European Union Strategy Research Articles

From democratization to fostering resilience: EU intervention and the challenges of building institutions, social trust, and legitimacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, the European Union (EU) has provided assistance and is unequivocally committed to the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The EU strategy has evolved from a top-down approach to democratization and statebuilding in the 2000s towards a more pragmatic approach that seeks to foster resilience. However, BiH still suffers from internal party contestation and political paralysis, socio-economic challenges and areas of limited statehood. Thus, to what extent is the EU enhancing resilience? In this article we answer this question by examining how the EU is contributing to the three sources essential to obtain resilience, as understood by this Special Issue: efficient governance institutions, social trust, and the legitimacy of governance actors. By revising the EU support of BiH and interpreting to what extent it is contributing to these three sources, we conclude that the EU intervention in BiH is resulting in continuity – a process of slow progress that is increasingly perceived as frustrating for the local population – rather than peaceful change.

Analysis of the implementation of the Central Asia water&energy program in the framework of new EU strategy for Central Asia

The recently launched European Union (EU) Strategy for Central Asia is expected to continue activities that were not completed during the implementation of the previous strategy on the basis of already existing successes and achievements, gaps will be filled and cooperation in emerging new areas and spheres will be established. In the framework of the New Strategy, the Central Asia Water & Energy Program (CAWEP) was implemented to help the Central Asian countries strengthen their energy and water security through knowledge exchange, analytical work, policy advice, and project preparation. The article will be focused on the analysis of implementation of the CAWEP in Central Asian states. CAWEP has been implemented since 2009. Therefore, there are goals reached successfully and projects that need to be worked on further. The article will discuss how the program is being realized in each Central Asian state and what actions have already been done under the program. Key words: CAWEP, Central Asia, European Union, World Bank.

The European Union Strategy for the Adriatic- Ionian Region: An Alternative to the European Integration in the Western Balkans?

Despite the European Union (EU)-sponsored economic and political reforms, the Western Balkans has made little to no progress in several fields, including post-conflict reconciliation, post-socialist economic transformation, and democracy. This situation threatens both regional stability and, more importantly, the EU integration process in the region. On the other hand, the EU is in crisis and its enlargement policy has lost its momentum. If alternative policies are not put in place in the Western Balkans, it would once again be dragged into a whirlpool of conflict. This study asserts that the EU Strategy for Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), which is a Macro-Regional Strategy could serve as a more realistic integration tool in the Western Balkans and an alternative for EU membership.

Does RNAi-Based Technology Fit within EU Sustainability Goals?

European Union (EU) and global sustainability policies emphasize the need to replace contentious pesticides with safe, efficient, and cost-effective alternatives to ensure sustainable food production. However, R&D for alternatives to contentious pesticides are lagging behind and need to be broadened. Here, we discuss how RNAi-based technology can contribute to pesticide risk reduction.

Ranking of Baltic States on progress towards the main energy security goals of European energy union strategy

Ranking of Baltic States on progress towards the main energy security goals of European energy union strategy

THE RESURGENCE OF NATIONALISM: THE BREAKUP OF YUGOSLAVIA

The choice between modern nation-building and integration into supranational European and Euro-Atlantic structures remains a strategic challenge for the Balkan countries. Success in solving this problem of predominantly mono-ethnic Croatia and Slovenia has not yet become a model to follow. Serbian and Albanian national issues cannot be resolved. Serbia's defeat in the Balkan wars of 1991–1999 over the creation of a "Greater Serbia" led to the country's territorial fragmentation. Two Albanian national states emerged in the Balkans. Attempts to create a union of Kosovo and Albania could turn the region into a whirlpool of ultra-nationalist contradictions. The European Union has started accession negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. The success of these negotiations depends on the readiness of the EU and the ability of these Balkan states to adopt European norms and rules. The accession of all Balkan nation-states to the European Union must finally close the "Balkan window" of the vulnerability of the united Europe. Nation-building in the Balkans on the basis of ethnic nationalism sharply contradicts the purpose and current values of the European integration process. For more than three decades, the EU has been pursuing a policy of human rights, the rule of law, democracy and economic development in the Balkans. The region remains vulnerable to the influences of non-European geopolitical powers: the United States, Russia, Turkey, and China. The further scenario of the great Balkan geopolitical game mainly depends on the pro-European national consolidation of the Balkan peoples and the effectiveness of the European Union's strategy in the Balkans.

