scholarly journals Digital Civic Engagement in the EU: Analysing Examples, Tools, and Sentiment in Latvia and Estonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-99
Author(s):  
Martins Vargulis ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Eu

The decline of civic engagement has been an issue for several EU Member States. To promote civic engagement, digital tools have been perceived as one of the possible solutions both at the EU and national levels. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has intensifi ed digitalisation in many forms and sectors, the issue of digital solutions for civic engagement has regained its relevance and topicality. In the last decade, Latvia has been among other EU Member States in which civic engagement has become a concerning and long-term challenge. For instance, as opposed to Estonia, voter turnout in the most recent national and European parliamentary elections has gradually declined in Latvia. There are also limited digital possibilities through which Latvian society can participate and influence the political agenda daily. Therefore, this article provides an overview of the provisions and guidelines at the EU level to address the issue of civic engagement by promoting digital democracy tools. Secondly, it analyses what digital tools exist in Latvia to promote civic engagement. Thirdly, by comparing the digital civic engagement solutions implemented in Estonia and Latvia, the lessons learned are drawn. Finally, using data from quantitative (polls) studies (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic), the article provides recommendations for Latvia in the context of I-voting.

EU Migration Policy: Evolving Ideas of Responsibility and Protection

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Haddad
Keyword(s):  
Forced Migration ◽  
Migration Policy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Common European Asylum System ◽  
The Eu

AbstractWhile humanitarian intervention in cases of state instability remains a disputed concept in international law, there is consensus in the international community over the need to provide protection to refugees, one of the corollaries of such instability. Using the European Union (EU) as a case study, this article takes a policy perspective to examine competing conceptions of both 'responsibility' and 'protection' among EU Member States. Responsibility can be seen either as the duty to move refugees around the EU such that each Member State takes its fair share, or the duty to assist those Member States who receive the highest numbers of migrants due to geography by way of practical and financial help. Similarly, protection can imply that which the EU offers within its boundaries, encompassed within the Common European Asylum System, or something broader that looks at where people are coming from and seeks to work with countries of origin and transit to provide protection outside the Union and tackle the causes of forced migration. Whether one or both of these concepts comes to dominate policy discourse over the long-term, the challenge will be to ensure an uncompromised understanding of protection among policy-makers.

scholarly journals Beyond emergency measures: The need for a holistic and truly European approach to migration

European View ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-171
Author(s):  
Loredana Teodorescu
Keyword(s):  
Migration Policy ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
European Approach ◽  
Irregular Migrant ◽  
Emergency Measures ◽  
The Eu

Since mid-2017 there has been a reduction in irregular migrant arrivals, and this has partially been attributed to the various initiatives undertaken by the EU. However, migration remains a controversial and pressing issue for which the EU is still struggling to find an adequate and shared response. Migration has become a divisive issue among EU member states, calling into question the meaning of solidarity within the EU and within the member states themselves. This article argues that it is time to move beyond short-term emergency measures and work on a long-term, holistic and truly European approach to migration, combining internal and external policies. Reinforcing control of the European borders will not be enough. While it is necessary to reduce the number of irregular arrivals, the EU needs to equip itself with a future-proof, efficient migration policy that also addresses the Union’s internal weaknesses, as the challenge is not only to reduce the number of arrivals, but also to increase the capacity to manage the flows.

European Pact for Mental Health and Wellbeing

2010 ◽  
Vol 07 (02) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Braddick ◽  
A. Gabilondo ◽  
D. McDaid ◽  
G. Lang ◽  
C. O’Sullivan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Member States ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
The Eu

SummaryMental health is crucial for public health and prosperity. Yet, mental health was first brought to the EU agenda only in late 1990s. To put mental health firmly on the political agenda, the focus was placed on the positive mental health at a population level. The European Pact for Mental Health and Wellbeing is the most recent mental health policy initiative of the European Commission. It aims at promotion of mental health and prevention of mental disorders, by putting emphasis on five priority areas: prevention of depression and suicide; youth and education; workplace settings; older people; and combating stigma and social exclusion. The Pact calls for co-operation between the EU Member States and the Commission, to identify best practices to tackle the problems in the priority areas and to develop recommendations and action plans. The Pact is currently being implemented by a series of conferences on the priority areas. The European Parliament called for a European Strategy on Mental Health in 2009, but it is unclear whether there is sufficient support for a strategy level document in the Member States and Commission. The implementation process is however expected to culminate in an overall reference framework for promoting mental capital during the Hungarian EU Presidency in 2011. Irrespective of the final outcome, the ongoing process has already increased awareness in Europe of the need for actions to promote mental health.

KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE? THE COURT OF JUSTICE'S OPINION ON THE EU'S ACCESSION TO THE ECHR

2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Nanopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
European Convention ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Eu

ACCESSION to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) has long been on the EU's political agenda. The EU's membership of the ECHR is not only seen as symbolically significant, but is also aimed at filling an important gap in the enforceability of human rights across Europe. At present, the EU cannot be brought before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and, while all EU Member States are parties to the ECHR, as long as the EU protects fundamental rights to a standard equivalent to that required under the ECHR, Member States cannot be held responsible for alleged violations of the Convention resulting from EU law either (Bosphorus v Ireland (2006) 42 E.H.R.R. 1).

scholarly journals Looking for the evidence of socio-economic convergence within the European Union

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 8) ◽  
pp. 384-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Qineti ◽  
E. Matejková ◽  
M. Pietriková ◽  
R. Serenčeš ◽  
M. Tóth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Convergence ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Eu Integration ◽  
Sigma Convergence ◽  
Main Growth ◽  
The Eu

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evidence and impact of the EU integration between 1999 and 2009 on the EU regional economic growth and the socio-economic convergence. A regional convergence analysis is performed in order to examine if the EU overall aim of convergence is reached. The main growth- and convergence theories are used as the theoretical framework and form the study's hypothesis. The results show that an absolute β-convergence exists between the EU member states as well as regions. However, the σ-convergence is not confirmed, meaning that that the disparities between the regions are rather increasing than decreasing. Perhaps a possible reason why the σ-convergence does not occur at the EU level is that it is easier for smaller regions which are more similar to each other to converge than for larger regions which tend to be more dissimilar to each other. This reasoning is in line with the convergence theories which state that smaller regions within a country are more likely to converge towards each other in the absolute sense than countries. On the other hand, the EU countries and regions tend to convergence in the tasks like unemployment rate, showing that they are not successful in resolving this difficult task. One of the main reasons of the high unemployment in all EU member states is their structural problem in the respective economies, consequently reflected in the long-term unemployment. The EU countries tend to convergence in terms of inequality as well, showing that they are egalitarian in character.

scholarly journals Gazprom on the European Market: In Search of the Balance between the Principles of Competition and Energy Security

2014 ◽  
pp. 45-53
Author(s):  
V. I. Salygin ◽  
N. Y. Kaveshnikov
Keyword(s):  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Export Market ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Gas Pipelines ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Investment Protection ◽  
The Eu

The article analyses the position of Gazprom on the key export market - the market of the European Union. Situation on the EU gas market changed considerably because of an imbalance between supply and demand. Gazprom had to make price concessions for almost all of the main consumers of Russian gas in Europe, and also had to allow European consumers to break one of the key provisions of long-term contracts - "take or pay" clause. Besides disputes at the corporate level significant differences still remain about the well-known Third energy package, which effectively prohibits Gazprom to own and operate gas pipelines on the territory of the EU, as well as binding it to provide a third party access to gas pipelines. The implementation of Third package provisions on function unbundling by some EU Member States in the most rigid version may contradict bilateral international agreements of Russia with the EU Member States, primarily agreements on investment protection. Possible reasons underlying the investigation initiated by the European Commission against Gazprom in connection with a possible violation ofEU competition rules are examined. The paper investigates legal, political and economic aspects of contemporary regime of gas cooperation, particularly restriction of reexport, linkage between gas and oil prices, pricing based on long-term contracts and spot markets. The paper concludes that Russia and the EU need to elaborate a comprehensive document that would ensure the stability of the regulatory environment of energy cooperation and would reflect the balance of interests of producers and consumers. This document should equally ensure highly competitive environment and guarantees of security of supply in the short and long term.

