Search

This paper analyses the US's strategic interests and policy approaches towards the South Caucasus vis-a-vis competing geopolitical paradigms. It concerns the security challenges for the region, which arise from contradictions between integration, disintegration, and sovereignty in the shared neighbourhood of the European Union (EU) and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The geopolitical, geo-economic and security interests of the United States, Russia, the European Union, Turkey, and Iran are all engaged in the South Caucasus, here is where their security interests intersect. The paper utilizes the Regional Security Complex Theory. From this perspective, the strategic fulcrum of regional security lies in the regions and powers. Therefore, the South Caucasus has an ever-increasing importance for the US interests both as a gateway to Eurasia and as the eastern edge of Europe. Thus, within the context of the largest competing alternatives of the geopolitics and geo-economics of the EU, the Russia-led EAEU, China's Belt and Road and India's North-South Corridor - the South Caucasus, an integral of European super-complex, appears as an insulator and corridor between the West and the East, the North and the South. Hence, the US policies have been aimed at making the South Caucasus an eastern extension of the enlarged European regional security complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology 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.)

Food safety and quality concern increasingly both consumers and the entire food sector involved. The European Union has implemented specific legislation for food products in order to monitor food safety and quality, protecting each country's culture, history and local economy at the same time. Moreover, Europe's heritage is being enriched, by establishing quality schemes such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Europe's interest and concern regarding food safety proved also by Framework Program 5 Horizon 2020 continuous funding.Food traceability as well as food authentication constitute inseparable parts of food safety and quality. This systematic review presents innovative research technologies which are used in Europe for food traceability and authentication and published within the period 2010–2018. Moreover, information about the method used, the country of origin, the food type and the level of food process, are provided.This paper offers a new possible approach regarding the combination of the existing definitions of food traceability and authentication, as far as food provenance is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the period of post-communist transition, Central Europe witnessed complex and multifaceted mobility processes; permanent outmigration, of an ethnic or labour-related nature, coexisted with temporary, seasonal, or crossborder movements and an increasing influx of foreigners. To study these complex processes, we have chosen to apply a holistic and comprehensive approach, rather than limit conceptual considerations to one theory of migration determinants. We focus on eleven post-communist countries that joined the European Union (EU-11) and on the period extending from around 1989, covering the EU's eastward enlargement, to the present. The aim of this study is twofold: first, we propose a general conceptual framework, based on the aspirations/capabilities approach, to present the main determinants of emigration from this part of the European continent. Second, in relation to each determinant, we formulate research questions postulated by selected theories of international migration and present the evidence, based on existing empirical studies, that addresses these questions. The paper contributes to the literature by providing a broad interpretation of post-transition mobility and pointing to commonly overlooked explanatory factors. We highlight the importance of economic factors that have enhanced and directed the outward migration from the EU-11 to selected EU member states and selected economic sectors; in particular, as regards capabilities, these factors include the lifting of labour market restrictions, high demand in the secondary sector of labour markets, and the roles of migration networks and the migration industry. Emphasis is also placed on aspirational factors, such as labour market failures and the substantial aspirational gap resulting from improvements in high educational attainment in the countries of origin. The aspirations/capabilities approach serves well as a general framework of migration determinants, but its explanatory power is enhanced by reference to other, more specific theories of migration. We show that a combination of the complementary approaches provides a more refined and in-depth picture of migration from the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1992, culture has been an official competence of the European Union. De facto, the EU has the legitimacy and means to intervene and change collective representations and social dynamics, including in border regions, in order to bring people together and build a Europe 'united in diversity'. