Union Policy Research Articles

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

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

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

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

UNIFY: A unified policy designing framework for solving integrated Constrained Optimization and Machine Learning problems

The integration of Machine Learning (ML) and Constrained Optimization (CO) techniques has recently gained significant interest. While pure CO methods struggle with scalability and robustness, and ML methods like constrained Reinforcement Learning (RL) face difficulties with combinatorial decision spaces and hard constraints, a hybrid approach shows promise. However, multi-stage decision-making under uncertainty remains challenging for current methods, which often rely on restrictive assumptions or specialized algorithms. This paper introduces unify, a versatile framework for tackling a wide range of problems, including multi-stage decision-making under uncertainty, using standard ML and CO components. unify integrates a CO problem with an unconstrained ML model through parameters controlled by the ML model, guiding the decision process. This ensures feasible decisions, minimal costs over time, and robustness to uncertainty. In the empirical evaluation, unify demonstrates its capability to address problems typically handled by Decision Focused Learning, Constrained RL, and Stochastic Optimization. While not always outperforming specialized methods, unify’s flexibility offers broader applicability and maintainability. The paper includes the method’s formalization and empirical evaluation through case studies in energy management and production scheduling, concluding with future research directions.

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

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

ДЛИТЕЛЬНЫЙ ПРОСТОЙ ПРОИЗВОДСТВА. ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЕ СЕРИЙНОГО КАПИТАЛЬНОГО РЕМОНТА АВИАЦИОННЫХ СИЛОВЫХ УСТАНОВОК

The study objective is to determine the problems and optimal ways to recover the activities of industrial enterprises with long-term production downtime on the example of aviation plants performing the manufacture or mass overhaul of aircraft power plants (gas turbine engines, helicopter gearboxes, aggregates, modules, systems). The task presented in this paper is to develop proposals that should be used in the early recovery of production facilities in the new territories of the Russian Federation and its border zones. The paper briefly reveals the problems of restoring mass overhaul of aviation equipment as a typical example of a narrow-profile industrial activity, where bringing idle production in line with the requirements of Russian legislation has its own problems and industry features. The analysis of the factors of occurring, deepening and consequences of prolonged downtime of industrial enterprises presented in the study and methods for their accelerated recovery from the crisis require the development of an appropriate regulatory basis that takes into account the problems of the activities of management companies and ministries in non-standard conditions of the development of Russian industry. The novelty of the research work consists in the analysis of problems, trends and proposed methods for accelerated restoration of efficient industrial enterprises significant to the state with prolonged production downtime and non-compliance of their production and permits with the requirements of Russian legislation. This paper presents the results of research on the development of crisis situations in idle enterprises and ways to get out of them as soon as possible, taking into account compliance with legal norms and requirements of relevant industry regulatory documents. The conclusions in the paper are based on the practice of mass enterprises and contain optimal ways to accelerate their output to the required level. For this purpose, two models of a unified state policy have been developed in relation to enterprises significant to the state, whose activities previously did not comply with Russian legislation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The dual role of low-carbon ammonia in climate-smart farming and energy transition

The changing climate poses unprecedented risks and challenges to agricultural production and energy systems worldwide, necessitating innovative technology and policy solutions that transcend traditional boundaries. This paper highlights the critical intersection of energy and agricultural systems and identifies low-carbon intensity ammonia (LCIA) as a pivotal element in reducing the carbon footprint of US agricultural production, particularly in fertilizer use. It presents a comprehensive analysis of the ammonia market and value chain, emphasizing its potential to decarbonize agricultural fertilizers and serve as an alternative clean energy source. The technical review covers various ammonia production methods, from natural gas-based processes with carbon capture and storage to electrolysis using renewable energy. These methods’ economic and environmental implications are examined to provide insights into the levelized costs and emissions of LCIA applications across various scenarios. A case study focusing on the Permian Basin and Southern High Plains regions is conducted to illustrate the regional synergy between the agriculture and energy sectors, proposing a framework for integrating LCIA into the US agricultural sector. The proposed framework, Sustainable Ammonia for Resilient Agriculture, outlines policy recommendations and strategic investments to overcome market and infrastructure barriers, aiming to develop a resillient and sustainable LCIA value chain. Future research direction should emphasize the need for local value chain development plans encompassing agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and workforce development under a unified policy framework.

