically explore the Smart Village paradigm as a recently-emerged policy framework in rural, cohesion and/or recovery policies, investigating if and how it is variously (re)interpreted in policies and operationally applied in projects. From a methodological point of view, a qualitative policy document analysis (QPDA) and software-based content analysis were carried out on UE official documents, offering new theoretical insights and operational recommendations for understanding the concept of smartness beyond urban-centered perspectives.</p>

Factors associated with medication non-adherence among patients with heart failure.

to identify the factors contributing to medication non-adherence among patients with heart failure. cross-sectional and analytical study using the Medida de Adesão ao Tratamento [Treatment Adherence Measure] scale to assess medication non-adherence. Independent variables were collected using the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale and an instrument developed by the authors based on a previous study. Statistical tests were implemented to analyze data with p≤0.05 statistical significance. the sample comprised 340 patients, with 9.4% considered non-adherent. The multiple analysis results showed that one unit increase in an individual's self-care score led to an 8% increase in the prevalence of non-adherence; patients with a family income above three times the minimum wage presented a prevalence of non-adherence equal to 3.5% of the prevalence of those with up to one times the minimum wage; individuals consuming alcohol or with depression presented 3.49 and 3.69 times higher prevalence of non-adherence, respectively, than individuals not presenting such history. medication non-adherence was associated with self-care, family income, depression, and alcohol consumption.

ARTISTIC HYPERPLANE. GIOVANNI ARPINO – DINO RISI, NARTIN BREST – GIOVANNI ARPINO

The article considers current cultural problematics – connections and interrelationships in the field of “literature and cinematography”. The importance of literary works as one of the foundations of the activity of modern cinematographers is emphasized. The significance of successful feature (artistic) cinema for raising the status of individual literary texts is identified. The article singles out the figure of the Italian writer and journalist Giovanni Arpino, provides a brief outline of his life and work, and emphasizes the diversity of his literary interests. Of special interest in the context of the research is the fact that prose works of Giovanni Arpino were repeatedly addressed by film directors and that feature films based on his works oftentimes turned into cultural events on a European and worldwide scale. The article pays special attention to Giovanni Arpino’s novel “Darkness and. Honey” (“Il buio e il miele”), which at the time of its publication in 1969 did not receive the same recognition as a number of his earlier prose works. The characteristics of the main plot and psychological properties of the novel “Darkness and Honey” are presented. The research points out the eloquent fact that the novel in question aroused wide social interest after first the Italian director Dino Risi staged a psychological story called “Profumo di donna”, and then the Hollywood director Martin Brest staged a psychological thriller “Scent of a Woman”. The compositional and conceptual features of each of these films are analyzed in detail, while the gender specificity realized in the films “Profumo di donna” and “Scent of a Woman” is identified. The article justifies the conclusion that the plane of “literature and cinematography” can be transformed into the hyperplane of “literature – cinematography – literature”.

A Sensitivity Study of a Bayesian Inversion Model Used to Estimate Emissions of Synthetic Greenhouse Gases at the European Scale

To address and mitigate the environmental impacts of synthetic greenhouse gases it’s crucial to quantify their emissions to the atmosphere on different spatial scales. Atmospheric Inverse modelling is becoming a widely used method to provide observation-based estimates of greenhouse gas emissions with the potential to provide an independent verification tool for national emission inventories. A sensitivity study of the FLEXINVERT+ model for the optimisation of the spatial and temporal emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases at the regional-to-country scale is presented. A test compound HFC-134a, the most widely used refrigerant in mobile air conditioning systems, has been used to evaluate its European emissions in 2011 to be compared with a previous study. Sensitivity tests on driving factors like—observation selection criteria, prior data, background mixing ratios, and station selection—assessed the model’s performance in replicating measurements, reducing uncertainties, and estimating country-specific emissions. Across all experiments, good prior (0.5–0.8) and improved posterior (0.6–0.9) correlations were achieved, emphasizing the reduced sensitivity of the inversion setup to different a priori information and the determining role of observations in constraining the emissions.The posterior results were found to be very sensitive to background mixing ratios, with even slight increases in the baseline leading to significant decrease of emissions.

