Development Of European Policy Research Articles

Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe: What Impact Do they Have on Development Policy?

AbstractPrevious research suggests that the rise of populist radical right parties (PRRPs) is contributing to the politicization of European domestic and external policies. However, whether this is also the case for European development policy is unclear. Building on a new dataset that analyses government positions and coalition agreements across European countries since the 1990s, we investigate whether, and if so how, the strength of PRRPs affects European governments' framing of the relationship between migration and development policy. Research on PRRPs suggests that they influence other parties' positions directly when they are in government, or indirectly by framing topics such as migration differently from other parties, thereby pushing government and opposition parties to modify their own positions. We find (moderate) support for PRRPs' indirect influence on the framing and salience of the migration–development policy nexus, via their vote and seat share. The effect of PRRPs in government on the formulation of development aid policy goals is smaller.

Alternative Ways of Cooling a Passive School Building in Order to Maintain Thermal Comfort in Summer

The heatwaves that have affected our civilization in recent years pose a serious threat to the environment as well as the proper functioning of our bodies. Schools are facilities with specific microclimatic requirements. Thermal conditions in educational buildings are decisive for the stimulation and efficiency of the learning process, as well as the interaction of students. Based on the measurements of thermal comfort carried out in the school building, with the energy standard of a passive building, it can be observed that in schools with very low energy consumption, the problem of interior overheating may occur in the summer months. In this paper, an attempt was made to search for alternative passive measures allowing for the required indoor microclimate conditions to be obtained. Such solutions are in line with the spirit of the European energy policy and sustainable development. A model of the school under study was created using the Design Builder simulation program. The role of mechanical ventilation and the possibility of night ventilation in reducing discomfort were examined. Consideration was given to the justification of using expensive heat pump installations with a ground heat exchanger to reduce overheating in summer. The application of the adaptive approach to the assessment of thermal conditions and the acceptance of limited overheating periods led to the conclusion that the analyzed building could function successfully without these additional installation elements. A proprietary tool for the analysis of microclimate conditions was proposed to estimate the hours of discomfort in a way that is objective and easy to calculate.

Historical Retrospective of the Formation of European Regional Development Policy

The article notes that in EU countries, regional development, especially policies and regulations of regional development, has been constantly evolving and adapting to meet the needs of structural changes in countries, EU policies and the requirements of the regions themselves. However, the experience of forming and implementing regional policy in different countries had some differences. There is a significant amount of work devoted to the study of this experience, highlighting certain historical periods of its formation. Nevertheless, in the vast majority of scientific research the periodization is based on either economic factors (policy transformation associated with changing goals, economic and financial mechanisms of its implementation), or political and legal factors (transformation of principles, ideologies of regional policy, creating a legal basis for it implementation). There is a need to generalize these approaches to provide stages in the evolution of regional development policy in European countries.
 The aim of the article is to study the historical stages of the formation of regional development policy in European countries, to propose a generalized periodization of the evolution of policy.
 Having analyzed the economic, legal and institutional principles of formation and development of European regional development policy, the author provides the main stages of policy development.
 It is noted that the expansion of competencies of institutional structures formed the basis for the formation and development of a common EU regional policy, there are seven stages in the evolution of EU regional policy instruments, the institutional form of which later became the EU Framework Programs.
 The periodization of regional policy formation on the basis of the adoption of basic EU regulations is proposed. Based on the generalization of these approaches, the evolution of EU regional policy is given. The conclusion on actualization of necessity of use of experience of formation and realization of regional policy of EU in domestic practice is made.

Geo-blocking Regulation: Antitrust or Consumer Protection?

The author attempts to show that the seeming absorption of a large-scale, general geo-blocking prohibition in the field of competition law (antitrust) is unsystematic, and can negatively influence the further development of European competition law and policy and related goals. The positive implications of the GBR regime in the area of consumer protection law (and for trade regulation as such) are not negated. The author, however, attempts to underscore the fact that, in certain constellations, legislative instruments should be very clearly designated, their nature and scope concisely labelled. Formal oversights, such as omission of clear denominations or even plain wrong designations can – in certain circumstances – lead to functional consequences. For this reason the author stresses the view that the GBR is a legislative instrument of market regulation and consumer protection and has no real appreciable link to antitrust.

Editorial

This issue of Transactions of AESOP brings together a series of papers which reflect on the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) document which was adopted by the then member states of the European Union (EU) in Potsdam, Germany in 1999, and is published shortly after the adoption in December 2020 of a new EU Territorial Agenda 2030 document under the recent German EU Presidency. It features an introduction and five original papers which explore the legacies of the ESDP and the present and future prospects for European territorial development and urban policy.

