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THE MEDITERRANEAN POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY FORMS an important part of its general external policy. Since this paper can, therefore, be considered as a case study, it is worth trying to define at the outset the concept of 'external policy'. The Treaties did not delegate to the common European institutions any of the powers of foreign policy-making traditionally exercised by the nation state, but the granting of wholesale economic competences and the consequential obligation of evolving a common commercial policy ensured that the Community would come into direct contact with non-member states. Through its diplomatic relations with other countries, the Community has become an actor on the international stage, whilst the scope of its external relations has frequently exceeded that of purely commercial policy. It is both meaningful and useful to consider the Community as exercising an external policy – a kind of half-way house to full foreign policy.

After the defeat of Poland in September 1939 the Polish leaders were determined to fight the two enemies. A government-in-exile was formed in Paris with the aim of creating military units that would fight with Poland's allies & establish Poland's right to have a say in matters relating to the war & post-war decisions. General Sikorski's position as Prime Minister of the government-in-exile, though supported by the French, was never secure & he & his policies were subject to constant criticism. Two dilemmas preoccupied the Polish leadership. The first focused on the trustworthiness of France & Britain to defend Polish interests. The second concerned the Polish units. Were they to be used to liberate Poland or to build up a debt of gratitude? Germany's attack on France cut short these debates & effectively reduced the Polish government's political choices to that of dependence on Churchill's decisions. [Copyright 2001 Sage Publications Ltd.]

The level and scope of European Union (EU) integration activities are showing the aspects of civilizational development with a huge impact on the world system of civilizations and make more evident the fact that the future of EU depends on the attitude of European policy‐makers to the national, cultural, and political identities. Interest in the identities has been reinforced in recent years by the failure of EU Constitutional Treaty and further attempts to reach an agreament about the new Treaty. This failure stimulated cogitations on both the subject of Constitutional Treaty and the features of the Europeandemos. Spirited discussions pointed to the so called "deficits" – "community deficit", "legitimacy deficit" and, as a consequence, to the "democracy deficit". Thus EU future can be seen as depending on the removal of these "deficits". How can this be done under the prevailing political attitude of denationalization? The problem of Europeandemoswas aggravated by the enlargement of EU: new Member states are loaded with different historic experience and clearly visible features of national sense. National feelings have been the main force raising people for national liberation movement or national revival. This experience must be taken into account while discussing new political guidelines for the construction of Europeandemos. The social content ofdemos, including identity, common history and the sense of "unity in diversity", could be accumulated through the loyalties and bonds of affection to one's nation, culture, language, and historical myths; thus, the attitude of denationalization requires a modification. Europietiškasis demos: demokratijos stoka ir nacionaliniai jausmai Santrauka.Gilinantis į Europos Sąjungą (ES), kaip į pasaulinę civilizacijų sistemą keičiančio civilizacinio darinio integracinius procesus, aiškėja, kad ES ateitis priklausys nuo to, koks požiūris į nacionalinius, etnokultūrinius bei politinius tapatumus įsivyraus tarp šios bendrijos politikos formuotojų. Domėtis įvairiais tapatumais ...

Objective: This study examines the factors that influence information system (IS) interoperability of e-Government focusing on IS Interoperability as the key concept to reach successful e-Government implementation in Jordan. Methodology: Use of qualitative methods of inquiry has been made to explore study variables and their relationships. A variety of published literatures related to scope of the study has been reviewed along with analyzing the e-Government strategy in Jordan during period 2014-2016. The interoperability levels of e-Government IS have been discussed in this paper. Finally, significant barriers that affect IS interoperability have been identified along with the factors that can drive it successful implementation. Findings: Technical, semantic, and organizational interoperability are main stages for successful e-Government IS interoperability. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, top management support, human resources, data and information, security and privacy, and business process have been found as the major obstacles. Whereas, high level interoperability goals, commitment of government bodies, and customer focus have been identified as main success factors that lead to e-Government IS interoperability. The study suggests that strategies and work process should be aligned, common standards and knowledge should be shared to move towards e-transformation in Jordan. Implications: This study can be starting point for the real life practical solutions for successful implementation of e-Government conceptual frame work. Finding of the study can be used to generalize about the factors that lead to success of IS interoperability within government agencies in other developing countries. This study enriches existing literature in this context. On practical side, the study contributes by identifying IS interoperability success factors and barriers within government agencies. The proposed conceptual model is first stage in the process of understanding factors that influence ...