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the cross-border dynamics in cultural matters, and to examine the realization of cultural projects as a driving force in the process of cross-border integration. The approach is based on a spatial analysis of the cultural projects co-financed by Interreg over the 2000–2020 period, enabling to provide an overview of the cross-border cultural initiatives undertaken. The results reveal first that strong spatial disparities exist between programming spaces in terms of cultural investment. Second, that cross-border cultural cooperation mainly involves municipalities, and not primarily cultural actors. Third, although a diverse range of cultural projects have been developed over the last twenty years, the emphasis has been more on tourism projects. These achievements bring into question the role of Interreg programming in cultural matters in the dynamics of cross-border integration, since it fosters an economic approach to culture at the expense of social and identity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the early 1980s all European countries have given priority to reforming the management of health services. A distinctive feature of these reforms has also been the drive to co-opt professionals themselves into the management of services, taking on full time or part time (hybrid) management or leadership roles. However, although these trends are well documented in the literature, our understanding of the nature and impact of reforms and how they are re-shaping the relationship between medicine and management remains limited. Most studies have tended to be nationally specific, located within a single discipline and focused primarily on describing new management practices. This article serves as an Introduction to a special issue of BMC Health Services Research which seeks to address these concerns. It builds on the work of a European Union funded COST Action (ISO903) which ran between 2009 and 2013, focusing specifically on the changing relationship between medicine and management in a European context.Main Text: Prior to describing the contributions to the special issue, this Introduction sets the scene by exploring four main questions which have characterised much of the recent literature on medicine and management. First is the question of what we understand by the changing relationship between medicine and management and in particular which this means for the emergence of so called 'hybrid' clinical leader roles? A second question concerns the forces that have driven change, in particular those relating to the wider project of management reforms. Third, we raise questions of how medical professionals have responded to these changes and what factors have shaped their responses. Lastly we consider what some of the outcomes of greater medical involvement in management and leadership might be, both in terms of intended and unintended outcomes.Conclusions: The paper concludes by summarising the contributions to the special issue and highlighting the need to extend research in this area by focusing more on comparative dimensions of change. It is argued that future research would also benefit theoretically by drawing together insights from health policy and management literatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most cultural heritage projects strive in ensuring financial sustainability, mainly relying on public subsidies. At the same time, they lack fund management policies which directly affects their financial sustainability. European Union heritage policies focus on sustainability but after investments have been made, there are rare cases which can boast about it. A number of heritage funding mechanisms exist which are explained in this review paper, while the focus is on crowdfunding as an alternative mechanism. The study used literature review method based on PRISMA guidelines to analyze new trends and suitability of crowdfunding for cultural heritage projects, and to detect possible factors influencing its success. The purpose was to add to the existing knowledge while offering a systematic review which can be applied in practice. Findings indicate the trend of participatory approach to heritage, which is in line with the participatory nature of crowdfunding campaigns. Further, crowdfunding suitability for cultural heritage projects was confirmed while its success factors majorly depend on the policy framework, heritage project nature and management of the campaign itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several regulatory developments of the European Union (EU). On November 24, 2010, the EU Commission released a consultation paper that seeks the views of stakeholders on the possible effect of Solvency II level 2 measures on insurance markets. On November 19, 2010, the EU Commission released a summary record on the meeting of the European Securities Committee on November 9. On November 5, 2010, the EU Commission released a public consultation to seek the views of stakeholders on the harmonisation of the legal framework for transactions and securities holdings.

Introduction: Early Feasibility Studies (EFS) are among the pre-market clinical investigations allowed by the International Standard for Clinical investigation of medical devices (MD) for human subjects. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced an EFS program in the US in 2013. The European Union (EU) MD Regulation, that entered into force in May 2021, opened the possibility of EFS in the EU. However, European countries at present have no standardized procedural framework for EFS. In this paper, we address the desirability of a European EFS program., Areas Covered: Characteristics of EFS conducted so far are reviewed, and perceptions of an expert, multidisciplinary panel of key stakeholders are explored regarding desirability and feasibility of a European EFS program and critical factors favoring or hampering its implementation., Expert Opinion: Implementing an EFS program in the EU would contribute to creating a favorable environment for early-stage clinical investigations, with positive effects on the quality and timeliness of clinical evidence for novel MDs, and attractiveness of the European system for pre- and post-market clinical research. Based on discussion with experts, also leveraging on the US experience, three dimensions should be considered for effective design and implementation: process, resources, and ethical issues.