Defining strategies to adopt Level(s) for bringing buildings into the circular economy. A case study of Spain

Level(s) is a common European Union framework of core sustainability indicators for measuring the performance of buildings along their life cycle, enabling emissions reductions and circular resource flows. A fundamental tool for the development of European policies to boost the market for sustainable, resilient and climate change adapted buildings. The objective of this study is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field of sustainable building research, through the definition of strategies to adopt Level(s) for bringing buildings into the Circular Economy. For this reason, a triple SWOT-Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)-TOWS analysis was applied. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the Level(s) have been identified in relation to the availability of resources, product quality, internal and market structure, consumer perception, among others. The results obtained are conclusive in terms of the experts’ positive assessment of the tool; highlighting factors such as its response to the need to adapt buildings to climate change, its a standard reference language, and its use in multiple situations. However, several barriers have also been identified, which may affect its development, including its complexity of use, its lack of self-sufficiency, and its dependence the criteria used in each evaluation. Finally, the key strategies to be carried out for the implementation of the Levels have been established.

Resource management and sustainable development: A review of the European water policies in accordance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

Recent policy developments in Europe consider the importance of water ecosystems to human wellbeing and the detrimental effects that multiple pressures may have on them. Several directives and measures which culminated with the design and the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, have attempted to address the issue of sustainable water management while aligning with targets of economic development. We review the European Water Framework Directive keeping in mind the commitment to the United Nation’ Agenda to 2030 with the aim to identify complementarities and missing parts in aligning regional policies to global targets for sustainable development. Towards this end the management plans in selected river basins, Ebro-Spain, Adige-Italy, Evrotas-Greece, Sava- Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Anglian-UK, are examined. The analysis shows that despite significant steps towards integrated management of water bodies in Europe, it is still necessary to improve policy design and implementation to align with global sustainable development targets. Appropriate supportive methodologies must be developed that consider the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of water management. Policies should aim for environmental agreements, alternative climate change scenarios, transparent quantitative measures targeting sustainable demand of water and explicit infrastructure and knowledge transfer channels which can accelerate the implementation of sustainable water management at regional and global level.

Brexit and Its Impact on Poland’s Policy Towards Europe – An Attempt to Forecast

Brexit has betrayed the disadvantages of the European project along with the fact that European institutions have no desire to conduct deeper reforms. Brexit cannot be considered without the stance that the British have developed not only in the last few years but generally over the period of its integration with continental Europe. A study shows the political consequences of the UK’s exit from the European Union alog with the potential scenarios of Poland’s European policy in the next 2–3 years. This article presents three scenarios for the development of Poland's European policy, i.e. the British scenario, a conservative scenario and a pro-European scenario. In addition, this article aims to show the potential activities of the Polish government in the context of selected scenarios for the development of the situation in Europe. Currently, the most likely is the British scenario, where the Polish government concentrates on those areas of integration that are important to it. The European Union will be treated by Poland as an economic organization providing access to the common European market as well as political support in the event of disputes with the powers. The adoption of the British scenario by Poland assumes an evolutionary drift towards polexit. The least realistic choice of scenario is the strongly pro-European approach. This would require a total change in Poland's European policy strategy and the abandoning of internal reforms.

EU development policy: evolving as an instrument of foreign policy and as an expression of solidarity

This article introduces the special issue on the evolution of European Union development policy, against the background of fundamental challenges that have emerged since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. The special issue’s objective is to highlight the complex dynamics of a policy area that is called on to address the massive challenges of poverty, inequality, healthcare capacity, climate change, insecurity and weak governance in countries of the global south, and at the same time support European foreign policy objectives including political stability, migration management, access to resources and markets. In this introductory article, we attempt to sketch the broad outlines of the conceptual and practical dilemmas faced by a policy area that is supposed to be able to fix almost any problem. We observe that European development policy’s evolution is driven by the tension between its raison d’être as a concrete expression of global solidarity and international cooperation, and its increasing instrumentalisation in the service of European economic and security interests. We highlight some of the key challenges that have emerged in the last decade, including rising populist nationalism and Brexit within Europe, the changing nature of relationships between Europe and countries who receive EU aid, and the changing nature of development cooperation itself, exemplified by the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. We outline the specific contributions the articles in this special issue make to research and policy debates on the themes we raise in this introduction. We conclude that the battle between the forces of solidarity and instrumentality has evolved EU development policy into an impossibly complex arena of competing norms, practices and institutions, which raises many open questions for future research.

Sorting the wheat from the chaff

In the development of European spatial policies, Germany is a major driving force. We can say that, if the French have often brought a state of mind, a doxa, the Germans have succeeded in making th...

