CLUSTER ANALYSIS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION GENDER EQUALITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (02) ◽  
pp. 373-388
Author(s):  
Oksana Vinska ◽  
Volodymyr Tokar
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Cohesion Policy ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
And Gender

Purpose – The article aims at discovering classes and clusters of EU member-states considering their levels of economic development and gender equality to foster the enhancement of EU cohesion policy. Research methodology – The methodology includes the grouping by two parameters, economic development and gender equality, and the cluster analysis, the “far neighbor principle”, agglomerative hierarchical classification algorithm and the usual Euclidean distance as the distance between objects. Findings – There are no gender equality laggards among EU member-states. More developed countries belong to gender equality leaders, while there are two gender equality leaders and one gender equality adopter among transition countries. The group of less developed countries consists of six gender equality leaders and seven gender equality adopters. Research limitations – The results of cluster analysis may be impacted by off-shore activity of Ireland and Luxembourg. Practical implications – The EU supranational bodies can use our results to develop more efficient cohesion policy tools to ensure the adherence to the principle of gender equality. Originality/Value – The study is a pioneer one in determining nine classes and five clusters of EU member-states considering their levels of economic development and gender equality, as well as in introducing three types of countries depending on their level of gender equality, namely gender equality leaders, adopters, and laggards.

EU accession - chance for gender equality in CEE countries

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daša Šašić Šilović
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
And Gender

Does accession to the European Union offer a chance to promote equality between men and women in societies in transition? What challenges does this process raise and how are they to be addressed? What is the role of trade unions and other social actors? The article attempts to open up a debate on these issues and to provide a positive matrix for influencing the empowerment of women and gender equality in the course of the accession procedure. Gender inequalities, it is pointed out, are not specific to applicant countries, but exist in most EU Member States. This offers an opportunity to initiate political, economic and social measures relating to gender equality throughout Europe, and to create an environment conducive to sustainable human development. Unfortunately, cases of positive social action are rare and gender issues are taken for granted, rendered invisible by neutral legislation and partial measures, and marginalised. The activities of trade unions in CEECs provide examples of such problems. Therefore, political action, the sharing of information, knowledge and lessons learned, as well as concerted action between trade unions from EU Member States and those in CEEC have the potential to radically change the map of gender inequalities to the benefit of all.

scholarly journals Economic convergence on different spatial levels: the conflict between cohesion and growth

2006 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Kramar
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Common Market ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Level ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
Conflicting Goals

Abstract The analysis of economic disparities within the European Union strongly depends on the regional level considered. Whereas the economic gap between the member states has decreased over the last decades, regional disparities have rather deepened. The reason for these contradictory findings can be found in the increasing disparities within many of the member states: Especially in growing economies the gap between urban centres and rural peripheries tends to widen. The spatial concentration of research and development, high skilled labour, infrastructure and foreign investment in the capitals will therefore supposably become a big challenge for the accession countries, which will have to face increasing international competition. Joining a common market of more than 450 million people means new opportunities, challenges and threats for economic development, which have to be faced by local, regional and national governments as well as by European institutions. EU-policies act in the dichotomy between the conflicting goals of economic growth and cohesion. Since they strongly influence regional conditions for production it is of great political interest whether a certain measure fosters economic efficiency by favouring the highly developed centres or rather enhances convergence by promoting lagging regions. The answer is, however, not trivial and needs closer examination: Measures encouraging regional cohesion on the European level can also increase disparities within a state or a region at the same time. This is the reason why the regional effects of EU-policies have to be analysed on different spatial levels. Dealing with the spatial impacts of various European Policies (Regional Policy, TransEuropean Networks, Common Agricultural Policy, Research and Technological Development Policy) there is some evidence that these policies try to compensate the effects of growing competition in the common market by concentrating their efforts on urban growth poles within the underdeveloped countries. Doing that, the European Union comes up to the two conflicting goals of growth and cohesion by promoting efficient economic development in the member states on the one hand and regional convergence on the European level on the other. This approach is of course mainly directed at European objectives and brings about new problems for the member states: According to the principle of subsidiarity the growing divergence within the member states is, however, not a policy task of the European Union but of the member states: Therefore national politics are still required to take on responsibility for these intranational problems by adopting their transport, regional and economic policies to the new challenge.

