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Project Title: CHARM-EU (Challenge-driven, Accessible, Research-Based and Mobile European University), The objective of this White Paper is, on the one hand, the widest dissemination of the analyses, practices, proposals and challenges facing the governance of European Universities based on the activities and pilot tests carried out by CHARM-EU, largely reflected in the Handbook on CHARMEU’s innovative governance and management model and in the Terms of Reference of the governance model. On the other hand, and in a special way, it is also intended to disseminate the legal analysis of the implications, content and scope of a possible future model of separate legal entity for the European Universities and the Alliances derived from the European Universities Initiative.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life in Europe and globally. The pandemic affects both individuals and the broader society across many domains, including physical and psychological health, the economy and general welfare. The measures taken to counteract the pandemic have significantly altered daily life and, along with the threat of contracting the coronavirus and uncertainties surrounding future developments, created a complex system of stressors with a negative impact on public mental health. This paper aims to outline the ESTSS strategy to address mental health issues related to COVID-19 and focuses on (1) trauma-informed policies, (2) capacity building, (3) collaborative research and (4) knowledge-exchange. To facilitate implementation of a trauma-informed approach and appropriate measures, ESTSS has developed a toolkit of recommendations on mental health and psychosocial assistance to be provided during the different phases of crisis and its aftermath. To promote capacity building, ESTSS offers a certification programme based on a curriculum in psychotraumatology and corresponding on-line training to the European community of mental health professionals. To assure evidence-based approaches and methods tailored to current circumstances, ESTSS has initiated a pan-European research project with international cooperation aimed at studying the mental health consequences of the pandemic, with a focus on psychological trauma and other stress-related reactions. To foster knowledge-exchange, the European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT), the official journal of ESTSS, is publishing a special issue on COVID-19.La pandemia de COVID-19 ha cambiado la vida en Europa y en todo el mundo. La pandemia afecta tanto a los individuos como a la sociedad en general en muchos ámbitos, incluida la salud física y psicológica, la economía y el bienestar general. Las medidas tomadas para contrarrestar la pandemia han alterado significativamente la vida diaria y, junto con la amenaza de contraer el coronavirus y las incertidumbres que rodean los desarrollos futuros, crearon un complejo sistema de estresores con un impacto negativo en la salud mental pública. En este artículo se pretende esbozar la estrategia de la ESTSS para abordar los problemas de salud mental relacionados con COVID-19 y se centra en: 1. Políticas informadas en trauma, 2. capacitación, 3. investigación colaborativa, 4. e intercambio de conocimientos. Para facilitar la implementación de un enfoque basado en el trauma y las medidas apropiadas, la ESTSS ha desarrollado un conjunto de herramientas de recomendaciones sobre salud mental y asistencia psicosocial que se proporcionará durante las diferentes fases de la crisis y sus consecuencias. Para fomentar la capacitación, la ESTSS ofrece un programa de certificación basado en un plan de estudios en psicotraumatología y la formación on-line correspondiente a la comunidad europea de profesionales de la salud mental. Para asegurar enfoques y métodos basados en la evidencia adaptados a las circunstancias actuales, la ESTSS ha iniciado un proyecto de investigación paneuropeo con cooperación internacional, destinado a estudiar las consecuencias de la pandemia en la salud mental, con enfoque en el trauma psicológico y otras reacciones relacionadas con el estrés. Para fomentar intercambio de conocimiento, la European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT), la revista oficial de ESTSS, publica un número especial sobre COVID-19.COVID-19疫情改变了欧洲乃至全球的生活。疫情影响着个人和整个社会, 涉及众多领域, 包括身心健康, 经济和一般福利。为应对疫情采取的措施已大大改变了人们的日常生活, 并且随着冠状病毒感染的威胁及未来发展的不确定性, 造成了一个复杂的应激源系统, 对公共心理健康产生了负面影响。本文旨在概述ESTSS解决COVID-19相关心理健康问题的策略, 并重点关注:1.创伤知情政策, 2.能力建设, 3.合作研究以及 4.知识交流。为了促进创伤知情方法和适当措施的实行, ESTSS开发了一套工具包, 包含可在危机不同阶段及之后提供的关心理健康和社会心理援助的建议。为了促进能力建设, ESTSS提供了基于精神创伤学课程的认证计划, 并向欧洲精神卫生专业人员社区提供了相应的在线培训。为了确保采取针对当前情况定制的循证方法, ESTSS与国际合作启动了一项泛欧研究项目, 旨在研究疫情的心理健康后果, 重点关注心理创伤和其他应激相关反应。为了促进知识交流, ESTSS的官方杂志《欧洲精神创伤学杂志》 (EJPT) 正在出版COVID-19相关特刊。.