Unions and the green transition in construction in Europe: Contrasting visions

The construction industry, responsible for 40 percent of European Union (EU) end-use emissions, is targeted as a major area of transformation particularly through the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requiring nearly zero energy building (NZEB). Through a case study approach, union responses to EU strategy on the implementation of energy efficiency standards are evaluated in Denmark, Germany, Italy and UK (Scotland), presenting a varied picture, from minimal acknowledgement to broad support along the lines of ecological modernization to radical transformation. Radical appraisals of the industry and its exploitative and high-carbon practices are rare, though engaging with the employment and vocational education and training (VET) implications. The article presents a labour-centred alternative to a technical-driven transition agenda, focusing on how the labour process needs to change in a sector dominated by small firms, self-employment, a fragmented labour process and often low levels of VET.

European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and EU macroregional approach – the analysis of ten years of the strategy implementation

In 2009, the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region was created in the Baltic Sea Region. This strategy is based on the concept of a macro-regional approach that was initiated in it. The theory supporting the concept is the theory of multi-level governance (MLG). The article analyses the process of implementation of this strategy and the macro-regional approach created in it. The analysis is related to 2019’s 10th anniversary of the creation of the strategy and the macro- regional approach, which was transformed into a concept implemented also in other macro-regions of the European Union

New European Union strategy for Central Asia

For several decades, the European Union has been steadily increasing its presence in Central Asian countries. The EU's interests in the region are due to a number of reasons, including the desire to expand its influence in the Central Asian countries, the high importance of the region as a transit corridor between Europe and China, the prospects for economic cooperation, and the importance of the region's energy potential. In May 2019 The European Union has presented a new Strategy for Central Asia, designed to intensify cooperation in a number of areas of interaction. The new strategy is aimed at both implementing these interests and expanding cooperation in a number of other areas.

The European Integration in the Midst of the COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities

The European Union is an intelligentsia that dreamed of a new Europe. The EU used technical and administrative skills to build the foundation of a new Europe. The purpose of this article is to examine the challenges and opportunities of the European Integration after the COVID 19 development. The researcher employed document analysis, Books, reports, brushers, leaflets, journals and articles as a source of secondary data. The data was analyzed by using thematic analysis for the qualitative data. The findings of the study showed that New European Union strategy and principles should be timely and relevant that should be stated in various European Union documents on any possible pandemic eruption. The nuisance prevention management and resolution should be translated in to a set of operational and implementation guide lines. The European Union should use its position as a major international player and historic partner to persuade international organizations to respond to any possible pandemic accordingly. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers recommended that the European Union development frame work should no longer focus merely on short term macro-economic issues instead the EU should also embrace social health and structural issues in a long term vision for the European Union Community. The EU and health professionals seek to answer pandemic challenges and promote the creation of a consistent, fair and professionally controlled health policy for the EU. The European Union should also use its position as a major international player to persuade international organizations, and its counterparts of the African Union to respond to pandemic defy accurately as well.

Súčasné výzvy v oblasti mládeže

The main aim of the paper is to detect current youth challenges in the context of modern Europe, based on the new European Union Strategy for Youth, which will be a source document fot the years 2019 to 2027. An integral part of the Strategy are the European goals and challenges of the current generation of young people, determined by youth across Europe, as a result of the sixth cycle of the European Youth Dialogue, entitled 'Youth in Europe: What is next? In view of eleven European goals and challenges for young Europeans, we initiated a pilot survey in the form of a questionnaire with students at University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. The aim of the pilot survey was to obtain relevant data, information from the student's perspective, capturing the attitudes and opinions on the individual areas that the European objectives accurately define. On the basis of the research results, students know most about the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. They know the least about the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Council. In general, however, they are skeptical of the European Union and its institutions, although, as the survey has shown, students rarely seek information about its activities. Gender equality is one of the other cross-sectoral areas incorporated in the European Youth Goals and Challenges. Students (61.9%) realize that in the conditions of the Slovak Republic discriminatory tendencies prevail over the issue of equal employment opportunities for men and women, which most often result from stereotyped beliefs. One of the most critical areas that European youth has defined is the mental health of young people, which is currently stigmatized. Increasing risk of mental disorders is also recognized by the students involved in our survey (79.9%). Social networks, pressures from society, increased demands of employers or discriminatory manifestations are the most cited causes by students.

