Indicators of Childrens Well-Being : Understanding Their Role, Usage and Policy Influence
This book contains a series of articles that represent a broad range of viewpoints about how the use of social indicators affects child and family policy. The book discusses the use of indicators as an effective tool to change policy. A distinguished, international group of researchers and policymakers provide insights into the past, current and future use of good information to develop and change policy that improves the well-being of children and youth.
Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment
More countries are now using Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) than ever before. This timely and comprehensive Handbook describes the implementation of SEA in 18 countries around the world, as well as a critical analysis of different SEA methodologies. The Handbook starts by introducing key SEA principles and the legal requirements of the new European SEA Directive (which became law in 2004). It then describes the implementation of SEA in 11 European Union countries, as well as the USA, Canada and New Zealand. This is contrasted with SEA requirements of four developing countries. The Handbook explores public participation issues and the wide-range of SEA methodologies used in terms of resources (soils, water and biodiversity) and sectors of activity (transport, agriculture, waste management and industry). The Handbook concludes with a discussion on best practice, capacity building and the future of SEA.
Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics in East Central Europe
This book provides an in-depth look into the background of rule of law problems and the open defiance of EU law in East Central European countries. Current illiberal trends and anti-EU politics have the potential to undermine mutual trust between member states and fundamentally change the EU. It is therefore crucial to understand their domestic causes, context conditions, specific processes and consequences.
Guidelines for the supplementary load testing of bridges
As of January 1999, under European Union ruling, 40 tonne vehicles have been allowed on UK roads, leading to a challenging programme of bridge assessment. In order to determine the true load carrying capacity of bridges and to avert a vast programme of unnecessary bridge strengthening and replacement schemes, bridge owners are turning increasingly to load testing.
Governing Europe under a Constitution : The Hard Road from the European Treaties to a European Constitutional Treaty
At the summit in Laeken in December 2001 the European Council opened the debate on the reform of the supranational structures through its "Declaration on the Future of the European Union" and proposed a wide-ranging agenda. The European Convention, with the mandate of the European Council, has been forming proposals for a more democratic, transparent and efficient European Union and presented a draft of a Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe on 20th of June 2003. On these fundaments the Intergovernmental Conference finally came to a compromise in summer 2004 after wrestling especially with the problem of qualified majority voting within the Council. On 29th of October 2004 the Heads of State and Governments of the 25 Member States signed the Treaty.
Governance of automated decision-making and EU law
Presents a multifaceted exploration of the intersection between technological innovation and democratic governance in Europe. It rigorously examines the profound impact of information technologies on rule-making and decision-making processes, emphasizing the preservation of constitutional values within the European Union (EU). Simultaneously, the book seeks to devise future-proof regulatory strategies to navigate the challenges of rapid technological advancements.
Globalization and Regional Economic Modeling
Globalization is affecting regional economies in a broad spectrum of aspects, from labor market conditions and development policies to climate change. To understand better how this works, we need both conceptual and methodological contributions. We need new schemes to organize our thinking, direct our attention, and frame thought experiments on the basis of which guidance may be offered. And we need methodological innovations that enable us to carry out studies and thought experiments at levels of spatial and temporal resolution and formal complexity adequate to capture and account for the phenomena that characterize globalization. The chapters of this volume, written by an international cast of eminent regional scientists, represent contributions of both types, in many cases introducing and demonstrating the use of new tools for analyzing and understanding enormous changes underway in regional economies around the world.
Global Price Fixing
The book describes and analyzes the formation, operation, and impacts of modern global cartels. It provides a broad picture of the economics, competition law and history of international price fixing. A deeper understanding of the phenomenon is afforded by intensive case studies of collusion in the markets for lysine, citric acid, and vitamins. Particular attention is given to the economic injuries sustained by the cartels' customers. The author assesses whether antitrust enforcement by the European Union, the United States, and other countries is capable of deterring cartels in the foreseeable future.
Genes on the Menu : Facts for Knowledge-Based Decisions
Only little more than a decade ago the term "genetic engineering" was hardly known outside research laboratories. Today it regularly makes headlines in the news. Supporters and opponents as well tell us that it could change our lives more than any other technological advance. This book delivers the state-of-the-art facts in order to empower the public to make knowledge-based decisions about plant biotechnology and GM crops and GM food, in particular. It discusses the hot topics of the present debate in a neutral manner and will function as a personal reference book for the interested public, for decision maker, and managers of consumer organisations.
General principles of law : the role of the judiciary
Examines the role played by domestic and international judges in the “flexibilization” of legal systems through general principles. It features revised papers that were presented at the Annual Conference of the European-American Consortium for Legal Education, held at the University of Parma.The second section contains studies on the role of general principles in selected legal systems, including International Law, European Union Law as well as Common Law systems.
Gender, Health and Ageing : European Perspectives on Life Course, Health Issues and Social Challenges
The objective of this book is to provide an overview of gender, health and ageing. Important theoretical concepts, such as life course and "Lebenslagen" in old age, or differences in men's health, are introduced. It is increasingly important to build a European basis of knowledge, to conduct discussions on European research findings, and to develop European research frameworks. In this volume, central theoretical debates on gender impacts on life course and old-age health, and vital issues of health research in the context of gender and old age are introduced. Specific aspects, such as the impact of gender and age on cardiovascular health, elder abuse and mental health, or care between gender relations, gender roles and gender constructs, are pointed out.
