Union Member Research Articles

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

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

Freedom of Association Doctrine in Finland

Abstract Freedom of association in Finland is an old, fundamental right protected by the Constitution. However, the legislation protecting the right is from the period before the fundamental rights reform of 1995 following Finland’s accession to the Council of Europe in 1990. Key issues are freedom of religion in the registration conditions of religious communities and mandatory membership in student unions. In addition, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court have issued rulings that have significantly shaped Finland’s doctrine of freedom of association.

Physical activity policy implementation and physical activity levels in the European Union: Are we on track to close the gap between policy and practice?

National policies are a key starting point to achieve changes in population health. This study aimed to provide an overview of the relationship between physical activity policy implementation and the levels of sufficient physical activity across the European Union over the last decade.Data from the 23 indicators of the European Union Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Monitoring Framework established to monitor country implementation of the European Union Physical Activity Guidelines from 2015, 2018 and 2021, and physical activity prevalence data from the Special Eurobarometer on Sport and Physical Activity in 2013, 2017 and 2022 were analysed.European Union Member States significantly increased their physical activity policy implementation from 2015 to 2021 by 13.2% (63.30 ± 18.89 versus 76.51 ± 14.94 %, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-19.97, -6.45]). However, no significant change in levels of sufficient physical activity was found between 2013 and 2022 (60.59 ± 15.67 versus 61.70 ± 17.67 %, p = 0.360, 95% CI [-3.61, 1.39]). Additionally, most European Union countries are not on track to meet the targeted 10% relative reduction in levels of insufficient physical activity by 2025.Physical activity policies in the European Union do not appear to be related with the intended goal of increasing levels of physical activity. Policies may need to be reviewed and policy monitoring expanded, strengthened, and better integrated.

Equitable access to drinking-water: focus on European Union member states

ABSTRACT The European Union's (EU) 2020 Drinking Water Directive (DWD) requires member states to advance equitable access to drinking-water and to promote tap water. Although access to drinking-water is high in most EU member states, disparities still exist, for example, among vulnerable and marginalized groups such as the homeless, Roma, and traveller groups. To analyze challenges and measures taken in high-income EU member states, we reviewed national reports from the UNECE/WHO Protocol on Water and Health and conducted a survey and interviews among water regulators. Reported barriers include insufficient data, a lack of mechanisms to identify vulnerable and marginalized groups, a lack of investment in rural areas, affordability concerns, and limited coordination between institutions. Measures comprise improving data on access by vulnerable and marginalized groups, introducing or revising social tariffs, and directing funding to rural areas. As the barriers are crosscutting, the involvement of all relevant institutions is crucial, and coordination and cooperation between the national and local level is indispensable. The DWD creates momentum for progressing equitable access in the EU and is expected to foster evidence-based government actions to improve equitable access to drinking-water.

Analysis of the Legislation of the EEU Countries in the Field of Combating Cybercrime

The article presents an analysis of cybersecurity legislation in the member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), focusing on Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus. In four parts of the article, the main aspects of the legal regulation of cybercrime in each of these countries are considered, as well as problems and shortcomings in legislation are identified. Outdated norms and ambiguities in legislation that are unable to adequately respond to modern challenges of cybercrime are discussed. The importance of an integrated approach to cybersecurity is emphasized, which includes not only legal regulation, but also technical, organizational and educational measures. It is proposed to conduct a more in-depth analysis and comparison of legislation to identify common trends, differences and the effectiveness of measures taken in the fight against cybercrime.Aim. Analysis of the legislation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states in the field of cybersecurity and cybercrime prevention, identification of common trends and differences, evaluation of the effectiveness of measures taken, and determination of directions for further improvement of cybersecurity in the region.Tasks. Analysis of the legislation of the EAEU member states in the field of cybersecurity, evaluation of measures taken to counter cyber threats, identification of common trends and differences in regulatory approaches, determination of directions for improving the legal framework and practical measures in combating cybercrime.Methods. Analysis of the legal acts of the EAEU member states on cybersecurity and cybercrime, comparative analysis to identify common trends and differences, evaluation of the effectiveness of legislation in countering cyber threats, identification of problems, and proposal of directions for improving the legal framework considering modern challenges in cybersecurity.Results. Expected improvement in information exchange and experience sharing, development of common strategies and standards in cybersecurity, reduction in the number of successful cyberattacks through joint efforts, and enhancement of the security level of information systems and data through joint technical and organizational measures.Conclusions. Cooperation among the EAEU member states in cybersecurity can lead to a reduction in the number of cybercrimes, enhancement of the security level of information systems and data, stimulation of innovative development in the digital sphere, and strengthening trust in electronic services and the development of the digital economy in the region, which are key aspects in the modern information society.

