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The textile industry is one of the most important industries in the European Union. The main environmental problems of the textile industry are the high water consumption, the generated pollution, the variety of chemicals used and the high energy demand. Recently, adsorbents with a large specific surface area and low weight, such as aerogels, have attracted great interest as promising materials for removing dyes from polluted water. Cellulose aerogels are inexpensive and non-toxic. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were chosen as the best method to describe the performance of the adsorbent. In this study, the adsorption efficiency of Congo red, Naphthol green B, Rhodamine B and Methylene blue were determined by using an adsorbent synthesized from paper and cardboard waste. The total organic carbon concentration was chosen as an indicator of the concentration of the dyes in the solutions. The aerogel capsules had 5% cellulose content. It was found that the adsorption capacity of the aerogel in the solutions of Congo red varied from 0.028 mg/g to 14.483 mg/g; in the solutions of Naphthol green B, from 0.013 mg/g to 7.698 mg/g; in the solutions of Rhodamine B, from 0.020 mg/g to 8.768 mg/g; and in the solutions of Methylene blue, from 0.024 mg/g to 13.538 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulp and paper manufacturing industry is currently facing sweeping changes due to the fact that supply and demand are dominated by different global players. These changes have significant effects not only on the paper and pulp production of countries but also on world economies thanks to the high level of trade between countries around the world. Based on the historical development of paper, our study examines today's production around the world economies, shows the latest commercial trends in the paper and pulp trade, and makes a prediction on the effects of the data belonging to this sector on the trade of countries through using panel regression models. According to our results, we determined a significant relationship between the total world paper and cardboard production in Turkey and the European Union and the amount of pulp. On the other hand, a partial relationship was found between the European Union and Turkey's paper production. In addition, we concluded that the amount of pulp used in paper and cardboard production was the factor causing the total paper production in the European Union and Turkey. In other words, we have established as a result of the analysis that as the amount of pulp used in paper and cardboard production increases, paper and cardboard production also increases at the same rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democratic erosion in the EU's Central and Eastern European (CEE) member states has confounded EU policy-makers. In this paper, we investigate the assumptions behind the climate of optimism about CEE democratization that prevailed in EU decision-making before and after the 5th and 6th enlargements, and the extent to which political science participated in this intellectual climate. Based on a qualitative analysis of EU decision-making in the early twenty-first century and a quantitative analysis of 500 randomly sampled papers published between 2000 and 2015, we find that both policy makers and the most influential research in political science shared a bias towards optimism structured by common assumptions: A procedural understanding of democracy, a rational institutionalist belief in the EU's capacity to bring these procedures about with the use of incentives and the related assumption that sociocultural dimensions of democracy would eventually follow institutions. We argue that these common assumptions help to explain both the EU's failure to pre-empt and respond proportionately to democratic erosion, and the failure of our discipline to check that optimism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to initiate academic discussion on the European Union (EU) social taxonomy for the purpose of promoting sustainable economic activities that ultimately contribute to achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the EU. The paper examines the historical evolution of the social taxonomy concept and presents the chronological order of the regulatory advancements that have paved the way for the establishment of both the EU environmental and social taxonomies. This study emphasizes the role of the EU environmental taxonomy as the frontrunner and highlights three fundamental distinctions between taxonomies in terms of objectives, foundations, and measurability. By defining the key performance indicators applicable to entities engaged in taxonomy-aligned economic activities, the paper offers a tabulated framework to understand the core focus areas, sub-objectives, and types of substantial contributions related to each of the three social objectives outlined in the EU taxonomy. Moreover, this paper aims to emphasize the contemporary challenges and the prospective avenues for future research in the field of social taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of digital companies has brought benefits to society. Nevertheless, the digital era poses significant risks to consumers' privacy. The combination, through mergers, of enormous datasets could raise further privacy concerns. It has been much discussed whether and how consumer privacy concerns should be introduced within merger assessment. This paper approaches this issue from another perspective and reflects upon the circumstances under which the EU Merger Control Regulation (EUMR) has a role to address privacy issues. Accordingly, this paper clarifies the conditions that must be satisfied in order for privacy issues to fall within the EUMR's ambit. First, privacy should be a parameter of competition on the market and second, there must be a causal link between the merger and privacy deterioration. Following this, the paper turns to critically analyse the Commission's treatment of privacy issues in objectively selected mergers involving some of the most powerful digital companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The advent of Personalized Medicine (PM) holds significant promise in revolutionizing healthcare by tailoring treatments to individual patients based on their data. However, its successful implementation requires the seamless integration of innovative technologies and presents formidable challenges in terms of sustainability. To tackle these challenges head-on, the International Consortium for Personalized Medicine (ICPerMed) was established, and the IC2PerMed project, as part of this consortium, seeks to foster collaboration between the European Union (EU) and China in the field of Personalized Medicine. Based on the results collected by the project, the objective of this study is to discern the key priorities for the implementation of Personalised Medicine concerning Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Big Data and digital solutions, with a particular emphasis on data management and protection. Methods: A Delphi survey was conducted to gather expert's consensus on the main priorities for actions on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Big Data and digital solutions in the field of Personalized