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This paper explores linguistic landscapes and the enactment of public visibility and presence of non-majority linguistic groups in EU member states. Non-majority linguistic groups gain power, visibility and presence through the introduction of bilingual or multilingual signposts on roads, streets, squares, and public buildings in towns and cities where a given linguistic group represents a significant population share. The article offers a comparative analysis of language policies of EU member states regarding enactment of official bilingual or multilingual signs in public space. Twenty EU member states have signed the "European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages," while 17 members have ratified it. In addition, the Charter of Fundamental Rights, an integral party of the Lisbon Treaty, stipulates that language diversity is one of the fundamental values respected by the EU. Hence, this comparative research assesses various practices employed by member states in relation to the proclaimed values of multilingualism. Consequently, the paper depicts and compares different language policies that produce linguistic landscapes in EU member states. Finally, it tries to determine whether there is a convergence towards a common EU policy on bilingual and multilingual signs in public space.

In the light of the European Union's interest in creativity and innovation, this paper, drawing on data from the EU project Creative Little Scientists (2011-2014), explores the teaching and learning of science and creativity in Early Years education. The project's conceptual framework, developed from detailed analysis of relevant literatures, highlighted the potential existence of a number of pedagogical synergies between inquiry-based science and creativity-based approaches in Early Years education. The science and creativity literature reviews were thus re-examined to identify synergistic features of teaching and learning in the Early Years. These were seen to include: play and exploration, motivation and affect, dialogue and collaboration, problem-solving and agency, questioning and curiosity, reflection and reasoning, and teacher scaffolding and involvement. Field work undertaken over a 4-month-period in 48 sites across the 9 partner countries provided the opportunity to examine the existence of these synergies in Early Years settings and primary classrooms with learners aged 3-8 years. Qualitative in nature, the fieldwork was framed by a case study strategy encompassing multiple methods of data collection: sequential digital images capturing interactions; observations supplemented by audio recording; timelines; and interviews with teachers and groups of children. The data set comprised 71 cases in early science (and mathematics), with 3 episodes of activity per case encapsulating creativity in these domains, resulting in 218 episodes for analysis. A deductive-inductive analytical approach was undertaken in two phases with cross-case analysis both within and between countries. The paper exemplifies the pedagogical synergies innovatively identified in the conceptual framework and documented in the fieldwork, and highlights the potential for creativity in exploratory science contexts. Additionally, it highlights differences between practice observed in preschool and primary settings and advances a new conceptual definition of creativity within Early Years science education.

This paper presents the results of an assessment made as a part of the research project, Applied Multi-Risk Mapping of Natural Hazards for Impact Assessment (ARMONIA). The aim was to identify which aspects in the so-called disaster management cycle are covered by spatial planning in planning practice in the European Union's member states of Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. In contrast to the initial hypothesis, the analysis of planning practice has shown that the role of spatial planning in risk assessment and management in many ways has been overestimated. The results have shown that spatial planning is only one of many actors in risk management and that it is, in general, not involved in risk assessment. Further, multi-risk assessment approaches are not used in planning practice, risk indicators are hardly used and vulnerability indicators are not at all used. The paper will interpret these surprising results and will answer the question of the role of spatial planning in natural risk assessment and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Member States of the European Union are on the way to fulfill targets for renewable electricity use set in 2001. In this paper, the implementation of directives concerning renewable electricity is assessed on EU level and in three example countries: Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. Conclusions are drawn regarding policy measures and barriers hindering the exploitation of renewable energy, with a special focus on bioenergy and biomass. Furthermore, in the light of the above-mentioned analysis, the role of bioenergy in the national efforts of reaching the targets for renewable energy use in 2020, as set in the directive 2009/28/EC, is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our study attempts to contribute to the better understanding of the economic realization problem of the European higher education innovations by using the science and technology policy approach. The paper points out some imperfections by giving a landscape about the situation in the European Union. While one strand of economic literature suggests that the increased expenditures on R&D and on innovation lead to better economic performances we empirically pinpoint that the thriving expenditures per se are not necessarily enough to stimulate growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting the energy goals of the European Union requires new ways of managing energy. Decentralized energy management, cross-commodity energy production and usage optimization are promising means. Future neighbourhoods will include multiple forms of energy such as electricity, heat, and cooling. According to our vision, the smart neighbourhoods, can optimize energy across different vectors by sharing resources in a controlled way. The first contribution of this paper is a comprehensive review on market, regulatory and technological status to support the transition towards distributed cross-commodity energy management with focus on Germany and Finland. Markets disruption could lead to more decentralized structures. Mechanisms therefore have been proposed, but mostly without sector integration. Clean Energy Package includes legislation that is supportive towards cross-commodity energy sharing solutions. Corresponding implementation in Germany and Finland may be successful in both countries even though it differs. Regarding technology, the article identifies required technical components (IoT, AI and blockchain) focusing on their support decentralized and cross-sector energy systems. Key components of IoT are wireless communication and interoperability middleware. AI provides key technologies for modelling and optimization of sector-integrated and distributed energy systems. Even if there has been lots of research, practical implementations are still lacking. Furthermore, many technical challenges still exist for blockchain based solutions in decentralized energy systems. Moreover, organizational, and legal responsibilities need to be clarified to support the adoption of blockchains in decentralized energy systems. Finally, the article gives recommendations regarding an increasing implementation of cross-commodity sharing and how it can contribute to the energy transition. • Giving an overview of cross-commodity energy sharing in Finland and Germany. • It is shown how recent energy market development support energy transition. • Comparing the regulatory framework for smart components in energy markets. • Combination of IoT, AI and Blockchain to enable decentralized energy markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of the topics in existing research on the establishment and management of public policies for multifunctional purposes. The review is a complete survey of studies carried out in five countries: Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia and UK. The viewpoints adopted in developing countries were also surveyed. The concepts, adaptation and implementation of MFA as well as the research carried out were found to vary considerably in the surveyed countries. Several gaps in research were identified. A summary of national policies as well as of the topics studied is presented. 10 areas in which additional research is required are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to the construction of an index, one of the main problems is determining the weights that each variable carries. In this article, through models based on the Structural Equation Modelling methodology, an index for the measurement of the evolution of renewable energies is developed, and applied for a group of countries in the European Union. The results show that, in Europe, there are two groups clearly differentiated in terms of their level of development in renewable energy. In the first group, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy stand out while the second group is led by the United Kingdom, and includes countries like Portugal, Finland, and Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]