Role In Europe Research Articles

Demand rerouting mechanisms with revenue management for intermodal barge transportation networks

Inland waterway transportation plays a crucial role in Europe's transportation network and economy. It is an efficient and sustainable mode of transportation, with lower emissions and energy consumption than other modes of transportation, such as road and air. However, the services provided by inland waterway transport can be significantly impacted by adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding. These disruptions can cause delays, cancellations, or even damage to vessels or infrastructure. To improve the system reliability, we propose a set of revenue management based (demand itinerary) rerouting mechanisms for intermodal barge transportation optimisation. Revenue Management policies including several customer categories and fare differentiation are applied. Sequential accept/reject decisions are made based on a probabilistic mixed integer programming model maximising the expected revenue of a carrier. A booking framework is defined over a rolling horizon and capacity allocation/reallocation decisions are made for a set of demands including the current and relevant past and potential future transportation requests. Several (demand) rerouting mechanisms are defined and implemented on different service network configurations. The service network status is regularly updated, in particular with respect to barge capacity variations due to changing water levels. An extensive set of experiments is performed and numerical results are analysed. The study results emphasise the added value but also the need for data availability and information sharing between the different stakeholders of Inland Waterway Transportation systems.

The new role of sustainable hydropower in flexible energy systems and its technical evolution through innovation and digitalization

Hydropower has played an important role in Europe in recent decades, offering a unique combination of safe, low-cost, and clean power generation. Today, it is still one of the largest renewable energy sources (RES), accounting for about 35 % of RES electricity generation. However, grid stability is threatened by the increasing amount of undispatchable RES. Flexibility and dynamics such as energy storage and rapid response are urgently needed to achieve EU policy goals. In such a context, hydropower can play a key role, not only as a provider of regulated renewable energy but also due to its ability to balance a renewable energy system in the short term and the medium/long term by pumped storage technology. All these aspects underline the new role of hydropower, which aims to strengthen grid stability and power supply resilience and to enable higher penetration of volatile RES. In this context, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate the role of hydropower at the European level as well as the needs and opportunities of modernization to fully exploit its potential. In particular, this study provides, the assessment of the today flexibility offered by hydropower to the power system at the European level by leveraging a database of information collected through the participants to the working groups of the COST Action Pen@Hydropower which includes stakeholders in the hydropower sector of 34 European countries. The study confirms the key role of hydropower in future energy scenarios with 30 % of the flexibility demand at all time scales met by hydropower. Furthermore, the paper presents a review of the digitalization solutions and innovative technologies that support the growth of a new generation of sustainable hydropower together with the modernization opportunities for existing hydropower plants. The results of this work have practical implications for stakeholders in the hydropower sector and policymakers as it provides evidence at the European scale of the role of hydropower technology in balancing the power system and the need to have supportive frameworks and adequate markets to fully exploit the European hydropower potential to achieve the energy transition goals.

Digitalization of German Higher Education and the Role of Europe

Digitalization of German Higher Education and the Role of Europe

Beyond borders: Examining the role of national learned societies in the social sciences and humanities

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to examine the status of national learned societies in social sciences and humanities (SSH) in Europe. Previous research shows that learned societies serve diverse roles in higher education and suggests that national societies come under pressure given different developments, such as internationalization or open science adoption. We investigate a comprehensive range of aspects within national learned societies: primary goals, activities, internationalization, organization, funding, membership, and recent changes, addressing potential pressures arising from them. Using a cross‐national survey involving 194 learned societies across eight European countries, we study: (a) do the previous findings from individual countries or small selections of national societies hold for a broad range of learned societies in SSH across Europe, and (b) are national learned societies coming under pressure due to internationalization and commercialization processes? Our findings confirm previous results from single countries and single disciplines and expand them as our results show that national learned societies in SSH play an important role in Europe in promoting multilingualism in science, collaborating with many stakeholders, and fostering interdisciplinarity. Contrary to previous research, most SSH societies in our study have not undergone significant changes in the past 5 years, challenging expectations of their declining role.

