Suchergebnisse

The paper strives to determine the impact of fiscal variables on factors determining the dynamics of public debt in European Union countries. Based on the literature, the dynamics of public debt are determined by changes of three elements: the primary balance, interest-rate-growth-differential and the change of government assets. Therefore, it seems reasonable to estimate the dynamics of these three values to find the variables crucial for limiting the growth of public debt. Three groups of dynamic panel regressions were estimated based on the one-step Generalized Method of Moments. The data was collected for the 1995-2015 period for 27 EU countries. Dependent variables included: primary balance, interest-rate-growth-differential and change of government assets. Independent variables consisted of: interest payable to GDP ratio, unemployment rate, squared unemployment rate, FDI stock to GDP, net FDI inflow to GDP, general government expenditures to GDP, share of social security expenditures and openness of the economy measured by the ratio of export and import to GDP. On the basis of statistical data, three components of debt changes were distinguished, and estimations of the dynamic panel regressions were applied to find the impact of independent variables. According to the basic models, the primary balance is lower for: countries with higher unemployment, greater FDI stock and higher general government expenditures.

This article investigates the competitiveness of agri-food exports of the European Union (EU-27) countries on global markets, using the revealed comparative advantage (B) index over the years 2000-11. Panel unit root tests, mobility index and the Kaplan-Meier survival rates of the B index are used. The majority of agri-food products in the EU-27 countries show a comparative disadvantage on global markets. The B indices of the EU-27 countries tend to convergence. Most of the old EU-15 Member States experienced a greater number of agri-food products having a longer duration of revealed comparative advantages than have most of the new EU-12 Member States. Among the most successful Member States in agri-food export competitiveness on global markets are the Netherlands, France and Spain. Adapted from the source document.

Financial security of the country means the absence of threats to the financial system, ensuring the stability and development of the financial system and the ability to maintain the financial sovereignty of the state. The aim of the article is to evaluate financial security in EU countries. The aggregate financial security index (AFSI) is used to reach this goal. AFSI calculation is based on five sub-indexes: Human Development Index, Economic Globalisation Index, Financial Development Index, Index of Economic Freedom and Country Level Index of Financial Stress. The results show that Market-based EU countries have the highest financial security. The lowest financial security was set in Eastern European countries.

This paper discusses the issue of the patterns of technological accumulation in selected Euro-pean Union countries. Using the WIPO Technology Concordance Table and the index of rela-tive comparative advantage (Balassa's Revealed Comparative Advantage), it seeks to answer the question about the directions and dynamics of technological change in selected EU countries. The main objectives of the research are the identification of relative technological advantages in individual countries and an assessment of the diversification of comparative technological advantages. The principal findings of the analysis are (1) technological advantages (and com-petences) are relatively stable over time, and (2) technology leaders rarely change.

Abstract
Background
Circular economy (CE) is a development priority of the European Union and it is part of the EU industrial strategy. The transition to a more circular economy is an essential contribution to the EU's efforts to develop a sustainable, low carbon, resource-efficient and competitive economy. The author focuses her CE-related reflections and research in this paper on the macro-level (research subjects: 28 EU countries), the level which is least represented in scholarly publications addressing CE (as follows from the analysis of literature in the Scopus database). This study aims to fill this gap partially. The aim of this paper is to identify and group the EU-28 countries according to their advancement towards circular economy. CE indicators proposed by the European Commission were used for the analysis. Given the research subjects and after an analysis of the literature they were concluded to be the most adequate. The theoretical part was based on an analysis of the literature, whereas the empirical work used the principal components analysis, hierarchical and k-means clustering and a grade correspondence-cluster analysis.

Results
On the basis of the research, the existence of a "two-speed Europe" was identified in terms of EU countries' advancement towards CE. Leading countries, those most advanced in pursuing operation according to CE principles, include Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The second pole accommodates EU countries in which transformation towards CE is happening at the slowest pace. This group includes mainly countries of the Central and Eastern Europe and the countries of the south of Europe.

