Suchergebnisse

The Visegrad Group (V4) was formed with the aim to support Central European countries – Poland, Czechoslovakia (since 1993 the Czech Republic and Slovakia) and Hungary in their efforts to join NATO and the European Communities. V4 had to redefine its role and tasks after 2004 having achieved the set objectives in the first years of its existence. The new format of the Visegrad Group made provisions for a close cooperation between member states within the European Union. The strategy of combining potentials of the V4 states in negotiations on the EU level is based on reasonable assumptions, as it may lead to an increased significance of the region in the decision-making process. The article discusses the genesis and evolution of the V4 up to 2004. Next there is presented Visegrad cooperation in the field of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. The text analysis specific issues projecting the safety of Europe in recent years. The analysis of the commitment of V4 in the shaping of the EU CFSP will be based on source materials, mainly on documents produced by the authorities of the Visegrad Group such as presidency programmes, statements, declarations and annual reports. ; The Visegrad Group (V4) was formed with the aim to support Central European countries – Poland, Czechoslovakia (since 1993 the Czech Republic and Slovakia) and Hungary in their efforts to join NATO and the European Communities. V4 had to redefine its role and tasks after 2004 having achieved the set objectives in the first years of its existence. The new format of the Visegrad Group made provisions for a close cooperation between member states within the European Union. The strategy of combining potentials of the V4 states in negotiations on the EU level is based on reasonable assumptions, as it may lead to an increased significance of the region in the decision-making process. The article discusses the genesis and evolution of the V4 up to 2004. Next there is presented Visegrad cooperation in the field of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. The text analysis specific issues projecting the safety of Europe in recent years. The analysis of the commitment of V4 in the shaping of the EU CFSP will be based on source materials, mainly on documents produced by the authorities of the Visegrad Group such as presidency programmes, statements, declarations and annual reports.

AbstractIndustrial policy is an important tool of economic policy‐making, and this has been the case especially since the onset of the current global financial crisis in 2008. However, only relatively few empirical studies consider the macroeconomic effects of industrial policy, especially for European Union countries. In this study we investigate the effect of state aid policy on economic growth and investment, using a panel data set which covers 27 European Union countries over the period 1992–2011. Our results suggest that state aid policy is not an effective tool to achieve higher economic growth and investment rates.

In 2008 the Peaceable Neighbourhood program (PN) is implemented in Utrecht (the Netherlands). The PN follows the primary school program the Peaceable School (PS), implemented in 60% of the primary-schools in Utrecht. The PS offers an integral method to improve the social climate. The PS creates a school community in which everyone is committed and interacts positively. Pupils are given a voice and are contributing to this school-community. Explicit goals in the PS are learning democracy and 'democratic way of life skills' . Key characteristic of the program is conflict-management through peer-mediation: Pupils are trained to resolve problems that arise in the school. But Utrecht has neighbourhoods with a large immigrant population, in which cultural differences between the several life-domains of children are considerable. Within the schools emancipation reigns, but in their leisure time, the street-culture asks for being tough, while the home domain is often dominated by Islamic traditions. The PN program aims to tie these domains together by applying the same training to teachers and professional child workers. By implementing the Peaceable method in the leisure activities, children are treated with a consistent integral Peaceable approach, in which they are stimulated to behave in their leisure activities as they behave in the school. A challenging future goal is to include the home domain in this approach. Results reveal: • Children behave more Peaceable when they recognize the Peaceable environment. • Children value the Peaceable conflict-management protocol because they notice it works. • Child workers report a more constructive conflict-management among children coming from a PS; better communication with colleagues; better skills and more satisfaction since the implementation of PN. Professionals value the PN highly. • The PN method lets low structured child provisions 'borrow' this PN culture, which leads to more participation and less problems with children.

Азербайджан установил политические отношения с ЕС в ходе реализации проектов в рамках Программы TACIS, а в 1996 г. подписал Договор о партнерстве и сотрудничестве с ЕС. С 2004 г. государство было охвачено Европейской политикой соседства, а с 2009 г. вошло в программу «Восточное партнерство». Несмотря на скептический подход правительства Азербайджана по отношению к инициативе «Восточного партнерства», ЕС выделял Азербайджану в 2011-2014 гг. серьезные финансовые средства. Во время третьего саммита «Восточного партнерства» в Вильнюсе в ноябре 2013 г. Азербайджан подписал только один договор о визовых льготах и реадмиссии, но, несмотря на это, взялся за некоторые действия в рамках пяти инициатив «Восточного партнерства». В Интегрированной программе управления границами Азербайджан осуществил проекты, связанные с улучшением доступа к системе правосудия для переселенцев, созданием электронных систем контроля границ, социальной защитой, повышением уровня общественного сознания в сфере ликвидации насилия в семье, улучшением ассимиляции иммигрантов и лиц, просящих убежища, а также с поддержкой организаций, занимающихся гигиеной труда. В сфере содействия сектору МСП были проведены обучение предпринимателей, конференции в сфере популяризации, также предоставлялись кредиты для сектора МСП. Постановления инициативы о появлении региональных рынков электроэнергии и возобновляемых источников энергии Азербайджан осуществил в рамках Программы INOGATE путем реализации 33 проектов. В сфере экологического менеджмента был подготовлен электронный региональный атлас мест возникновения стихийных бедствий, а в сфере предотвращения стихийных бедствий были запланированы меры по защите населения. В оценке ежегодного отчета, составляемого комиссией ЕС, Азербайджан оказался на предпоследнем месте перед Беларусью. Трансформация в этом государстве проходила медленно, а некоторых сферах формально. Несмотря на это, ЕС продолжает действовать в сфере инициативы «Восточное партнерство», предполагая выделить на системную трансформацию в Азербайджане в 2014-2020 гг. от 252 до 308 млн евро. ; Azerbaijan established political relations with the EU during the implementation of TACIS Programme projects and signed the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU in 1996. It joined the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2004 and the Eastern Partnership programme in 2009. Despite the sceptical attitude taken by Azerbaijan''s government towards the Eastern Partnership initiative, the EU earmarked further funds for Azerbaijan for 2011-2014 as part of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. During the third Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November 2013, Azerbaijan signed only an agreement concerning visa facilitations and readmission. However, it also undertook certain measures as part of the five Eastern Partnership initiatives. In the framework of the Integrated Border Management Programme, Azerbaijan implemented projects connected with improving the access of resettled people to the judicial system, creation of electronic border control systems, social protection, increasing public awareness to eliminate domestic violence, improving assimilation of asylum-seekers and immigrants, and supporting occupational health organisations. Activities aimed at supporting SMEs included training for entrepreneurs, promotional conferences and loans to the SME sector. Recommendations of the initiative promoting the creation of regional electrical and renewable energy markets were implemented by Azerbaijan in the form of 33 projects as part of the INOGATE Programme. With respect to environmental management, Azerbaijan developed a digital regional atlas of natural disasters, and with respect to natural disaster mitigation it planned population protection measures. Azerbaijan was ranked last but one in the evaluation presented in the annual report prepared by the EU. The transformation process in this country has been slow and illusory in certain aspects. Nevertheless, the EU has continued its Eastern Partnership initiative activities, allocating between EUR 252,000 and 308,000 for transformations in Azerbaijan.