A Tale of Two Locals: The Strategic Choice of a Trade Union during the 2019 GM–UAW Strike and Member Satisfaction

Industrial relations (IR) scholars emphasize the strategic choices of industrial relations actors to explain IR processes and outcomes. This article asserts that union member satisfaction is critical to realize unions’ objectives and that the local union and work context shapes satisfaction. The authors study the 2019 national UAW strike against General Motors in two, at first sight, very similar union locals. Union members of one local approved the agreement while the other local rejected the agreement. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, the authors explain the different outcomes. Their analysis of a unique worker survey conducted during the strike shows that general member satisfaction was an important dimension for supporting the union’s strategic choices. Qualitative case studies of the two locals highlight the importance of shares of transfer workers—“invisible divides”—when examining member satisfaction. Broadly, findings contribute to the strategic choice literature and emphasize the local union context as a key locus for producing successful outcomes.

Preserving Secrecy within the Patent System to Safeguard Western Countries’ Technological Innovation

Russia’s aggression in Ukraine has brought patent-policy debates into sharp focus with regard to secrecy. Russian violations of international and multilateral agreements on intellectual property have drawn significant attention and highlighted potential risks pertaining to safeguarding of technological innovation by Western countries, not least European Union member states. Against this backdrop, the article reflects on the secret-invention regulations in place and opportunities to keep an invention secret under European patent law. While the concept of a secret invention may appear contradictory to the patent system’s primary aim – disclosure – secret patents are nothing new in the history of patenting. The paper presents a recommendation to expand the scope of secrecy in current patent law, thereby allowing Western countries to implement sufficient counter-measures in response to adversaries’ flouting of international intellectual-property law. The article directs particular attention to expansion of this secrecy’s scope to the technical description of a patent application involving dual-use inventions.

Making News Media Ownership Chains Transparent by Relational Databases

The multi-tiered shareholder identification and registration systems are dominant within the European Union member States, but in the Nordic countries, the holding structure is based on a direct holding model. Share registers of all listed companies are public, so basically, anyone may have a full outlook on the corporate ownership structure whenever they want.However, even the Nordic corporate governance model allows you to hide your ownership from public scrutiny by using other companies, most preferably unlisted ones, as intermediaries. The more complicated the chain of intermediaries, the more difficult it is to understand the ownership pattern and level of ownership concentration, which is especially important when evaluating the diversity and functioning of the news media markets.This is why maximum transparency requires not only public share registers but also a structural database, which has also been designed to show the full chain of direct and indirect ownership of each legal owner. This article analyses the relational database model developed for studying and presenting multilevel direct and indirect ownership structures of European news media in the first phase of the Euromedia Ownership Monitor project funded by the European Union.

11.H. Round table: Making the case for public investment in health

Abstract Across the European Union (EU), public budgets are facing pressures and policy makers are becoming increasingly concerned about how to adequately and sustainably fund their health systems to keep up with need and demand. In recognition of this, in 2022 a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project funded by the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) was launched together with three European Union (EU) Member States with the goal of strengthening capacity to make the case for public investments in health. To support these efforts, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (OBS) conducted an exercise to map relevant analytical approaches and tools for making the case for public investment in health. As a contribution to this workshop, OBS will present the key results from this exercise, including a framework that has been designed to support health policy makers, advisors and advocates by providing five key lines of argument and selected examples of tools, data, indicators and methods that can be used to successfully make the case for public funding for health. This will be complemented by two presentations on country experiences (in Austria and Malta) of navigating negotiations between health and finance and securing public funding for health. These will highlight both successes and challenges in practice. By looking at examples from MS on making the case for public investment in health, these presentations will frame the panel discussion that follows. The chairs will facilitate a discussion closely engaging the audience on how to build better narratives and exchanges which facilitate trust and alignment between health and finance stakeholders in the pursuit of strengthening the capacity to make the case for public investment in health. The workshop will highlight five lines of argument and practical examples of tools, data, indicators and methods that can be used to support the case for public investment in health. It will also focus on the important enablers (e.g. cooperation, communication, transparency, accountability, trust) for successful budget negotiations and discuss how these can be facilitated. Key messages • Budget cases for public funds for health tend to be most successful when they align well with the goals and objectives of finance stakeholders, and certain narratives and arrangements can foster this. • Data and evidence can help steer decision makers to make good choices (or at least avoid bad ones), but other factors serve as the fuel to push the budget case for health forward successfully. Speakers/Panelists Rebecca Forman European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London, UK Jonathan Cylus European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London, UK Stefan Eichwalder Ministry of Health, Vienna, Austria Neville Calleja Department of Health Information and Research, G’Mangia, Malta