scholarly journals Clasters and Correlations among the Eu Member States Regarding Agri-Food Foreign Trade

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 55-63
Author(s):  
Nóra Gombkötő
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Foreign Trade ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Total Trade ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Food Commodities ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
The Eu

The European Union has a significant role in international trade but this is largely in the area of industrial goods. However, in the case of some agricultural commodities the EU applies tariffs, bans, or different restrictive measures; it manages foreign trade in agricultural goods with many countries all over the world. On the other hand the member states do not contribute to the total trade of the EU to the same extent. In this study, a comparative analysis was performed in relation to the member states by means of data of Eurostat and Faostat. First, a multivariable correlation analysis was carried out in order to find the interrelation between the trade features of each country. In the second part of the study, a cluster analysis was carried out with almost the same component as in the foregoing, also in terms of the EU member states. It can be ascertained that the date of EU accession of a Member State as well as getting EU agricultural subsidies do not affect the agricultural foreign trade of the member states. Countries with significant agricultural production also export food commodities in larger quantities. Countries that have significant exports extra-EU also have larger imports in the case of both basic commodities and prepared food as well. As a result of the cluster analysis, it can be stated that the member states can be divided into specific groups according to the three examined aspects (food trade features, exports of commodities, imports of commodities). The following typical country groups can be divided as follows: non-trade countries, countries with larger trade extra-EU, agri-food exporter and importer countries, non-agri-food exporter and importer countries, primary commodity exporters and importers, and last but not least processed food exporters and importers as well. JEL Classification: F10

scholarly journals Comparative Assessment of the Impact of Electricity Consumption in Different Economic Sectors on the Economic Development of the EU Member States

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8335
Author(s):  
Romualdas Ginevičius ◽  
Gracjana Noga ◽  
Eigirdas Žemaitis ◽  
Barbara Piontek ◽  
Karel Šuhajda
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
National Economic ◽  
National Economic Development ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

Recently, the Member States of the European Union (EU) have found themselves in a controversial situation. On the one hand, national economic development is barely possible without increasing electricity consumption, whereas on the other we are facing increased use of natural resources (coal, oil, gas, wood), thermal effects, pollution and risks to human health. The European Green Deal is a response to the currently observed negative trends. The strategy aims to accelerate the economic development of the EU Member States, thus reducing electricity consumption. Objectives may include both the national economy and the electricity generation sector by applying advanced technologies and introducing innovations that increase output efficiency while reducing electricity costs. Assessing the current situation is vital for the successful implementation of the European Green Deal, i.e., by comparing the impact of electricity consumption on the economic development of the Member States. Thus, combining indicators for national economic development and the extent of electricity consumption into a single aggregate is necessary because electricity greatly affects economic development. The proposed methodology allows dividing the analysed EU Member States into three groups, in line with the degree of national economic development and the scope of electricity consumption in their economy sectors.

scholarly journals Older Knowledge Workers as the Labour Market Potential (Slovenia versus Finland)

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Zupančič
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Eu

Abstract This article refers to the challenge of demographic changes gaining attention in many developed countries. The European Union recognized the need to activate older knowledge workers, who are underrepresented and pushed out of the labour market or are inadequately motivated to continue their employment for various reasons, despite their accumulated knowledge and experiences. EU member states respond differently to their ageing, with more or less successful national policies. This article is based on research of the labour market development for older knowledge workers in Slovenia compared to the Finnish age management policy at the end of the 1990s that successfully increased Finnish older knowledge workers’ employment through focused and holistic measures. Slovenia stagnated in the same period due to a lack of holistic solutions-a situation that continues today. The results and deficiencies of past bad and good practices in these two compared EU member states might offer some further reflections on possible steps to follow or avoid regarding active ageing solutions in the EU.

