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The paper describes the role and representation of framework focus contacts in private international law, and their function in collision regulation on determining the binding law in private law with an element of foreignness.The introduction provides a brief overview on the division of focus contacts and their representation in collision regulations in the contemporary private international law. It also lays out various solutions for the application of collision regulations in national legislations in certain European countries, such as: Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Macedonia, Slovenia, as well as the solutions offered by the European Union regulations and international conventions.

Gegenwärtige sicherheitspolitische Herausforderungen wie z.B. die Krise in der Ukraine, die Bedrohung durch ISIS, Terroranschläge auf europäischem Boden, oder Migrationsströme ausgelöst durch politische, wirtschaftliche und soziale Umbrüche geben Anlass zur Frage, ob die Europäische Union über eine effektive Strategie zur Bewältigung dieser Sicherheitsprobleme verfügt. Die Europäische Sicherheitsstrategie (ESS) ist das Grundlagendokument, auf welchem die Sicherheitspolitik und die Sicherheitsstrategie der EU basieren. Viele argumentieren jedoch, dass diese Strategie nicht mehr zeitgemäß ist und durch eine neue Globale Strategie ersetzt werden sollte. Wenngleich hier die Meinung geteilt wird, dass es einer globalen Strategie bedarf, so wird gleichzeitig die Position vertreten, dass die ESS viele Elemente beinhaltet, die heute genauso relevant sind wie zum Zeitpunkt ihrer Verabschiedung im Jahre 2003. Statt die ESS zur Gänze zu verwerfen, lautet dementsprechend die hier vertretene These, sollte sie aktualisiert, gestärkt und mit anderen Elementen besser integriert werden, um sie zu einer wahrhaft globalen und effektiven Strategie zu machen.

This paper analyzes the historical background of the current developments in Central Eastern Europe, in other parts of Eastern Europe and in previously member countries of the former Soviet Union. The author concludes that the political and economic transformation of these countries to a solid democracy and well-functioning market economy have not been successful for most of them yet, and this may have serious consequences on the European Union, too.The paper contrasts these trends with what we can observe in the United States now. The author turns to the "hard facts" next, when he discusses the different factors of human and economic development and the issue of migration in the Central and East European post-socialist countries and in a selected group of advanced countries.

This article analyzes the principles of spatial planning, which form the basis for this type of urban development in the countries of the European Union (EU) and in the Russian Federation. The following principles are considered and compared for both territories: 1) promotion of territorial cohesion through a more balanced social and economic development of regions and improved competitiveness; 2) encouragement of development generated by urban functions and improvement of the relationship between the town and countryside; 3) promotion of more balanced accessibility; 4) development of access to information and knowledge; 5) reduction of environmental damage; 6) enhancement and protection of natural resources and natural heritage; 7) enhancement of cultural heritage as a factor for development; 8) developing energy resources while maintaining safety; 9) encouragement of high-quality, sustainable tourism. An efficiency analysis of these principles showed that the level of their application for ensuring sustainable development differs. It is a result of the significant differences in natural and socio-economic conditions of sustainable development in these countries, as well as different experiences and traditions in the space-time dimension. In most EU countries, ministries of spatial planning were established as early as the 1960s; in the Russian Federation, such authority still does not exist. The coordination of spatial development by the Russian Ministry of Regional Development is of fragmentary nature; therefore, at the moment, the efficiency of spatial planning is rather low. The authors find it necessary to adopt EU practices of urban planning in view of the Russian spatial potential.

The effective operation of national innovation systems can be a source of many opportunities, but it cannot be forgotten that innovation in itself may mean limiting but also generating various types of risks for the functioning of the local market. The main aim of the article is to present the concept and classification of national innovation systems in the world and to try to answer whether the type of NIS determines the level of innovation of the economies of the European Union countries. The following research thesis was formulated in the study: the type of National Innovation System determines a certain level of innovation in the economy of an European Union country, i.e., in countries belonging to a developed NIS, the level of innovation of the economy is higher than in countries belonging to developing systems. The results of the analysis confirm the research thesis. In the empirical part, the level of innovation in the European Union countries was assessed using the synthetic measure of development (SMD) by Z. Hellwig. Based on the obtained values of the synthetic measure of development (innovation), a ranking of the innovation of the economies of the EU countries was compiled and groups of countries with a similar degree of innovation in the economy were distinguished. The developed ranking of the European Union countries was compared with the NSI classification presented in the theoretical part of the article. The study covered 2010 and 2019.

Cover -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Preface -- List of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1 Theorizing European Integration and the Union as a Political System -- Traditional explanatory approaches: neo-functionalism, intergovernmentalism, and federalism -- Traditional approaches revisited -- New theoretical avenues -- Institutionalism -- Multi-level governance -- Social constructivism -- Theorizing the EU as a political system -- The EU: a system sui generis -- The EU - political order beyond the nation state -- The EU: a dualistic, bicephalous political system -- Conclusion -- 2 Building the European Union: Supranational Dynamics and Intergovernmental Configurations -- Founding the European Communities under a model of supranational integration -- Restructuring the European Communities under improved intergovernmental control -- Re-launching supranational integration -- Conclusion -- 3 Consolidating the European Union: Enlargement, Deepening Integration and Crisis Management -- Cautious incremental steps -- Preparing Eastern enlargement -- Amending the Treaties -- Changing parameters in integration -- Implementing enlargement and elaborating a Constitutional Treaty -- Accomplishing reform: the Lisbon Treaty -- Tackling the financial and sovereign debt crisis -- Conclusion -- 4 The Core Institutional Structure -- The European Commission -- Institutional structure and internal organization -- Powers -- The Council -- Institutional structure and internal organization -- Powers and voting procedures -- The European Council -- The European Parliament -- Size, election procedures and organization -- Powers -- The Court of Justice -- Conclusion -- 5 Decision-Making: Cooperation and Conflict among the Core Institutions -- Legislation and rule-making -- Legislative procedures -- The implications of the legislative procedures.

This article analyses the principal complex
of economic and political motivations of the
states of Central and Eastern Europe and the
EU members related to the EU enlargement
towards the East. Special attention is paid to
the discussion on the reasonableness of the EU
enlargement and the positions of certain EU
members.