European Union Policy Research Articles

Impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on the Development of Rural Territories: Principal Component Analysis in SW Spain, Extremadura (2007–2020)

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a European Union (EU) policy aimed at supporting farmers, guaranteeing food security, and promoting sustainable rural development, which has undergone numerous reforms to adapt to the needs of the agricultural sector and society in general. The main objective of this work is to statistically analyse CAP aid in southwest Spain, specifically in Extremadura, a region characterised by areas at risk of depopulation and deep rural areas, during the last two periods of European aid (2007–2013 and 2014–2020). In this study, by means of principal component analysis (PCA), agricultural, economic, and demographic variables were interrelated, together with geographic information systems (GIS), to evaluate their impact on the development of the regional agricultural sector. This methodology will help to identify areas with improvements in their territorial structures and can therefore serve as a basis for their application in other European territories. Through the analysis, we identified areas where the interrelation of the variables showed improvements in their demographic, social, and economic structures, with the municipalities of populations over 10,000 inhabitants in Extremadura being the ones that compose the territorial substructure A. Therefore, this work shows how European agricultural aid can disproportionately favour the most dynamic territories and leave the less developed regions at a disadvantage.

Dare scholars look to the future? Academia and strategic foresight for the European Union's foreign policy

AbstractDrawing on examples of foresight projects situated at the interface between academia and foreign policy practice, this article reflects on the role of academics in informing the practice of foreign policy‐making in the EU. The study explores why academics have rarely engaged in foresight over the past two decades and why this has changed in recent years. It argues that this shift is triggered, on the one hand, by the strategic blunders of the last decade and, on the other hand, by the conceptual developments within the disciplines of political science or international relations. After demonstrating the growing trend of scholarly engagement in foresight with a series of illustrative examples, the article discusses the added value and limitations of academic‐generated foresight for EU foreign policy. Taking these into account, the analysis indicates best practice solutions, such as foresight exercises, with the joint involvement of researchers and policymakers.

A multi-life cycle assessment of external wall insulation strategies in an Irish domestic retrofit

European Union (EU) policy and initiatives are driving both building renovation and the uptake of low-embodied carbon and circular design in the construction sector. The European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast (2021) introduces global warming potential (GWP) methodology, and the future state will likely be embodied carbon targets for which life cycle assessment (LCA) of buildings will be required. External wall insulation (EWI) will have an important role to play in meeting targets. In this context, this paper compares the carbon emission payoff of three alternative EWI strategies that address conventional, low-carbon and circular solutions to EWI respectively, in the retrofit of an existing dwelling. The circular strategy is based on design for disassembly (DfD). Whereas standard LCA is based on a single building life cycle, the literature reviewed shows that the environmental impact assessment of DfD requires a multi-life cycle approach. In the absence of standardised methods for assessment, four multi-cycle LCA methods are selected and applied holistically in a case study investigation. Three allocation methods, 100:0, linear degressive (LD) and enhanced linear degressive (CELD), provide a range of emissions from ‘conservative’ to ‘best case’ over three building life cycles and the fourth method, the Van Gulck method, assesses the benefits of circularity through the concept of ‘multi-cycling’ based on one building life cycle. As each method of assessment will deliver different results, carbon emission payoff is not a fixed value. Findings show that with multiple use, the circular strategy pays off due to avoided production emissions and benefits from end-of-life (EoL) processes that DfD facilitates, that the upfront carbon cost of the circular strategy is minor relative to the carbon emission savings that reuse brings, and that the margin of improvement relative to the alternative strategies increases with each subsequent reuse.

Burden of disease studies supporting policymaking in the European Union: a systematic review.

Burden of disease (BoD) studies quantify the health impact of diseases and risk factors, which can support policymaking, particularly in the European Union (EU). This study aims to systematically analyse BoD studies, which address EU public policies to contribute to the understanding of its policy uptake. A systematic search of six electronic databases and two grey-literature registries was carried out for articles published between 1990 and 2023. The thematic area, type of legislation and the respective policymaking stage were extracted. A textual analysis of the discussion was conducted to assess the inclusion of specific EU policy implications. Overton was used to detect citations in policy documents. Out of the 2054 records screened, 83 were included. Most studies employed secondary data, with 37 utilizing GBD data. Disability-adjusted life year was present in most of the studies (n = 53). The most common type of the EU legislation mentioned was the directive (n = 47), and the most frequent topic was environment (n = 34). Policy implications for EU laws were discussed in most papers (n = 46, 55.4%), with only 8 conducting evaluation of EU policies. Forty-two articles have been cited at the EU-level, in a total of 86 EU policies. Despite increasing efforts in integrating EU legislation impact within BoD studies, these results denote a low consideration of the legal and policy changes. Greater efforts in directing research towards policy effectiveness evaluation might increase their uptake in EU policies.