Cohesion Policy and European Union Politics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Piattoni ◽  
Laura Polverari
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Cohesion Policy ◽  
Progressive Alignment ◽  
Member States ◽  
Over Time ◽  
The Eu

Cohesion policy is one of the longest-standing features of the European construction; its roots have been traced as far back as the Treaty of Rome. Over time, it has become one of the most politically salient and sizable policies of the European Union, absorbing approximately one-third of the EU budget. Given its principles and “shared management” approach, it mobilizes many different actors at multiple territorial scales, and by promoting “territorial cooperation” it has encouraged public authorities to work together, thus overcoming national borders. Furthermore, cohesion policy is commonly considered the most significant expression of solidarity between member states and the most tangible way in which EU citizens “experience” the European Union. While retaining its overarching mission of supporting lagging regions and encouraging the harmonious development of the Union, cohesion policy has steadily evolved and adapted in response to new internal and external challenges, such as those generated by subsequent rounds of enlargement, globalization, and shifting political preferences regarding what the EU should be about. Just as the policy has evolved over time in terms of its shape and priorities, so have the theoretical understandings of economic development that underpin its logic, the nature of intergovernmental relations, and the geographical and administrative space(s) within which the EU polity operates. For example, whereas overcoming the physical barriers to economic development were the initial targets in the 1960s and 1970s, and redesigning manufacturing clusters were those of the 1980s and 1990s, fostering advanced knowledge and technological progress became the focus of cohesion policy in the new century. At the same time, cohesion policy also inspired or even became a testing ground for new theories, such as multilevel governance, Europeanization, or smart specialization. Given its redistributive nature, debates have proliferated around its impact, added value, and administrative cost, as well as the institutional characteristics that it requires to function. These deliberations have, in turn, informed the policy in its periodic transformations. Political factors have also played a key role in shaping the evolution of the policy. Each reform has been closely linked to the debates on the European budget, where the net positions of member states have tended to dominate the agenda. An outcome of this process has been the progressive alignment with wider strategic goals beyond cohesion and convergence and the strengthening of linkages with the European Semester. However, some argue that policymakers have failed to properly consider the perverse effects of austerity on regional disparities. These unresolved tensions are particularly significant in a context denoted by a rise of populist and nativist movements, increasing social discontent, and strengthening Euroskepticism. As highlighted by research on its communication, cohesion policy may well be the answer for winning back the hearts and minds of European citizens. Whether and how this may be achieved will likely be the focus of research in the years ahead.

scholarly journals Моделювання ефективного фіскального регулювання економіки України в умовах євроінтеграції

2020 ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
Луценко А.С.
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Pension System ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Wage Cuts ◽  
Visegrad Group

The experience of fiscal regulation in the countries of the Visegrad Group (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia), which are relatively new members of the European Union, have carried out quite large-scale consolidation of budgets under the influence of supranational fiscal regulation of the European Union. Specific features of fiscal regulation in the Visegrad Group countries and Ukraine have been identified, namely: low level of social security (compared to EU Member States with developed economies); lower level of budget expenditures to GDP of countries (compared to EU Member States with developed economies); more developed indirect taxation than developed countries. The toolkit of consolidation of budgets in the countries of the European Union is specified: measures of increase of budget revenues (increase of tax rates, expansion of the tax base, refusal of privileges and others); measures to reduce budget expenditures (reduction of public sector consumption through wage cuts and others); measures aimed at changing the pension regime (increasing the retirement age, reducing the payment of pensions); measures aimed at reforming social transfers (reduction of payments, abolition of benefits and bonuses). It is found that two approaches are usually used to determine the budgetary consolidation period of the Visegrad Group countries: a quantitative one that operates on a set of indicators that characterize the volume of fiscal impulse; narrative that relies on monitoring regulatory documents. It was determined that one of the main tools for increasing the budget revenues of the Visegrad Group countries was social payments, which are the most stable sources, which are almost independent of macroeconomic dynamics. This was the reason for the nationalization of the pension system in Hungary and Poland. The mechanism of effective fiscal regulation of the Ukrainian economy is proposed. It is argued that the objects of this mechanism of effective fiscal regulation of the economy of Ukraine are the budgetary and tax systems, and the subjects - the state, represented by bodies and services that apply the methods and instruments of fiscal regulation. The main tasks of this mechanism of effective fiscal regulation of the Ukrainian economy are outlined: balancing of budget indicators; assistance in reducing public debt; optimization of tax burden; control over the impact on GDP growth. The principles of effective fiscal regulation of the Ukrainian economy are highlighted: scientific validity; systematic; legislative regulation; continuity; efficiency; reconciliation of interests; adaptation; complexity.