Medicine. Results: The survey identified seven priorities in the area of Big Data and digital solutions, including data interoperability, standards, security measures, and international partnerships. Additionally, twelve priorities were identified for the innovation-to-market process, emphasizing cost-effectiveness, need assessment, and value definition in resource allocation. Conclusions: The effective implementation of new technologies in Personalized Medicine research and practice is essential for the advancement of healthcare systems in both the European and Chinese contexts. The identified priorities play a pivotal role in promoting the sustainability of health systems and driving innovation in the implementation of Personalized Medicine. Addressing challenges related to data interoperability, standards, security, international collaboration, cost-effectiveness, and value assessment is of utmost importance in order to propel the progress of Personalized Medicine in healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of digitalization and organizational practices on innovation in Europe, between 2010 and 2016. We analyze the cross-country and industry differences in firms' investments and capabilities to adopt and use new technologies and their effects on innovation outputs. Along with traditional drivers of innovation, such as research and development (R&D) expenditure, two composite indicators are constructed. One encompasses direct measures of the adoption and use in enterprises of a set of digital technologies. The other measures the learning capacity of organizations, which captures the use of management tools and organizational practices concerned with the improvement of individual and organizational learning. Product, process, organizational, and marketing innovations are identified as well as their combinations within companies. Empirical evidence is provided by a unique dataset based on the integration at the sector within the country level of European Union (EU)-wide employers' and employees' surveys: the Community Innovation Survey (CIS), the Community Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage and e-commerce in enterprises survey (Eurostat), and the European Working Conditions Survey (Eurofound). The descriptive evidence shows that Digital technology adoption and use is rapidly growing across Europe, while the Learning capacity of organizations remains stagnant. By contrast, our results from the econometric analysis show that these investments can favor all forms of innovations and that, further, they may show some complementarity. Overall, a mix of product/process innovations and organizational/marketing innovations rests on joint investments in R&D, digital technology adoption and use, and learning capacity of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Environmental Protection is the property of Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The research problem and purpose are the importance of scientific theories in the scientific study (Haliti-Mustafa et al., 2023) of the system in the Western Balkans. In a modern legal system, in harmony with the criteria and directives of the European Union (EU), the faster provision of legal services and the expansion of the forms of protection of interest rights in the current conditions are almost impossible to realize without the existence of a segment new law -- Institute of the Notary Service in the Western Balkans. The methods used in the paper to achieve the objectives are alternative methods and analysis of results as well as comparative and inductive, and deductive methods. The main findings of the paper are notarial systems, which analyze and present an overview of the role of notaries and their impact on issues and changes in notarial acts, and an overview of high-impact research for young researchers in the field of notarial systems. As a conclusion, the research results show the effectiveness of notaries in dealing with legal issues (Sariyev, 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enlargement of the European Union in 2004 marked a significant milestone in the history of European integration, bringing ten new member states into the Union. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of this enlargement two decades later. Drawing from the economic literature and descriptive analysis, the paper examines both anticipated benefits and realised outcomes. Preceding the enlargement, ex ante analyses projected substantial gains in GDP, trade integration and welfare for both acceding and existing member countries. These expectations were largely met. At the macroeconomic level, the paper shows a significant reduction in trade costs, enhanced trade integration and deepening participation in cross-border value chains within the Single Market. Some challenges remain, however, in terms of social and territorial cohesion in these countries. The lessons learned from this enlargement underscore the continuous nature of integration, beginning with accession preparation and producing tangible effects throughout the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical that is widely used in various industrial applications. It has concerns in its use as a color developer in thermal paper receipts since it is identified as an endocrine disruptor and causes hormonal disturbances. In this study, thirty thermal paper receipt samples were randomly collected from various locations in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Sixty percent (60%) of receipt samples showed BPA levels above the acceptable limit (200 ng/mg) set by the European Union (EU) for thermal papers. On the other hand, 40% of the samples reported very low BPA levels (< 0.02 ng/mg). However, estimated weight adjusted daily intakes (EDI) ranged between 8.22 ×10−11 and 0.000812 μg/kg bw/day for the general population, and between 7.89×10−9 and 0.0681 μg/kg bw/day for the occupationally exposed cashiers. Thus, all calculated EDIs were below the European Food Safety Authority Tolerable Daily Intake (4 μg/kg·bw/day) and the provisional Health Canada Tolerable Daily Intake (25 ug/kg bw/day) under varying paper-to-skin transfer coefficients and absorption fractions. Nevertheless, due to its health effects and recent legal restrictions by EU, the occurrence of co-exposure to dietary and non-dietary sources should be considered in the health risk assessment of Bisphenol A, mainly for people with frequent occupational exposure to thermal paper, and especially with the increased use of sanitizers. The current study is a first within the UAE context in relation to BPA in thermal paper receipts, thus its significance especially with the recent EU enforcement of BPA limits in paper receipts. The study highlights that proper policies as well as education and awareness may assist in limiting transdermal BPA exposure for the general and occupationally exposed populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enlargement of the European Union (EU) towards the Western Balkans contains challenges. Although the EU's goal is its enlargement, some EU countries present skepticism. The Western Balkans have not yet reached the appropriate stage of economic development. The rule of law has been among the main barriers that have hindered their EU integration advancement. This paper is