Seasonal heat performances of air-to-water heat pumps in the Greek climate

With the implementation of the European Union (EU) Energy-related Products (ErP) Directive, heat pumps (HPs) and in particular air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs), are expected to be widely installed in heating systems of residential and of the tertiary sector buildings. Heat pumps are nowadays regarded as a key technology for achieving the EU strategy towards nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs) and for reducing the fossil primary energy consumption and the related CO2 emissions. The awareness of HPs seasonal efficiency, which is affected by multiple parameters, is very important for choosing the best heat pump technology and the right equipment in a heating or cooling installation. The aim of this paper is to provide the Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) of various AWHPs available in the Greek market from various manufacturers and installed in buildings located in the four Greek climate zones (A, B, C, D). The calculations are performed according to EN 14825 by using temperature data of four representative cities, one for each zone. Numerical results show the influence of various parameters, like HP’s compressor technology, water outlet temperature, and weather compensation to SCOP value, and highlight the importance of climate data for the accuracy of seasonal performance estimation.

Development of Сooperation Between Kyrgyzstan and the European Union at the Present Stage

After the collapse of the USSR, the West received favorable conditions for promoting its geopolitical interests. Accordingly, the European Union began to establish relations with the countries of Central Asia. The EU policy in Central Asia in the early 90s of the twentieth century is characterized by the fact that Brussels concentrated its efforts on the allocation of economic assistance, the promotion of democracy and market relations. The EU policy in the Central Asian republics was based on cooperation and partnership Agreements signed with the leadership of the countries of the region. These agreements were intended to formalize the political and economic relations of the countries of the region with the EU. The role of the Central Asian countries in EU foreign policy was more clearly defined after the adoption of the European Union Strategy for Central Asia in 2007. The European Union has taken a number of steps to strengthen its position in the region. Several formats of bilateral and regional cooperation have been created, and EU representative offices have been opened in the countries of the region.Over the past decade, the European Union has significantly intensified its foreign policy in Central Asia. It expanded diplomatic ties and successfully implemented mechanisms for developing cooperation with Central Asia. In particular, it has expanded its presence in the region, successfully launching several of its strategic programs in various areas of cooperation.In 2019, the European Union adopted a new Strategy for Central Asia. This is the first radical revision of the document adopted in 2007. This indicates a desire to update the base of interac tion and to build relations with the countries of the region in a new way. The European Union pays special attention to such areas of cooperation as energy issues, global security problems and joint struggle against the threats of terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism and radical extremism, transport and infrastructure. Particular attention is paid to the prospects and problems of the EU’s interaction with the Kyrgyz Republic, which cover various aspects: political, economic, social, trade, cultural. On 19 November 2017, the European Union and the Kyrgyz Republic began negotiations to update the existing bilateral agreement, which is intended to replace the partnership and cooperation Agreement. After the completion of the negotiations, a new agreement on expanded partnership and cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the European Union was initialed on July 6, 2019. It includes new areas of cooperation and significantly improves the regulatory framework for trade and economic relations in accordance with WTO rules and regional economic agreements. The new agreement provides for cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the EU in areas such as: policy and reform, enhanced cooperation in foreign policy and security issues, in the areas of justice, security and freedoms, as well as in trade.

Workshop: Alcohol policy reforms in European countries – challenges and solutions