Much has changed since the creation of the Joint Africa-European Union (EU) Strategy in 2007. The developing world has been changing fast. Development policy and practices are also transforming, albeit at a slower pace. The divide between emerging economies and ‘fragile states’ is increasing. This is also the case in Africa. As not only Africa, but also the EU-Africa relationship is changing and evolving into new dimensions, there is clearly a need to develop a new European strategy, constructed on the basis of an emerging continent. Africa is home to the youngest population in the world and some of the world’s most fragile states. However, it is also a continent with emerging markets and more effective governments. This brief aims to clarify how well the new Strategy must manage to mainstream a European approach to Africa that considers both the inter-continental dialogue and the diversity of development on this emerging continent within the fields of governance, security and migration. As the COVID-19 has turned into a pandemic, the brief also suggests that the new European strategy must reflect this development and the European Parliament should closely monitor the situation as it discusses the Strategy.

The prevalence, complexity, clinical importance, heterogeneity and unpredictability of inherited cardiovascular diseases make the development of inherited cardiovascular disease centers an inevitability, with the ultimate goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions. An inherited cardiovascular disease center may be seen as a subunit of a cardiology department, with health professionals specializing in these types of disorders, organized to provide excellence in all related areas, including diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, prevention, risk stratification and prognosis. Among its objectives are the development of action protocols and the creation of databases that enable patients to be included in national and international research networks. To achieve these objectives these centers should include functional units of clinical and basic sciences, research, training and education, acting in harmony in a holistic approach to patients and their families. As most experience on inherited cardiovascular diseases is based on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and on “hypertrophic cardiomyopathy centers”, these centers represent an excellent opportunity to learn how to set up inherited cardiovascular disease centers. European centers will differ from country to country, reflecting the heterogeneity of national health systems, but will share a common core, presented in this document. Though we are aware that this ambitious project is not at all easy and may be difficult to implement in its entirety – in fact we consider it a major step – our position is that all the efforts to achieve it are worthwhile, considering that the main goal will always be the well-being of those affected by these particular disorders. Resumo: A prevalência, complexidade, importância clínica, heterogeneidade e imprevisibilidade das doenças cardíacas heredofamiliares torna a criação de Unidades de Doenças Cardíacas Hereditárias uma inevitabilidade, cujo objectivo final é reduzir a morbilidade e a mortalidade relacionadas com estas patologias. Uma Unidade de Doenças Cardíacas Hereditárias é uma subunidade de um departamento de Cardiologia constituída por profissionais de saúde especializados neste tipo de doenças, organizado de forma a proporcionar a excelência em todos as suas áreas, incluindo diagnóstico, tratamento, seguimento, prevenção, estratificação de risco e determinação de prognóstico. Alguns dos seus objectivos são o desenvolvimento de protocolos de actuação e a criação de bases de dados que permitam a inclusão de doentes em registos e redes de investigação nacionais e internacionais. Para atingir estes objectivos estes centros devem integrar Unidades Funcionais (clínica, ciências básicas, investigação, treino e educação), actuando harmonicamente numa abordagem holística de doentes e suas famílias. Como grande parte do conhecimento referente às doenças cardíacas hereditárias se baseia na miocardiopatia hipertrófica e na experiência adquirida com os “centros de miocardiopatia hipertrófica”, estes representam um excelente modelo para aprender como criar e desenvolver as Unidades de Doenças Cardíacas Hereditárias. A nível Europeu, as características destas Unidades serão diferentes de um país para outro, reflectindo a heterogeneidade dos diferentes sistemas e serviços nacionais de saúde, compartilhando no entanto um core comum, apresentado neste documento. Embora conscientes de que este projecto é ambicioso e de que a sua concretização como um todo não será uma tarefa fácil, consideramos a aplicação e divulgação deste conceito a nível nacional e Europeu um passo de grande importância. Assim, a nossa posição é que todos os esforços para atingir esta meta valem a pena, considerando que o principal objectivo será sempre o bem-estar dos doentes afectados por estas patologias. Keywords: Inherited cardiovascular diseases, Inherited cardiovascular disease centers, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy centers, Palavras-chave: Doenças cardíacas hereditárias, Unidades de doenças cardíacas hereditárias, Miocardiopatia hipertrófica, Centros de miocardiopatia hipertrófica

This paper investigates the effect of merger-driven market concentration on the markups of non-merging rival firms in Europe's paper manufacturing industry. Using a representative data set of 400 independently-owned companies spanning a ten-year period, we aim to disentangle the impact of full-scale mergers and acquisitions from that due to other concentration-increasing developments. We find a positive and statistically significant relationship between price-cost margins and overall industry consolidation, as captured by the Herfindahl-Hirschman and four-firm indexes. However, takeover-related market share amalgamation has a negative impact, albeit of more modest proportions. The latter result seems to be driven by vertical transactions, suggesting that input-side channels, much as product price competition, may explain non-merging firms' mark-up response.