based on the work of Osmani et al. (2022a), Leka et al. (2022), and Qorraj and Jusufi (2018). The aim and objective of this paper are to analyze the enlargement policy of the EU towards the countries of the Western Balkans, focusing on Kosovo. Historical research methods were used to collect facts and chronological data. The main finding of this paper is that the rule of law is the main factor that positively affects the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into the EU, as well as the increase in the level of economic development. Therefore, as a conclusion, it can be affirmed that integration in the EU is essential for the existence of this region. The relevance of this paper lies in the fact that it deals with an important topic from the field of European integration for small countries like Kosovo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Personalised prevention aims to delay or avoid disease occurrence, progression, and recurrence of disease through the adoption of targeted interventions that consider the individual biological, including genetic data, environmental and behavioural characteristics, as well as the socio-cultural context. This protocol summarises the main features of a rapid scoping review to show the research landscape on biomarkers or a combination of biomarkers that may help to better identify subgroups of individuals with different risks of developing specific diseases in which specific preventive strategies could have an impact on clinical outcomes. This review is part of the "Personalised Prevention Roadmap for the future HEalThcare" (PROPHET) project, which seeks to highlight the gaps in current personalised preventive approaches, in order to develop a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for the European Union. Objective: To systematically map and review the evidence of biomarkers that are available or under development in cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases that are or can be used for personalised prevention in the general population, in clinical or public health settings. Methods: Three rapid scoping reviews are being conducted in parallel (February–June 2023), based on a common framework with some adjustments to suit each specific condition (cancer, cardiovascular or neurodegenerative diseases). Medline and Embase will be searched to identify publications between 2020 and 2023. To shorten the time frames, 10% of the papers will undergo screening by two reviewers and only English-language papers will be considered. The following information will be extracted by two reviewers from all the publications selected for inclusion: source type, citation details, country, inclusion/exclusion criteria (population, concept, context, type of evidence source), study methods, and key findings relevant to the review question/s. The selection criteria and the extraction sheet will be pre-tested. Relevant biomarkers for risk prediction and stratification will be recorded. Results will be presented graphically using an evidence map. Inclusion criteria: Population: general adult populations or adults from specific pre-defined high-risk subgroups; concept: all studies focusing on molecular, cellular, physiological, or imaging biomarkers used for individualised primary or secondary prevention of the diseases of interest; context: clinical or public health settings. Systematic review registration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/7JRWD (OSF registration DOI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore the link between WE and WLB at the country level in European countries. Design/methodology/approach: The current paper uses data from several sources. The theoretical part of the paper is based on the literature review. The empirical part is based on the data collected through secondary data analysis. The secondary data were mainly collected through related research articles, reports and websites. Findings: The main finding of the research is that there are differences between EU countries in terms of both levels of work engagement and work-life balance. European employees are the most satisfied with the level of work-life balance and at the same time they are the least engaged compared to other regions of the world. One explanation for the low level of engagement with a high level of work-life balance indicator is the inadequate leadership in European companies. Research limitations/implications: The current paper is limited in that it only discusses the link between the levels of WE and WLB across EU countries without explaining the reasons for the relationship. Therefore, further research is needed to identify the factors that shape this mutual relation. Practical implications: The article is interesting from the practical point of view, as low employee engagement is a significant challenge, with one in five workers worldwide planning to quit their jobs. The situation appears to be even worse in Europe, where one in three workers are considering leaving their company. For this reason it is crucial to analyze the reasons of low engagement. Social implications: The paper refers to very important social issue of employees9 well-being. It helps in better understanding the meaning of work-life balance for work engagement. It might affect the quality of life by promoting more balanced work-environment and the idea of corporate social responsibility. Originality/value: Currently, studies are limited and often examine WE and WLB separately. So the novelty of the article is that the author discusses the link between WE and WLB. Additionally the article presents cross-national studies on relationship between WE and WLB. The results presented in the article can be important for the scientific discussion on the crosscountry differences in WE and WLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Over the last decade, the emergence and spread of personalized medicine (PM) have defined a substantial revolution in healthcare. In principle, healthcare system sustainability is challenged by the investments required for research and development, as well as the adoption of PM techniques in routine clinical care. The "Integrating China in the International Consortium for Personalized Medicine" (IC2PerMed) EU-funded project aims to integrate China into the "International Consortium for Personalized Medicine" (ICPerMed). IC2PerMed aims to align the EU and China's research agendas in this field to enable a swift development of approaches in the EU and China with strong leverage upon EU-Chinese collaborations. Methods: Within this project, we first mapped relevant policies on PM in both the EU and China, and then we involved European and Chinese experts in PM in workshops and Delphi surveys in order to identify relevant priorities for the implementation of PM in sustainable healthcare. Results: As a result of this process, we identified nine overarching priorities, each addressing specific aspects of the sustainability of healthcare systems and PM implementation, with the main goal of supporting policymakers in integrating PM approaches in the EU and China. Discussion/conclusion: The implementation of PM in health systems is appealing in terms of improved accuracy in diagnostics, treatment, and prevention of disease, as well as reduction of the side effects resulting