Abstract Alcohol-related harm is a major public health concern in Europe, with levels of alcohol consumption and associated health harm among the highest worldwide. According to the European Commission, premature deaths linked to alcohol account for over 7% of all European morbidity, and alcohol is a major avoidable risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis of the liver, cancer and unintentional and intentional injuries. Even moderate use of alcohol raises long-term risks of certain heart conditions, liver disease and cancers, and frequent use can lead to dependence. There is extensive research on efficient strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm, alongside high-level policy recommendations. Examples are the WHO’s global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol and the WHO European office’s European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012-2020. The European Union (EU) strategy to support member states in reducing alcohol-related harm expired in 2012. Since then, the Committee on National Alcohol Policy and Action (CNAPA) has drawn up a non-binding Action Plan in relation to alcohol and EU countries have the main responsibility for their national alcohol policy. Despite strong evidence bases supporting alcohol policy, the implementation of potentially effective alcohol policy is often challenged by companies with commercial interests seeking to undermine evidence and advocate for less effective alternatives. These alternatives, such as education or voluntary industry action, are often favoured by politicians and the public. This opposition to evidence-based alcohol policy represents a challenge to public health. In this session, we will discuss recent developments in alcohol policy reform in Estonia, Finland and Scotland; reflecting on the outcomes of policies and the challenges faced in implementation. We invite commentaries from national experts and from the DG Sante and WHO Euro. Among these the French commentary will address the influence of the alcohol industry in circumventing effective public health policies, with discussions concerning the new strict French low-risk guidelines on alcohol use as one example. The objective of this workshop is to share experiences of the challenges faced in applying effective alcohol policies, to discuss ways to tackle those challenges, and to invite the EU and the WHO to share their views on ways to overcome these barriers in future policy advocacy. Key messages Commercial determinants of health are a powerful force in preventing effective public health policy on alcohol-related harm. The public health community need to work in a persistent and coordinated manner to bring in a suite of effective alcohol policy interventions across Europe.

The potential to foster governance learning in the Baltic Sea Region: Network governance of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

AbstractThe Baltic Sea ecosystem is displaying symptoms of extreme stress from multiple sources. These complex and “wicked” problems require cooperation by actors for multidisciplinary pooling of knowledge to completely understand the problem and adaptively learn in order to develop appropriate policy strategies. Inherent in the design of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) is the promise to foster cooperation by key BSR network governance actors, connecting them to develop joint policy arrangements needed for governing the challenges of the Baltic Sea. The EUSBSR is the key knowledge broker in the region and has the capacity to augment BSR network governance of the Baltic Sea. Despite the importance of knowledge transmission and policy learning to the EUSBSR, there has been no formal study of it in the literature. This paper aims to make a theoretical contribution to the literature by evaluating the latent potential of the EUSBSR to foster policy learning across BSR governance networks. It does this through document analysis focussing on the interaction platforms of the EUSBSR that interconnects BSR governance networks across policy sectors.

Strengthen the European collaborative environmental research to meet European policy goals for achieving a sustainable, non-toxic environment

To meet the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals and the European Union (EU) strategy for a non-toxic environment, water resources and ecosystems management require cost-efficient solutions for prevailing complex contamination and multiple stressor exposures. For the protection of water resources under global change conditions, specific research needs for prediction, monitoring, assessment and abatement of multiple stressors emerge with respect to maintaining human needs, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Collaborative European research seems an ideal instrument to mobilize the required transdisciplinary scientific support and tackle the large-scale dimension and develop options required for implementation of European policies. Calls for research on minimizing society’s chemical footprints in the water–food–energy–security nexus are required. European research should be complemented with targeted national scientific funding to address specific transformation pathways and support the evaluation, demonstration and implementation of novel approaches on regional scales. The foreseeable pressure developments due to demographic, economic and climate changes require solution-oriented thinking, focusing on the assessment of sustainable abatement options and transformation pathways rather than on status evaluation. Stakeholder involvement is a key success factor in collaborative projects as it allows capturing added value, to address other levels of complexity, and find smarter solutions by synthesizing scientific evidence, integrating governance issues, and addressing transition pathways. This increases the chances of closing the value chain by implementing novel solutions. For the water quality topic, the interacting European collaborative projects SOLUTIONS, MARS and GLOBAQUA and the NORMAN network provide best practice examples for successful applied collaborative research including multi-stakeholder involvement. They provided innovative conceptual, modelling and instrumental options for future monitoring and management of chemical mixtures and multiple stressors in European water resources. Advancement of EU water framework directive-related policies has therefore become an option.