Prospects for the Convergence of the Legislation of the EAEU Countries Regarding the Legal Regulation of Artificial Intelligence

This study is devoted to the analysis of the prospects for the convergence of the legislation of the EAEU countries regarding the legal regulation of artificial intelligence (AI).Aim. To identify the need and identify the prerequisites for supranational legal regulation of AI in the EAEU. Tasks. To list the features of AI that necessitate supranational legal regulation in the context of analyzing the consequences for the purposes of the EAEU. To make a classification and analyze the prerequisites for the formation of the will of the EAEU member states to bring together the legislation of the EAEU countries in terms of legal regulation of AI.Methods. The problem-theoretical, formal-legal, logical, system-structural method and the method of comparison are used.Results. The study showed that such features of AI technologies as the ability to cause cross-border harm and the ability to autonomous processes require: a) the establishment of legal limits for delegating human authority to a machine that are uniform for the EAEU states, which is achieved by establishing administrative responsibilities for participants in the life cycle of AI systems and applications; b) developing a unified approach to eliminating the “responsibility gap” for the harm caused by AI and its legal consolidation in the law of the EAEU, which is achieved through supranational regulation of AI on these issues. The lack of “uniform norms” regarding the distribution of responsibility for harm produces legal conflicts that contribute to the creation of obstacles to the functioning of internal markets and asymmetries in the development of AI within the EAEU. The results of the analysis of the prerequisites for the formation of the will of the EAEU member states to bring together the legislation of the EAEU countries in terms of legal regulation of AI allow us to state the absence of prerequisites for a unified policy of the EAEU countries in the creation and use of AI, and consequently, the prospects for the convergence of legislation in the field of public relations through the formation of supranational legal regulation. However, the EAEU law does not contain obstacles to the implementation of a unified AI policy in the future.Conclusions. The specifics of AI technologies require supranational legal regulation of AI, at least in matters of allocation of responsibility for harm caused by AI in order to avoid legal conflicts that contribute to the creation of obstacles to the functioning of internal markets and asymmetries in the development of AI within the EAEU. Despite the current lack of prerequisites, the EAEU law does not contain obstacles to the convergence of the legislation of the EAEU countries in terms of legal regulation of AI in the event of such a decision.

Red versus blue states: Inequality in energy-related CO2 emissions in the United States (1997–2021)

The partisan divide over climate change issues in the U.S. has been increasing over time, particularly after the signing of the Kyoto protocol in 1997. This divide has posed a substantial hurdle to implementing a unified climate policy in the U.S. In this paper, I employ the Shapley value decomposition approach to measure the partisan gap in state-level per capita energy-related CO2 emissions. Despite a decrease in overall carbon emissions and stable per capita carbon inequality between states (measured by the Gini index), the inequality between the so called ‘red’ and ‘blue’ states widened over the period between 1997 and 2021. This is true regardless of whether each state is treated as a unit of analysis or assigned a weight equal to its population. Throughout the period, the divide by political party color was more pronounced than that by many other dimensions, such as income, climatic condition, and geographic location. These results also hold true when Mean Log Deviation is used as the measure of inequality. Driven primarily by disparity in transportation sector and coal use for electricity generation, the partisan gap was worse in 2021 than in 2020. While the partisan gap intensified, the carbon distribution changed from being top-concentrated to bottom-concentrated between 1997 and 2019, only to be reversed in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and subsequent economic recovery in 2021.

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

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

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

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

Violating Peace: Sex, Aid, and Peacekeeping by Jasmine-Kin Westendorf

This book review covers the insightful examination of the crucial yet understudied issue of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in UN peacekeeping operations. Westendorf deconstructs SEA practices and critiques the persistent lack of accountability, despite a decade of UN policy development aimed at prevention. She underscores the profound implications of SEA on the effectiveness and credibility of peacekeeping missions. Westendorf's book significantly contributes to scholarly and policy discussions, highlighting the challenges that undermine peacekeeping and peacebuilding in conflict-ridden societies where SEA is most prevalent.

The disappearance of pollution havens under unified environmental regulation: evidence from China’s pig industry

ABSTRACT Since 2014, China has implemented a unified environmental regulation policy for the livestock industry. With unified environmental regulations across provinces, does the phenomenon of ‘pollution havens’ still exist? To address this question, this paper examines spatial variations among provinces and their spillover effects on the pig industry using data on environmental regulations and pig production panels. The results indicate that: (1) Environmental regulation policies are gradually converging across regions. (2) Under unified environmental regulation, the existence of ‘pollution havens’ in the pig industry is no longer evident. As national regulations become stronger, increasing local regulatory intensity will not affect the number of pig farms in neighboring areas nor lead to significant emigration of such farms. (3) In cases where there are inter-regional variations in environmental regulations, large-scale farmers may relocate to neighboring areas with less stringent regulations; however, under unified environmental regulation, neither small nor large-scale farmers will migrate.

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

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

A comparative analysis of supply chain management between Portugal and Ireland

PurposeThis study investigates how insurance intermediaries in Portugal and Ireland evaluate supply chain management (SCM) practices within the insurance industry, specifically focusing on potential regional variations in their assessments.Design/methodology/approachA comparative research design was employed, collecting data through surveys administered to insurance brokers in Portugal and Ireland. These countries were chosen due to their well-developed intermediary-based insurance markets.FindingsThe results show that some dimensions of supply chain management are significantly different between Portugal and Ireland. Nevertheless, the insurance brokers from the two countries also share similar views on key aspects of supply chain management.Practical implicationsThis study offers valuable insights for insurance industry management, particularly regarding the dynamics of the insurer-intermediary relationship and the importance of catering to intermediary needs. The findings also highlight potential areas for European Union policy consideration, such as addressing potential asymmetries within the insurance sector across member states.Social implicationsImproved relationships and collaboration within the insurance supply chain can lead to enhanced access to insurance products and more tailored services for consumers.Originality/valueThis research addresses two key gaps in the literature. Firstly, it examines the insurer-intermediary relationship from the intermediary perspective, a viewpoint often neglected in prior research. Secondly, the study investigates and confirms the existence of regional variations in insurance SCM practices across two European countries.