Smoke-Free Policies and Cigarette Consumption Impact on Myocardial Infarction Mortality in Europe

Abstract Background Limited evidence exists on the association between smoke-free policies and per-capita cigarette consumption and mortality due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Europe. Therefore, our study aimed to assess this association and evaluate influencing factors. Methods We conducted an interrupted time series analysis involving 27 European Union member states and the UK, examining per-capita cigarette consumption and AMI mortality. A multivariate meta-regression assessed potential influencing factors. Results Approximately half of introduced smoke-free policies were associated with level or slope changes, or both, in per-capita cigarette consumption and AMI mortality (17 of 35). Notably, the smoking ban in Poland in 2010 resulted in the most substantial level reduction in cigarette consumption (rate ratio (RR): 0.47; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.53), while the intervention in Bulgaria in 2012 led to the largest level reduction in AMI mortality (RR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.42). More recent policies or those from countries with lower human development indices were linked to greater decreases in cigarette consumption. Furthermore, smoking bans encompassing bars exhibited a stronger inverse association with both cigarette consumption and AMI mortality. Conclusions Our findings indicate the effectiveness of smoke-free policies in reducing per-capita cigarette consumption and AMI mortality. Continued monitoring and data collection on tobacco, prevalence, and consumption are crucial for concerted efforts to address its health impacts. Key messages • Smoke-free policies lower cigarette consumption, reducing heart attack deaths in Europe. • Monitoring tobacco data crucial for health efforts: Study shows smoke-free policies save lives.

Increasing trends in hypertension-related mortality in European Union 27 countries from 2011 to 2019

Abstract Background Arterial Hypertension (HT) is one of the most common chronic cardiovascular disease in adults and a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide. However, update data regarding the HT-related mortality trends in Europe are lacking. Therefore, we assess the age- and sex- specific trends in HT-related mortality in the 27 European Union Member States (EU-27) between years 2011 and 2029. Methods Data were retrieved from the free publicly available EUROSTAT death certificate database to examine age-adjusted HT-related mortality rates (AAMR) (per 100.000 people) and relative average annual percentage change (AAPC) across all European Union 27 countries (EU27) from 2011 to 2019 using the International Classification of diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes I10-I13 and I15. To calculate annual trends in HT-related mortality, we assessed the average annual percent change (AAPC) and relative 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Joinpoint regression analysis. Results Over the study period, 254.540 HT-related deaths (157,081 males) were listed in EU27. Age-adjusted HT-related death increased from 9.12 to 10.7 per 100,000 people [AAPC: +1.5% (95% CI: 0.8-2.0), p&amp;lt;0.001]. Specifically, the HT-related mortality increased in males [AAPC: +1.8 (95% CI: 0.9-2.6) while decreased in women [AAPC: -1.1 (95% CI: -2.0 to 0.2), p=0.001]. Additionally, the HT-related mortality rates increased in northern [+1.5 (95% CI: 0.7 to 2.3), p&amp;lt;0.001] and eastern [AAPC: +3.9 (95% CI: 2.3 to 5.4), p&amp;lt;0.001] EU-27 states. Conversely, the AAMR plateaued in southern [AAPC: -0.1 (95% ci: 0.6 to 0.7), p=0.96)] and western EU-27 countries [AAPC: 1.0 (95% CI: -0.1 to 2.1, p=0.07] over the same period. Conclusions In EU27, HT-related mortality increased from 2011 to 2019, especially in men. However, significant disparities in HT-related mortality rates still exist between different European regions.

