{"title":"Cooperative Business Structures for Green Transport Corridors","authors":"Prause Gunnar, Hoffmann Thomas","doi":"10.1515/BJES-2017-0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/BJES-2017-0008","url":null,"abstract":"In its White Paper on “A Sustainable Future of Transport”, the European Commission promoted the idea of green transport corridors (GTCs) by establishing trans-shipment routes with concentration of freight traffic between major hubs. GTCs reduce environmental and climate impact of the traffic on these relatively long distances of transport while increasing safety and efficiency with the application of sustainable logistics solutions. The Baltic Sea Region (BSR) enjoys a vanguard position in the development and realisation of green transport concepts within Europe.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"3-27"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/BJES-2017-0008","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67273492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The EU’s Potential Role in the Six Party Talks and the North Korean Nuclear Crisis","authors":"Andrew S. Millard, Chae‐Deug Yi","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Discourse on the Six Party Talks has focused solely on denuclearisation. Through the power struggles of the members and the refusal of the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) to return to negotiations, the Six Party Talks have been stalled since 2008. Due to current increased tensions and the use of brinkmanship tactics the Talks must be restarted, albeit under a reformed shape. This paper analyses the potential role of the EU in furthering the peace process in Northeast Asia. This paper suggests that the EU needs to be more assertive and the Talks should focus on building trust and cooperation, not on the DPRK’s nuclear program. With its impartiality, experience in integration and use of soft power, the EU can act as an effective mediator building trust.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"247 - 283"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bjes-2017-0018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47657366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Regional Disparities in Education Attainment Level in the European Union: A Spatial Approach","authors":"M. Chocholatá, Andrea Furková","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0012","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article deals with the analysis of education attainment level across the 252 NUTS 2 regions of the European Union (EU) with consideration of the spatial aspect. Since the individual EU regions cannot be seen as isolated, the main aim of this article is to assess the impact of location on the education attainment level (percentage of population aged 25–64 with at least upper secondary education) during the period 2007–2015, as well as to investigate the impact of regional growth 2014/2007 on the education attainment level in 2015. The spatial analysis proved the existence of positive spatial autocorrelation and persistence of disparities in education attainment level across EU regions during the analysed period. The results of econometric analysis confirmed the expected positive impact of economic growth on education attainment level as well as the necessity to incorporate the spatial dimension into the model.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"107 - 131"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49629860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Right to Know the Truth in the Light of the Right to Privacy: The Case of Victims of the Communist Regime in Europe","authors":"Edita Gruodytė, Silvija Gervienė","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0019","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The right to know the truth is established as one of the rights constituting the right to effective remedy but in post-Communist countries this right is limited to victims of the Communist regime because of failure to access the files of former secret services on two different grounds: certain victim’s information is protected as personal data on the grounds of privacy rights and certain files are still kept as a classified information. Thus, the article analyses if such limitations in post-Communist countries are compatible with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The answer is provided using mainly an analysis of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. Lithuania as a case study was chosen for the analysis in a situation where certain files are kept as classified information.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"284 - 310"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bjes-2017-0019","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44953082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Finnish Highly Skilled Migrants and the European Economic Crisis","authors":"Saara Koikkalainen","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Europe is home to a globally unique area where the barriers of transnational migration have been largely removed. This article focuses on Finnish highly skilled, intra-European migrants and their labour market situation immediately following the economic crisis of 2008. Based on two consecutive online surveys (carried out in spring 2008 and summer 2010) of tertiary educated Finns living in other EU countries, the article examines the effects of the global economic downturn on the careers of these highly skilled migrants. Only 16 per cent of the respondents report that their labour market situation had worsened. A higher percentage (24%) felt that their situation had improved and the majority (54%) had either experienced no change in their situation or stated that their reasons for changing jobs or moving had nothing to do with the crisis. The article concludes that these migrants were protected from the full force of the crisis by their high human capital, flexibility of alternating between studying and work, employment in international workplaces and their intra-European migrant status.