The failure of key EU Member States to respect the provisions of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) a few years after its inception triggered a heated debate on how to reform the framework of fiscal policy coordination in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). This paper analyzes 101 reform proposals presented by professional academic and non-academic economists prior to March 2005, when the Council of the European Union adopted a revised version of the SGP. Roughly four different schools of thought concerning the reform of the SGP are identified. In line with the main findings of the political economy literature, all four schools of thought share the view that in the absence of specific rules fiscal policy would lead to excessive deficits and hence affect the conduct of the common monetary policy. However, beyond this common denominator, there is no consensus on how best to co-ordinate fiscal policy. We present several explanations for the multitude of proposals, the most important being the present lack of a consensus in the economics profession concerning the role of fiscal policy. Economists hold diverging views on the goals, instruments, efficiency and institutions for fiscal policy-making. This state of affairs is in sharp contrast to the case of monetary policy. Also, the euro area is the first case where monetary policy-making is centralized while fiscal policy-making is decentralized to national governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2000, the political leaders of the EU met in Lisbon and announced that by the year 2010 the EU will be the most competitive, dynamic, knowledge-based economy. My first reaction was: ‘They don't know what they are talking about’. It sounded to me like the pep talk of a coach of a soccer team before a match he knows his team cannot win. It is difficult to promote good science. Patience is needed: at first the results are few and only after several years of consistent policy can the trickle grow into a stream. Patience is not one of the usual qualities of success-driven politicians. Recently (and wisely) our beloved leaders lowered their ambitions and adopted a new target: by 2010 all EU members will spend 3% of their GNP on research and development. This is promising, if the money is spent wisely. To do research at the highest level money is certainly needed, but brains and organisation are needed as well. In this paper I address the question: how does European research in astronomy compare with that in the USA? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I attempt a novel interpretation of Brexit as a 'wicked problem'. Wicked problems are those which are unique and complex, full of internal contradictions, and defy solution, instead only creating other problems. After reviewing the lead-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum, particularly the role of immigration, the core of the paper takes the main criteria for the specification of a wicked problem and applies them to Brexit. Special attention is given to two propositions: that every wicked problem is a symptom of other problems; and that every attempted solution to a wicked problem produces irreversible consequences. Both are seen to apply to Brexit. In the conclusion, I explore 'wicked synergies' between Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Toruńskie Studia Polsko-Włoskie / Studi Polacco-Italiani di Toruń is the property of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Faculty of Law & Administration 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.)

Copyright of Security: Theory & Practice / Bezpieczeństwo.Teoria i Praktyka is the property of Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, AFM Publishing Office 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 article presents an account of the expansion of the European banks in the Brazilian banking sector. Restriction was enforced on the entry of foreign financial institutions into Brazil during the 1970s and 1980s. The Brazilian government withhold the restriction and allowed some foreign banks in order to permit the acquisition of a few problematic banks and also to strengthen the national banking sector due to the banking crisis caused by a contagion from Mexican financial crisis in 1995. The process of banking mergers in the European financial system under the European Union (EU) has been one of main factors behind the expansion of some European banks in Brazil.

