An Assessment of the Commission’s 2011 Schengen Governance Package: Preventing abuse by EU member states of freedom of movement? CEPS Liberty and Security in Europe No. 47, 26 March 2012

The Schengen system has been at the centre of sharp controversy throughout 2011 and the early months of 2012 arising from attempts by several member state governments to challenge the right to the free movement of persons and the abolition of internal border checks. The speech delivered by Nicolas Sarkozy early this month (March 2012), as part of the French presidential campaign, in which he threatened to suspend France’s participation in Schengen illustrates this phenomenon. This paper examines the European Commission’s response to the Schengen controversies, namely the Schengen Goverance Package published in September 2011 and currently under negotiation in Council and the European Parliament. It assesses the scope and added value of the Package’s two new legislative proposals (a new Schengen evaluation mechanism and revised rules for restating internal border checks) by looking at the origins and features of the debate surrounding liberty of circulation in the Schengen area. The paper addresses the following questions: first, are these new rules necessary and appropriate to effectively respond to unlawful security derogations and restrictions to liberty of circulation? Second, would their adoption provide an effective response to current and future political tensions and national governments’ policies against free movement, such as those evidenced in 2011 and 2012 and for them to expand to other member states? And finally, is the Schengen Governance Package well designed to safeguard the free movement of persons, or is it rather oriented towards further strengthening the security apparatus of Schengen

Using Eco-schemes in the new CAP: a guide for managing authorities

This guide has been developed primarily for policy makers and Member State officials involved in the national and regional programming processes of the CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs). This process might involve different administrative levels (national, regional, local), different political fields (agriculture, environmental, food and health ministries), different public bodies (paying agencies, environmental agencies, rural development offices) depending on the administrative setting of each MS. In addition, the guide provides support to other stakeholders and practitioners from the public and private sectors and civil society (including agricultural, environmental, food, health and consumer NGOs), with a direct or indirect involvement in the programming and evaluation process of the CSPs. Since these new plans will have a strong impact on MS environments, agricultural sectors, rural areas, etc., the engagement of all stakeholders will be an important asset for supporting an effective implementation of the CSP objectives. There are many others with potential interests in the contents of this guide. EU citizens have demonstrated their increasing interest in the contents of the CAP objectives and policy framework, as demonstrated both by civil society initiatives and consumption decisions. The contents of this guide may therefore also be of interest to other societal actors with interests in agricultural and environmental policies, such as researchers, journalists, trade unions, and civil society organizations. However, the guide is intentionally more focused on the technical needs of those involved in CSP development and implementation

Environmental valuation in European Union policy-making

This paper offers a critical review of natural resource valuation and points out the role of economic valuation in EU policy-making. First of all, we specify the meaning of the economic value of environmental amenities, illustrate the most reliable and often used economic valuation techniques, and their major weaknesses. We then point out the normative significance of environmental valuation in the evolution of the EU environmental consciousness, and distinguish between its different applications. According to this framework, we critically review the studies carried out in the last few years (1998-2001) by the European Commission DG Environment, which are both methodological and application-oriented. Furthermore, we carry out a restricted survey on research in Europe. Our analysis makes clear that the diffusion of environmental valuation in Europe is unsatisfactory and that decision- makers distrust is still strong.environmental valuation, cost-benefit analysis, environmental policy

"They Come, They Fish, and They Go:” EC Fisheries Agreements with Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe

Fisheries agreements with the European Community (EC) are an important component of the fisheries sector in Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe, constituting today a key source of income for the respective fisheries administration. In spite of this, and of the fact that these agreements have been renewed several times over the past decades, challenges remain in domains such as control and communication of fishing activities, follow-up of financial counterparts, and integration of European fleets’ operations with the Cape Verdean and Santomean economies. This paper analyzes the EC fisheries agreements with Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe in terms of those domains, considering both the contents of the agreements and their practical implementation. The fisheries sector in each of these countries is reviewed, as are some of the fundamentals and criticisms of EC fisheries agreements. It is argued that the agreements with Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe will not live up to the stated objectives of sustainability and responsibility in fisheries until improvements are made to the control of EC vessels, the follow-up of funds paid by the EC, and the size and diversity of benefits accruing to the fisheries and related sectors in the two countrie

Kuinka lähestyä ja arvioida ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumista? : tulosperustainen ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutuminen sekä puiden ja metsien asema Adaptation Fundin rahoittamissa hankkeissa