from inefficient use of drugs. Research, development, and implementation of needed techniques require time and resources that can slow the adoption of PM in healthcare systems. The nine priorities we identified address some of the most critical points, trying to lay the foundations for a comprehensive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured reporting in radiology continues to hold substantial potential to improve the quality of service provided to patients and referring physicians. Despite many physicians' preference for structured reports and various efforts by radiological societies and some vendors, structured reporting has still not been widely adopted in clinical routine. While in many countries national radiological societies have launched initiatives to further promote structured reporting, cross-institutional applications of report templates and incentives for usage of structured reporting are lacking. Various legislative measures have been taken in the USA and the European Union to promote interoperable data formats such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) in the context of the EU Health Data Space (EHDS) which will certainly be relevant for the future of structured reporting. Lastly, recent advances in artificial intelligence and large language models may provide innovative and efficient approaches to integrate structured reporting more seamlessly into the radiologists' workflow. The ESR will remain committed to advancing structured reporting as a key component towards more value-based radiology. Practical solutions for structured reporting need to be provided by vendors. Policy makers should incentivize the usage of structured radiological reporting, especially in cross-institutional setting. Critical relevance statement Over the past years, the benefits of structured reporting in radiology have been widely discussed and agreed upon; however, implementation in clinical routine is lacking due—policy makers should incentivize the usage of structured radiological reporting, especially in cross-institutional setting. Key points 1. Various national societies have established initiatives for structured reporting in radiology. 2. Almost no monetary or structural incentives exist that favor structured reporting. 3. A consensus on technical standards for structured reporting is still missing. 4. The application of large language models may help structuring radiological reports. 5. Policy makers should incentivize the usage of structured radiological reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Modern Educational Technology is the property of Editorial Board of Modern Educational Technology, Tsinghua University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The European Green Deal was launched by the European Commission (EC) in December 2019, before being formally approved in 2020. It comprises a package of policy measures that aim to set the European Union (EU) on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Despite the EU's longstanding commitment to reducing carbon emissions in support of climate change mitigation and the achievement of its net zero ambition, this paper focuses on the growing importance of climate change adaptation within its policy portfolio. With respect to the latter, the long-term vision is for the EU to become a climate-resilient society that is also fully adapted to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Achieving climate neutrality and a climate-resilient society by 2050 will be more challenging for some EU member states and regions than for others, eg poorer regions and those highly dependent on fossil fuels or with carbon-intensive industries that employ significant numbers of people. To address such issues, the EU has introduced a Just Transition Mechanism to help level the playing field and provide financial and technical support to regions most adversely affected by the move towards a low carbon economy. The paper traces the evolution of the EU's climate policy agenda leading up to the adoption of the Green Deal, outlines its proposed road map in pursuit of climate neutrality and a climate-resilient society by 2050, and questions the efficacy of some its intermediate targets including the adequacy and equity of its just transition aspirations. It also details and scrutinises the key role that the European Investment Bank (EIB) will play in supporting delivery of the strategy.1,2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of the mixed migration flows, the identification of the victims of trafficking in persons has become a delicate and challenging process, especially in the period 2015–2019, when the European Union experienced an unprecedented surge in migrant arrivals. Through a qualitative case study approach, the paper draws on interviews of street-level bureaucrats (Lipsky, 1980) responsible for the identification of potential or actual women victims of trafficking in persons within mixed migration flows2. The paper analyses how the European Union policies are implicated in the identification procedures adopted in Italy and to what extent a human rights-based and intersectional approach is applied in the Italian experience in 2015–2019. Issues related to the effective management of migration flows, including respect for the human rights of migrants and the prevention of discrimination for their treatment in terms of status, are closely intertwined with the process of early identification. The key findings were essentially threefold. First, a human rights-based approach – albeit with some critical issues – is applied during the identification procedures, as the multi-agency work is adopted as much as possible. Second, Italy did not completely implement some measures envisaged by the European Union policies, daunting early identification. Third, Italy seems to lack a comprehensive and coherent strategy, and policymaking is outsourced to a local policy network of agencies and institutions with their policy style. The paper sheds light on the need to change the approach used to identify victims of trafficking in persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fill a gap in current literature, this paper analyses the impact of human factors on the operational performance of innovation hubs in the SAARC Nations and the European Union. Upon conducting an extensive examination of academic literature, four primary classifications of human factors were determined: organizational factors, individual attributes, the nature of a task and working environment. This research offers a cross-sectional analysis of these factors and their implications on innovation centres in the culturally and economically diverse domain of SAARC Nations and the European Union. The findings suggest that organizations functioning in the context of Innovation hubs in SAARC Nations, where centralized authority and value correctness is mostly emphasised on, face challenges in order to foster employee engagement and creativity. However, the innovation hubs of the European Union receive treatment from a more flexible and tolerant approach which is backed by progressive technology and is incredibly sensitive to concerns touching on ergonomics and safety of the working environment. This research highlights High performing, High committing, and High involvement