Towards greener city logistics: an application of agile routing algorithms to optimize the distribution of micro-hubs in Barcelona

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards online shopping, reshaping consumer habits and intensifying the impact on urban freight distribution. This disruption exacerbated traffic congestion and parking shortages in cities, underscoring the need for sustainable distribution models. The European Union's common transport policy advocates for innovative UFD approaches that promote intermodal transportation, reduce traffic, and optimize cargo loads. Our study addresses these challenges by proposing an agile routing algorithm for an alternative UFD model in Barcelona. This model suggests strategically located micro-hubs selected from a set of railway facilities, markets, shopping centers, district buildings, pickup points, post offices, and parking lots (1057 points in total). It also promotes intermodality through cargo bikes and electric vans. The study has two main objectives: (i) to identify a network of intermodal micro-hubs for the efficient delivery of parcels in Barcelona and (ii) to develop an agile routing algorithm to optimize their location. The algorithm generates adaptive distribution plans considering micro-hub operating costs and vehicle routing costs, and using heuristic and machine learning methods enhanced by parallelization techniques. It swiftly produces high-quality routing plans based on transportation infrastructure, transportation modes, and delivery locations. The algorithm adapts dynamically and employs multi-objective techniques to establish the Pareto frontier for each plan. Real-world testing in Barcelona, using actual data has shown promising results, providing potential scenarios to reduce CO2 emissions and improve delivery times. As such, this research offers an innovative and sustainable approach to UFD, that will contribute significantly to a greener future for cities.

Optimization of Foams-Polypropylene Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Mixtures Dedicated for 3D Printing.

The continued global urbanization of the world is driving the development of the construction industry. In order to protect the environment, intensive research has been carried out in recent years on the development of sustainable materials and ecological construction methods. Scientific research often focuses on developing building materials that are renewable, energy-efficient, and have minimal impact on the environment throughout their life cycle. Therefore, this article presents research results aimed at developing a concrete mixture using cement with reduced CO2 emissions. In the context of increasing ecological awareness and in line with European Union policy, the development of a mixture based on environmentally friendly cement is of key importance for the future development of the construction industry. The article compares the physical properties of two mixtures, their foaming possibilities, and the influence of the added polypropylene (PP) fibers on the strength properties of the produced composites. It was found that bending strength and compressive strength were highest in the material with silica fume and aluminum powder at 5.36 MPa and 28.76 MPa, respectively. Microscopic analysis revealed significant pore structure differences, with aluminum foamed samples having regular pores and hydrogen peroxide foamed samples having irregular pores. Optimizing aluminum powder and water content improved the materials' strength, crucial for maintaining usability and achieving effective 3D printing. The obtained results are important in the development of research focused on the optimization of 3D printing technology using concrete.

A European experiment in governing teacher education and training: the case of the Erasmus+ Teacher academies

ABSTRACT This exploratory paper contributes to the literature on European Union (EU) soft governance by discussing the recent EU policy initiative “Erasmus+ Teacher Academies” as a case of experimentalist governance. Asking what makes this initiative a case of experimentalist governance, the paper demonstrates how it constitutes an experiment in terms of governance as well as the development of teaching and learning. In particular, we identify and discuss the properties of the initiative regarding the four key tenets of experimentalist governance: i) setting of common framework goals related to the European Education Area; ii) delegation of responsibility to networks, comprising initial teacher education and professional development providers, schools, government units, and other types of organisations, in finding ways to meet framework goals; iii) regular reporting and peer review, orchestrated by the European Commission; and iv) periodical re-evaluation of framework goals, measures and methods by a widening array of stakeholders. Considering the conditions for governing teacher education and training in the EU context, we discuss the perspectives for policy learning generated by the Academies, the “shadow of hierarchy” potentially giving direction to the initiative, and the ambition to include the teaching profession in EU policy-making.

European Union gender equality and work–life balance policies: managing tensions between the demands of production and reproduction

European Union (EU) gender equality policies increasingly acknowledge the existence of tensions between the demands of productive and reproductive labour, with the former defined as waged work and the latter as the (unpaid) activities reproducing the labour force and provisioning for caring needs. As women increasingly enter the labour market, the EU addresses the growing tensions through new gender equality policy initiatives, prompting the question of whether these recognise the value of reproductive labour to the economy. This article analyses the discourses of three EU institutions (the European Commission, Council of the EU and European Parliament) and finds that EU policy as a whole continues to prioritise the interests of the productive economy. This results in a loss of the emancipatory potential of its gender equality goals, in particular, for women from working-class, minority ethnic or migration backgrounds.