Die Migration vieler nigerianischer junger Frauen nach Europa ist durch den Wunsch motiviert, ihre Familien zu Hause zu unterstützen. Für diejenigen, die über den Landweg nach Europa fahren, bedeutet das eine monate- gar jahrelange Reise. In dieser Übergangssituation kommen viele neue, oft sehr provisorische Beziehungen zustande und viele Migrantinnen werden schwanger. Obwohl ihre (ungeborene) Kinder oft weder geplant gewesen noch durch einen gegenseitigen Konsens auf die Welt gekommen sind, spielen sie eine entscheidende Rolle hinsichtlich der Fortsetzung der beabsichtigten Reise: Sie stellen eine Art Schutz für ihre Mütter dar und reduzieren das Risiko, dass sie ausweisen werden. Als alleinstehende Mütter profitieren sie zweifach von dieser Situation: Einerseits werden ihre Kinder in den Europäischen Gesellschaften versorgt. Andererseits werden durch die Hilfeleistungen des Gastlandes die Verwandten in der Heimat unterstützt. Im Kontext der Analyse des Migrationsverlaufs untersucht die Verfasserin die im Entstehen begriffenen neue Familienstrukturen in Nigeria. (ICFÜbers) "Many young Nigerian women's main reason for migrating to Europe lies in the desire to support their families back home in Nigeria. For those who travel to Europe overland it means being on the road for months or even several years. In this transitional stage, new relationships - often highly provisional - develop, and many migrants get pregnant. Although their (unborn) children are often not the result of relationships based on mutual consent nor planned, they nonetheless may play a crucial role in being able to continue the journey: These days they represent a kind of protection and 'papers' and, thereby, reduce the risk for their mothers of being deported. Being mostly single mothers, soon after reaching Europe the young women take on the role of double breadwinners: On the one hand, they have to provide for their children who were born on the road or in the country of destination, on the other hand, they have to support their families in Nigeria. In analyzing these new forms of family relationships that span from the country of origin to the transit country and the (provisional) destination country, the author also contributes to research on the dynamics of family structures in the context of migration." (author's abstract)

This paper analyses the effects of price and market size variables on the investment propensities in the pulp and paper industry. A panel of 15 European countries in the time period 1984 - 1997 is used in the regression analysis. We find the wages, the US/ECU exchange rate, the price of paper and the installed production capacity to be the main determinants of strategic investments in this industry. Our measure of market size have no - or only very small - effects.

The aim of this study is to provide quantitative insight into future actual supply of wood as a raw material (between 2005 and 2060) from European forests (36 countries). To do so, the degree to which apparent demand can be met is quantified with a forest resource model (resulting in the actual supply). This actual supply is tested for two sets of management regimes: ‘projection of historical management’ and ‘new management trends’. The results indicate that if new trends in forest management and supply behaviour continue to develop as in the recent past, an additional theoretical shortfall of 195 million m3 roundwood per year can be expected by 2060 in 36 European countries. The European part of Russia is not able to reduce the shortfall, because of its own demand developing. These shortfalls have to be understood as theoretical shortfalls; they visualise what may happen if no market adaptations occur in the future. Under this projected shortfall, the total growing stock in European forests (incl. European part of Russia) still increases from 51 billion m3 in 2005 to 62 billion m3 in 2060

The aim of this study is to provide quantitative insight into future actual supply of wood as a raw material (between 2005 and 2060) from European forests (36 countries). To do so, the degree to which apparent demand can be met is quantified with a forest resource model (resulting in the actual supply). This actual supply is tested for two sets of management regimes: ‘projection of historical management’ and ‘new management trends’. The results indicate that if new trends in forest management and supply behaviour continue to develop as in the recent past, an additional theoretical shortfall of 195 million m3 roundwood per year can be expected by 2060 in 36 European countries. The European part of Russia is not able to reduce the shortfall, because of its own demand developing. These shortfalls have to be understood as theoretical shortfalls; they visualise what may happen if no market adaptations occur in the future. Under this projected shortfall, the total growing stock in European forests (incl. European part of Russia) still increases from 51 billion m3 in 2005 to 62 billion m3 in 2060