Research on Political and Economic Trends before and after Brexit: Take the Position of the Pound and Changes in the Exchange Rate as an Example

As a former overlord of the world, Britain has always played an important role in Europe. In the process of multi-polarization, the European Union has become the general trend and gradually moved towards a whole. Since the 21st century, European integration has entered a period of decline. Due to the historical tradition of independence and the practical reasons for political and economic differences, Britain chose to leave the European Union, which further aggravated the crisis of the European Union. It is of great significance to deeply study the reasons for Brexit, the changing trend of Britain’s political and economic status, and the political and economic impact of Brexit on Britain, the European Union, and even the world. Therefore, this paper will study the economic trend of the UK before and after Brexit from the perspective of the status of the pound and the change in the exchange rate and analyze the world status and political influence of the UK before and after Brexit from the perspective of international relations. At the same time, this paper will use literature analysis to search and read relevant materials and literature, use economic newspapers and other specific data to support personal views, analyze economic changes, and then draw research results. In the future, the British economy will face greater challenges, and in the political aspect, it is likely to further move closer to the United States and strengthen economic and security cooperation with English-speaking countries such as North America, Australia, and South Asia.

The role of Europe in Global Psychiatry

AbstractThe burden of mental illness in Europe: High individual and societal burden, but only 2% spent on mental health. The tradition of European Psychiatry needs to be strengthened in care, research and teaching.Within the long-term Strategic Mental Health Plan of the EPA the improvement of clinical care research, the “mapping excellence” and “developing core treatment guidelines” require further action. Researching the influence of environmental stressors on the development and maintenance of mental illness and fostering stepped care approaches to improve resilience are none the less important. Furthermore, to improve the reliability and especially validity of diagnoses of mental disorders by introducing (bio)markers and defining dimensions of mental illnesses using big data and predictive sciences are just as important as an enforced research on reducing stigma and discrimination of mental disorders.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Analysis of place-based factors in transitions through the lens of a transition space: Insights from Finland’s emerging battery industry

ABSTRACT Battery production plays a crucial role in Europe’s electrification of mobility and production facilities are expected to play an essential role in European value chains in the future. However, this new trend in energy transition raises the question of how individual places and regions can tap into these developments and operationalise multilevel transitions based on their existing capabilities and assets. The purpose of the article is to advance the nascent theorising on the concept of transition space in the geography of transitions literature by studying place-based factors and their various interactions with transition levels. The authors studied the ongoing development of the GigaVaasa battery factory site located in Finland’s Vaasa region to explore which factors appeared most relevant in transitions and at which transition levels those factors manifested. The results indicate that place-based factors connect with different transition levels in a transition space, thus enhancing their possibilities for leveraging transition pathways. The authors conclude that strategic planning and the ability to mobilise stakeholders for systemic agency form a critical starting point for successful transition space management.

Onshore wind in Portugal: History, supporting policies, economic viability and future perspectives

Onshore wind energy is currently playing a crucial role in Europe’s decarbonization efforts. Among other European countries, Portugal is recognized as a successful example of large-scale wind energy implementation thanks to its supportive policies in the 00 s. However, the government's financial support for onshore wind technologies has faced criticism, with accusations that feed-in tariffs were set too high and that farm owners were overpaid for their energy production. As the end of feed-in tariff regimes approaches for onshore wind farms in Portugal, it is unclear whether farm owners will choose to pursue repowering and life extension strategies, or opt to shut down operations. The present paper provides a techno-economic assessment to onshore wind farms in Portugal to assess their historical financial performance based on power production estimates and applicable feed-in tariff legal regimes. Based on the estimated investment costs, farm yield and established feed-in tariffs, the results suggest that there is no evidence of exceptional profits in onshore wind projects in Portugal. The results also suggest significant economic benefits for Portugal in prioritizing future investments in onshore wind, by pointing towards a strategic focus on life extension and repowering strategies as key components of this forward-looking approach.

