The Canada-Czech Republic visa dispute two years on-Implications for the EU's migration and asylum policies. CEPS Liberty and Security in Europe, October 2011

This paper critically examines the policy implications of the ongoing Canada-Czech Republic visa dispute for the founding principles of the EU’s immigration and asylum policies, notably those of reciprocity and solidarity. It addresses the main challenges posed by the unilateral reintroduction of visa requirements for nationals of the Czech Republic for the EU’s common visa policy, and for the fundamental rights of European citizens who belong to vulnerable and excluded groups, i.e. Roma, in search of international protection. The new Commission proposal on a visa safeguard clause for suspending visa liberalisation will be also critically examined in this context. The paper argues that the EU-Canada visa controversy reveals several pitfalls for the successful pursuit of EU foreign policy in Justice and Home Affairs, as well as for the legitimacy of Europe’s immigration and asylum policies. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations for improving EU-Canada cooperation in the fields of migration and asylum that aim to facilitate the legitimacy, solidarity and fundamental rights compliance of current and future cooperation frameworks

Long term outcomes of acute and transient psychotic disorders:The missed opportunity of preventive interventions

AbstractBackground:Acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPD) are characterized by an acute onset and a remitting course, and overlap with subgroups of the clinical high-risk state for psychosis. The long-term course and outcomes of ATPD are not completely clear.Methods:Electronic health record-based retrospective cohort study, including all patients who received a first index diagnosis of ATPD (F23, ICD-10) within the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) National Health Service Trust, between 1 st April 2006 and 15th June 2017. The primary outcome was risk of developing persistent psychotic disorders, defined as the development of any ICD-10 diagnoses of non-organic psychotic disorders. Cumulative risk of psychosis onset was estimated through Kaplan-Meier failure functions (non-competing risks) and Greenwood confidence intervals.Results:A total of 3074 patients receiving a first index diagnosis of ATPD (F23, ICD-10) within SLaM were included. The mean follow-up was 1495 days. After 8-year, 1883 cases (61.26%) retained the index diagnosis of ATPD; the remaining developed psychosis. The cumulative incidence (Kaplan-Meier failure function) of risk of developing any ICD-10 non-organic psychotic disorder was 16.10% at 1-year (95%CI 14.83–17.47%), 28.41% at 2-year (95%CI 26.80–30.09%), 33.96% at 3-year (95% CI 32.25–35.75%), 36.85% at 4-year (95%CI 35.07–38.69%), 40.99% at 5-year (95% CI 39.12–42.92%), 42.58% at 6-year (95%CI 40.67–44.55%), 44.65% at 7-year (95% CI 42.66–46.69%), and 46.25% at 8-year (95% CI 44.17–48.37%). The cumulative risk of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder at 8-year was 36.14% (95% CI 34.09–38.27%).Conclusions:Individuals with ATPD have a very high risk of developing persistent psychotic disorders and may benefit from early detection and preventive treatments to improve their outcomes.</jats:sec

Assessing EU policy on irregular immigration under the Stockholm Programme. CEPS Liberty and Security in Europe, October 2010

The relationship between EU policy and the rights of undocumented migrants remains in tension. The status and treatment granted to undocumented migrants continues to be 'invisible' in EU policy strategies and responses. This is so despite the wide recognition and evidence of the vulnerability and insecurities these persons face in their access to fundamental rights. The 'policy gap' between current European policy-making under the third multiannual programme on the Union’s Area of Freedom, Security and Justice – the Stockholm Programme – and the results emerging from social science research funded by EU institutions has been assessed and evidenced elsewhere. This collection of papers aims at moving the debate forward by substantiating these findings with the experiences and knowledge of a selected group of EU umbrella (civil society) organisations and practitioners representing key institutions in Europe on fundamental human rights. The papers include three contributions arising from the conference "Undocumented Migrants and the Stockholm Programme: Assuring Access to Rights?" held in Brussels on 9 March 2010. The conference was organised by CEPS, the European Trade Union Confederation, the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants and EUROCITIES. The discussion is expanded by two further contributions, by representatives of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and Council of Europe’s Department of the European Social Charter. This collection concludes with a concrete set of policy recommendations and a four-point plan to reduce 'irregularity' in Europ

State of the Art on the European Court of Justice and Enacting Citizenship. CEPS Special Report, April 27 2009