Discrepancies in Women’s Presence between European National Legislatures and the European Parliament

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 800-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Xydias
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Descriptive Representation ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Female Candidates ◽  
Using Data ◽  
National Legislatures ◽  
The Eu

This study offers a contextual explanation for discrepancies in women’s rates of election between European national legislatures and the European Parliament (EP). Many European Union (EU) member states elect more women to the EP than to their national lower legislative houses. However, the margin of difference between women’s presence in the EP and these national legislatures varies widely across member states. Using data for the EU-27, the study corroborates previous research in showing that institutional accounts offer limited leverage in explaining these varying gaps. Instead, it argues that the discrepancy between women’s descriptive representation at national and European levels in each case is the result of contextual factors: voters, parties, and upwardly mobile politicians’ valuation of the EP and EP service moderates the translation of the national pool of potential female candidates into EP officeholders.

scholarly journals Mapping and assessing ecosystem services in the EU - Lessons learned from the ESMERALDA approach of integration

One Ecosystem ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Burkhard ◽  
Joachim Maes ◽  
Marion Potschin-Young ◽  
Fernando Santos-Martín ◽  
Davide Geneletti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Service Mapping ◽  
Ecosystem Services Mapping ◽  
The Eu

The European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 Coordination and Support Action ESMERALDA aimed at developing guidance and a flexible methodology for Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) to support the EU member states in the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy’s Target 2 Action 5. ESMERALDA’s key tasks included network creation, stakeholder engagement, enhancing ecosystem services mapping and assessment methods across various spatial scales and value domains, work in case studies and support of EU member states in MAES implementation. Thus ESMERALDA aimed at integrating various project outcomes around four major strands: i) Networking, ii) Policy, iii) Research and iv) Application. The objective was to provide guidance for integrated ecosystem service mapping and assessment that can be used for sustainable decision-making in policy, business, society, practice and science at EU, national and regional levels. This article presents the overall ESMERALDA approach of integrating the above-mentioned project components and outcomes and provides an overview of how the enhanced methods were applied and how they can be used to support MAES implementation in the EU member states. Experiences with implementing such a large pan-European Coordination and Support Action in the context of EU policy are discussed and recommendations for future actions are given.

scholarly journals Securitizing Moves To Nowhere? The Framing of the European Union’s Energy Policy

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-89
Author(s):  
Michal Natorski ◽  
Anna Herranz Surrallés
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Security Issue ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Energy Domain ◽  
Heated Debate ◽  
The Eu

In 2006, debates about ‘energy security’ reached the top of the EU’s political agenda. A conjunction of political and economic factors seemed to be critically affecting the security of supply in most EU member states. A wide range of actors called for the establishment of a ‘Common Energy Policy,’ based on a fully operational Internal Energy Market and equipped with an external dimension enabling the EU to speak with one voice in the world. The results of this heated debate, however, fell short of these objectives. Informed by securitisation approaches, this article explores the debate over energy security that unfolded between 2005 and 2007. It aims to provide an understanding about why the framing of energy as a security issue did not mobilise enough support in favour of ground-breaking measures to tackle what was unanimously presented as a unique and especially hazardous situation. Specifically, the article will argue that those attempts to frame energy as a security issue in order to gain support for a Common Energy Policy have been of limited effect, precisely because the security framing contributed to the further legitimisation of EU member states’ reluctance to cede sovereignty in the energy domain.

BIOECONOMY DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL BASED ON MORE EFFICIENT LAND USE IN THE EU

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina PILVERE ◽  
Aleksejs NIPERS ◽  
Bartosz MICKIEWICZ
Keyword(s):  
Green Growth ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Growing Stock ◽  
Europe 2020 ◽  
Europe 2020 Strategy ◽  
Analysis And Synthesis ◽  
Key Industries ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Production Resource

Europe 2020 Strategy highlights bioeconomy as a key element for smart and green growth in Europe. Bioeconomy in this case includes agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and pulp and paper production, parts of chemical, biotechnological and energy industries and plays an important role in the EU’s economy. The growth of key industries of bioeconomy – agriculture and forestry – highly depends on an efficient and productive use of land as a production resource. The overall aim of this paper is to evaluate opportunities for development of the main sectors of bioeconomy (agriculture and forestry) in the EU based on the available resources of land. To achieve this aim, several methods were used – monographic, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, statistical analysis methods. The findings show that it is possible to improve the use of land in the EU Member States. If all the Member States reached the average EU level, agricultural products worth EUR 77 bln would be annually additionally produced, which is 19 % more than in 2014, and an extra 5 billion m3 volume of forest growing stock would be gained, which is 20 % more than in 2010.

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