Forstwissenschaftliche Beiträge der Professur Forstpolitik und Forstökonomie, 25, ISBN:3-9520829-8-8

Arbeitsberichte Verkehrs- und Raumplanung, 13

Precipitation experiments from a model Europan ocean solution subjected to fast and slow freezing suggest that the highly hydrated Na–Mg sulfate phase Na2Mg(SO4)2·16H2O is one of the lowest-temperature mineral phases likely to be stable on Europa’s surface and may therefore be astrobiologically significant., The precipitation of hydrated phases from a chondrite-like Na–Mg–Ca–SO4–Cl solution is studied using in situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, under rapid- (360 K h−1, T = 250–80 K, t = 3 h) and ultra-slow-freezing (0.3 K day−1, T = 273–245 K, t = 242 days) conditions. The precipitation sequence under slow cooling initially follows the predictions of equilibrium thermodynamics models. However, after ∼50 days at 245 K, the formation of the highly hydrated sulfate phase Na2Mg(SO4)2·16H2O, a relatively recent discovery in the Na2Mg(SO4)2–H2O system, was observed. Rapid freezing, on the other hand, produced an assemblage of multiple phases which formed within a very short timescale (≤4 min, ΔT = 2 K) and, although remaining present throughout, varied in their relative proportions with decreasing temperature. Mirabilite and meridianiite were the major phases, with pentahydrite, epsomite, hydrohalite, gypsum, blödite, konyaite and loweite also observed. Na2Mg(SO4)2·16H2O was again found to be present and increased in proportion relative to other phases as the temperature decreased. The results are discussed in relation to possible implications for life on Europa and application to other icy ocean worlds.

On 1 March 2017, the European Commission presented a White Paper on the future of Europe emphasizing the phenomenon of globalization. Its aim is to assess what globalization means and will mean to the EU. In 2000, the social quality became a strategy for the EU´s economic policy. It is long known that both phenomena bring with them a number of changes of positive and negative sense. We see them as processes that deeply affect the existing structures of each country. For this reason, we have set the aim of our paper to evaluate the existing situation in globalization as well as in the social quality in Slovakia and in the V4 countries and also to clarify the interconnection between the two important phenomena. Analysis is based on an innovated globalization index that can be mapped in three dimensions: economic, social and political. In the social quality research, we take into account created index of the social quality at our department. Using the data obtained, we assess the interconnection of manifestations of globalization and the social quality as well as the three dimensions of globalization with the conditional factors of social quality and consider their existing interdependence.

Bioètica; Marc legal; Assaigs clínics Bioética; Marco legal; Ensayos clínicos Bioethics; Legal framework; Clinical trials Document adreçat principalment a professionals vinculats a comitès d’ètica de la investigació sobre els principis que han de guiar la investigació en éssers humans i sobre els procediments que s’articulen per a una adequada avaluació ètica, metodològica i de l’impacte social.

Introduction: Surveillance of tobacco consumption in public places is an important measure to evaluate the impact of tobacco control interventions over time. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of smoking as seen by smokers and their smoking behaviour in public places, in six European countries. Methods: We used baseline data of the International Tobacco Control Six European countries (ITC 6E) Survey, part of the EUREST-PLUS Project, conducted in 2016 in national representative samples of about 1000 adult smokers aged 18 years and older in Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Spain. For each setting (workplaces, restaurants, bars/pubs and discos) participants were asked whether they had seen someone smoking during their last visit there and whether they too had smoked there. We report the overall and by-country weighted prevalence of seeing someone smoking and the smokers’ own smoking behaviour at each setting. We also assess the relationship between seeing someone smoking and smoking themselves at these settings. Results: The prevalence of smoking as seen by smokers was 18.8% at workplaces, with high variability among countries (from 4.7% in Hungary to 40.8% in Greece). Among smokers visiting leisure facilities in the last year, during their last visit 22.7% had seen someone smoking inside restaurants and 12.2% had smoked themselves there, while for bars/pubs the corresponding prevalences were 33.9% and 20.4%, and inside discos 44.8% and 34.8%. Conclusions: Smoking is still prevalent at leisure facilities, particularly at discos in Europe, with high variability among countries. More extensive awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement are needed to increase the compliance of smokefree regulations, especially in leisure facilities.

