Romanian Pattern in Absorption and Management of European Structural Funds - A Critical Analysis -

The decisions in the cohesion policy have a significant impact upon the offer and supply, in a way that, under the influence of the multipliers, they constantly reconfigure the components of the internal consumption (such as investments, private consumption and imports), and the components of the final output and national income as well. Because of the short-term synergy effects of these actions, which determines the structure and the quality of the potential offer, the substantiation of these decisions ensure more importance and complexity concerning the responsibility of the macroeconomic management. The allotting of cohesion and structural funds is one of the significant directions of implementation of the budgetary policy of redistribution through the European Union budget. As essential instruments in making the expenses for structural adjustment and harmonization operations, these funds are meant to homogenize and consolidate an as high as possible social and economic standard in that particular beneficiary states. Since the greatest part of these funds is directed through the central national budgets, these have to be large enough and the governmental management – sufficiently well structured and responsible, so as to ensure both the necessary cofunding in applying the projects, and the implementation of the wish for prosperity of the fund benefiting community.structural funds, cohesion policy, institutional responsibility, access, absorption

Globalization tendencies in the Czech SME'S - Historical Approach (1997-2004)

The main purpose of this paper is to present historical development of SME’s in the Czech Republic between years 1997-2004. It covers sections about changing strategy approach to prepare SME’s to EU entry and nearly two years in the European Union. The Czech economy made big changes especially in SME field, because before year 1989 in the state managed economy were used only big companies forms. SME’s sector in Czech Republic is now a dynamic growing phenomenon, which has influence on regional labour market, foreign trade and investment possibilities. It is the purpose of making year-to-year research, which has as a main goal to map changes in a SME structure, adaptability and influence of changing factors in our business environment. Research section presents a part of final doctoral thesis about finding main factors, which make impulses to change strategy to be innovative and on the way to knowledge society after the EU accession. As a conclusion is SME suggested to use some development strategies or support cooperation way to be more adaptable on wide European market. Reason is - SME’s have to change their point of view – to think European not only local market orientation. It is the way to continue their business by the innovative direction. Paper covers not only historical data, but also some experience with SME preparation process on strategy changes in time of globalization from management point of view.integration, globalization, innovation tendencies, SME

Modelling The Cattle Breeding Production in the Czech Republic

This paper proves that the use of the Cobb-Douglas form of production function is suitable for modelling the technological efficiency of selected production factors used in cattle breeding. Furthermore, it is possible to use the estimated function to analyse economic efficiency, considering also the prices of the production factors. The results of the econometric estimation show that higher initial weight affects negatively the dynamics of weight gain. Analysing the efficiency of the two main feedstuff components, i.e. the haylage and hay, it was found out that the increases in weight react inelastically with respect to the volume of feedstuffs, which is in line with the physiological limits of the animal production. The results further reveal that the increases in weight react more sensitively to haylage compared to hay. Thus, it is possible to conclude, that haylage provides technologically more efficient way of cattle breeding in comparison to hay. This paper resulted from contribution to an institutional research project MSM 6046070906 “Economics of resources of Czech agriculture and their efficient use in the framework of multifunctional agri-food systemsâ€.Cobb-Douglas production function, panel data, fixed effects, gain in weight, beef fattening., Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, GA, IN,

Migration, Mobility and Human Rights at the Eastern Border of the European Union - Space of Freedom and Security