Are farmers’ minds really too elusive to capture? A novel evaluation framework for the knowledge transfer initiatives in agriculture

ABSTRACT Knowledge transfer initiatives aim to improve farmers’ knowledge and skills for tackling the growing economic, environmental and social challenges in agriculture. However, their evaluation is often inadequate due to institutional barriers and a lack of comprehensive methodology for assessing normative and behavioural shifts within this social group. To address this gap, we developed an extended evaluation framework for the knowledge transfer activities within the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including three indicators levels: output, result and impact. The indicators and survey instruments were based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and piloted in a selected EU Member State for evaluating knowledge transfer measures in the programming period 2014–2022. The results indicate a promising potential of the proposed framework for capturing the multifaceted outcomes of knowledge transfer activities in agriculture. The usefulness and feasibility of the evaluation framework were further assessed through interviews with AKIS actors. They highlighted that evaluation activities at the Member State level may be hindered by inconsistent long-term data collection, insufficient response and involvement of farmers, deviations from the agreed protocols and a lack of dedicated resources. To ensure the uptake of the proposed evaluation framework, evaluation culture within the managing authorities and among stakeholders should be systematically fostered at the Member State level. This process can be enhanced by adopting a more elaborated CAP monitoring framework and methodology guidelines and by providing targeted training on evidence-driven policy-making.

All at sea? Exploring key actors' understandings of the role of European Union policies for protecting marine nature

AbstractAmbitious European Union (EU) policies are aiming to halt and reverse marine biodiversity loss in the current decade. However, EU environmental and conservation policies have so far fallen short of their targets. This study explores how the key actors in policy interpretation and implementation frame their understandings of these policy objectives, and how these framings influence the protection of marine biodiversity. The results of a Q‐methodological study undertaken with key actors from national, regional sea, and EU governance levels reveal the existence of two predominant frames. Key actors are divided between Environmental Protection and Sustainable Use‐focused understandings, with the first framing further partitioning into four distinct subframes. All the identified frames are internally coherent and are firmly held, therefore begging the question of how EU conservation policy should proceed, given that the same policy texts and the marine biodiversity crisis are perceived in distinctly different ways, with different actions prioritized. It is important to understand and reflect on the different positioning of key actors because these differences directly influence the achievement of marine biodiversity goals.

The European Union policy in the field of protection of the rights of victims of crimes

The European Union policy in the field of protection of the rights of victims of crimes

May I Come In? EU Policies to Control Migration: The EUTF

What types of policies has the European Union (EU) implemented to control migration flows in recent decades, and what are their strategies? This paper aims to explore the measures developed by the EU to manage migration flows and identify how they operate. While a securitisation approach, such as activities of border control, has been widely discussed by scholars in this field, it is worth exploring and understanding other kinds of instruments aimed at curbing irregular flows through executing programs such as the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), developed in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings to address the “root causes” of the displacement. In light of this, this research conducts a case study and qualitative content and descriptive analysis of documents on the EUTF. Preliminary findings indicate patterns in what motivated the EU to undertake these actions and present the main strategies of the Fund in the North Africa region. However, some factors may have led to disappointing outcomes for the EUTF, such as the increase, in 2019, of nationals leaving the North Africa region towards Europe, as reported by UNDESA.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION-INDONESIA-MALAYSIA PALM OIL DISPUTE ON TRADE AND LIMITATIONS FOR SETTLEMENT

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the complex dynamics occurring between the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the context of the palm oil dispute with Indonesia and Malaysia. The study focuses on the profound impact of the EU's energy and environmental policies on the palm oil industry, a crucial economic sector in these two countries. The palm oil dispute has resulted in a mark decline in the support and favor ability for the EU in these two countries, thereby jeopardizing the broader EU-ASEAN strategic partnership. This situation has also created a volatile environment in which the potential for a full-scale trade war is high. Through a meticulous analysis of the historical evolution of exchanges between the European Union and Malaysia and Indonesia, this article sheds light on the multifaceted complexities inherent in this dispute. It also explores the far-reaching implications of this disagreement on social and political issues in both the European Union and ASEAN. This dispute has the potential to change the trade landscape and affect the geostrategic balance between the two regions, making it a topic of great significance and relevance in contemporary international relations.

The evolution of EU competition law and policy in the pharmaceutical sector: long-lasting impacts of a pandemic

Abstract This article investigates the evolution of the European Union (EU) competition law and policy enforcement in the pharmaceuticals sector, focusing on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis as a turning point. Before COVID-19, EU competition authorities’ goals and priorities focused on pay-for-delay agreements between originators and generic pharmaceutical undertakings. During COVID-19, the European Commission developed soft laws (such as temporary frameworks and comfort letters) enabling undertakings to cooperate to increase access to essential health products and COVID-19 vaccines. In the post-pandemic era, initiatives like the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe, the Single Market Emergency Instrument (SMEI), the Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA), the compulsory licensing proposal and the upcoming changes in the pharmaceutical regulations reflect a patient-centred approach and diverse agenda. This article underscores the move towards a more inclusive EU competition law and policy framework in the pharmaceutical sector as part of this evolution.