From the EU Membership to the Sanctions Against Russia: Factors Behind the Collapse of Estonian Transit Sector

ABSTRACT The article aims to investigate the main factors behind changes in the transit flows in Estonian transit sector: first the European integration, second relations with Russia, third the changes in infrastructure, and fourth the changes in trade flows. However, the European dimension appears also in the second, third, and fourth categories, as trade relations with Russia, infrastructural developments, and general trade flows depend on European policy preferences and developments. The importance of the current study is even higher in light of the expected construction of the Rail Baltic railway line, which adds significantly to infrastructural capabilities, but on the other hand also needs growing volumes of trade to be economically sustainable. Additionally, political risks need to be assessed, as growing transit flows related to Russia, which may be beneficial in economic terms, will lead to growing risks to impact or be manipulated by the Russian side, to trade economic benefits for political compromises.

Правовые аспекты развития европейской водородной политики

Правовые аспекты развития европейской водородной политики

ВСТУП ВЕЛИКОЇ БРИТАНІЇ В ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКЕ ЕКОНОМІЧНЕ СПІВТОВАРИСТВО (60-ТІ – ПОЧ. 70-Х РР. ХХ СТ.)

The author of the article examines the history of the United Kingdom’s entry into the European Economic Community in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, namely, he analyses the historical experience of the country’s transformation from a world Empire to a European power. The article is primarily focused on the fact that the United Kingdom’s policy on Western European integration has evolved considerably since the late 1950’s. It is noted that at the beginning of the 1960’s, the Europeanization of attitudes was gradually developing both in the UK’s power structures and among the population. The key reasons for the negative outcome of the UK’s first attempt to join the EEC are considered. Position and role of the country’s government executives in the development and implementation of the European integration policy are determined. It is stated that a major barrier to the United Kingdom’s entry into the European community was the position of France, which did not want the British to become full-fledged EEC member. It is pointed out that significant progress in the rapprochement of the UK and the EEC was achieved only at the end of 1969, with the decision to expand this organization. It is noted that it was after the meeting of Georges Pompidou and Edward Heath that an agreement on the terms of UK’s entry into the European Economic Community was finally reached. The article also focuses on the analysis of benefits of membership in the European Community for the British people. The special role of the Edward Heath’s ministry, during whose term of office it was decided to consider London’s Western European policy as a priority, is pointed out. And finally, it is determined that the adaptation of the United Kingdom as a member of the EEC has lasted many years, during which many issues arising have not been resolved.

Adding (bio)fuel to the fire: discourses on palm oil sustainability in the context of European policy development

Palm oil is highly versatile, efficient, and cheap—and the most consumed vegetable oil globally. However, the expansion of industrial palm oil production has adverse environmental and social effects that have contributed to the development of discourses questioning the sustainability of palm oil. Discourses have the power to influence environmental policy and may induce change in production, consumption, and trade relations. Contributing to research on palm oil-related discourses, the aim of this study is to analyze discourses in the context of the recent development of European policies. Adopting an argumentative discourse-analytical approach, we analyze discourses on palm oil within and around two relevant policies: the European Parliament resolution on palm oil and deforestation of rainforests, and the revised Renewable Energy Directive II of the European Union (EU). Although the sustainability of palm oil has been contested between palm oil-producing and palm oil-consuming countries for decades, we show how these two policies have added fuel to the fire. While the EU frames palm oil as a “forest-risk” and “high ILUC-risk” commodity and thereby contradicts previous EU support for palm oil-based biofuels, the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia describe the policy development as a “ban on palm oil”, “crop apartheid” and the starting point of a potential “trade war”. Both sides disseminate storylines that are partly biased by a misinterpretation of facts. By providing a classification of relevant discourses that are discussed in the political context, this article facilitates a better understanding of discursive struggles on palm oil.

Values or origin? Mandatory immigrant integration and immigration attitudes in Europe

ABSTRACT One of the most significant European policy developments of the past decade has been the proliferation of mandatory immigrant civic and language integration requirements. The primary intention of these policies is to facilitate immigrant integration, but do they also improve public support for immigration by fulfilling the type of deservingness criteria many hold for benefits or status? Or do such integration requirements contribute to growing mass anti-immigration sentiment through signalling cultural distance? We contribute to this ongoing debate by examining whether mandatory integration fosters or diminishes public support for immigration. In doing so, we first use biennial data across 14 Western European countries between 2007 and 2014 and second implement an original survey experiment in the UK. Our unique contribution across these two studies reveals that neither mandatory language nor civic integration requirements appear to meaningfully affect public support for immigration. Rather, we identify immigrant origin as the deciding line between open and antagonistic immigration attitudes. Further, we find these patterns persist regardless of integration target, policy measurement, requirement difficulty, or analytical strategy. We thereby conclude mandatory integration of immigrant communities appears to do little in terms of reducing widespread anti-immigration sentiment.