This report provides a state of the art of the main interdisciplinary academic discussions, EU acts and European Court of Justice (ECJ) case law surrounding issues related to citizenship, migration and integration. The report was finalised in mid-2008 and has provided the basis upon which the work conducted by the Justice and Home Affairs Section at CEPS in the framework of the ENACT research project funded by DG Research of the European Commission has been developed. In particular, the general objectives of CEPS’ contribution to this project are: first, to assess the impact of Community governance on the enactment of European citizenship and the exclusivity of the nation-state competence over nationality matters; and to examine the ways in which the ECJ and the adoption of the Council Directive 2004/38/EC on the rights of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely have influenced its enactment; second, to analyse the impacts of the enlargement processes, and of accompanying measures such as the transitional arrangements inserted in the Acts of Accession and other restrictions to the fundamental right of freedom of movement, on the status and practices of European citizenship; and third, to assess the tensions inherent to nationality and/or residence-based enactment of citizenship versus European citizenship of TCNs; to address the effects and dilemmas posed by the Council Directive 2003/109/EC of November 2003 on the status of third country nationals who are long-term residents

Undocumented immigrants and rights in the EU addressing the gap between social science research and policy-making in the Stockholm Programme. CEPS Liberty and Security in Europe, December 2009

Undocumented migrants are one of the most vulnerable groups in the EU. This report assesses the main findings and synergies of a selection of EU-funded research projects on irregular immigration and the status of undocumented migrants. It reveals that the results emanating from social science research contrast with the EU policy documents adopted in light of the forthcoming Stockholm Programme – the third multi-annual programme on an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. The authors argue that acknowledgement of the findings of independent research is lacking in EU policy, which continues promote a control-based approach to migration that has profound ethical and human rights implications. The report concludes with a set of policy recommendations aimed at overcoming the current inconsistencies in EU and national policies as well as in practices on irregular migration under the mandate of the Stockholm Programme

A race against solidarity: the Schengen regime and the Franco-Italian affair. CEPS Liberty and Security in Europe, April 2011

In April 2011, France reintroduced internal border checks with Italy to prevent mobility by North African immigrants who hold temporary residence permits issued by Italy and who had entered the EU from Tunisia as a result of revolutions and war in the southern Mediterranean region. This has caused a diplomatic row between the two countries and provoked strong reactions other EU member states and at EU level. This paper examines the compatibility of the Italian and French measures with EU border legislation and legal principles as well as the foundations of the Schengen regime. It argues that the Franco-Italian affair illustrates a ‘race to the bottom’ on European principles of solidarity, loyal cooperation and fundamental rights. The affair ultimately reveals the very limits and unfinished elements of the EU’s immigration and border policies. Finally, the paper puts forward policy recommendations to the parties involved

GENETIC AND CLINICAL CORRELATES OF COGNITIVE PERFORMANCES IN MAJOR MENTAL DISORDERS

Correlational study analyzing neurocognition in patients with mental disorders. divided into three parts: genetic, clinic and neurodevelpomental. In the first part were found some correlations between two polymorphisms of TAAR1 and memory functions. In the second part it was investigated the role of age, number of admissions and duration of illness which correlates with lower executive functions and lastly it was investigated the neurodevelopement through AdAS questionnaire and it was found that subthresholds autistic traits correlates with reduction of inhibitory control

Developing and Validating an Individualized Clinical Prediction Model to Forecast Psychotic Recurrence in Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorders: Electronic Health Record Cohort Study

Acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPDs) include short-lived psychotic episodes with a high probability of developing psychotic recurrences. Clinical care for ATPD is currently limited by the inability to predict outcomes. Real-world electronic health record (EHR)-based retrospective cohort study STROBE/RECORD compliant included all individuals accessing the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust between 2006 and 2017 and receiving a first diagnosis of ATPD (F23, ICD-10). After imputing missing data, stepwise and LASSO Cox regression methods employing a priori predictors (n = 23) were compared to develop and internally validate an individualized risk prediction model to forecast the risk of psychotic recurrences following TRIPOD guidelines. The primary outcome was prognostic accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]). 3018 ATPD individuals were included (average age = 33.75 years, 52.7% females). Over follow-up (average 1042 ± 1011 days, up to 8 years) there were 1160 psychotic recurrences (events). Stepwise (n = 12 predictors) and LASSO (n = 17 predictors) regression methods yielded comparable prognostic accuracy, with an events per variable ratio >100 for both models. Both models showed an internally validated adequate prognostic accuracy from 4 years follow-up (AUC 0.70 for both models) and good calibration. A refined model was adapted in view of the new ICD-11 criteria on 307 subjects with polymorphic ATPD, showing fair prognostic accuracy at 4 years (AUC: stepwise 0.68; LASSO 0.70). This study presents the first clinically based prediction model internally validated to adequately predict long-term psychotic recurrence in individuals with ATPD. The model can be automatable in EHRs, supporting further external validations and refinements to improve its prognostic accuracy