From War to Peace in the Balkans, the Middle East and Ukraine
This book focuses on the origins, consequences and aftermath of Western military interventions that led to the end of the most recent Balkan wars. . This study highlights lessons that can be applied to the Middle East and Ukraine, where similar conflicts are likewise challenging sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is an accessible treatment of what makes war and how to make peace ideal for all readers interested in how violent international conflicts can be managed, informed by the experience of a practitioner.
Fiscal state aid law and harmful tax competition in the European Union
Offers an in-depth analysis of EU fiscal state aid in relation to harmful tax competition , Examines the legal concept of fiscal state aid under Article 107(1) of the TFEU and provides an up-to-date account of its definitional aspects , Covers all recent Commission decisions and investigations into tax schemes and individual tax rulings
Financing public universities : The case of performance funding
"Financing Public Universities" addresses newer practices of resource allocation which tie funding to indicators of performance. The gist of these efforts is to raise the quality of institutional systems. Performance-based budgeting and funding of public universities is part of broader efforts to reform public management, and it is being promoted and implemented by various government agencies around the globe. In particular, European universities with their normally strong governmental ties, or higher education systems molded on European universities, are prime targets of such reforms. Performance funding has made its inroads in attempts to grant university systems managerial autonomy: autonomy was to be granted in exchange for funding modes which are tied to the measurement of performance indicators. Unfortunately, performance-based budgeting or funding measures cannot meet the various expectations: they do not raise the quality of teaching or learning; they do not raise research performance; they take back a great deal of managerial autonomy which is commonly judged to be essential for the well being of higher education institutions, in particular research universities; and they act as automata in place of proper governance and management.
Financial crisis management and democracy : Lessons from Europe and Latin America
This book discusses financial crisis management and policy in Europe and Latin America, with a special focus on equity and democracy. Based on a three-year research project by the Jean Monnet Network, this volume takes an interdisciplinary, comparative approach, analyzing both the role and impact of the EU and regional organizations in Latin America on crisis management as well as the consequences of crisis on the process of European integration and on Latin America’s regionalism.
EU-Turkey Relations : Theories, Institutions, and Policies
This book explores the new complexities and ambiguities that epitomize EU-Turkey relations. With a strong focus on the developments in the last decade, the book provides full access to a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted relationship through three entry points: (1) Theories and Concepts, (2) Institutions, and (3) Policies. Part I brings together complementary and competing analytical approaches to study the evolution of EU-Turkey relations, ranging from traditional integration theories to novel concepts. Part II investigates the institutional machinery of EU-Turkey relations by analyzing the roles and perspectives of the European Council, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. Part III offers analyses of the policies most relevant for the relationship: enlargement policy, trade and macroeconomic policies, foreign and security policy, migration and asylum policies, and energy policy. In Part IV, the volume closes with a systematic survey of the conditions under which cooperative trends in EU-Turkey relations could be (re)invigorated. The systematic setup and the balanced combination of distinguished experts from EU- and Turkey-based institutions make this book a fundamental reading for students, researchers, lecturers, and practitioners of EU-Turkey relations, European integration and Turkish foreign policy.
European water law and hydropolitics : An inquiry into the resilience of transboundary water governance in the European Union
provides the first comprehensive assessment of the various issues faced by countries in the European Union, where progressing climate change and urbanization pose significant cooperative challenges in a large number of river basins. Conducting a thorough analysis of the intricate web of EU water governance, it reveals that the hydropolitical stability of the European Union is already at risk. Further, given the structural nature of the shortcomings in EU water policy—e.g. the rigidity of the EU’s founding treaties or the institutional complacency of the European Commission— argues that these risks are likely to turn into sources of prolonged conflict, unless EU decision-making bodies take steps to address the new hydrological realities early on.
European Variations as a Key to Cooperation
This book offers a novel view on the benefits of a lasting variation between the member states in the EU. In order to bring together thirty very different European states and their citizens, the EU will have to offer more scope for variation. Unlike the existing differentiation by means of opt-outs and deviations, variation is not a concession intended to resolve impasses in negotiations; it is, rather, a different structuring principle. It takes differences in needs and in democratically supported convictions seriously
European Research Reloaded : Cooperation and Integration among Europeanized States
European integration has had an ever deepening impact on the member states. The first wave of research concerned the process of institution building and policy developments at the European Union (EU) level. The second wave, on Europeanization used the resulting integration as an explanatory factor in understanding domestic political change and continuity.This book argues that a third wave of research on the EU is needed to adequately understand the increased interconnectedness between the European and national political levels. We posit that this third wave should be sensitive to the temporal dimension of European integration and Europeanization. In particular, we ask: how has Europeanization affected current modes of integration and cooperation in the EU.
European Financial Markets : The Effects of European Union Membership on Central and Eastern European Equity Markets
This study empirically explores and quantifies the effects of EU accession on the risk and return of equity markets in eight Central and Eastern European markets joining the EU in 2004.



