scholarly journals Categorization of the EU Member States in the Context of Selected Multicriteria International Indices Using Cluster Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-401
Author(s):  
Erika Onuferová ◽  
Veronika Čabinová ◽  
Mária Matijová
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Euclidean Distance ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe main aim of the paper was to analyse the economic and social development of the European Union (EU) member states (28 countries) on the basis of selected five multicriteria indices (the Global Competitiveness Index, the Economic Freedom Index, the Global Innovation Index, the Corruption Perceptions Index, the Human Development Index). To perform settled aim, a multidimensional classification of EU countries for years 2011 and 2018 using cluster analysis was realized. The purpose of the analysis was to categorize the individual EU countries into clusters and to find out to what extent the position of EU member states has changed in terms of selected international indices over the analysed period. Based on the findings, it is arguable that a major part of the EU member states cluster into the same groups based on the selected indices assessment, regardless of the time period. However, six countries (Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and United Kingdom) improved their position during the period under review and ranked into the cluster of more prosperous countries in 2018. The rate of change (improvement) was quantified at the level of 21.43%. Based on the results, Latvia and Lithuania were the most similar countries in terms of economic prosperity (Euclidean distance reached the level of 3.08), while the least similar countries were Greece and Sweden (Euclidean distance reached the level of 70.8). Declining Euclidean distances indicate that economic disparities of the individual EU countries have decreased in the period under review. This paper aims at developing the research to find out how, besides hierarchy, we can analyse the EU member states from the perspective of various multicriteria indices. The four proposed clusters could be used as a starting point for future policy reforms, pointing to the weaknesses of various countries.

scholarly journals Sustainable Technology in Developed Countries: Waste Municipal Management

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-55
Author(s):  
Carol Emilly Hoareau ◽  
Noraziah Ahmad ◽  
Maria Nuid ◽  
Rubiyatno ◽  
Dao Nguyen Khoi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Municipal Waste ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste Management ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States

As more studies were conducted and global events unfold, a greater emphasis is being placed on the importance of preserving the Earth's natural resources and cycles before we face a catastrophic climate crisis. Thus, developed countries are constantly adapting their policies and legislation to promote green development for the sake of sustainable development, which benefits both the environment and the socioeconomic segment. As populations grow and living standards improve, more waste is generated. Appropriate municipal waste management is necessary to avoid harm to the environment, wildlife, and human health. Sustainable municipal solid waste management is even included in the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the world's environment and economy. The European Union (EU) member states' waste management systems can be considered exemplary. In some countries, landfills have been prohibited, promoting the use of more sustainable technologies such as organic waste incineration, recycling, and composting. However, a divide exists between member countries, with some lagging behind in terms of waste management strategies. Thus, this paper examined the current state of municipal waste in EU member states, followed by a review of the various disposal technologies implemented. The difficulties and environmental concerns that must be overcome are discussed, as are the recommendations and possible future directions.

scholarly journals Do increasing prices affect food deprivation in the European Union?

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sol García-Germán ◽  
Isabel Bardají ◽  
Alberto Garrido
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Food Deprivation ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Income Quintile ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Averaged Models

The rise of prices of agricultural commodities in global markets during 2007-2012 was followed by increased consumer food prices around the world. More expensive food may have an impact on consumer food access and thus on their welfare, not only in developing countries but also amongst the most vulnerable in developed countries. Using a longitudinal database from the Statistics on Income and Living Conditions and population-averaged models, we tested whether increasing food prices had an impact on household food deprivation in 26 European Union (EU) member states. Results revealed a significant relationship between food deprivation and the consumer food price index and disposable income. Households in the lowest income quintile in the member states recently acceded to the EU were the most vulnerable to food deprivation. Results also showed that low-income households in densely populated areas were more vulnerable to food deprivation. This should be taken into account when evaluating food assistance programmes that focus on the segments of the population most at risk of food deprivation.

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