Functional responses in habitat selection as a management tool to evaluate agri-environment schemes for farmland birds

Agri-environment schemes (AES), as part of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy, are intended to help prevent the decline of farmland biodiversity. Nevertheless, the ecological effectiveness of AES in supporting farmland bird populations remains inconclusive across studies. This inconsistency highlights a research gap: What behavioral mechanisms contribute to the variation in farmland bird populations? This variability may arise because farmland birds alter their habitat selection in response to available habitat—a phenomenon known as functional responses in habitat selection. Here, we examined the effects of AES and non-AES land-use variables on habitat selection of farmland birds, taking into account the species-specific functional response to availability. We built two types of hierarchical distance sampling models to analyze observational data of four farmland bird species from line-transect surveys during the breeding season in Saxony, Germany. First, we built mixed-effects models to estimate the marginal effects of AES and non-AES land-use variables on the occurrence of farmland birds. Second, we integrated linear models into the distance sampling model to relate habitat selection estimates to habitat availability. Results from the first mixed-effects model showed positive and negative effects of AES on habitat selection. In the second model, we observed inverse relationships between habitat selection and availability for both AES and non-AES variables. These results support the hypothesis of negative functional responses, as we found a decrease in the tendency of farmland birds to select both AES and non-AES land uses as their availability increased. Our findings suggest that the varying effects of AES on bird occurrences reported in the literature may depend on cross-study differences in AES availability. We propose that functional responses in habitat selection should be considered as a phenomenon in future AES research. Our study also highlights the importance of optimal AES provision and their spatial allocation in the agricultural landscape.

Динамика культурно-политического развития ингушского народа в 1920–1930 гг.

The dynamics of the cultural and political development of the Ingush people during the 1920–1930s is examined in the article, focusing on the gradual elimination of their statehood. It presents an overview of the contradictory policies of Soviet power in the region. On one hand, processes of modernization and Europeanization were pursued under a unified Soviet policy, while on the other hand, they exhibited regional specificities. The inherent contradictions in the Soviet power’s national policies were inevitable within the totalitarian model of command-administrative systems. Despite declaring internationalism as the basis for a future communist society, the practical process of autonomization often involved the territorial division along ethnic lines, which sometimes did not align with the local population’s national composition. Territorial administration was arbitrary, leading to land disputes that remain relevant today. The Soviet government, pursuing a policy of cultural development of the Ingush Autonomous Region, creating a network of educational institutions, forming national personnel from among the Ingush, simultaneously carried out repression of the Ingush intelligentsia. This process was accompanied by territorial disturbances, resulting in the loss of established infrastructure alongside the loss of statehood. The policy of “korenizatsiya” (indigenization) was marked by excesses; however, the struggle for the cultural development of the Ingush people, as an integral part of the ideological work of the Soviet state, ultimately achieved significant successes.

Rural Self-Organizing Resilience: Village Collective Strategies and Negotiation Paths in Urbanization Process in the TPSNT Framework: A Case Study of the Hongren Village, China

Studies on rural transformation in the context of urbanization have always analyzed it from a single linear perspective, either top-down or bottom-up. This leads to simplistic generalizations of rural transformation models and the standardization of policy implementation. Based on the TPSN analytical framework, this study adds the temporality dimension to form a more comprehensive TPSNT framework. This paper explores the complex construction of rural space in rural transformation from the five dimensions of “territory, place, scale, network and temporality“ and takes the urban village, Hongren, in Kunming City, China, as a case study to analyze the specific transformation process of a village. The research revealed the following: First, in the face of land loss caused by government land acquisition, traditional rural autonomous organizations that have been hidden under the modern governance system have been revived under the influence of traditional elites and completed bottom-up territorialization by using some “maneuver spaces “to form a spatial base for negotiation with the government. Second, the cohesion of traditional rural autonomous organizations has increased during this process, and with the help of mobile capital such as media and personal connections, they have developed social networks that transcend the spatial boundaries of villages. Third, these newly constructed social networks are used to carry out various political strategies at various scales and finally negotiated with the government to rewrite the planning plan so that the village can continue to develop and integrate into the city. Finally, the analysis of the temporal dimensions of Hongren village revealed that even within the same village, changes in the other four dimensions develop dynamically, and rural transformation is an ongoing process. Therefore, when the government deals with rural issues in the process of urbanization, it should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Unified policy implementation standards will have an irreversible negative impact on rural autonomous organizations.