Focusing on three of the Central and Eastern European countries - Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary - the paper investigates the evolution of spatial planning systems and the introduction of strategic planning practices from the beginning of the post-communist transition in the early 1990s to the present. It sheds new light on this issue by applying the conceptual lens of historical institutionalism to explain this process and elucidate the role of the accession to the European Union (EU) as a catalyst for change. In particular, the paper identifies and analyses the critical junctures at which path dependencies emerged and later constrained the capacity of the regional and local actors to adjust to the EU Cohesion Policy framework and engage in strategic planning as part of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the European copyright framework and its interaction with open access repositories. Access to information resources has become a modern necessity that needs to be met to share equitably the wealth of the European society. The Directives with intellectual property provisions to enhance copyright law policy makers are the foundation of the European copyright regime. This statement helps me to clarify the design and assumptions underlying open access practice in Europe. The paper analyses strengths and short-comings of these Directives in relation to copyright protection and open access practice among European member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the 25 March 2017, leaders of the EU27 and European Union (EU) institutions ratified the Rome Declaration. They committed to invite citizens to discuss Europe's future and to provide recommendations that would facilitate their decision-makers in shaping their national positions on Europe. In response, citizens' dialogues on the future of Europe were instituted across the Union to facilitate public participation in shaping Europe. This paper explores Ireland's set of dialogues which took place during 2018. Although event organisers in Ireland applied a relatively atypical and more systematic and participatory approach to their dialogues, evidence suggests that Irelands' dialogues were reminiscent of a public relations exercise which showcased the country's commitment to incorporating citizens into the debate on Europe while avoiding a deliberative design which could have strengthened the quality of public discourse and the quality of public recommendations. Due to an absence of elite political will for a deliberative process, as well as structural weaknesses in design, participants' recommendations lacked any clear and prescriptive direction which could shape Ireland's national position on the future of Europe in any constructive or meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the European Union (EU)'s current goal of making its continent the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050, the EU will need to set a path for new policies in the areas of Europe's economy, energy consumption, and agriculture. Thus, this paper analyzes the marginal impact of energy price and economic freedom on Europe's CO2 emissions grounded on the extended Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology ecology (STIRPAT) model together with the spatial econometric models. The results indicate the existence of spatial spillover effect of CO2 emissions among some countries in Europe. The Hausman test was also performed to select the best model between the random effects and the fixed effects. The findings suggest that increasing both economic freedom and energy price in a local country turns to reduce the country's own CO2 emissions and also reduces the emissions of its adjacent countries. Comparing the direct effect of economic freedom and energy price to that of the SDM fixed effect, a feedback of 12.77% and 23.53% of the direct effect was observed, respectively. The results also indicated that the turning point of economic freedom and economic growth was 6.714 and thus 9.083. Overall, the study spotlighted some policy suggestions for the energy market for the European commission in reducing the emissions of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper analyzes the new EU Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) to determine the level of guidance on instruments to wind-down bad asset portfolios of asset management vehicles. In the absence of such detailed guidance stipulated by the BRRD, the aim is to provide certain practical guidance to future resolution planning and execution. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws upon experience from portfolio reduction strategies applied at European bad banks in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. For illustration purposes, the paper use case study data from a bad bank located in the eurozone. Findings – For the new European Commission, implementation and enforcement of the Banking Union within the eurozone is currently a key priority. Present efforts are mainly directed towards minimum technical standards. However, the fundamental question of how to orderly unwind a bad assets portfolio without the usage of public funds remains partly addressed only. While a uniform approach to any bad asset does not seem to be applicable, certain lessons learned from previous financial crises may contribute to a selection of reduction strategies. Research limitations/implications – This paper draws upon experience from portfolio reduction strategies applied at European bad banks in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. It includes case study data from the wind-down of a eurozone bad bank detailing the asset reduction strategies achieved so far. Such per asset class wind-down patterns have not been published and commented on in academia so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the everyday experiences of welfare provision among EU migrants living in Glasgow, demonstrating how the process of restricting the rights of EU citizens has occurred well before Brexit. It is based on 12 months of ethnographic research conducted in 2012 with Czech and Slovak nationals who came to the UK after 2004. Introducing the migrants' notion of zkancelovali, the paper highlights a heightened sense of insecurity in their everyday lives, which arises from the