A few remarks on the role of Europe and European scholarship in a world of extremes

A few remarks on the role of Europe and European scholarship in a world of extremes

EUROPEAN POLICY VECTOR M. THATCHER, T. MAY, L. TRUSS: EUROSCEPTICISM, BREXIT, DISTANCING

The article is devoted to the European course of Prime Ministers M. Thatcher, T. May and L. Truss, based on the analysis of a wide range of sources and literature, the British policy regarding Euro integration in the period 1979-1990, and 2016-2019 is examined. and 2022. The work identifies the main stages and main directions of each of the three ladies - heads of government of the United Kingdom in the formation and implementation of the British strategy in a united Europe. We examined the reasons, goals, features and factors of London’s political course regarding the Brussels model of deepening and expanding cooperation from the European Economic Community to the European Union. It is shown that, firstly, the Thatcher government sought to use the Common Market as a trade and economic bloc, membership in which could contribute to both the economic growth of its country and the restoration of Britain’s global role in Europe and in the world. This task was solved by Thatcher through sharp confrontation, defending British interests, and receiving benefits and preferences from participation in the Community. Secondly, after the decision of the referendum on leaving the EU, T. May led a complex and contradictory negotiation process to develop conditions with Brussels, the British Parliament and the Conservative Party, which found itself in crisis due to disagreements on Brexit, which led to T. May’s resignation. Thirdly, the course of the L. Truss cabinet, in a situation of economic crisis, was focused on protecting British interests in trade and the fight against illegal migration but did not lead to noticeable results.

Digital and Sustainable (Twin) Transformations: A Case of SMEs in the European Union

In the European Digital Decade 2030 Policy Program, the following guidelines for European digital transformation are named, which means that more than 90% of small- and medium-sized companies reach at least a basic level of digital intensity. In addition to that, the European Commission pays a lot of attention to implementing the “Green Deal” in order to achieve less environmental impact. ICT SMEs already play a key role in Europe’s green and digital transformation, creating technologies that promote sustainability and strengthen Europe’s position. The limited and fragmented application of today’s digital and sustainable technologies in SMEs is observed at the EU level. The bibliometric literature analytical results show that the number of papers on the digital direction is five times higher than on the sustainable direction topic. The paper seeks to identify directions that could help SMEs to speed up this twin transformation in each EU country. The authors proposed a two-stage methodology, which is used for researching twin transformations in SMEs. According to the methodology, first, the authors analysed the indicators of EU-27 SMEs, representing their activity towards the twin transformation, comparing them among other size classes. The results show that the SME’s numbers in the 16 indicators area are worse than the numbers characterizing EU-27 enterprises, having more than ten employees. In addition, a multi-criteria decision making-based assessment framework was constructed to show the progress towards the twin transition. The provided research shows which areas require more attention from SMEs and policy makers responding to the twin transformation objectives.

Flexing with lines or pipes: Techno-economic comparison of renewable electricity import options for European research facilities.

Where local resources for renewable electricity are scarce or insufficient, long-distance electricity imports will be required in the future. Even across long distances, the variable availability of renewable energy sources needs to be managed for which dedicated storage options are usually considered. Other alternatives could be demand-side flexibility and concentrated solar power with integrated thermal energy storage. Here their influence on the cost of imported electricity is explored. Using a techno-economic linear capacity optimization, exports of renewable electricity from Morocco and Tunisia to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland in the context of large research facilities are modeled. Two different energy supply chains are considered, direct imports of electricity by HVDC transmission lines, and indirect imports using H2 pipelines subsequent electricity generation. The results show that direct electricity exports ranging from 58 EUR/MWh to 106 EUR/MWh are the more economical option compared to indirect H2-based exports ranging from 157 EUR/MWh to 201 EUR/MWh. Both demand-side flexibility and CSP with TES offer significant opportunities to reduce the costs of imports, with demand-side flexibility able to reduce costs for imported electricity by up to 45%. Research institutions in Central Europe could initiate and strengthen electricity export-import partnerships with North Africa to take on a leading role in Europe's energy transition and to secure for themselves a long-term, sustainable electricity supply at plannable costs.