management, management techniques to manage human factors to enhance operation performance. Adaptive and individual approach to the management of human variables, based on the differences in cultural and economic conditions of each region, is essential for effective development of the innovative substance and competitive advantage, the paper states. The results obtained from this study offer important guidance for the policymakers, managers and practitioners who are involved in managing and creating innovation hubs. It has provided a framework of how the organisation's operation performance may be improved through effective management of human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is extensive literature on the determinants of job tenure insecurity. However, very little is known about the individual drivers of labour market insecurity. Additionally, while a piece of literature shows that volunteering improves workers' income, no study considers volunteering as an activity which could help workers to feel more confident about their perception of labour market insecurity if they lost or resigned their jobs. Therefore, purpose of this paper is to study whether workers who volunteer are less likely to perceive labour market insecurity. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employs data from the sixth European working conditions survey which provides a great deal of information on working conditions. For the empirical investigation, probit model as well as robustness analysis have been implemented. Findings: Results show that employees who do voluntary activities have a greater likelihood of declaring perceived labour market insecurity, which is nearly 3 percentage points lower, than employees who do not volunteer. Findings suggest that governments need to improve the relationship between for-profit and non-profit sectors to encourage volunteering. Originality/value: This is the first study which considers volunteering as an activity which could help workers to feel more confident about their perception of "labour market insecurity". Most of the studies on "labour market insecurity" do not focus on the workers individual characteristics but mainly on the labour markets institutional characteristics and welfare regimes differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroalgae are beneficial for consumers and producers due to their high productivity, their chemical composition and their efficient cultivation without additional feed. Asia dominates global macroalgae production, while European production is still marginal and mainly based on wild harvesting in the North Atlantic. The European Commission has launched initiatives to promote the sustainable production, safe consumption and innovative use of macroalgae products in European regional seas, including the Mediterranean Sea. A variety of coastal and seabed types and a wide range of environmental conditions make the Mediterranean a hotspot of marine biodiversity while providing good conditions for the cultivation of macroalgae. The aim of this paper is to compare the global macroalgae production and macroalgae production in the Mediterranean Sea, focussing on the cultivation of edible macroalgae. The paper also discusses the limitations and possibilities of macroalgae production in the region. Macroalgae production is one of the most promising sectors of the blue economy in the Mediterranean. The production of edible macroalgae suitable for human consumption has great potential, considering future population growth and related food security and health issues, as well as the additional ecosystem benefits of macroalgae production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In its regulatory enterprise to improve the conditions of data sharing and reuse, the European Union has enacted new legislation: the Data Governance Act (DGA). The DGA envisages new forms of sharing public sector data (PSD). Based on a legal analysis of the DGA and an in-depth study of data governance literature, this paper highlights what is at stake in the new regulatory framework and argues that more than the mere openness of more PSD will be necessary to ensure that the European Union policy goals are achieved, especially those concerning enhancing innovation for the common good. From this perspective, the paper argues that the public data trust model of data governance and the Responsible Research and Innovation approach offer two powerful tools for public sector data governance. In this context, this paper contributes to the debate about new data governance models and discusses tools and frameworks enabling the use of data for the common good. It also provides insights to public administration practitioners aiming to implement a framework for increased and sustainable PSD sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the narratives of the European Council, European Commission, and European Parliament regarding the European refugee crisis. Although the relevant scholarly research suggests that the EU Institutions held different perspectives about the refugee crisis, this paper argues that there was no such a clash of perspectives. This paper builds on the Copenhagen School's securitization framework as complemented with subsequent methodological tools to support the author's arguments. The findings suggest that despite the similarity in the views held by the main EU Institutions considering the refugees' influx, there was a variation in the intensity of their securitizing narratives. Theoretically, this study develops an understanding of the importance of the securitization narratives' intensity. Methodologically, this study introduces the Securitization Narratives Continuum, a research tool that facilitates the assessment of securitization. Empirically, this is the first study to interview and take into account the opinions of the securitizing actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EU-US data transfers for health research remain a particularly thorny issue in view of the stringent rules of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the challenges related to US mass surveillance programs, particularly the manner in which US law enforcement and national security agencies can access personal data originating from the EU. Since the entry into force of the GDPR, evidence of impeded collaborations is increasing, particularly in the case of sharing data with US public institutions. The adoption of a new EU-US adequacy decision in July 2023 does not hold the promise for a long-lasting solution due to the risks of being challenged and invalidated – yet again – at the Court of Justice of the EU. As the research community is calling for answers, the new proposal for a European Health Data Space regulation may hold a key to solving some of the existing issues. In this paper, we critically discuss the current rules and outline a possible way forward for transfers between public bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to draw a research agenda for unveiling the underlying bottlenecks and possibilities for improving the agricultural total factor productivity in the European Union (EU). To this aim, the paper first surveys the key challenges for the modern agricultural economy. Then, the case of the EU is discussed by looking at the convergence