Introduction The aim of this study was to examine knowledge of health effects of smoking and the impact of cigarette package warnings among tobacco users from six European Union (EU) Member States (MS) immediately prior to the introduction of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) in 2016 and to explore the interrelationship between these two factors. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected via face-to-face interviews with adult smokers (n=6011) from six EU MS (Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Spain) between June-September 2016. Sociodemographic variables and knowledge of health risks of smoking (KHR) were assessed. Warning salience, thoughts of harm, thoughts of quitting and foregoing of cigarettes as a result of health warnings were assessed. The Label Impact Index (LII) was used as a composite measure of warning effects. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine sociodemographic predictors of KHR and LII and the inter-relationship between knowledge and LII scores. Results The KHR index was highest in Romania and Greece and lowest in Hungary and Germany. While the majority of smokers knew that smoking increases the risk for heart diseases, lung and throat cancer, there was lower awareness that tobacco use caused mouth cancer, pulmonary diseases, stroke, and there were very low levels of knowledge that it was also associated with impotence and blindness, in all six countries. Knowledge regarding the health risks of passive smoking was moderate in most countries. The LII was highest in Romania and Poland, followed by Spain and Greece, and lowest in Germany and Hungary. In almost all countries, there was a positive association between LII scores and higher KHR scores after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Several sociodemographic factors were associated with KHR and LII, with differences in these associations documented across countries. Conclusions These data provide evidence to support the need for stronger educational efforts and policies that can enhance the effectiveness of health warnings in communicating health risks and promoting quit attempts. Data will serve as a baseline for examining the impact of the TPD.

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has grown significantly in some European Union (EU) Member States (MS). A better understanding of the exposure to secondhand e-cigarette aerosols (SHA) is necessary to develop and implement comprehensive regulations on e-cigarette use in public places. This study aims to assess the observation of e-cigarette use in public places, the self-reported exposure to SHA, and the level of users' comfort using e-cigarettes in the presence of others. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of the Wave 1 International Tobacco Control 6 European Countries Survey recruiting adult smokers (n=6011) across six EU MS: Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Spain, within the EURESTPLUS Project. A descriptive analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence (%) of observed e-cigarette use in different places, frequency of self-reported exposure to SHA, and level of comfort using e-cigarettes in the presence of others. Results: In all, 31.0% of smokers observed others using e-cigarette in public places, 19.7% in indoor places where smoking is banned, and 14.5% indoors at work. Almost 37% of smokers reported to be ever exposed to SHA, ranging from 17.7% in Spain to 63.3% in Greece. The higher prevalence of observed e-cigarette use and passive exposure to SHA was reported by smokers of younger age, of higher educational level and those being current or former e-cigarette users. Part (8.8%) of the smokers who were also e-cigarette users reported feeling uncomfortable using e-cigarettes in the presence of others. Conclusions: A third of smokers from six EU MS reported being exposed to SHA. Prevalence differences were observed among the countries. In the context of scarce evidence on long-term health effects of exposure to SHA, precautionary regulations protecting bystanders from involuntary exposure should be developed.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco tax policies have been proven to be effective in reducing tobacco consumption, but their impact can be mitigated through price-minimizing behaviours among smokers. This study explored the purchase sources of tobacco products and the price paid for tobacco products in six EU member states.METHODS: Data from Wave 1 of the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Survey collected from nationally representative samples of adult smokers in Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Spain (ITC 6E Survey) were used. The ITC 6E Survey sample, conducted in 2016, randomly sampled 6011 adult cigarette smokers aged 18 years or older. Information on purchase sources of tobacco was examined by country. The difference in reported purchase price by purchase location (store vs non-store/other) was analysed using linear regression for each country.RESULTS: Tobacco purchasing patterns and sources varied widely between countries. Non-store/other purchases were very rare in Hungary (0.1%) while these types of purchases were more common in Germany (5.1%) and Poland (8.6%). Reported prices of one standard pack of 20 cigarettes were highest in Germany (4.80€) and lowest in Hungary (2.45€). While non-store purchases were only made by a minority of smokers (>10% in all countries), the price differential was considerable between store and non-store/other sources, up to 2€ per pack in Greece and in Germany.CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a huge variation of purchasing sources and price differentials between store and non-store purchasing sources across the six EU member states examined. While the cross-sectional data precludes any causal inference, supply chain control through licensing as introduced in Hungary and the lack of such measures in the other countries might nevertheless be a plausible explanation for the large differences in the frequency of non-store purchases observed in this study.