RUSSIAN-GERMAN INTERACTION IN TERMS OF EUROPEAN POLICY OF CONTAINMENT: TO INTERRUPT IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO SUPPORT

The policy of sanctions’ restrictions, being persistently carried out by the European countries, isn’t crowned with expected results and has more sharply attracted attention to European problems. The hypothesis is, that immersing into economic withstanding leads into trajectory of discussing in ideological context. Value problematic becomes important because liberalism has stopped be identified with idea of freedom and something common in human nature, we need search for possible variant of common existence in the future Europe – for rightful dialogue originated from pluralism of values, not from conditions of deal, whether the “grain”, “gas” or “green climate”. Germany and Russia were always connected by dependent relations, which determined it’s important role in Europe. The stereotype of “notorious German legitimacy, following the order established”, according to which Germany more needs habitual longstanding coordinates then abstract freedom, keeps hope, that Germany the first will realize and continue to uphold the single and multivariant possibility of existence of the Europe common with Russia, of continuing the interaction with Russia in the most important questions: military and energetic safety, economic and investment cooperation, scientific and cultural-educational exchange. Russian-German relations were traditionally a guarantor of stable Europe and its worthy place in global architecture. There will be no exclusion now. Rules will change, but place and role of Russia on Eurasian continent for objective reasons is an axiom and isn’t a subject to reconsideration by initiators of withstanding. Their destructive role consists in cleaning and preparing the place for relations of new level for good of common Europe.

Equal Pay in the 1948 Italian Constitution. A Pioneering Role in Europe?

Equal Pay in the 1948 Italian Constitution. A Pioneering Role in Europe?

Global spread characteristics of CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamases: A genomic epidemiology analysis

BackgroundExtended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing bacteria have spread worldwide and become a global public health concern. Plasmid-mediated transfer of ESBLs is an important route for resistance acquisition. MethodsWe collected 1345 complete sequences of plasmids containing CTX-Ms from public database. The global transmission pattern of plasmids and evolutionary dynamics of CTX-Ms have been inferred. We applied the pan-genome clustering based on plasmid genomes and evolution analysis to demonstrate the transmission events. FindingsTotally, 48 CTX-Ms genotypes and 186 incompatible types of plasmids were identified. The geographical distribution of CTX-Ms showed significant differences across countries and continents. CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-55 were found to be the dominant genotypes in Asia, while CTX-M-1 played a leading role in Europe. The plasmids can be divided into 12 lineages, some of which forming distinct geographical clusters in Asia and Europe, while others forming hybrid populations. The Inc types of plasmids are lineage-specific, with the CTX-M-1_IncI1-I (Alpha) and CTX-M-65_IncFII (pHN7A8)/R being the dominant patterns of cross-host and cross-regional transmission. The IncI-I (Alpha) plasmids with the highest number, were presumed to form communication groups in Europe-Asia and Asia-America-Oceania, showing the transmission model as global dissemination and regional microevolution. Meanwhile, the main kinetic elements of blaCTX-Ms showed genotypic preferences. ISEcpl and IS26 were most frequently involved in the transfer of CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-65, respectively. IS15 has become a crucial participant in mediating the dissemination of blaCTX-Ms. Interestingly, blaTEM and blaCTX-Ms often coexisted in the same transposable unit. Furthermore, antibiotic resistance genes associated with aminoglycosides, sulfonamides and cephalosporins showed a relatively high frequency of synergistic effects with CTX-Ms. ConclusionsWe recognized the dominant blaCTX-Ms and mainstream plasmids of different continents. The results of this study provide support for a more effective response to the risks associated with the evolution of blaCTX-Ms-bearing plasmids, and lay the foundation for genotype-specific epidemiological surveillance of resistance, which are of important public health implications.

Assessing the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Clean Energy Technologies in Europe: A Systematic Review

This systematic review investigates the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing clean energy technologies within Europe, based on a literature survey from 2006 to 2023. The assessment reveals that AI, particularly through deep learning and neural networks, enhances the efficiency, optimization, and management of clean energy systems. Noteworthy is AI’s capacity to improve short-term energy forecasts, essential for smart cities and IoT applications. Our findings indicate that AI drives innovation in renewable energy, contributing to the development of smart grids and enabling collaborative energy-sharing models. While the research underscores AI’s substantial influence in Europe’s energy sector, it also identifies gaps, such as varied AI algorithm applications in different renewable energy sectors. The study emphasizes the need for integrating AI with emerging clean energy innovations, advocating for interdisciplinary research to navigate the socio-economic, environmental, and policy dimensions. This approach is crucial for guiding a sustainable and balanced advancement in the clean energy landscape, signifying AI’s pivotal role in Europe’s energy transition.