in the partial productivity indicators (including the GHG emission) and growth efficiency that relate to the gap in the total factor productivity growth. The results suggest that the EU member states exhibited growth inefficiency (i.e., a gap in the total factor productivity growth) of 5–9% on average during 2004–2021. The paper also discusses the possibilities to utilize the production theory for assessing the pathways towards improvements in the productivity and sustainability of the EU agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the more pro-environmental attitudes of farmers influence the technical efficiency of agricultural sectors in EU regions (NUTS-2). To answer this, I employed data envelopment analysis (DEA) for efficiency analysis combined with the double bootstrapped truncated regression to investigate the relationship between environmental attitudes and technical efficiency. I found that this relationship is positive, i.e. pro--environmental attitudes were related to greater efficiency. An increase in the environmental attitude variable by one standard deviation led to an improvement in efficiency of 2.8-6 p.p. The higher share of farmers with formal training also proved to be a positive and significant determinant of efficiency. The share of arable land on which conventional tillage was used, and soil erosion proved to be significant but negative determinants of efficiency. Policymakers should present to farmers the environmental benefits of agricultural policy but should also highlight that greater environmental awareness translates into a more efficient operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Europevan Union is highly dependent on energy. This paper analyses energy consumption in the transport sector, representing approximately 30% of total energy consumption. A particular focus will be placed on road freight transport, which accounts for 40% of total transport energy consumption, trying to contribute to its rationalization. The road freight transport volume (TKM: tonne-kilometres) vs. gross domestic product (GDP) ratio fell in 2010–2022 by an average of 17.6% in EU-27, meaning that there was decoupled growth. Germany is the country with the highest decoupling, nearly 36%. On the contrary, in Spain there is a coupling because the evolution of TKM and GDP was almost identical. The paper proposes possible relevant factors in road freight transport activity that may justify the discrepancies in values within EU member countries, showing the positive and negative impacts of the different variables studied. In addition, the SARIMA model is applied to forecast the evolution of relevant indicators of road transport in different countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the government's role. The study aims to contribute to the discourse on government intervention and the provision of public goods in a supranational context characterised by diverse socio-economic landscapes and shared policy objectives. Design/methodology/approach: It investigates three dimensions: the temporal evolution of government interventions, the spatial dimensions of the pandemic's impact, and the structural implications for public policy and sustainability. This analysis is based on a comprehensive review of literature, policy documents, and case studies from EU member states. Findings: Findings highlight the significance of long-term strategic planning, international cooperation, and equitable economic systems in managing crises and fostering a sustainable environment. Originality/value: It comprehensively analyses how integrated policy frameworks can enhance crisis resilience, offering practical recommendations for policymakers and contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable development and public governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main objective of this paper is to identify and compare the level of digital competences at the country level in the European Union (EU). Design/methodology/approach: The data connected with digital competences of inhabitants were adopted from the Eurostat database. There were 19 selected variables, which refer to the last available official data for 2023. The grouping of the EU countries into clusters was provided by the K-Means method, and the ranking of EU countries by digital competence development was done using the TOPSIS method. ANOVA test was used to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in the averages of digital competency variables across the clusters, thereby validating the effectiveness of the clustering method. Findings: The EU countries which can be treated as benchmarks for others in terms of digital competences are the Netherlands and the Nordic countries. At the same time, a very low level of digital competences is noticeable in Bulgaria and Romania. Research limitations/implications: Beside the EU cross-country comparisons in terms of digital competences, another important issue is the change in the level of these competences over the years. This issue was not addressed due to the limited volume of the article, but it may be a direction for future research. Practical implications: The analysis allowed for the identification of benchmark EU countries which can serve as samples for good practices analysis. Social implications: Analyzing benchmarks can provide identification of the reasons (social and economic policy solutions) for the high level of digital competences in these countries. Originality/value: There is a gap in scientific research concerning analyses of the level of digital competences at the macroeconomic level and cross-country comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU has set the ambitious target of raising the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 32% by 2030, with a target of climate neutrality by 2050. The aim of this paper is to assess the role of biomass usage in the context of these targets. The paper identifies the progress made between 2013 and 2022 by focusing on a selection of EU countries. The largest bioenergy increments of 130, 77, and 60 PJ were reported for Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. This study evaluates the crucial role of co-generation and heat in EU regions, with biomass usage between 55 and 80% of the combined heat and power (CHP) energy in Nordic countries. The future perspectives for bioenergy based on EU policies, biomass resources, and technical issues were addressed. The EU possesses around 9% of the global biomass supply, ensuring a certain level of biomass resource dependence. Thus, the biomass usage demand in energy production, non-energy sectors, and transport is expected to rise, leading to increments of 13–76% on biomass imports. It appears that bioenergy development is mostly limited by economic issues and uneven support for bioenergy in different EU countries as well as environmental issues. The study shows a promising and sustainable potential of bioenergy in the EU as a renewable energy source while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and the economy. By 2050, liquid biofuels are likely to be increasingly used in the transport sector. Non-energy sector usage of biomass is still in an early stage of development, except for the pulp and paper industry, and significant use of biomass in non-energy