Administrating first aid in road traffic accidents in Bulgaria: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Bulgaria had the highest road mortality rate among European Union members in 2023, having previously ranked second after Romania. Research has consistently demonstrated that prompt pre-hospital care can significantly reduce the adverse effects of road traffic accidents. Thus, we conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the involvement of trained road traffic casualties and bystanders in administering first aid. Methods The study, carried out between April and December 2021, collected data via an online survey administered to members of the Scientific and Academic Cooperation Council by the State Agency Road Safety. The survey encompassed a range of topics, including first aid training, involvement in traffic accidents, behaviour of bystanders, administration of first aid, and sociodemographics. Results Among the 292 respondents, a sizeable proportion (90%) reported having received first aid training. Of these, 35.1% (95% CI 29.2-41.1%; p &amp;lt; 0.001) had personally experienced a road traffic accident, and 64.5% (95% CI 58.1-70.1%; p &amp;lt; 0.001) had witnessed one. It is noteworthy that a fifth of those involved in accidents had employed the skills acquired from first aid training, which included applying a dressing to a wound, bleeding control, and immobilising a fracture. Correspondingly, an equivalent percentage of bystanders administrated aid, with the majority of them performing basic airway management. However, the findings revealed that a significant proportion of participants (79.3%) did not engage in providing first aid. The primary rationale stated was the assessment that it was nonessential. Conclusions Despite the growing road safety challenges and many respondents witnessing or being involved in accidents, only a quarter of those trained in first aid actually provided assistance. Considering the increasing number of deaths and severe injuries, it is crucial to assess the need for frequent first aid training and the population’s proficiency in first aid. Key messages • Bystanders’ competence in administrating first aid can mitigate the adverse effects of road traffic accidents. • Among other road safety measures, investments in first aid training can be beneficial in reducing fatalities and severe injuries.

Legal Aspects of Membership in a Trade Union: A Case Study of Lithuania

The aim of this article is to address the questions of how the principle of freedom of association and the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of trade union membership are understood and to identify legal obstacles for an effective implementation of the right to join trade unions. International, EU regional and Lithuanian national legislation, as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union and Lithuanian courts have been explored to carry out the current study. The results confirm that membership can be interpreted broadly; therefore, members of a trade union may be required to possess certain working and legal capacities, as well as meet other requirements related to the trade union’s objectives, which are sometimes unreasonable. Due to possible exceptions, various members may be subject to different collective rights, for example, certain officers may not be permitted to strike, and some may not even be allowed to join associations.

MH workers strike against Kaiser Permanente in Southern California

More than 2,000 unionized mental health workers in Southern California went on strike against Kaiser Permanente last week after the two sides failed to reach a new labor agreement, CNN reported Oct. 21. The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) — which represents 19,000 health care workers in California and Hawaii, including 4,700 mental health workers — picketed outside Kaiser facilities in Los Angeles, San Diego, Anaheim and Fontana, seeking an increase in salaries, restoration of pensions and increased staffing. When announcing the impending strike earlier this month, the union cited its 10‐week strike in Northern California in 2022, which resulted in higher wages, better working conditions to improve patient care and prevented rapid staff turnover (see “Kaiser agrees to historic settlement to overhaul its BH care system,” MHW, Oct. 25, 2023; https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.33828). Union members on strike in Southern California have said their demands are in line in with what Kaiser has provided to the majority of its workforce. “Unless we strike, our coworkers are going to keep leaving and our patients are going to keep struggling in an underfunded, understaffed system that doesn't meet their needs,” Josh Garcia, a psychologist for Kaiser in San Diego, said in a press statement from the NUHW. The strike comes as employment in the mental health field — for psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors, psychiatric aides and social workers — is expected to grow three times faster than the average US job position, according to CNN's analysis of data released in September by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A survey in 2022 from CNN in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that nine out of 10 US adults believe the country has a mental health crisis.

Does the Sustainability of the Country Differentiate the ESG of Companies and How It Affects the Relationship between ESG and Firm Value? Evidence from the European Union

Theoretical background: The paper draws on two relevant theories – stakeholder theory and institutional theory. Non-financial information on how the operations of a company impact its surroundings in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) areas is more and more important in terms of firm value and according to stakeholders theory positive relationship between these two is expected. However, although the research on the relationship between company ESG performance (ESGP) and firm value origins since the beginning of the 1970s, the authors document no conclusive results. Above is theorised to be conditioned by the role of institutions as they reflect a rational purpose that guides behaviours of entities toward certain ends. Purpose of the article: Two aims were set in the study. First, to examine the impact of the sustainability level of the European Union (EU) Member States in the years 2012–2021 on ESGP of non-financial sectors stock companies. The second aim of the paper was to assess the country sustainability level as the factor differentiating the nature and the strength of ESGP impact on firm value of non-financial sectors stock companies listed on the regulated financial markets of EU Member States in the years 2012–2021. Research methods: For the purpose of achieving set goals the study utilised two econometric models. Models were estimated using Panel Least Squares (PLS) regression with Fixed Effects (FE). Tobin’s Q proxied firm value, ESG scoring from Refinitiv proxied company ESGP. Global Sustainability Competitiveness Index (GSCI) from Solability was used as the measure of country sustainability. Company financial and ESG data was sourced from Refinitiv EIKON, while country data was accessed from Solability, Eurostat, Human Development Index and Transparency International. Main findings: Countries of both low and high sustainability level impact company ESGP positively. However, almost twice as big influence of highly sustainable countries was noted for low ones. Research results documented ESG to impact firm value positively. An increase in ESG score of a company from the country with low sustainability level decreased its firm value and the opposite was noted in case of companies of countries with high sustainability level. Investors tend to value positively companies with good ESGP and strong nation-level institutions in the field of sustainability and to punish (i.e. with a lower valuation) firms from countries of poor sustainability, even if these entities reached unexceptionally good ESGP.