Conclusions
Differentiated levels of advancement of individual countries towards CE result inter alia from the adoption by some of the latter of different development strategies for their economies' transitioning to circular economy (according to recommendations of EU ministers at the Environment Council in June 2016) and also from the differences occurring in social and economic development (it is mostly noticeable between the EU-15 and the EU-13 countries). Unfortunately, as can be concluded from the effects obtained so far, only a few of the adopted development strategies may be considered effective in meeting the challenges of circular economy according to the European Union's standards.

Purpose: The broadening of the concept of intellectual capital from the micro level to the macro level presents a challenge for contemporary researchers. No universal definition of national intellectual capital (NIC) or its taxonomy have been developed as yet. This hampers empirical research on measuring NIC resources, thus rendering it difficult to make cross-sectional and temporal comparisons. Therefore, methods are being sought to allow for estimating the volumes of intellectual capital on a macroeconomic level. The purpose of the article is to present an original concept of measuring NIC in the European Union (EU) countries, construct a synthetic measure of NIC on the basis of TOPSIS method, and create a ranking and classification of the EU countries in terms of their NIC resources. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study uses TOPSIS, which is a multi-criteria decision-making method. Findings: The obtained results reveal strong disparities between the EU countries as regards NIC resources. They confirm, moreover, the existence of high intellectual capital resources in the countries of Northern Europe. Practical Implications: The outcomes of the conducted study and its conclusions can be used by decision-makers, both at the EU level and in particular countries. They can also serve as an instrument for bolstering the policies and practices promoting a holistic approach to socio-economic development. Originality/Value: The article contains an original author's concept of measuring NIC resources, which can be applied to cross-sectional and temporal comparisons across EU countries. ; peer-reviewed

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Unrecorded alcohol, that is, alcohol not reflected in official statistics of the country where it is consumed, contributes markedly to overall consumption of alcohol. However, empirical data on unrecorded alcohol consumption are scarce, especially in high-income countries. This study measures the contribution of unrecorded alcohol in 7 member states of the European Union. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Two categories of unrecorded consumption were assessed in general population surveys (reducing alcohol related harm Standardized European Alcohol Survey; <i>n</i> = 11,224): home-made alcohol and cross-border shopping. Country-specific logistic regressions were used to link respondent characteristics to odds of acquisition of unrecorded alcohol. Total <i>per capita</i> alcohol consumption was estimated under different assumptions of calculating unrecorded alcohol consumption. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Individuals with higher drinking levels were more likely to acquire unrecorded alcohol in all 7 countries. In some countries, male sex and more affluent social class were also positively linked to acquisition of unrecorded alcohol. There was a substantial contribution of unrecorded alcohol to overall consumption in 5 out of 7 member states (Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Portugal), but not in Poland or Spain. In Greece, up to two-thirds of all alcohol consumed was estimated to be unrecorded.<b><i> Conclusion:</i></b> Unrecorded alcohol contributes to overall consumption even in high-income countries, and thus needs to be monitored. In monitoring, as many categories of unrecorded alcohol as possible should be clearly defined (e.g., surrogate alcohol) and included in future surveys.

Introduction: Unrecorded alcohol, that is, alcohol not reflected in official statistics of the country where it is consumed, contributes markedly to overall consumption of alcohol. However, empirical data on unrecorded alcohol consumption are scarce, especially in high-income countries. This study measures the contribution of unrecorded alcohol in 7 member states of the European Union. Methods: Two categories of unrecorded consumption were assessed in general population surveys (reducing alcohol related harm Standardized European Alcohol Survey; n = 11,224): homemade alcohol and cross-border shopping. Country-specific logistic regressions were used to link respondent characteristics to odds of acquisition of unrecorded alcohol. Total per capita alcohol consumption was estimated under different assumptions of calculating unrecorded alcohol consumption. Results: Individuals with higher drinking levels were more likely to acquire unrecorded alcohol in all 7 countries. In some countries, male sex and more affluent social class were also positively linked to acquisition of unrecorded alcohol. There was a substantial contribution of unrecorded alcohol to overall consumption in 5 out of 7 member states (Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Portugal), but not in Poland or Spain. In Greece, up to two-thirds of all alcohol consumed was estimated to be unrecorded. Conclusion: Unrecorded alcohol contributes to overall consumption even in high-income countries, and thus needs to be monitored. In monitoring, as many categories of unrecorded alcohol as possible should be clearly defined (e.g., surrogate alcohol) and included in future surveys. ; J.R. acknowledges funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse Ontario Node grant number SMN-13950).