The article deals with peculiarities of the regular elections in the Republic of Austria to the European Parliament in 2014, as well as the main reasons for the success of nationalists, left-wing parties, eurosceptics, populists, far-right political parties, even though the pro-European forces have retained their majority. The main results of the parliamentary elections, the conclusions of eminent political scientists, experts who researched election to the European Parliament are in details analyzed. Also, the main objectives and tasks of the party and election programs of political parties in Austria are in details characterized, which are represented in the European Parliament, this important supranational body of the European Union. Specific features of obtaining by Austria of 18 seats on the 8th next elections to the European Parliament are revealed, which took place on May 25, 2014.
Keywords: Political party, euroscepticism, elections, populism, political system

The European Union has embarked on a policy which aims to achieve good ecological status in all surface waters (i.e. rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters). In theory, ecological status assessment methods should address the effects of all relevant human pressures. In this study, we analyze the degree to which methods European countries use to assess ecological status tackle various pressures affecting European waters. Nutrient pollution is by far the best-covered pressure for all four water categories. Out of total of 423 assessment methods, 370 assess eutrophication and pressure-specific relationships have been demonstrated for 212 of these. "General degradation" is addressed by 238 methods, mostly validated by relationships to combined pressure indices. Other major pressures have received significantly less effort: hydromorphological degradation is assessed by 160 methods and pressure-specific relationships have been demonstrated for just 40 of these. Hydromorphological pressures are addressed (at least by one BQE) only by 25% countries for coastal waters and 70–80% for lakes and transitional waters. Specific diagnostic tools (i.e. single-pressure relationships) for hydromorphology have only been developed by a few countries: only 20% countries have such methods for lakes, coastal and transitional waters and less than half for rivers. Toxic contamination is addressed by 90 methods; however, pressure-specific relationships have been demonstrated for just eight of these. Only two countries have demonstrated pressure-specific acidification methods for rivers, and three for lakes. In summary, methods currently in use mostly address eutrophication and/or general degradation, but there is not much evidence that they reliably pick up the effects of other significant pressures such as hydromorphology or toxic contamination. Therefore, we recommend that countries re-examine: (1) those pressures which affect different water categories in the country; (2) relevant assessment methods to tackle those pressures; ...

BackgroundMigrants within the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) may be underimmunised and lack documentation on previous vaccinations. We investigated approaches to vaccination in recently arrived adult and child migrants, and guideline availability and implementation. Methods: Between March and May 2017, a national vaccination expert from every EU/EEA country and Switzerland completed an electronic questionnaire. We used descriptive analyses to calculate percentages, and framework analysis to synthesise free-text responses. Results: We approached 32 countries (response rate 100%). Although 28 experts reported vaccination guidance at national level, specific guidelines for recently arrived migrants were only available in six countries and not consistently implemented. Twenty-three countries administered vaccinations during on-arrival health checks. Most experts recommended multiple vaccination opportunities be made available: at point of entry (n = 13) or at holding level (reception centres, migrant camps, detention centres) (n = 21). In 30 countries, child migrants without evidence of previous vaccination were re-vaccinated according to the national schedule. Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus and polio vaccinations were given to migrant children in all countries, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) in 31 countries, hepatitis B vaccination in 25. Low levels of catch-up vaccination were reported in adult migrants, with only 13 countries offering MMR and 10 countries charging fees. Conclusion: Existing guidance is often not migrant-specific and may not be applied in practice; clarification is needed on which vaccines should be given. Strategies are needed specifically for catch-up vaccination in adult migrants. Vaccinations should be offered in multiple settings, free of charge, with sufficient guidance and training provided to front-line healthcare professionals.

The rural non-farm sector plays an important role in diversifying income for rural households in developing countries and has the potential to emerge as a major source of employment. In some cases it has outgrown the agricultural sector, in part due to the expansion of credit through microfinance institutions that are supported by governments, donor agencies, and businesses. However, future expansion of the rural non-farm sector requires increased flexibility in credit contracts, as well as decreasing the cost of credit and the delivery of complementary inputs, e.g. skills training.