increasingly common experiences of rejections of their benefit applications and payment delays. Various state practices are discussed which raise questions about the limits of EU citizenship and show how the latter is affected not only through policies and discourses but also in everyday encounters with state officials, where boundaries between 'us' and 'them' are being redrawn. Drawing on sociological/anthropological perspectives on state, it is argued that the migrants' experiences of welfare provision can be considered as constitutive of statecraft and nation-building processes, processes which turn (EU) citizens into immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to analyse the increase of significance investment instruments in regional policy of the European Union after 2014. The reasons of this phenomenon have been pointed out in the context of the European Union structural funds. They refer to political interests, economic, social environmental challenges faced by the EU regions under conditions of limitation the EU expenditure on regional development financing. Solutions in the following areas: objectives, priorities and rules of intervention of the structural funds have been presented – those which have an investment dimension. Investment approach is going to be carried on in the next Multiannual Financial Framework after 2020. The paper has been elaborated based on using method of institutional analysis the key EU regional policy legal regulations and existing scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past twenty years, the "rise of populism", to use a common designation in the media, has been a phenomenon marking national and European elections. Why has Europe become a divisive issue, often even controversial? A widely used interpretation in political commentaries presents the phenomenon as the consequence of the economic crisis. This paper focuses on the conflict between the identity promoted by the institutions and the identity issue in the populist rhetoric. Doing this, the second part of the article returns to the quarrel over identities between heritage and construction. Finally the paper discusses the effects of the different conceptions of identity on the understanding of migration processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we aim to investigate the importance of the sports sector of the economy for macrolevel performance in the European Union Member States. The problem that we address is worthy of research focus as sport is a dynamically expanding and important sector of the economy. The increasing importance of sport in national economies cannot be fully analysed due to the lack of sufficient statistical data. In this paper, we provide a comparison of the Eurostat sports collections results and Sport Satellite Account-based examination of the contribution of sport to the GDP and value added. The analysis of statistical data is preceded by a description of the sports sector measurement. We establish that the contribution of sport is more remarkable for developed economies, however, it has also been increasing over time in other EU Member States. This can be observed for employment, changes in enterprises' statistics, and international trade. Household spending on sports goods and services also increases even if the Great Recession led to a downturn in sport consumption in some countries. The frequency and coherence of sports data collections related to its economic significance is not satisfactory. The issue needs to be given a higher priority by public authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European regions experience accelerating ageing, but the process has substantial regional variation. This paper examines the effect of this variation on regional economic cohesion in Europe. We measure the effect of convergence or divergence in the share of the working age population on convergence or divergence in economies of NUTS 2 regions. The effect of convergence or divergence in ageing on economic convergence or divergence is quite substantial and, in some cases, is bigger than the effect of changes in productivity and labour force participation. Convergence of ageing leads to economic convergence only when the share of the working age population in rich regions exceeds that in poor regions and the former regions experience a substantial decline in the share of the working age population, or the latter regions experience an increase. During 2003–12, an inverse relationship between convergence in ageing and economic convergence was the rule rather than the exception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore sustainable tourism in Europe in economic, socio-cultural and environmental dimensions as well as discuss key challenges and necessary steps to be taken by the national tourism organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The author takes a look at the evolution and importance of sustainable development for the travel and tourism industry today. Findings: Last year Europe reached another record of international tourist arrivals, resulting in a 6 per cent increase on the previous year's performance. Factors that contributed to this development include the recovery of major source markets, marketing efforts in promoting travel offseason as well as themed promotional activities in third markets. However, the European tourism industry is facing increasing challenges, in particular, those related to the quest between sustainable practices and the need for increasing competitiveness as a global destination. Originality/value: This paper provides a current view of how sustainable tourism in Europe became a key global challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new evidence on the interaction between demographic and occupational change in Europe over the last 25 years. We use data from the European Union Labour Force Survey covering six European countries. The analysis is based on a cross‐sectional comparison between the population and employment distributions in 1995 and 2019. This strategy allows us to study the changing demographic dynamics, which have brought a more feminized, aged, and educated working population, in a context of structural employment change, where higher job polarization or occupational upgrading are the main patterns. The results indicate