The 2019 NATO Summit in London in the context of Poland’s military security

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-59
Author(s):  
Łukasz Jureńczyk
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Structural Realism ◽  
Defense Spending ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Member States ◽  
Main Thesis ◽  
Military Security ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Article 5

The paper provides reflections on NATO’s London Summit held on 3 and 4 December 2019 in the context of Poland’s military security. The paper is divided into an introduction, six sections, and a conclusion. The first section is devoted to issues of formation, functioning, and disintegration of alliances from the perspective of the theory of defensive structural realism and explains the methodological assumptions of the paper. The second section presents the atmosphere as prevailed before and during the Summit, which significantly impacted its process. The following sections are devoted to the main problems raised during the Summit from the perspective of Poland’s military security. The first involved the approval of Poland and the Baltic states’ defense plans together with a discussion on the danger of their blocking by the Turkish delegation. Another issue was the symbolic and practical confirmation of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty’s significance in the perspective of the approach to Russia’s threat. The next two problems concerned the level of Member States’ defense spending and the vision of strengthening the EU’s defense potential. The paper’s main thesis is that the decisions of the NATO Summit in London have had a positive impact on Poland’s military security. However, the climate and discussions that accompanied the Summit also brought a great deal of uncertainty and revealed a growing gap between allies concerning various issues.

scholarly journals DECLINING SYSTEMIC TRUST IN THE POLITICAL ELITE IN THE EU’S NEW MEMBER STATES: THE DIVERGENCE BETWEEN EAST-CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE BALTIC STATES

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attila Ágh
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Political Elite ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Member States ◽  
East Central Europe ◽  
East Central ◽  
New Member States ◽  
Systemic Trust ◽  
The Baltic

In the last decade there has been a process of rolling-back Europeanization efforts in the EU’s new member states (NMS), a process intensified by the global crisis. This de-Europeanization and de-democratization process in the NMS has become a significant part of a more general polycrisis in the EU. The backslide of democracy in the NMS as a topical issue has usually been analysed in terms of macro-politics, formal-legal state institutions, party systems, and macroeconomics. The most significant decline of democratization, however, is evident in the public’s decreasing participation in politics and in the eroding trust. This decline in systemic trust in political elites in the NMS has been largely neglected by analysts. Therefore, this paper concentrates on this relatively overlooked dimension of declining trust and social capital in the NMS. This analysis employs the concepts of governance, trust, and social capital to balance the usual formalistic top-down approach with a bottom-up approach that better illustrates the divergence between East-Central Europe and the Baltic states’ sub-regional development.

Arbitration in the Baltic States and Scandinavia

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-77
Author(s):  
Barbara Warwas
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Grey Zone ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Member States ◽  
The Baltic

This article builds off the empirical research conducted within the Study on the Legal Instruments and Practice of Arbitration in the eu and Switzerland, commissioned by the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. It discusses the empirical data collected in the course of the Study, and the most recent legal developments on arbitration regarding five Member States – Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, and Sweden – referred to as ‘the Baltic States and Scandinavia’. Hence, this article shifts the discussion on arbitration from elite practitioners to more local arbitration practices, uncovering the so-called ‘grey zone’ largely missing from the mainstream discussion of arbitration.

scholarly journals Strengthening Judicial Cooperation in Civil Matters Between the EU and Neighboring Countries: The Example of Ukraine and the Baltic States

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-133
Author(s):  
Iryna Izarova
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Location ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Judicial Cooperation ◽  
Member States ◽  
Association Agreement ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Judicial cooperation between EU Member-States and Ukraine is still at a basic level. The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement does not prove an appropriate approach, and their relations are regulated mostly with the bilateral agreements. The Baltic states and Ukraine, which are the focus of this research, are deeply engaged by their close geographical location, common historical issues and friendly relations, and seek further development of their relations. This should be accompanied by mutual judiciary trust and therefore by the corresponding evolution of bilateral relations proper to this trust. The following types of judicial cooperation in civil matters were chosen as objects of this research: recognition of Baltic States’ courts’ judgments in Ukraine, as well as service of documents and taking of evidence in Ukraine. The conclusions consist of several proposals related to deeper judicial cooperation between Member-States and third countries, illustrated by the example of the Baltic States and Ukraine, in light of the right to fair trial and mutual trust in the judiciary.