Navigating the Geopolitical Tightrope: The Complex Dynamics of Sino-EU Relations in a Shifting World Order

In recent years, a discernible shift has occurred in the European Union's (EU) stance and policies towards China, prompted by a confluence of crises including different interpretation of human rights concept, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as well as Sino-US tensions. Meanwhile, many European Union (EU) countries express skepticism about China's Belt and Road Initiative (the BRI), perceiving it as a potential threat to their national interests. In the event of a confrontation between the US and China, the EU is gradually inclined to align itself with the US. Despite its economic prowess, the EU, as a collective entity, is viewed as strategically limited when dealing with China, resorting mainly to technology and commercial restrictions. The EU finds itself walking a delicate line, leveraging its economic strength yet recognizing its strategic constraints in addressing the multifaceted relationship with China. In light of these developments, this article seeks to analyze the evolving dynamics of Sino-EU relations, leading to an inherently unstable partnership.

Feeling European? The EU as an emotional community

ABSTRACT This article explores the importance of emotions in the European Union (EU), highlighting their role in shaping the EU’s self-image as a foreign policy actor and promoting social cohesion through emotion norms. Emotion norms are shared feeling rules that underpin collective identities and experiences within a group. Focusing on grief as an example, the article explains how it shapes the EU as an emotional community. By analyzing the EU in this way, the study examines how emotion norms help members navigate norm violations. The findings enhance our understanding of the EU’s emotional dynamics, shedding light on the contested nature of solidarity and public discourse. The article also critically reflects on the relevance of grief in EU foreign policy, emphasizing the significance of emotions in shaping EU policy and offering insights into the role of emotion norms.

Finally coming of age? EU foreign and security policy after Ukraine

ABSTRACT The war on Ukraine is the most severe security crisis that Europe, and the European Union (EU), has faced since World War II. Contrary to what many expected, the EU responded quickly and comprehensively to the Russian invasion. How, if in any way, does the EU’s response to the war on Ukraine suggest that the EU is coming of age in the foreign and security domain? By exploring EU policies and actions across three key maturation processes, our analysis finds that the EU has become a more mature foreign policy actor, in a process that started well before the Russian full scale invasion but has escalated since then. With its broad response to the war on Ukraine, the EU has shown an increased ability to take quick decisions, provide resources and combine various instruments in response to a crisis (increased decision-making ability); it is taking on a clearer foreign policy role/identity as a principled pragmatist and crisis manager (more stable identity status); and this plays out in its relations with the US, in NATO and bilaterally (more salient and defined relations).

Transformacja sektora energetycznego Unii Europejskiej

S Such geoeconomic and geopolitical factors as Russian armed aggression against Ukraine caused the energy crisis in the European Union (EU), exposing the EU’s vulnerabilities due to its overdependence on Russian fossil fuel imports. As a consequence of gas supply disruptions, substantial rises in energy prices and heightened safety concerns, the EU's energy policies have been thoroughly reassessed. Therefore, the article aims to examine the profound ramifications of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine on European energy markets and elucidate the strategies articulated in European Commission initiatives intended to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Within this framework, the REPowerEU plan is especially beneficial for the rapid diversification and increased integration of renewable energy sources. These initiatives have the potential to result in a structural transformation of the EU's energy landscape, necessitating coordinated regulatory initiatives, infrastructure advancements, and cooperative energy diplomacy. Current research reveals the potential for economic expansion, strengthened industrial primacy and progress towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050 through the environmentally sustainable metamorphosis of Europe's energy framework. The results of this scientific research can also be used for the further implementation of the strategy of achieving sustainable development of the EU member states in the context of the development of clean energy, which will allow meeting the needs of the population of these countries in the near future without endangering future generations.

Interest groups and EU-Turkey relations: a focused analysis on TÜSİAD and MÜSİAD

ABSTRACT This study conducts a critical discourse analysis on Turkey’s European Union (EU) accession, focusing on the narratives of TÜSİAD and MÜSİAD. Employing the Discourse-Historical Approach within Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research explores how economic, political, and social factors shape these groups’ stances on EU accession. The findings reveal TÜSİAD’s advocacy for economic integration and democratic reforms, in contrast with MÜSİAD’s emphasis on economic sovereignty and pragmatic EU engagement. These perspectives reflect the interplay of interests within Turkish society and broader EU policy trends, highlighting these groups’ roles in shaping Turkey’s EU accession discourse.

The legal concept of rural areas and the formation of this notion under the influence of European Union policy

The legal concept of rural areas and the formation of this notion under the influence of European Union policy