Kompetencje cyfrowe Polaków w świetle teorii przyspieszenia społecznego

The dynamic development and spread of information and communication technologies have caused contemporary society, also known as modern or information society, to undergo constant changes. These are taking place both in the technological, economic and social spheres, becoming the focus of researchers in social, economic, engineering and technical sciences. As a result of these changes, we can even, according to Hartmut Rosa (2020), speak of a society of acceleration, in which technological acceleration is accompanied by an acceleration of the pace of living. As part of numerous consequences, acquiring new skills and improving those already acquired, especially in the use of ICT, becomes particularly important. Achieving an appropriate level of expertise turns out to be almost indispensable, both at the micro level - the realm of work and everyday life of individuals, and at the macro level, as a condition for stable and systematic socio-economic development. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze the level of digital competence of Poles, primarily focusing on the level of overall digital skills and its changes over recent years, the type of digital skills that pose particular challenges, as well as to determine the rank of Poland as compared to other European Union member states regarding the subject matter. The source material is statistical data from Eurostat and Poland Statistics.

“We Were Put Out of Good Jobs”: Women Night Workers in New York and the Origins of the Women’s Equal Opportunity League

Abstract In the 1910s, U.S. social reformers advocated for labor laws to protect women who worked in factories. The laws included bans on women working at night. In New York, a small contingent of night-working women who had lost their jobs objected. Arguing that the laws were paternalistic and harmful, they formed the Women’s Equal Opportunity League. The group opposed all single-sex laws and ultimately won repeal of New York’s night work ban for printers, elevator operators, and transit workers. Night work was the stage on which reformers’ ideas about the greater good conflicted with arguments for women’s autonomy. Whether and what kind of work women should do at night was a conflict about class, motherhood, and self-determination. This article profiles three leaders of the Women’s Equal Opportunity League—printer Ella M. Sherwin, transit guard Margaret Hinchey, and streetcar ticket agent Mary A. Murray. All three were devoted union members whose opposition to women-only laws made them dissidents within their unions. They remained shift workers their entire lives while lobbying state legislatures and Congress to demand formal legal equality for women. Histories of the early Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) have emphasized the support of upper- and middle-class women. These working-class women, who had long opposed protective legislation, later demanded the ERA—not in spite of the prospect that it would nullify single-sex labor laws, but because they hoped it would. Theirs was a minority position, and paying attention to it reveals the complexity of class conflict at the root of a feminist dispute which persisted long into the twentieth century.

The potential for a union default to convert nonunion workers into union members: The effects of beliefs about unions' consequences, free‐riding and social customs

AbstractUnion density has fallen dramatically in many western European countries over recent decades, with grave implications for unions' strength and legitimacy regarding collective bargaining. Free‐riding remains an ongoing challenge in maintaining union membership levels, as covered nonunion workers generally receive the same collectively bargained terms as union members. To help resolve this problem, we propose a union default that would, as a legal requirement, automatically enrol all workers under coverage as union members in the first instance, but with a subsequent right to opt‐out. We use survey evidence from New Zealand to suggest that nearly half these nonunion workers working for unionised employers would retain membership if defaulted. A default would be effective at converting nonunion workers into union members partly because it would shift the norms of the workplace from nonunion to union, as per social custom theory.