scholarly journals Analysis of the European integration process Baltic countries: experience for Ukraine

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
Yu. Masyk
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Integration ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Member States ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Eu

The article analyzes the peculiarities of the integration of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia into the European Union. The stages are highlighted, the principles and mechanisms of the European integration policy of the Baltic States are clarified. The problems of Ukraine's adaptation to the requirements of the European Union, in particular the conditions of the Copenhagen criteria, ways to use the relevant experience of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are revealed. Recommendations for further rapprochement of Ukraine with the EU are considered. The accession of dozens of new countries to the EU in May 2004 marked a qualitatively new stage in the integration process both in Europe and in the world. As a result of the largest enlargement of the European Union, the state of the economy in the old member states has changed significantly, but rather it has had decisive consequences in all areas of the economy for the new member states. Analysis of the positive and negative phenomena that accompanied the enlargement of the EU is important for countries that have or are considering joining the EU in the future, in the formation of long-term economic policy and deciding on the directions of their integration. The closest to Ukraine in terms of development in the EU are the countries of Central Europe and the Baltics, so their experience will be useful for our country. Integration with the European Union was less difficult for the three Baltic states than for many other accessing countries, due to their strong social impetus to join Western political, economic and legal culture after they regained their independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. However, the accession of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had several distinctive features related to constitutional origin and institutions, which had a strong impact on the resolution of problems between the government and the EU institutions. The path taken by the Baltic countries upon accession to the EU was difficult and their role in the EU was not easy. Today, the EU-related agenda requires more skills than ever before in finding allies and choosing partners.

scholarly journals EU Policy on Deepening Liberal Democracy: A Case Study of the Baltic States

2021 ◽  
pp. 89-105
Author(s):  
Nataliia Khoma ◽  
Ihor Vdovychyn
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Democracy ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Quality Of Democracy ◽  
Member States ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
European Democracy ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Democratic Transformation ◽  
The Eu

The issues of the EU’s activities concerning the quality of democracy in member states are studied. On the examples of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the effectiveness of EU projects to continue the liberal-democratic transformation in member states with a post-totalitarian past where the risk of regression of democracy remains, is assessed. The current goals of the EU are described as being insufficient in terms of properly preventing and counteracting the decline of the quality of democracy, as well as for inculcating the values of liberal democracy. The need to intensify the EU’s activities in the direction of monitoring the observance of democratic standards is explained by the stagnation/regression of the quality of democracy in the countries of the recent EU enlargements, including the Baltic States. The actions of the EU’s institutions towards member states, where democracy shows stagnation/regression, are assessed as inconsistent, due to the possible consequences of this destructive process. The EU’s lack of attention to strengthening the values on which the EU is based is emphasized, which is seen as the main reason for the present deterioration in the quality of democracy. The requirement to construct a new format of European democracy and new mechanisms to ensure its quality is highlighted.

RESEARCH ON CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS LATVIA IN 2009-2019

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 555
Author(s):  
Jeļena Volkova ◽  
Ēvalds Višķers
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
World Economic Forum ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Global Competitiveness ◽  
National Economic ◽  
The Status ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Global Competitiveness Index ◽  
Competitiveness Index ◽  
The Baltic

In the era of globalization the term competitiveness has become of essential importance. Each country is showing its interest in it because the results of national economic processes depend on its successful alignment with the international market. The aim of this research is to define the changes in the Latvia’s Competitiveness Index in comparison with the Baltic States during the period 2009-2019. To achieve this aim the following methodology was used: scientific inductive and deductive methods,the monographic and the data based method. The research is based on the results of the assessement of the „Global Competitiveness Index”introduced by the World Economic Forum. Regardless of the methodological drawbacks and changes, the GCI states the status of Estonia as an economic leader among the Baltic States. The tendency seen in the last years shows the levelling of the competitiveness of the Baltic States that can have a positive impact on the development of the region in the further period.  

scholarly journals Uniformity of Application of the EU Customs Law: Problematic Aspects in the Baltic States