This edited collection of migration papers would like to emphasise the acute need for migration related study and research in Romania. At this time, migration and mobility are studied as minor subjects in Economics, Sociology, Political Sciences and European Studies only (mostly at post-graduate level). We consider that Romanian universities need more ‘migration studies’, while research should cover migration as a whole, migration and mobility being analysed from different points of view – social, economical, legal etc. Romania is part of the European Migration Space not only as a source of labourers for the European labour market, but also as source of quality research for the European scientific arena. Even a country located at the eastern border of the European Union, we consider Romania as part of the European area of freedom, security and justice, and therefore interested in solving correctly all challenges incurred by the complex phenomena of migration and workers’ mobility at the European level. The waves of illegal immigrants arriving continuously on the Spanish, Italian and Maltese shores, and the workers’ flows from the new Member States from Central and Eastern Europe following the 2004 accession, forced the EU officials and the whole Europe to open the debate on the economical and mostly social consequences of labour mobility. This study volume is our contribution to this important scientific debate. Starting with the spring of 2005, the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence and the School of High Comparative European Studies (SISEC), both within the West University of Timisoara, have proposed a series of events in order to raise the awareness of the Romanian scientific environment on this very sensitive issues: migration and mobility in the widen European Space. An annual international event to celebrate 9 May - The Europe Day was already a tradition for SISEC (an academic formula launched back in 1995 in order to prepare national experts in European affairs, offering academic post-graduate degrees in High European Studies). With the financial support from the Jean Monnet Programme (DG Education and Culture, European Commission), a first migration panel was organised in the framework of the international colloquium ‘Romania and the European Union in 2007’ held in Timisoara between 6 and 7 of May 2005 (panel Migration, Asylum and Human Rights at the Eastern Border of the European Union). Having in mind the positive welcoming of the migration related subjects during the 2005 colloquium, a second event was organised on 5 May 2006 in the framework of the European Year of Workers’ Mobility: the international colloquium Migration and Mobility: Assets and Challenges for the Enlargement of the European Union. In the same period, the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence, SISEC and The British Council in Bucharest have jointly edited two special issues of The Romanian Journal of European Studies, no.4/2005 and 5-6/2006, both dedicated to migration and mobility. Preliminary versions of many of the chapters of this volume were presented at the above mentioned international events. The papers were chosen according to their scientific quality, after an anonymously peer-review selection. The authors debate both theoretical issues and practical results of their research. They are renowned experts at international level, members of the academia, PhD students or experienced practitioners involved in the management of the migration flows at the governmental level. This volume was financed by the Jean Monnet Programme of the Directorate General Education and Culture, European Commission, throughout the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence (C03/0110) within the West University of Timisoara, Romania, and is dedicated to the European Year of Workers’ Mobility 2006. Timisoara, December 200

Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen Activity Report 2002.

Abstract not availableJRC.G-Institute for the Protection and the Security of the Citizen (Ispra

Network-based system for acoustic mapping of urban areas

The paper presents both a general idea and basic assumptions of the research project, which was started a year ago at Technical University of Silesia, Poland and primarily has been focused on the Region of Upper Silesia. At present, the project is prepared to cover other regions of the country. In particular, the research area of this project contains the problems of preparing and utilizing the acoustical maps of towns that ought to be prepared in accordance with the EC directive com468 (2000). The main two assumptions of the project are as follows: 1) the maps will be prepared by means of advanced computer-based tools of the GIS and GPS classes, 2) both the procedures of developing and utilizing the acoustical maps will be executed in the form of group-work using the PIONIER (Polish Optical Internet) NREN and Intranet tools for online collaboration and audiovisual communication with utilization of resources available at network and HPC centers across the country. It is assumed that the system as primarily being developed for the needs of local scale mapping thanks to the network approach will be adaptable also for larger (regional) scale enterprises. The paper discusses briefly the current state of research in the mentioned field in Poland. The second part of the paper presents the timetable of further activities with a specification of expected results. Apart from the 'technical' problems of acoustic mapping of urban areas, the paper also deals with some 'non-technical' aspects of this field of activity. The final part of the paper introduces some perspectives of dissemination of results of the reported research in the process of European enlargement.

Integrating sciences to sustain urban ecosystem services

Effective water management within urban settings requires robust multidisciplinary understanding and an appreciation of the value added to urban spaces by providing multifunctional green-blue spaces. Multifunctional landscapes where ecosystem service provisions are ‘designed-in’ can help ‘transition’ cities to more sustainable environments which are more resilient to changing future conditions. With benefits ranging from the supply of water, habitat and energy to pollutant removal, amenity and opportunities for recreation, urban water bodies can provide a focal point for reconnecting humans and nature in otherwise densely built-up areas. Managing water within urban spaces is an essential infrastructure requirement but has historically been undertaken in isolation from other urban functions and spatial requirements. Increasingly, because of the limits of space and need to respond to new drivers (e.g. mitigation of diffuse pollution), more sustainable approaches to urban water management are being applied which can have multiple functions and benefits. This paper presents a review of ecosystem services associated with water, particularly those in urban environments, and uses the emerging language of ecosystem services to provide a framework for discussion. The range of supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services associated with differing types of urban water bodies are identified. A matrix is then used to evaluate the results of a series of social, ecological and physical science studies co-located on a single stretch of a restored urban river. Findings identify the benefits of, but also barriers to, the implementation of a transdisciplinary research approach. For many, transdisciplinary research still appears to be on the edge of scientific respectability. In order to approach this challenge, it is imperative that we bring together discipline specific expertise to address fundamental and applied problems in a holistic way. The ecosystem services approach offers an exciting mechanism to support researchers in tackling research questions that require thinking beyond traditional scientific boundaries. The opportunity to fully exploit this approach to collaborative working should not be lost