that the increasing female participation has been associated with a strong general process of occupational upgrading that particularly benefited women. Still, the occupational profile of women is polarized relative to men. Although the process of educational upgrading was also stronger for women and overall they improved their occupational profile more than that of men, we find declining occupational returns to higher education for female workers in two countries. Finally, while European labor markets could accommodate the large increase in older workers, their occupational profile suffered some downgrading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union defence sector is not only crucial for the EU's security, but it is also a major industrial asset for EU member states, as it may foster innovation and greater integration among member states, as well as facilitate technology transfer. The understanding of and inferences about the sector, however, are laborious since data on the defence industry in Europe is often contradictory and confused and it is mostly compared at the national not at the European level. As a contribution to address such shortcomings and as opening piece for this Special Issue, this article focuses on the finding, collecting, cleaning, and organizing data on the geographical concentration/location of EU defence industries. This is a fully original descriptive analysis of the current situation, and it provides a reliable basis on the concentration/location of defence companies. This paper represents a firm basis from which to explore (in future research) how defence companies contribute to the technological integration of the EU and it should help the reader to better understand the following articles in this Special Issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, after the Second World War, we have become familiar with migration to Europe mainly for the purpose of work. In the European Union we have enjoyed the free movement of labour, goods, services and capital. But the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict revived in Europe the migration caused by the war, for humanitarian purposes or in other words, the struggle for security or survival of some human individuals is identified. Through this paper, we propose to analyze the impact that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has on the migration phenomenon, but also some contextual regional socio-economic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The start of the war in Ukraine in the beginning of the 2022 had a significant impact on Europe, especially on the security of the gas supply. This has led to challenges and imbalances that require immediate action from the European Union in order to gradually end the reliance on imported Russian fossil fuels. As a result, the issue of energy security was brought into attention, gaining real importance at the international, regional and national level, being an extremely important sector for states from a social perspective, economic, political, technological. These developments usher in a new era of study and methodology for energy security. This paper highlights the impact of the energy crisis in Europe that occurred due to the Russia-Ukraine war that started in the beginning of the year and also the measures that the EU took in order to mitigate the effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Hubungan Internasional is the property of Universitas Airlangga 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.)

Vaccination has been the most effective approach in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the world's population has been vaccinated and sufficient data is available to analyze the impact of COVID-19 vaccines around the globe. In this paper, we present a correlation analysis between administered vaccine doses and COVID-19 cases/deaths in Europe. The correlation analysis is performed considering different types of vaccinations, different age groups and different COVID-19 variants (including the prevalent Delta and Omicron variants). We present a detailed analysis for 30 European countries giving various insights such as efficacy of six different vaccines, effect of vaccinating different age groups and how the correlation evolves as different COVID-19 variants emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in island economies within Europe. In the European Union (EU) this has led to enhanced Cohesion Policy support for islands, along with a number of other regions facing geographical challenges. Because of major problems with data, comparative research on islands across different EU member states has been of limited extent. This paper explores the use of national data sets to undertake comparative cross-country analysis of islands. The paper concentrates on two member states, Greece and Britain, which have large numbers of offshore islands. Data from national population censuses are drawn upon to allow typologies of the islands to be developed. These typologies are utilised to identify similarities and differences between British and Greek islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posing arguments against statistical evidence picturing the European Union as the key world economy, the research views the economic model of the EU through the prism of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, explaining its lower resistance towards the global economic crisis and comparing it to China - a country with authoritarian governmental methods - that suffered to a significantly lesser extent. Based on the example of these two entities, the paper views the topic of the current refugee crisis in Europe representing it as a new crucial trial for the EU that potentially checks classical economic theory for consistency. According to the author, if found effective, in the foreseeable future it will form a sound basis for further development, if not - it will likely be replaced by the Keynesian paradigm. Thus, with the current refugee crisis in Europe, the author juxtaposes liberal economy with the state-regulated one. This is done to give hints at the importance of the crisis per se, as it is believed to be capable of shattering some of the fundamental principles of the current world order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]