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-38
Author(s):  
Gediminas Valantiejus ◽  
Saulius Katuoka
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Trade ◽  
Legal Regulations ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Member States ◽  
National Courts ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Research purpose. The EU Customs Law is a significant branch of the EU substantive law. On the basis of the Union Customs Code (UCC; Regulation [EU] No. 952/2013) and the Combined Nomenclature of the European Union (Regulation [EU] No. 2658/87 and its Annexes), it regulates the international trade of the European Union and its Member States with the third countries, in particular the taxation of the international trade operations by applying the customs duties/tariffs. However, after the adoption of the UCC, which imperatively requires all the customs administrations of the EU Member States to work as one, the problem of the uniform application of the EU customs law remains very important. Therefore, the authors analyse the practice of the Baltic States (i.e. Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) in this area, based on the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in cases involving references to the CJEU by the national courts of different Baltic States. Design/Methodology/Approach. The authors used the thematic analysis method and the method of generalisation of professional (judicial) practice as the basis of the chosen methodology and its design. Therefore, first of all, the authors have selected the judicial cases of the CJEU (in the period from 2010 to 2018) related to a certain theme – customs duties. Second, the authors compared the practice of the CJEU in such cases, which are attributable to the relevant EU Member State in order to identify the problems of uniformity in the application of the EU customs law (specific to the different Baltic States). Finally, by using comparative insights and comparative method, the authors present proposals for the improvement of legal regulation to ensure the compatibility of national rules and practices with the EU law. Findings. During the investigation, the authors established that the problems of the uniform application of the EU customs law in the Baltic States arose in specific areas. Such areas were tariff classification of goods, determination of the origin and value of goods (in the case of Latvia), regulation of customs procedures (in the case of Estonia), customs duties and other import taxes preferences (in the case of Lithuania). At the same time, it was established that the national courts of the Republic of Lithuania were the least active in ensuring co-operation with the CJEU this area, which could have been caused by the improper national legal regulations. Originality/Value/Practical implications. The authors present (after the assessment of the experience of the Baltic States) the proposals for the improvement of both the legal regulations of the EU customs law as well as national legal regulations (in particular – in the Republic of Lithuania) to improve the areas that cause systemic irregularities of the uniform regulation of the international trade regulatory measures of the European Union. Whilst some of the similar studies were completed in the recent years (e.g. Limbach 2015), they do not provide a detailed comparative analysis of the issues that were investigated, specifically considering the situation in the Baltic States.

scholarly journals Military Cooperation of Ukraine and the Baltic States (1991-2017)

2017 ◽  
pp. 165-220
Author(s):  
Ruslana Martseniuk
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
International Security ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Economic Assistance ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Military Cooperation ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Military Security ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Baltic

The article analyzes the main stages of military cooperation between Ukraine and the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) from the establishment of diplomatic relations after the collapse of the USSR and to this day. The reasons for the activation of the mentioned cooperation in the conditions of the crisis of the international security system, which is connected with Russian aggression and violation of international security agreements. Today, in order to counteract the armed aggression in the militarization of the Russian Federation, one of the most urgent areas for ensuring Ukraine’s military security is the following: effective use of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with partners and allies in the military sphere; implementation of standards and principles of NATO member states; involvement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the international operations of NATO and the EU. So today in the conditions of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine and the threat of security and tranquility in Europe, the Baltic countries provide Ukraine with military and economic assistance both within NATO and on a bilateral basis. This is the supply of ammunition that the Ukrainian Armed Forces needs in the forefront and assistance in the treatment and rehabilitation of our wounded soldiers and active assistance in providing professional advisers for military affairs and tactical medicine. The security dimension of relations between our countries is also the creation of a unique international military formation of LITPOLUKRBRIG, which practically allows us to work out our military interoperability and compatibility and is one of the largest and ambitious military cooperation projects.

Enhanced NATO role may curb Russia's Baltic ambitions

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Overt Aggression ◽  
Baltic States ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
The Baltic

Subject Security challenges and responses in the Baltic states. Significance Since Moscow's annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine in 2014, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have increasingly been viewed as potential targets. Their vulnerabilities include their small size, territorial proximity to the Russian landmass and significant Slav minorities in Latvia and Estonia. Russian intervention is most likely to involve covert rather than overt aggression. NATO has increased its capabilities in the three member states. Impacts The NATO summit in Warsaw in July will discuss further steps to reassure members and deter Russia Lithuania will cooperate with Poland, which has much larger forces than all the Baltic states combined. Georgia and Moldova will be encouraged to seek closer ties with NATO if the alliance demonstrates a resolve to defend its members.

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