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"168 - 181"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42527666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Towards EU 2020: An Outlook of SECA Regulations Implementation in the BSR","authors":"E. Olaniyi","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0016","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The clean shipping concept emerged in a bid to make maritime transportation green and environmentally friendly. This mandate is being accomplished through improved conducts, actions and technology in the maritime industry. One of such measures was the creation of the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) in 2005 and 2012 to reduce the rate of sulphur emissions from shipping. Sustainable growth—an EU 2020 priority—is strategically linked to the SECA regulation in that it promotes resource efficiency, greener environment and a competitive economy. Thus, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and, as adopted by the European Parliament (EP), SECA regulation stipulated that from 2015 all ships in SECA are under the obligation to use low sulphur marine fuel that must not exceed 0.1% (IMO, 2011). This regulation has incited rigorous arguments on the economic disadvantage it would subject affected maritime stakeholders who are made to comply with stringent regulation their counterparts in non-SECA are not subjected to. Two years of 0.1% sulphur regulations have witnessed many changes in the maritime industry and most of the first responses were realised with vessels that ply along the Baltic Sea. This work presents an account of European maritime industry’s approaches towards SECA regulations and the stakeholders’ thoughts on the economic impact of SECA. This contribution brings a clearer picture to the status quo as well as highlighting a needed future focus.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"182 - 207"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47569153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New Perspectives for Europe–China Relations","authors":"T. Kerikmäe, Liu Zuokui","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"3 - 5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41933514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chinese Investments in Serbia—A Joint Pledge for the Future of the New Silk Road","authors":"D. Dimitrijević","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0005","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Following the political changes in 2000, Serbia has rapidly started to catch up with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in various aspects of the transition process. One of these very important aspects were foreign investments, both ‘direct’ and ‘portfolio’ ones, that had a significant impact on the development of Serbian economy by recovering economic structure and raising competitiveness in world markets, followed by improving the balance of payments and technological, scientific and managerial base. Foreign investments as an “economic engine” enable accelerated realization of national economic goals which include re-industrialization and renewal of industrial capacity. The openness of the Serbian market and the lack of financial resources allow China and other states concerned under favourable conditions invest in the development of Serbian economy. In this way, Chinese investments have become a driving force for the promotion of economic and other relations between the two countries. On the other hand, however, Chinese investments have proven to be an ideal test for the realization of the objectives of the development strategy of the ‘New Silk Road’ which among other things include the improvement of China’s position on world markets, including the EU market. For the proper understanding of Sino-Serbian relations, this study first gives a short explanation of the Chinese strategy of the New Silk Road. Then, it includes an analysis of Serbia’s position towards China. Analysis of the development of Serbian-Chinese economic relations, especially in the field of foreign investment and within the framework of multilateral cooperation mechanism ‘16+1’, occupies the central part of the study. The study concludes with an evaluation of comparative advantages and certain disadvantages for the Chinese foreign investment in Serbian economy, which in itself has certain significance for the realization of the New Silk Road strategy.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"64 - 83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bjes-2017-0005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41782363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How Do Cultural and Institutional Distance Affect China’s OFDI towards the OBOR Countries?","authors":"Lin Zhang, Zheqian Xu","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0003","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In order to examine the impact of cultural and institutional distance on China’s OFDI towards the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) area, the paper selects 28 countries along The Belt and Road. The empirical results using panel data from 2006-2014 indicate that institutional distance is negatively correlated with China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). At the same time, cultural distance interacts with bilateral trade, resulting in a “benefit of foreignness” effect.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"24 - 42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bjes-2017-0003","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47228957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Current and Potential Chinese Foreign Direct Investment in the Slovak Republic","authors":"Liqun Zhang, Martin Grešš, K. Brockova","doi":"10.1515/bjes-2017-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bjes-2017-0006","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article presents an overview of current and potential investment from China into the Slovak Republic within the broader CEEC region cooperation based on the 16+1 platform. Based on a business study on the automotive industry in the CEEC region, and particularly Slovakia as one of the industrial sectors for possible Chinese investment with immense potential, the article aims to identify the main advantages and disadvantages of the region as a foreign direct investment destination. The article also analyses the impact of FDI inflows on the Slovak economy. We come to the conclusion that the recent FDI inflow from China to Slovakia has been statistically insignificant, which may, however, change in case the envisaged Chinese investment into the steel industry in Slovakia will be realised. With respect thereto, the article also points at the need to set out a new revised framework for the international legal protection of Chinese investment in the EU. It has been established that further research is required to assess the impact of Chinese FDI on the Slovak economy.","PeriodicalId":42700,"journal":{"name":"Baltic Journal of European Studies","volume":"7 1","pages":"85 - 97"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bjes-2017-0006","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45683720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}