The European Employment Strategy, the European Social Pillar and their Impact on Labour Law Reform in the European Union

The article provides a critical account of the impact of the European Employment Strategy (EES) on national labour market policies and labour law systems. It gives an overview of the development of the EES from the 1990s until the introduction of the European Social Pillar (ESP) and analyses its impact in the Member States of the European Union. In particular, it highlights the origins of the EES in debates about European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and examines the importance and the specific nature of the new governance approach adopted by the EES and its significance for labour law reform in the Member States. The article argues that the latest stage in the development of European social policy, associated with the introduction of the ESP, has not led to a change in direction in European social and employment law and policy. Despite its rights-based approach, the ESP merely constitutes the latest stage in the development of the EES and continues in its attempt to prioritize labour market policy concerns in reforming labour law. However, the article also argues that the ESP has potential to be the platform for a proper Social Union.

Key enablers and barriers to implementing adaptive pathways in the European setting.

In 2016, the European Medicines Agency published the conclusions of its pilot on adaptive pathways, with products in early stages of development still building up to their marketing authorisation. Adaptive pathways rests on three principles: iterative development; gathering evidence through real-life use to supplement clinical trial data; and early engagement of patients, payers and health technology assessment bodies in discussions on a medicine's development. While the pilot has now finished, the practical system-wide implications of employing the adaptive pathways approach are not known and further consideration of these three principles is required. In this paper we used the three principles that underpin adaptive pathways to discuss main scientific and European policy developments likely to determine progress on further implementing adaptive pathways in the European setting.

Integrated local development in Mediterranean marginal territories: The case study of Casentino (Italy), Algarve (Portugal) and Corse (France)

Today, Mediterranean marginal territories are facing tremendous challenges but at the same time they have relevant endogenous resources, which are often underutilized and unexploited and that could be pivotal for the strategic recovery and economic and social development of the whole European territory. In the last decades, they have been characterised by a progressive abandonment in favour to urban areas, with consequent high social costs such as the hydrogeological instability, degradation and soil erosion.
 This research investigates the potential active role of Mediterranean “marginal territories” with respect to the re-formulation, adaptation, interpretation and implementation of the European development policies.
 The paper aims to verify the idea that Mediterranean marginal territories, in the sense of weak, mountainous and inland, could take part at the construction of their own development trajectories and actively contribute to the harmonious development of Europe, creating new jobs opportunities and stable development patterns. Moreover, the paper aims to formulate policy implications and strategies for the studied areas and for Mediterranean marginal territories more in general. 
 The structure of this paper starts from general theoretical arguments and a short description of European policies for development; it follows with the diagnostic analysis of three local territorial contexts – i.e. Casentino (Italy), Algarve (Portugal) and Corse (France) – and then it comes back on the general European issues proposing implications and lessons learnt in the analysis of the development processes at the local level.

Competitive regional clusters: international experience

Many countries is developing in the context of a multitude of global trends and challenges that noticeably change the “picture” of the world, positions, interests and opportunities of various players. An important role in the formation and change of this “picture” belongs to the sphere of science, technology, and innovation. Over the past 20 years, the European Commission has paid attention to the development of cluster policy. Today stands out several trends in the development of European cluster policy. In our opinion, economic activity in clusters tends to concentrate in certain areas, thus, clusters contribute to regional development and overcoming economic imbalances. Studying the accumulated European experience in the field of cluster initiatives and current trends allows us to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the existing mechanisms for the formation of Russian clusters. The article analyzes the Russian experience in the implementation of programs for the development of pilot regional innovation clusters and formulates signs of their sustainability.

What role for the rotating Presidency in European development policy? the case of ACP-EU relations

ABSTRACTThe European Commission has the legal right of initiative to propose both legislative and non-legislative actions, including in areas where competence is shared with the member states such as development policy. This article uses the case of ACP-EU relations to show the trade-offs between the Commission’s right of initiative to promote the European interest, and its own interests in the field of development policy. It presents detailed empirical observations of Commission-Presidency dynamics during the preparation of the Union’s negotiating mandate for ACP-EU relations after the expiration of the Cotonou agreement in 2020. In this process, the Commission had considerable control over the calendar and on the substance of Council Working Group exchanges, while the rotating Council Presidency had comparatively little influence on the process. Developments during the first half of 2018 increased political uncertainty and raise questions marks as to the longer-term effectiveness of the Commission’s post-Cotonou strategy.