sectors seems unlikely in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment relations in Europe today differ from how they were prior to the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, as key terms and conditions (e.g., wages) and sectors of economic activity (e.g., platform work and the green economy) are now subject to direct political intervention by the European institutions. Transnational (horizontal) competition within the Single European Market has long provided a context for national employment relations in Europe, and various national institutions impacted workers' rights and conditions of employment. Under the new economic governance (NEG) regime triggered by the financial crisis, political (vertical) intervention in employment relations created strong pressure toward the commodification of labor. The COVID pandemic involved policymaking in the opposite (decommodifying) direction. That said, and as the articles in this special issue clearly demonstrate, commodifying pressures are still strong, and the full realization of Social Europe is arguably as elusive as ever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the transnational labor politics associated with the Europeanization of wage policy, based on process tracing of Irish minimum wage regulation reforms over the past two decades. The policy struggle in Ireland started as an employer-led domestic challenge to market-embedding regulation and was then affected by two EU interventions on wage policy: one with a de-regulatory orientation (during EU-IMF conditionality) and one with a re-regulatory one (with the approval of the EU minimum wage directive). Findings show that differences in collective action undertaken by employers and trade unions to influence wage policy at the national level can be explained by the intersection of each actor's preferences toward market-constraining or liberalizing labor regulation and their access to supranational (EU-level) institutions and support. This analysis contributes to debates on how transnational opportunity structures can alter labor's and employers' local power resources and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Social Dialogue (ESD) has served as the platform for European social partners to negotiate parental leave policies at the European Union (EU) level since 1995. The partners' efforts to revise the regulations in 2015, in response to the European Commission's broader approach toward European work–life balance policies, failed, however, and the reasons for and implications of this failure remain insufficiently explored. Drawing on existing ESD literature and leveraging the regulator-intermediary-target (RIT) model, the authors develop a typology of policymaking outcomes based on the analysis of three parental leave directives from 1996 to 2019. The findings demonstrate that divergent preferences among European social partners, particularly when juxtaposed against the Commission's policy objectives and interests, reduced the probability of a successful ESD through which European social partners could generate a framework agreement. Instead of being rule-makers, these conditions relegated European social partners to the role of rule-takers. If this trend continues, it poses a significant challenge to the role and influence of European social partners in EU policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the European Union (EU), Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 provides a harmonized legal EU framework and sets out the general principles for safety and inertness for all Food Contact Materials (FCMs) and Food Contact Articles. From a food safety point of view, however, specific EU legislation for paper and cardboard FCMs is lacking, while at Member State level, national legislation differs among countries. More than 11,000 chemicals have been identified in all types of FCMs, most of them without any information on toxicity or migration potential from FCM to food. The present review shows a wide variability of protocols, approaches, and conditions used in scientific studies, which are difficult to compare. In this regard, procedures and conditions laid down in EU legislation for plastics and European Standards (EN protocols) may serve as a good basis for the future sample preparation procedures in the framework of paper and cardboard FCMs safety assessment. Challenges on sample preparation procedures are presented involving the interlinked steps of sample preparation, conditions used and their impact in chemical analysis and in vitro bioassay testing. Currently, there is no general consensus on the criteria for structuring, evaluating, and tuning sample preparation procedures for paper and cardboard FCMs. For this purpose, a set of modified criteria and a decision tree are proposed based on the literature. Along this, mass transfer processes occurring in paper and cardboard FCMs and parameters affecting chemical migration need to be accounted for prior to reaching general consensus on criteria for sample preparation procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the current situation as regards the circular economy in agriculture in Romania, while also taking into consideration its global impact. We have here a system globally endorsed by the United Nations. It is also important for regional organisations such as the European Union or la Francophonie as the circular economy seems to have a high number of advantages in tackling climate change, creating a sustainable food chain, improving the organic character of the agriculture, etc. From that perspective Romania represents an interesting case study as it is both a European Union member state and a member of the Francophonie. It thus follows both sets of rules and recommendations in order to improve its status. The paper uses the bibliographic method and reviews the main documents that settle this aspect and presents the legal framework for circular economy. The put into practice of the circular economy in the Romanian agriculture would bring a series of advantages (environment, food safety, etc.) while also requiring systemic transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) policy, innovation, and practice are moving ahead in rapid fashion. There is a growing mismatch between technological innovations in AI, which are advancing at a rapid rate, and normative and regulatory frameworks, which are lagging, particularly when it comes to protecting democratic values and human rights principles. National governments and multilateral institutions are attempting to catch up. At least 175 countries, firms and other organizations have produced documents listing ethical principles for AI. These efforts have proceeded in a somewhat fragmented manner, yet there are emerging signs of consolidation as the United States, Europe, and other countries begin to coalesce around shared principles. Europe, in particular, has raced ahead to draft comprehensive legislation, the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA), to oversee these technologies and systems. What has motivated the European Union to pursue this approach? And how will this effort influence AI norms globally? This paper describes how Europe's AI norm-building process represents an effort to ensure EU priorities are reflected in the AI governance