Bezpośrednie inwestycje zagraniczne we francusko-chińskiej współpracy gospodarczej w kontekście dwustronnych relacji Unii Europejskiej z Chinami

The goals of the paper are: to analyse the scale and nature of foreign direct investments (FDI) in the economic cooperation between France and China; to explain the main reasons for the Chinese capital commitment in the form of FDI in the European Union (EU) and France as well as French one in China; and to identify the conditions and barriers in the flow of FDI and the main activities undertaken by France and the EU to introduce more symmetry in relations with China. The following research hypothesis has been adopted: FDI are an important element of the economic cooperation between France and China, which is developed despite barriers including differences in potentials and asymmetry in market access. In the face of China’s growing activity in the global economy, noticing the benefits, France does not question the bilateral relations but puts more emphasis on the need to create coherent and coordinated strategy towards China at the EU level. This analysis allowed formulation of a few main conclusions. The recent dynamic inflow of Chinese FDI to the EU (including France) is closely connected with China’s measures aimed at reinforcing its position in the global economy. The dynamic and nature of Chinese FDI coming to France and other EU countries, asymmetry in access to markets, the Belt and Road Initiative, changes in the US trade policy and divisions among EU member countries pose challenges to the EU. France is fully committed to creating a common EU strategy towards China and restoring the balance within the EU-China strategic partnership.

The Green Infrastructure in Cities as A Tool for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Slovakian and Polish Experiences

Climate change could be seen as a 21st century phenomenon. This topic has been taken up equally by professionals as well as the general public. Adaptation and mitigation actions are needed, especially in cities where the concentration of population and an increased demand for resources (e.g., water, food, land) are expected in the coming years. Already, 400 cities have been declared to be in a “climate emergency” state. There are no longer any doubts that current environmental state requires actions and solutions for both the alarming climate situation and urban quality life development. If such action is not going to be taken, the environmental state will deteriorate. One possible solution could be the use of green infrastructure. This research compares approaches to green areas and green infrastructure development in Bratislava (Slovakia) and Wrocław (Poland). A comparison was made for projects realized between 2013 and 2018—i.e., since the publication of the European Union (EU) Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change in 2013. The research presents an overview of delivered projects regarding land use. The overview, which is supported by a density map of implemented green projects, verifies whether the new greenery fits and fills in the existing natural areas. Secondly, the green projects were analyzed according to years and land use types using Tableau software. Moreover, the legislation of climate adaptation mechanisms and practical aspects of green infrastructure implementation are shown. Finally, actions concerning the greening of the cities were categorized into practical, educational, and participatory ones, and the potential of green infrastructure as a positive landscape, micro-climate, health, and aesthetic influence was examined.

The hidden dynamics of household waste separation: An anthropological analysis of user commitment, barriers, and the gaps between a waste system and its users

Abstract The implementation of household waste separation in European Union (EU) faces challenges, and argued less successful than expected. This article reports on an anthropological case study in five apartment buildings in Copenhagen area, Denmark, analyzing relationship between local municipal waste and its users. The results reveal that implementation of increased source separation cannot rely solely on value appeals (as proposed in EU strategy). The residents performed waste separation with different intensification and majority of households (93%) has a yet unrealized potential to separate more waste. The residents stretching to separate as-much-as-possible-waste (7%) expressed strong sustainable values, or they had a daily life with sufficient available time (e.g., retired, unemployed, had a part-time job) to engage in waste separation. The critical barriers identified were cultural perceptions of household challenges regarding interim storage in household, (bio)waste was perceived as disgusting, challenges regarding hygiene and potential extra cleaning, mistrust to system, as well as expressed difficulties to changing to new segregation habit. The study suggests adjustments in policy approach to not only target waste separation as a single standing action but as a new routine that needs to be implemented in existing network of household routines. A policy focus on a combination on awareness (shaping values), convenience, the network of household routines, the perception of household order, and trust in waste system may represent five keys to unlock presently unrealized potential in household waste separation. Additionally, EU statistics illustrate poor improvements on waste reduction and increasing numbers of packaging waste. This may reveal a policy gaps, which may endanger user trust in system.

Development patterns and their sources of competitiveness in the EUSALP macro-region

ABSTRACT The European Union has been adopting so-called macro-regional strategies since 2009. Its final goal is to develop an integrated framework to address common challenges and opportunities of particular transnational areas. This paper aims to identify such growth opportunities in the most recently established macro-area: the European Union Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP). It does so by identifying how to increase efficiency in the exploitation of growth assets, taking into consideration that EUSALP is characterized by a wide productive diversity. This is defined in terms of regional development patterns, conceptualized and empirically detected making use of an original database. The results show that EUSALP can gain greater competitiveness through a better use of existing resources, especially in the touristic development pattern. Further research on cooperation and integration policies for a more effective exploitation of existing abundant resources is suggested.