Ilmastonmuutos vaikuttaa jo maapalloomme, joten on kiireellistä varmistaa riittävä tuki kaikkein heikoimmassa asemassa oleville yhteisöille, sektoreille ja ekosysteemeille. Ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumiseen tähtäävän rahoituksen odotetaan kasvavan ja johtavan tulosten mittaamisen ja todentamisen korostumiseen. On olemassa kansainvälinen yksimielisyys siitä, että ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumistoimenpiteiden tulisi olla tulosperustaisia. Kuitenkin tällä hetkellä ei ole tieteellistä tai poliittista yksimielisyyttä siitä, mitä tuloksellinen sopeutuminen on ja kuinka sitä tulisi mitata. Tämän seurauksena menetelmiä ja ohjeistuksia tulisi kehittää, jotta sopeutumista voitaisiin arvioida. Tässä tutkimuksessa järjestelmällisen katsauksen menetelmin tutkittiin 30 Adaptation Fundin rahoittamaa ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumisen hanketta. Sopeutumiseen tähtäävien toimien luokittelulla ja näiden erojen ja samankaltaisuuksien analysoinnilla lähestyttiin aineistoa kahdesta näkökulmasta: identifioitiin kuinka hankkeet oli suunniteltu tavoittelemaan ja arvioimaan tuloksellista sopeutumista sekä selvitettiin puiden ja metsien merkityksestä sopeutumistoimissa. Sitä kuinka hankkeet oli suunniteltu osoittamaan niiden tuloksellisuutta analysoitiin kolmen päätutkimusindikaattorin avulla: vähentämällä haavoittuvuutta ja lisäämällä sopeutumiskapasiteettia; vähentämällä altistumista; ja jakamalla oppeja ja vahvistamalla sopeutumisen tieteellistä perustaa. Tämä piti sisällään hankesuunnitelman tuloskehikossa määriteltyjen tulosten, mittarien ja lähtötasojen tarkastelun. Hankesuunnitelmia tarkasteltiin myös muilta osin, jotta saatiin tietoa siitä, kuinka puita ja metsiä hyödynnetään sopeutumistoimissa ja niiden tuloksellisuuden arvioinnissa. Hankkeita vertailtiin, jotta pystyttiin selvittämään, onko samankaltaisesti ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutumista tavoittelevilla hankkeilla myös samankaltaisuuksia tuloksellisuuden mittaamisessa. Hankkeet luokiteltiin niiden lähestymistavan mukaisesti neljään luokkaan: 1. ekosysteemiperustaiset; 2. tekniset tai sektorispesifit; 3. yhteisöperustaiset; ja 4. pienrahoituksen kanavointiin keskittyvät hankkeet. Keskiössä ovat erilaisten valittujen mittaamistapojen mahdollisuuksien ja rajoitteiden selvittäminen, mutta tutkielma tarjoaa myös suosituksia. Adaptation Fundin ensimmäisten vuosien jälkeen hankkeet ovat kehittyneet tuloksellisuuden arvioinnissa muutamia poikkeuksia lukuun ottamatta. Kansallisten ja alueellisten hanketoteuttajien tuloskehikoissa oli useammin haasteita. Puilla ja metsillä oli merkittävämpi asema kuin mitä oli odotettavissa metsähankkeiden rajallisen määrän perusteella. 80 prosenttia hankkeista sisälsi toimintoja, tuotoksia, tuloksia tai mittareita, jotka liittyivät puihin tai metsiin. Voidaan todeta, että tarkastelluissa hankkeissa oli eroja siinä, kuinka sopeutumista ja sen tuloksellisuuden mittaamista lähestyttiin. Tuloksellinen ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutuminen pääosin käsitettiin johtavan haavoittuvuuden vähentymiseen pitäen sisällään sopeutumiskapasiteetin kasvattamiseen tähtääviä toimia. Merkittävästi vähemmän tuloksia ja tuotoksia oli määritelty liittyen ilmastonmuutoksen vaikutuksille altistumisen vähentymiseen. Tuloksellinen sopeutuminen näyttäytyi myös opittujen asioiden jakamisena ja hankkeen muiden löydösten viestimisenä laajalle yleisölle sekä rahoituksen kanavointina, sosiaalisen inkluusion ja hankehallinnon tavoitteiden saavuttamisena. Voidaan todeta, että se millainen hankkeen lähestymistapa sopeutumiseen on vaikuttaa siihen, kuinka tuloksellisuutta tullaan mittaamaan. Tämä johtaa erilaisiin tyypillisiin tuloksellisuuden mittaamisen vahvuuksiin ja heikkouksiin.As climate change is already affecting our planet, it is urgent to ensure adequate support to the most vulnerable communities, sectors, and ecosystems to adapt to the changing climate. The scale of the financial resources that are expected to flow into climate change adaptation is likely to lead to a stronger emphasis on measuring and verifying results as there is international consensus that climate change adaptation interventions should be results-based. However, currently, there is no scientific nor political consensus over what effective adaptation is and how it should best be measured. As a result of this, efforts are needed to improve both methodologies and guidance for assessing adaptation. Through a systematic review of projects funded by the Adaptation Fund, I categorize 30 adaptation projects. The act of cataloguing adaptation measures and further analysing their similarities and differences produces insights in two main areas: identifying how projects have been designed to address and assess adaptation effectiveness; and enhancing understanding on the role of trees and forests in adaptation initiatives. I analyse the ways these projects are planned to assess their effectiveness using three main research indicators: reducing vulnerability and increasing adaptive capacity; reducing exposure; and sharing of lessons-learned and increasing climate change adaptation science. This includes studying the defined expected project results, indicators and baselines stated in projects’ results frameworks. The project proposals are further studied to gain understanding on how trees and forests are used to address and assess adaptation. The projects are analysed to test whether projects that address climate change adaptation similarly have also similarities in assessing effective adaptation. In order to do that the projects are categorized into four categories based on their approach: 1. ecosystem-based adaptation projects; 2. engineered or sectoral adaptation projects; 3. community-based adaptation projects; and 4. small-scale funding modality projects. I focus on exploring the objectives, types, and limitations of adaptation metrics used in assessing adaptation but also provide recommendations. Since the first years of the Adaptation Fund the projects have developed in regard to assessing their expected results with a few exceptions to the general trend. The national and regional implementing entities were more often struggling to set proper results frameworks. Trees and forests had a more prominent role than would be assumed by the limited number of projects classified as forestry projects as 80% of the projects included trees and/or forests as part of activities, outputs, outcomes, or indicators. It can be concluded that the studied projects had differences in addressing and measuring of adaptation. Effective adaptation was mostly framed to contribute to reducing vulnerabilities that include measures to increase adaptive capacity. Significantly less expected outcomes and outputs were set to reduce exposure to climate change impacts. Interestingly successful adaptation was also framed as sharing of lessons-learned or communicating other findings to a wider audience, and also to measure channelling of funding, project management, or social inclusion aspects.One of the key findings is that how the project is to address adaptation also influences how effective adaptation is to be measured and verified leading to different typical strengths and challenges in assessing effectiveness