Russian-Ukraine War and its Impact on the European Economy

This study examines the impact of the Russian-Ukraine war on the economy of Europe, concentrating on trade disruptions, energy security, foreign direct investment (FDI) flows, and the socioeconomic ramifications of the war[1]induced refugee crisis. This study employs the descriptive research design, qualitative research method and a secondary source of data collection. The research uncovers the problems and possibilities coming from the war, as well as the larger implications for economic growth, development, and stability in the area. The results reveal severe interruptions to commercial links between European nations, especially Russia, and Ukraine, with key sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and agriculture facing considerable disruptions. Energy security emerges as a significant worry, spurring attempts to diversify energy sources and lessen dependence on Russian supply. Meanwhile, the war has resulted in a drop in FDI inflows to Russia and Ukraine, aggravating economic concerns in both nations and hurting their growth prospects. Furthermore, the research shows the burden on social welfare systems in European nations hosting migrants, since the inflow of refugees exerts great demands on resources and capabilities. Investments in housing, health care, education, and social welfare are vital for satisfying the different needs of displaced people and facilitating their long-term integration into society. However, issues connected to social cohesiveness, community connections, and political dynamics within host nations also occur. The study recommends diplomatic resolution of the dispute through peaceful discussions, involving European Union (EU) member states- Russia, Ukraine, and other parties. This could involve neutral mediation, de-escalating initiatives, and confidence-building measures.

First report of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) on citrus in Italy.

In March 2024, symptoms of vein clearing (Fig. S1) were observed on leaves of six lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) trees grown in a private garden in Palma Campania (Campania region, Italy). Symptoms strongly resembled those of yellow vein clearing disease, caused by Potexvirus citriflavivenae (citrus yellow vein clearing virus, CYVCV), genus Potexvirus, sub-genus Mandarivirus (Loconsole et al., 2012; Cui et al., 2018). CYVCV was reported in Pakistan, India, China, Iran, Turkey, Korea and USA (Abrahamian et al., 2024; Catara et al., 1993; EPPO, 2024; Sun and Yokomi, 2024; Jin et al., 2024). Since 2022, considering the potential impact of this emerging virus, CYVCV has been included in the EPPO alert list and it has not been reported in any European Union (EU) Member State where the virus is not regulated. To ascertain possible infection with CYVCV, leaf samples were collected and tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Total nucleic acids (TNAs) from leaves of the symptomatic lemon and non-symptomatic lemon and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) trees grown in the same garden, were extracted using the silica-capture extraction method (Foissac et al. 2001). TNAs were tested by RT-PCR using CYVCV specific primers (Table S1) designed by Chen et al., (2014) targeting the coat protein gene. All symptomatic trees and an asymptomatic sweet orange from the same garden tested positive generating an amplicon of the expected size (612 bp). Direct Sanger sequencing of amplicons obtained from two symptomatic lemons and one non-symptomatic sweet orange (An PP842725-PP842727) followed by BLAST search showed 97.9-98.08% sequence identity (query coverage 100%) with CYVCV isolates previously reported from a mandarin (An OQ418501) and a lemon (An OQ418493) in California. In contrast, no amplicons were detected in samples from non-symptomatic lemon trees. Virus identity was confirmed by RT-PCR with different primers (Table S1) targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene of CYVCV. Amplicons of the expected size (832 bp) were obtained only from samples previously tested positive to the virus and their sequences determined by Sanger sequence (An PQ284953-PQ284955) showed 97.98-98.11% identity (query coverage 100%) with CYVCV sequence previously reported from a mandarin (An OR251443) in New Delhi. Since CYVCV is transmitted by insects (Önelge et al., 2011a, 2011b, Zhang et al., 2018, 2019), TNAs (Foissac et al., 2001) from Aphis aurantii infesting symptomatic lemons, and of A. spiraecola and Dialeurodes citri infesting symptomatic lemon and non-symptomatic sweet orange trees were assayed by RT-PCR with primer pairs designed by Chen et al., (2014). Three samples of 15 specimens from three different trees were tested for each insect. In contrast to D. citri, which tested negative, an amplicon of 612 bp was detected from A. aurantii and A. spiraecola and Direct sequencing of amplicons (An PP842721-PP842724) confirmed the nature of the virus and showed that insect-derived viral sequences shared nucleotide identity of 99.3-100% with those from the infected trees. Altogether, these data support that CYVCV is present in Southern Italy. Likely, it has been introduced illegally through infected citrus propagation material. Given the large A. aurantii and A. spiraecola populations in the areas where CYVCV has been detected, a fast spread of the virus to other areas of Campania region can be expected. Even if the impact of CYVCV on citrus production in Italy remains to be assessed, prompt and extensive surveys may be helpful to establish the actual distribution of the virus. This would allow for a better evaluation of appropriate measures to be adopted to achieve sustainable citrus production. At the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of CYVCV in Italy and in the EU territory.