landscape. Europe's approach faces uncertainty. While it is likely that the AIA will meaningfully influence global AI norms, several factors may hinder its global diffusion and adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of subsidiarity, which also appeared in antiquity, was refined and perfected by the Catholic Church. The essence of the principle of subsidiarity is to ensure that decision-making takes place as close as possible to the individuals, thus avoiding unnecessary centralisation and encouraging effective decentralisation. The rationale behind this principle is the recognition that higher levels of government do not always have an adequate level of insight or understanding of local realities, and that decision-making should therefore be taken at the lowest possible level of authority to achieve the best quality of governance. The principle of subsidiarity is a fundamental principle of the European Union’s decision-making system. A return to subsidiarity can play an important role in the constitutional disputes that have been revived in recent years between national constitutional courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union. This paper analyses the evolution of the subsidiarity principle in EU decision-making and the institutions and procedures that are supposed to guarantee its application. By examining the political and legal enforceability of the principle of subsidiarity, the paper draws conclusions on the present state of the enforcement of the principle and makes some proposals for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union, in pursuit of the goal of reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050, is deploying different actions, with industry decarbonization as a key strategy. However, increasing electricity demand requires an intensification of energy generation from clean technologies, and the energy system's expansion is hindered by renewable generation's climatic dependencies and the imperative for substantial electrical infrastructure investments. Although the transmission grid is expected to grow, flexibility mechanisms and innovative technologies need to be applied to avoid an overwhelming growth. In this context, this paper presents a thorough assessment, conducted within the FLEXINDUSTRIES project, of the flexibility potential across seven energy-intensive industries (automotive industry, biofuel production, polymer manufacturing, steel manufacturing, paper mills, pharmaceutical industry, and cement production). The methodology followed during the analysis entails reviewing the state-of-the-art existing flexibility mechanisms, industries' energy markets engagement, and technical/operational readiness. The results highlight the feasibility of the proposed actions for enabling energy market flexibility through demand-response programs, quantifying energy opportunities, and pinpointing regulatory and technical barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology qualifying as human mood enhancement can be developed, on the one hand, for the well-being and mental health of their users (therapy) and, on the other hand, for changing the mood of their users above levels of normality (enhancement). Such technology provokes debates concerning its societal, ethical and legal consequences for individuals and society as a whole. This paper's aim is twofold. It first aims to show an overview of the often-occurring arguments in the ethics debate about mood enhancement technology and outline which arguments should be considered relevant for supporting the legislative debate. The second aim of the paper is to highlight some of the main legal aspects concerning this technology through the human rights lens of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the implementation of a digital product passport (DPP) using Hyperledger Fabric technology to enhance product lifecycle management within the European Union's circular economy action plan. This study addresses the need for detailed product information on materials, origin, usage, and end-of-life instructions to improve recycling practices and promote sustainable consumption. The approach integrates decentralized identifier (DID) technology for unique product identification using the cheqd.io platform with an enterprise tailored Hyperledger Fabric blockchain network for DPP data management, leveraging their strengths to enhance security and efficiency. This paper details the data model for the DPP, including entities like Product, Manufacturer, Supplier, and Material. Performance tests on the Hyperledger Fabric network demonstrate the system's efficacy, focusing on CRUD operations and scalability. Future work will extend to the development of client applications and more comprehensive performance evaluations considering scalability and network expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Company Law universally requires shareholders to participate in meetings in order to formulate a set of corporate acts. Although provisions allowing the possibility for virtual shareholder meetings have already been implemented in many legislations, the COVID-19 crisis has given this relative legal novelty a status of paramount regulatory importance. The post-crisis regulatory development of the field in light of the process of digitalisation is the subject of this paper. The paper firstly gives an overview of the academic debate on the subject with a focus on the pandemic. Then, it continues to produce a comparative overview of virtual general meetings regulations in selected jurisdictions, namely Switzerland, Italy, Germany, U.S. state of Delaware and the European Union Company Law. Prior to the pandemic, the Croatian Company Law encompassed the possibility for hybrid virtual general meetings of shareholders if stipulated in company bylaws. The aforementioned possibility was used in Croatia for the first time during the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. The conclusions of the paper produce general recommendations for regulatory policy in this field with an emphasis on the European and the Croatian Company Law de lege ferenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is it so difficult to find the right people to work in aviation security jobs and retain them, especially post-COVID-19? And how can we make these jobs attractive (again)? While this paper focuses on security screeners, most of the points can be extrapolated to aviation security staff, and airport staff in general. This paper takes the view that most of the reasons why we are facing staff shortages in airports were already present before the pandemic but were accelerated and amplified by it, with an additional worsening factor due to the unexpectedly quick and steep restart in passenger flights. It discusses the 'old' mindset and the fact that it cannot continue to prevail and should be replaced by a more positive, quality-oriented, human-centric one. To substantiate these opinions, the paper uses the findings of a European Union (EU)-funded project on skills and labour shortages intelligence (the INTEL project1) led by the Private Security Social Partners, illustrated by three business cases and various sources of information on best practice in attracting the younger generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]