Аdvertisement of European multiculturalism and its impact on interfaith relations in Ukraine

The article proposes a study of state-church and inter-religious relations in Ukraine during the period of independence in the context of political processes in modern Europe. The modern vectors of state policy in the sphere of religion and freedom of conscience are revealed. The insult in interfaith relations is largely caused by the ill-conceived and inconsistent policy of the government in this area. It has been established that the current political situation in Ukraine indicates a deep crisis in relations in many spheres of social life. Russia's open aggression caused a new wave of aggravation of national self-identification and the church vector in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to highlight the problem of the political and spiritual influence of Europe on modern Orthodoxy in Ukraine, which is in a state of division into different jurisdictions. It has been proven that the unification of the divided branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy will contribute to the consolidation of Ukrainian society, especially in conditions of open war. The formation of the United Church should take place on the basis of a constructive dialogue between the authorities, denominations and society.
 The research shows that the branches of the divided Ukrainian Orthodoxy are under the active political influence of the geopolitical confrontation of the European scale. Advertising and promotion of multiculturalism and polytheism, which are characteristic of the countries of Western Europe, require corresponding freedom of religion and the presence of a multi-religious component in Ukraine, which openly demonstrates the chosen vector of European integration.
 On the other hand, it was established that the status of the United Independent Church affects issues of national security, international recognition, geopolitical influence, consolidation of Ukrainian society, unification of self-identification of Ukrainian citizens and is an important conflict-causing factor. Therefore, the issue of establishing the United Independent Ukrainian Church remains topical today.

The Role of Administrative Courts in Ensuring the Protection of the Rights of Children of Same-Sex Couples (in the Context of European Law)

The role of courts in the protection of individual and the so-called judicial lawmaking are theoretical issues of a major importance for legal practice (law application), as they concern the answer to the question of what a judge when the statutory provisions, in the opinion of the court, are outdated or insufficient in relation to the factual situation being resolved, due to ongoing alterations in social relations. The aim of the study is to point out the role of administrative courts in protecting the rights of children of same-sex couples. Contemporary phenomena operating on a European scale, such as open borders and migrations, pluralism of lifestyles, or the development in infotech and biotech (also medical technologies), are reflected in legal relationships regulated by various branches of law, including the norms regulating cases falling within the scope of cognition of administrative courts. They are also, inter alia, a source of problems in the title area related to the interpretation of such norms. Case-law can play an important role in both dynamically interpreting the law within social realities, unifying practice and rising the awareness of rights protection. The title subject is presented in the light of European law – primarily in the light of standards and principles of law, the sources of which are: traditions of European states and national law, inter- and supranational regulations and case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). It is worth noting that, as far as EU law is concerned, there has been no harmonisation or unification at the community (or Convention) level in this area due to lack of delegation the relevant competences to the European Union by the Member States. According to the principle of conferral, the Union can only act within the scope of its competence and has only as much competence as the Member States have conferred on it. Thus, all matters not explicitly indicated as EU competences remain under the autonomous regulation of the Member States. However, these title matters fall – indirectly – within the scope of the norms provided for by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European Convention on Human Rights – ECHR). The paper shows that administrative courts – which as a rule are to pass conservative and formalistic judgements – are able to refer to the value of flexibility in the law application, when it is necessary to grant protection to the rights of children of same-sex couples.

Comprehensive analysis of oversized cargo transportation market in Poland (2001-2022): Trends, regulations, and industry dynamics

The oversized cargo transportation market in Poland actively participates in developing the economy, providing services necessary for implementing large infrastructure and industrial projects on a national and European scale. Development and functioning of this sector in the EU and globally requires overcoming many organisational, technical and administrative barriers and difficulties, and the authors of several publications indicate how these services are developing. The current study contains a detailed analysis of data from 2001-2022. The paper characterises the changes in particular years, indicating the main causes of the occurring processes, and defines the existing trends. It presents the legal framework that regulates the functioning of the domestic market. Moreover, it discusses the number of permits and the value of fees for issuing permits collected by the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (Generalna Dyrekcja Dróg Krajowych i Autostrad, GDDKiA) over two decades. The article also evaluates trends concerning the number of licenses more than 50% decrease compared to the maximum in 2008. It assesses the course of changes in values, which in 2021 reached their highest level during the period under assessment. Furthermore, it discusses the differences that occurred in the number of permits issued and applications submitted in the years 2014-2022. It describes the structure of the number of permits issued in categories IV-VII in 2014-2020 and categories III-V in 2021-2022. It characterises the course of the largest operation in the history of Polish road haulage - the transport of an abnormally-sized TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) - in terms of requirements and problems that occurred during the preparation and fulfilment of this order and were typical for the functioning of the sector. The evaluation provides the basis for summaries and conclusions on the Development and condition of the oversized cargo transportation sector in Polish road transport sector.