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International audience ; The liberalisation and integration of European energy markets in a single one are going on. However, the energy environment of the European Union as well as its own internal situation have undergone profound changes. Thus, energy security issue of member states is discussed. This security concerns gas market, where suppliers'contracts and relations have been signed to secure the system, and today electricity markets because of the use of natural gas as an input of power generation. These two markets comply with security concerns, as investments in peak power plants, in transmissions assets, diversification of suppliers, negociation of contracts with different durations. Actors of energy markets have to manage the security concerns to supply socially and economically essential commodities. In this article, we address two main topics. The first is related to gas and electricity transmission, access and investment in huge transnational gas pipelines and electricity interconnectors. The second concerns the upstream structure of the gas and electricity value chains, namely the problem of investing in peak electricity generation and relations with gas suppliers outside the EU.

International audience ; The liberalisation and integration of European energy markets in a single one are going on. However, the energy environment of the European Union as well as its own internal situation have undergone profound changes. Thus, energy security issue of member states is discussed. This security concerns gas market, where suppliers'contracts and relations have been signed to secure the system, and today electricity markets because of the use of natural gas as an input of power generation. These two markets comply with security concerns, as investments in peak power plants, in transmissions assets, diversification of suppliers, negociation of contracts with different durations. Actors of energy markets have to manage the security concerns to supply socially and economically essential commodities. In this article, we address two main topics. The first is related to gas and electricity transmission, access and investment in huge transnational gas pipelines and electricity interconnectors. The second concerns the upstream structure of the gas and electricity value chains, namely the problem of investing in peak electricity generation and relations with gas suppliers outside the EU.

ContextObesity and diabetes are epidemic in the European Union (EU). Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is increasingly recognized as a contributor, independent of diet and physical activity.ObjectiveThe objective was to estimate obesity, diabetes, and associated costs that can be reasonably attributed to EDC exposures in the EU.DesignAn expert panel evaluated evidence for probability of causation using weight-of-evidence characterization adapted from that applied by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Exposure-response relationships and reference levels were evaluated for relevant EDCs, and biomarker data were organized from peer-reviewed studies to represent European exposure and burden of disease. Cost estimation as of 2010 utilized published cost estimates for childhood obesity, adult obesity, and adult diabetes. Setting, Patients and Participants, and Intervention: Cost estimation was performed from the societal perspective.ResultsThe panel identified a 40% to 69% probability of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene causing 1555 cases of overweight at age 10 (sensitivity analysis: 1555-5463) in 2010 with associated costs of €24.6 million (sensitivity analysis: €24.6-86.4 million). A 20% to 39% probability was identified for dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene causing 28 200 cases of adult diabetes (sensitivity analysis: 28 200-56 400) with associated costs of €835 million (sensitivity analysis: €835 million-16.6 billion). The panel also identified a 40% to 69% probability of phthalate exposure causing 53 900 cases of obesity in older women and €15.6 billion in associated costs. Phthalate exposure was also found to have a 40% to 69% probability of causing 20 500 new-onset cases of diabetes in older women with €607 million in associated costs. Prenatal bisphenol A exposure was identified to have a 20% to 69% probability of causing 42 400 cases of childhood obesity, with associated lifetime costs of €1.54 billion.ConclusionsEDC exposures in the EU contribute substantially to obesity and diabetes, with a moderate probability of >€18 billion costs per year. This is a conservative estimate; the results emphasize the need to control EDC exposures.

Between 1 June 2016 and 31 May 2017, 17 European Union (EU) and European Economic Area countries reported 4,096 cases associated with a multi-country hepatitis A (HA) outbreak. Molecular analysis identified three co-circulating hepatitis A virus (HAV) strains of genotype IA: VRD_521_2016, V16-25801 and RIVM-HAV16-090. We categorised cases as confirmed, probable or possible, according to the EU outbreak case definitions. Confirmed cases were infected with one of the three outbreak strains. We investigated case characteristics and strain-specific risk factors for transmission. A total of 1,400 (34%) cases were confirmed; VRD_521_2016 and RIVM-HAV16-090 accounted for 92% of these. Among confirmed cases with available epidemiological data, 92% (361/393) were unvaccinated, 43% (83/195) travelled to Spain during the incubation period and 84% (565/676) identified as men who have sex with men (MSM). Results depict an HA outbreak of multiple HAV strains, within a cross-European population, that was particularly driven by transmission between non-immune MSM engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour. The most effective preventive measure to curb this outbreak is HAV vaccination of MSM, supplemented by primary prevention campaigns that target the MSM population and promote protective sexual behaviour.

Mercado Común del Cono Sur (Mercosur). Compares the economic integration achieved by the Southern Cone Common Market with that of the European Union and discusses links between the two organizations. Summary in English p. 220.

The article analyzes international practices in ensuring economic security, considering the experiences of the European Union and the United States in this area, as well as suggests recommendations for improving economic security in Russia. ; peer-reviewed

This paper aims to estimate the impact of economic and financial crises on the unemployment rate in the European Union, taking also into consideration the institutional specificities, since unemployment was the main channel through which the economic and financial crisis influenced the social developments. In this context, I performed two institutional clusters depending on their inclusive or extractive institutional features and, in each cases, I computed the crisis effect on unemployment rate over the 2003-2017 period. Both models were estimated by using Panel Estimated Generalized Least Squares method, and are weighted by Period SUR option in order to remove, in advance the possible inconveniences of the models. The institutions proved to be a relevant criterion that drives the impact of economic and financial crises on the unemployment rate, highlighting that countries with inclusive institutions are less vulnerable to economic shocks and are more resilient than countries with extractive institutions. The quality of institutions was also found to have a significant effect on the response of unemployment rate to the dynamic of its drivers.

Great power competition: who is winning the generative AI race? Artificial Intelligence in general, and Generative AI in particular, have generated a major public discussion over the future of global competition and international leadership in the key geopolitical vector that technology represents. The competition has become a two-fold race: the race over the development of […]
La entrada The geopolitics of Generative AI: international implications and the role of the European Union se publicó primero en Elcano Royal Institute.

European countries have made significant progress in implementing tobacco control policies to reduce tobacco use; however, whether socioeconomic status (SES) of a country may influence the implementation of such policies is unknown. The aim of this study is to assess the association between country-level SES and the implementation level of tobacco control policies in 31 European countries. An ecological study using data from Eurostat, Human Development Reports on several SES indicators and the Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) of 2016 was conducted to measure country-level tobacco control policies. We analysed the relationship between SES indicators and the TCS by means of scatter-plots and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (r(sp)) and multivariable linear regression analysis. In Europe, no statistically significant association was found between SES factors and the level of implementation of tobacco control policies. Only public spending on tobacco control was associated with all SES factors, except for Gini Index (an income inequality index). The strongest associations of TCS scores for this policy domain were found with the Human Development Index (r(sp) = 0.586; p < 0.001) and the Gross Domestic Product per capita (in Euros) (r(sp) = 0.562; p = 0.001). The adjusted linear regression model showed an association of tobacco control policy implementation with countries' geographical location (Western Europe, β = − 15.7; p = 0.009, compared to Northern Europe). In conclusion, no association was found between SES factors and the level of implementation of tobacco control policies in 31 European countries; policymakers should be aware that tobacco control policies could be successfully implemented despite socioeconomic constraints, especially when these policies are of low cost and cost-effective (i.e., smoke-free bans and taxation).