The paper proposes an assessment of citizenship rules in European Union countries. First, it designs an analytical framework in order to evaluate the rules of political membership from a liberal-democratic perspective. Second, it develops a systematic comparative study of the citizenship rules of the 27 member states of the EU. I argue that a liberal-democratic conception of membership requires certain degrees of inclusiveness as well as exclusiveness. Moreover, liberal-democratic membership can be compatible with both major ideological views on membership –ethno-cultural and civic-territorial. It is not the ethnic or civic ideological conception of the polity that renders the rules of membership illiberal, but their unjustified scope.

Motivation: The concept of sustainable development relates in particular to the analysis of the causes of excessive environmental degradation. It defines a strategy for limiting this process in three main areas: ecological, economic and socio-cultural human activity. The survey will cover selected EU countries, including Poland, in accordance with Eurostat's sustainable development arrangements. The analysis concerns sustainable development in transport, modality of transport division, logistic efficiency and the volume of freight transport relative to GDP.Aim: The purpose of the article is to present an analysis and development of sustainable transport development in selected European Union countries by using appropriate indicators in relation to the transport of goods.Results: Relevant indicators regarding the transport of goods and identifying trends affecting the environment and society of transport in the EU have been analysed.

Motivation: The concept of sustainable development relates in particular to the analysis of the causes of excessive environmental degradation. It defines a strategy for limiting this process in three main areas: ecological, economic and socio-cultural human activity. The survey will cover selected EU countries, including Poland, in accordance with Eurostat's sustainable development arrangements. The analysis concerns sustainable development in transport, modality of transport division, logistic efficiency and the volume of freight transport relative to GDP.Aim: The purpose of the article is to present an analysis and development of sustainable transport development in selected European Union countries by using appropriate indicators in relation to the transport of goods.Results: Relevant indicators regarding the transport of goods and identifying trends affecting the environment and society of transport in the EU have been analysed.

Islamic banking is a relative young industry, with a high rate of growth, which in the last years became a highly discussed subject, due to the challenges and opportunities that it brings. Due to the fact, that in the last decade, the Islamic banking made its presence in the European Union market, too, in this paper we try to describe the main features of the Islamic banking transactions and to identify the challenges and opportunities that its brings.

Social expenditure plays an important role in European Union (EU) countries. It improves the lives of citizens whose welfare is endangered due to poverty or illness. However, social expenditure represents a considerable share of the budgets of EU member states. Despite evident similarities in their levels of development, EU countries show apparent differences in social expenditure levels. Therefore, this work aims to determine the similarities and differences between EU countries in this regard. The analysis uses clustering methods, such as hierarchical cluster analysis and the k-means, to divide countries into homogeneous groups. The research demonstrates significant differences between EU countries in the years 2008-2018, which resulted in a low number of objects (countries) in the identified groups. In the case of 6 out of 28 countries, it was not possible to assign them to any group. The research proves that EU countries should take more care when organising their social policy, taking into consideration cultural and social factors.

Terrorism is widely regarded as a public bad vis-à-vis security - a public good - affecting the subjective well-being of citizens. As studies have shown, citizens' risk-perceptions and risk-assessment are affected by large scale terrorist acts. Reported evidence shows that individuals are often willing to trade-off civil liberties for enhanced security particularly as a post-terrorist attack reaction as well as adopting more conservative views. Within this strand of the literature, this paper examines whether terrorism and in particular mass-casualty terrorist attacks affect citizens' political selfplacement on the left-right scale of the political spectrum. To this effect the Eurobarometer Surveys for twelve European Union countries are utilised and Ordered Probit models are employed for the period 1985-2010 with over 230 thousand observations used in the estimations. On balance, the findings reported herein seem to be pointing to a shift in respondents' self-positioning towards the right of the political spectrum.