Friendship: The ‘Achilles Heel’ of European Youth Work Policy

This paper analyses the historical development of friendship in youth work in the UK and more recent studies of the impact of youth work in both the UK and in the wider European context to argue that European youth work has failed to acknowledge this important aspect of practice. During youth work’s initial 150 years in the UK three concepts resided at the heart of the enterprise: (a) the ‘club’; (b) ‘membership’ and (c) ‘friendship’. Friendship eclipsed the others for they grew out of the friendships formed between workers and young people, and the young people themselves. Practitioners during this era expected to offer unconditional friendship to members, and to teach them the arts of acquiring and sustaining friendships via the modelling of virtuous behaviour. An exemplar founded upon Aristotle’s concept of friendship. Two recent research programmes highlight the degree to which friendship remains a core element within youth work. These are a comparative study of European youth work provision and a longitudinal study of youth work’s impact Each found the acquisition of and ability to make and retain friends were viewed as key benefits accruing from involvement in youth groups. Both, however, stand in stark contrast to current formulations regarding youth work’s future role in Europe which pay scant attention to the centrality of friendship This article discusses these developments and the important role friendship has and can play within youth work.

Essays in monetary history

Abstract The paper summarizes my dissertation, submitted to the Geneva Graduate Institute. I constructed a novel database of the currency composition of European foreign exchange reserves during the Bretton Woods period, from central banks’ archives. The first paper studies the determinants of the composition of the foreign exchange portfolios. The second paper compares the British pound’s international role in Europe and the sterling area. I argue that its persistence as a reserve currency was due to threats and economic sanctions. The final paper focuses on 19th Bank of France, and shows that data was used as collateral at the discount window.

The Feasibility of Achieving Objectives of the Euro 7 Standards in the Baltic Countries

Abstract Today, the concept of sustainability covers an increasing number of business areas. The transport sector is one of the largest contributors to air pollution in the world today but still plays a fundamental role in Europe’s economic growth. Finding the optimum balance between achieving sustainability objectives and boosting the performance of the transport sector is essential to avoid undermining Europe’s economic activity and growth prospects. One of the main tools for promoting environmental, social and economic sustainability is the EURO 7 standards, which have the most significant impact on the transport sector, and which aim to minimise carbon emissions by phasing out the production of combustion-engined cars by 2035, set stricter emission standards and introduce various emission control mechanisms. Each EU country has ambitious carbon minimisation goals. However, the current vehicle fleet structure analysis of the EU countries shows negative past and future trends in terms of sustainability factors. The goal of the study is to evaluate the feasibility of achieving the carbon minimisation objectives of the EURO 7 standards in the Baltic countries within the timeframe set. In order to achieve this goal, the structure of the Baltic countries vehicle fleets was analysed in terms of sustainability parameters and the transport sector expert forecasts of achieving the carbon minimisation objectives of the EURO 7 standards in the Baltic countries were collected.

White knight or partner of choice? The Ukraine war and the role of the Middle East in the energy security of Europe

The Ukraine war has forced Europe to redefine its energy security policies towards more diversification and less reliance on Russian energy. As an energy-rich and relatively close region, the Middle East can play a potentially important role in Europe's future energy security. However, a short-term and static view on the Middle East's readiness as Europe's energy partner conceals the dynamic nature of Europe's external policy towards this region. Closer energy cooperation with the Middle East requires a holistic approach and informed strategies that consider the realities and perspectives of energy-exporting countries. This paper provides an analysis of the role of the Middle East in Europe's energy security by considering political economic factors such as capacity, domestic reforms, and long-term supply reliability. Using a perspective based on international political economy, long-term strategies for energy cooperation between the Middle East and Europe are highlighted. Integration with North Africa's energy markets and infrastructure can deliver energy supplies and foster energy transition in Europe and the Middle East. Oil diplomacy with Gulf countries is necessary for price stability and the compensation of oil supplies for Europe. Finally, there are opportunities for European countries to strengthen energy trade partnerships (particularly with Qatar) and thus become more involved in the interstate competition for the abundant gas supplies of the Middle East. Europe's energy rapprochement with the Middle East solicits a re-examination of EU external energy policies in order to achieve more long-term and mutually beneficial energy cooperation.