Instruments of policy analysis. the impact assessment development by public authorities in Romania. Case study

The public authorities are facing real challenges due to the complexity and dynamics of economic and social issues. They must daily assess the available resources and answer to questions such as „is the citizens’ welfare good enough, can it be improved?” „there are the initiatives for the environmental protection adequate?”, „is there a coherent employment system for integrating the graduates on labour market?”, „are the charges pertinent means for improving the social actors’ behaviour?”. These issues as well as many others represent only a part of the problems that must be solved through public intervention. The economic difficulties often represent the strongest key factor for non-transforming a social issue into the object of a public policy. They are also responsible for imposing to the decision-maker the compulsoriness of choosing to solve certain problems. This choice is never easy and it haggles always a pit of doubt inside the heart of the decision-maker: „is this decision the best choice?”, or „is the selected alternative the best for action?”. Diminishing this dilemma, as well as supporting the decision-maker in order to improve the decision-making process have found their expression in the theorists and practitioners’ efforts to develop the states’ capacity for public policy analysis. There are quite many definitions for public policy analysis in the field literature; they support its duality, namely the public policy analysis represents an approach as well as a methodology for developing and investigating public policy alternatives. Among the well-know instruments of policy analysis, we enumerate the cost-effectiveness analysis, the cost-benefit analysis, and the impact assessment. In this paper the attention is focusing on impact assessments. Therefore, the objectives of the paper refer to (a) a brief overview on the instruments of policy analysis with a particular focus on the impact assessment and (b) an investigation of the national practice on the development of the impact assessment. In this paper, we shall analyze how the public institutions are using the impact assessment in view to improve the quality and coherence of the policy development process. Therefore, in order to attain our aims, the paper will comprise a theoretical part based on the study of the field literature and European and domestic regulation concerning the impact assessment and an empirical part, related to the analysis of some impact assessments from educational and regional development areas, drawn up by Romanian public authorities during the public policy process. The conclusions will reveal the progresses made by Romania to use the impact assessments and the possible inconsistencies between the national model and that proposed by the European Commission. As research methodology for achieving the aims, we shall use the following: researching the bibliographical sources, comparative analysis between the European and the domestic legislation regarding the impact assessment, analysis and evaluation of the public policy proposals and other important documents.Public policy analysis, cost-benefit analysis, impact assessment, Romania

Cross-border data access in criminal proceedings and the future of digital justice: Navigating the current legal framework and exploring ways forward within the EU and across the Atlantic. CEPS Task Force Report 14 Oct 2020.

When investigating and prosecuting crime, a wide range of law enforcement and criminal justice actors increasingly seek to obtain electronic data held by service providers that are subject to another jurisdiction. Yet the processing of cross-border requests for cross-border electronic information raises several legal and practical dilemmas related to basic rule of law and fundamental rights safeguards. This report examines the ways in which data can currently be requested, disclosed and exchanged , in full respect of the multilayered web of legally binding criminal justice, privacy and human-rights standards that apply within the EU, and in cooperation with third countries. It presents the result of discussions between members of a Task Force set up jointly by CEPS and the Global Policy Institute at Queen Mary University of London. Members of this Task Force included EU and national policymakers, providers of internet and telecommunication services, prosecutors, criminal lawyers, civil society actors and academic experts. The report initially reviews the set of EU constitutional principles and legal instruments that uphold the existing framework for judicial cooperation in cross-border data gathering. It then looks at initiatives promoted by third countries and at the international level to establish various forms of cross-border public-private cooperation, before examining the e-evidence proposals currently discussed at the EU level. Based on the inputs of the Task Force members, the report identifies a set of policy, normative and technical solutions that can facilitate rule of law-based and fundamental rights-compliant judicial cooperation for the purpose of cross-border gathering and transfer of data in criminal proceedings